# Custom Small Square in Southern Wisconsin



## wbutteris (Mar 8, 2012)

Hello All,

I am a college student with an ag background looking to startup a custom small square baling business in Southern Wisconsin and I am just wondering what you all think I can commit to for as far as acres. I think most of my business will come from clients just wanting baling done, but I do own a 9 foot new idea discbine. I have a 4750 Hesston inline square baler and accumulator and am worried I may get too stretched out. This will be my only plan this summer so I can devote all my time to it. I am just wondering what some reasonable numbers would be.


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## Blue Duck (Jun 4, 2009)

It depends on what size of fields you will be doing. A bunch of 3 acre fields spread out all over the county will eat up a lot of time and reduce the amount of acres you will be able to cover compared to lage fields that are close.


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## MorganT69 (May 17, 2010)

I have people all the time wanting me to come and cut there hay and bale it usually around 3 to 5 acres, most just want me to do it on the half's and I went and looked at some, most of it should be bush hogged, just crap grass that I wont spend my time on. They kinda get mad at you when you tell them NO. I'm not selling crap grass to my customers and IM not working for free. I can drive by some of those same fields, they are still grown up and they still want somebody to cut there "HAY", good luck. Most people that have good hay fields have the equipment to do it themselves.


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## wbutteris (Mar 8, 2012)

In the event that my average field was 20-30 acres, what could I commit to.


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## MorganT69 (May 17, 2010)

Is it just you or will there be others working, with square bale hay, you have to have it off the ground the day you cut it, taking that into consideration, and it being just you, I would do my fields in 10 acre sections, cut it, bale it, get it to the barn, you can go on and cut more ground as you wait for that hay to cure, but more than 10 acres at a time and you will risk loosing some. Thats my 2 cents worth, do you know what your cost and overheard are going to be, what your planning on charging and so forth. Have you done a business plan and figured everything out on paper first. Do you have customers lined up and are they willing to wait on you to finish so and so's farm before they come to them. Lots of things to consider in this plan. Good Luck


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

About the best I can manage to do working alone is about 5-7 acres in a cutting, and I have a lot of equipment to help. If I tackle more than that, I need some help running an additional machine. This is with good weather and crop conditions and no equipment malfunctions. Another thing to consider with squares is storage. Not all customers are going to show come baling day, so you need a place to put those bales. You don't state your location, or type of crop, but if it's like down here, you can easily get 50-75 bales per acre or more in which case, your gonna need a good bit of storage quick if it all goes in the barn.
Best of luck!
Steve


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I cut, raked & baled about 20 acres by myself. Small bales. I'm "farm strong" and was able to do it. I made a big platform for the front of my tractor and put about 20 bales on it, then took it up to my truck and then after about 100 bales were on, drove it to the buyer. Took me about 2 days to load all the bales, but I got it done. 
At less than 1/2 my age, you should be able to do 20 acres by yourself, but it's going to be a long day. 
I always thought if you could pre-sell your hay, you're better off.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Has anyone ever stored stacks of small squares outside for a few days under large tarps? 
My barn space is very limited this year. 
I really gotta find a place to build a pole barn.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

Yeah but...if it rains you lose some bottom outside bales tarp won't stop water from migrating underneath by the time it drys to move them... it can and has been done


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## T & R Hay Farms (Jan 19, 2012)

Yes, we have stored them outside underneath a tarp for awhile. Around where i live in west central minnesota the wind blows and tarps don't last too long. But The bottom bales may go to waste to sell, but you can definetly feed them to your own livestock. It is what we do.


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