# Cost to have field planted in hay?



## New (Nov 4, 2009)

I've recently moved to a very small acreage in Southwest Michigan. I have about four acres that I might want to put into hay (alfalfa and pasture mix). What should I expect to pay someone to work up and plant the field for me? Right now it's just a field of weeds and grasses--land hasn't been worked in several years. Flat land, no trees or obstacles. I already brush hogged it. Also, I don't want to use any herbicides or chemicals on the land to kill off the existing vegetation--keeping my organic options open. Just wondering what sort of costs I'd be looking at. Thanks for any help.


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## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

Costs can vary depending on if you are hiring it done or you are doing it yourself. Organic means that you will not be spending money on commercial fertilizers and chemicals so your cost will be labor and equipment for increased tilliage and manuer applicaiton. Costs generally are $200 to $300 per acre. Your cost for organic may be less but your expected yields will be alot less. Productivity is generally correalted with input costs.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Sure would be nicw to Roundup it to clean up any perenial weeds.

Maybe keep it black to get rid of weeds/sod and seed it in late summer.Rework it every few weeks when you get another flush of weeds.May be hard to get someone to do that small of a job.

Or work it up this fall with some heavy tillage and the winter will help mellow the soil.Prepare seedbed in spring disk/dig,seed, pack.Keep it clipped before any weeds go to seed until it gets established.

Or also use a cover crop to help hold back weeds and bale it off.

Confused Yet?

Some ball park costs per acre
Ripping/plowing $20
disking/digging $12 may have to go over it a few times to get good seed bed.
drilling$15
You may have to pay more being it is only 4 ac,not much money in it for the guy doing it.


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## haytimer (Oct 15, 2009)

you might check with your local extension office for any co-operatives around,i have alot of small acerage people that want me to custom for them and i dont have the time i told them about it and the ones that have done it seem pleased..not sure on the details but usually one person plows and one plants etc..then they have more product for a market and it keeps from just one person having to own every peice of equipment it takes to do it...maybe someone on here has some more info to help you out with the details...best of luck to you...


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## Chessiedog (Jul 24, 2009)

Might want to get a soil test first to see what nutrients it might need before you go throwing seed down that might not grow .That would tell you what some of your cost would be other than the seed cost and dirt prep.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

To b3e perfectly honest, and like swnmhay already pointed out, unless it was right next door to me, I wouldn't work a four acre parcel. Most of our tillage equipment is big enough that its a real pain in a field that small.


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## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

I plant small pieces for people. That time of year is the time when I have time to do stuff like that and I like to make my new Krause disk make some money for me.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

If you want someone to do the work for you try to find someone close,road time sucks.Talk to them ahead of time so they can plan ahead,maybe they are driving by and can swing in and do it.

Do you have a tractor?If you do you could maybe by a old small disk for $200-300.Here the NRCS has a 10' notill drill for rent.Or maybe they know someone that custom seeds.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Just say the usual cost of planting hay in your area is $200 an acre. Now for someone to com in and plant for you they will have road time which will increase their expenses. (Equipment and people cost are by the hour. )

Then you are saying yours is a small acrage, which usually means longer time actually doing the work, This also adds to the expense of planting. Then if it is a field with lots of turning and short runs, that also will increase the expenses. Triangular shape really eats up time, ie expenses.

What I am saying, expect to pay a premium for the work. Otherwise the work will be done as an accomidation, or for friendship, or out and out charity.


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