# Custom Applied Lime



## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

Do any of ya'll have lime custom applied? If so what does it cost you by the acre/ton?

I ask because my buddy, that I work for, just installed John Deere Greenstar in his litter/lime spreader truck. We are gonna be doing custom variable rate lime spreading. We were discussing how to charge for the service. The customer will have lime stockpiled on site. We will just be loading and spreading. He was thinking of charging on a per ton basis. I think it would be better to charge on a per acre basis. There is no way to accurately determine how many tons we applied without seeing the customers weight tickets from when the lime was hauled. Charging by the acre, we can establish acreage by the gps. Also with the variable rate application I think he will see more gross revenue by charging by the acre because most of the crop ground covered will probably call for 1200-1800 lbs acre. What is your opinion?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Hourly.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

By the acre, hourly isn't necessarily fair to the customer. Some guys are very proficient at loading and spreading and can knock out a hundred tons in no time while others aren't as speedy.


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

around here its per acre.


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

In this area, it runs from $15-$25/ac.to spread. Product usually runs about $25/t before delivery. This year we had some spread and at the end of the day for product, delivery, re-loading in spreader truck and spreading it ran us $47/ac.I know that may seem a bit steep, but I figure I can be doing other things while they haul and spread. Besides, I don't own a spreader and a good one is pretty pricey for the small operation we have.

Regards,

Steve


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

dubltrubl said:


> In this area, it runs from $15-$25/ac.to spread. Product usually runs about $25/t before delivery. This year we had some spread and at the end of the day for product, delivery, re-loading in spreader truck and spreading it ran us $47/ac.I know that may seem a bit steep, but I figure I can be doing other things while they haul and spread. Besides, I don't own a spreader and a good one is pretty pricey for the small operation we have.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Steve


That is pretty spendy, how far is it trucked in? We have several limestone quarries less than two hours away.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

One month ago I had a hundred and fifty ton spread. the total cost for them was $32 per ton.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

Around the guys who spread stockpiled manure always charged by the hour.A big tractor and big spreader usually run about 60 to 80 dollars an hour.


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

Are ya'll basing this off of flat rate application? I see a little more value in valuable rate, just not sure how much at this point.



dubltrubl said:


> In this area, it runs from $15-$25/ac.to spread.


He was originally thinking $11/ton but I suggested switch ton to acre. So for your area we would still be on the cheap side.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

VRT rate for fertilizer this fall is $5.25 on my bill.I had some lime applied also VRT but it hasn't been billed yet.

Edit:Just opened the bill.$5.25 per acre VRT spread Lime.ONLY charged on actual acres they spread,it was only required on 37 acres out of 128.

Lime is $60 a ton here.Last I heard they haul it 200 miles from Ames ,Iowa.I know there are pits closer so wondering wht they haul from there?


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I had 100 tons of Basic Slag spread last spring. It cost $8 per ton to spread and I loaded the spreader truck. After the fact, the CO-OP said they would have spread it for $6 a ton if I loaded. I put a ton per acre so my price per ton and price per acre were the same.

The guy that spread for me will furnish and spread lime for $40 per ton.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

swmnhay said:


> VRT rate for fertilizer this fall is $5.25 on my bill.I had some lime applied also VRT but it hasn't been billed yet.Edit:Just opened the bill.$5.25 per acre VRT spread Lime.ONLY charged on actual acres they spread,it was only required on 37 acres out of 128.Lime is $60 a ton here.Last I heard they haul it 200 miles from Ames ,Iowa.I know there are pits closer so wondering wht they haul from there?


How does that work would the applicator drive across 128 acres and only discharge on 37. Or does the applicator only drive across 37 acres.


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## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

mlappin said:


> That is pretty spendy, how far is it trucked in? We have several limestone quarries less than two hours away.


They haul it from about 1/2hr away. There's a rail depot that it's unloaded from and loaded onto trucks for distribution. I ballpark figured it cost me about $600 bucks to get it trucked over.We had 37-38t trucked in so it took 'em 3 trips with a good sized dump truck. If I recall correctly, they handle about 14t/load.


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

endrow said:


> How does that work would the applicator drive across 128 acres and only discharge on 37. Or does the applicator only drive across 37 acres.


I'm curious about how that works too. With the VRT system we use, you would apply product to the entire acreage. The controller tells the bed chain to speed up or slow down based on a mapping software that is downloaded from a computer to the controller.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

endrow said:


> How does that work would the applicator drive across 128 acres and only discharge on 37. Or does the applicator only drive across 37 acres.


He didn't drive across all of it,just in the spots that needed it.It's all on a disc they down load into the spreader truck


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

swmnhay said:


> He didn't drive across all of it,just in the spots that needed it.It's all on a disc they down load into the spreader truck


I'm still a little confused.

So the part he didn't drive across...PH was good so soil test called for no lime?

The part he did drive across...did they apply a flat rate over all of that area?


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

ANewman said:


> I'm still a little confused.
> 
> So the part he didn't drive across...PH was good so soil test called for no lime?
> 
> The part he did drive across...did they apply a flat rate over all of that area?


Correct,it was grid sampled.Not sure if it was same rate on what was spread or different rates on different grids.


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

OK that makes sense now. Most places here will require at least a small amount of lime every couple of years. So far I've seen the VR controller cut back as low as 400 lb in a few small areas.


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## PaCustomBaler (Nov 29, 2010)

We typically do it by the ton.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

ON the land we own we spread 1 ton of lime per acre every other year. Never more never less. It keep the pH right where it should be.We used to wait until the soil test called for lime and then it seemed like it took like 2 years to correct the problem. We know it is the way to go because on some of our rented ground we are not as aggressive with the lime and get lower yields. We have decided to lime our rented land more aggressively . We no now that it does pay


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

I have my local feed store spread it and it cost me $46/tn. That includes the lime. The cost per ton of lime was approx. $41/tn.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

Don't know if I missed it but gonna ask anyway. What type of lime are you spreading and what part of the world is it coming from? I would like to put some lime down but with the soil type it cannot be dolamitic or we will have a runway for an Airbus.


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

Southern middle Tennessee is where most of it comes from. There are three quarries within 30 miles from us. We also haul some from a quarry about 100 miles NNE of us. It has smaller more consistent particles. They claim it goes through a 100 mesh screen and is faster acting.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

25 degrees here this morning and we are spreading lime


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

endrow said:


> 25 degrees here this morning and we are spreading lime


That looks good. I wish we could do that here.


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## cornshucker (Aug 22, 2011)

The guy we use here charges by the ton for spreading.


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

cornshucker said:


> The guy we use here charges by the ton for spreading.


How much is that? ~$40/ton?


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

Our lime price $31.00 includes Dry Lime delivered and Spread . Comes in 25 ton loads . We are less than 10 miles from quarry which helps with price. The same applicator has sold me lime from a distant quarry for $38.50 mileage means a lot. .


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

endrow said:


> Our lime price $31.00 includes Dry Lime delivered and Spread . Comes in 25 ton loads . We are less than 10 miles from quarry which helps with price. The same applicator has sold me lime from a distant quarry for $38.50 mileage means a lot. .


neglected to say that is the price per ton


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Endrow-You ever consider spreading it yourself? Might not be worth the time for a big operation like yours that needs to move a lot of lime in a short time.

I get damp lime dumped for around $12/ton. Rent a tractor spreader for $2/ton. $14/ton cash cost plus labor and tractor. Local guys want mid to high $20's/ton for lime and spreading.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

PaMike said:


> Endrow-You ever consider spreading it yourself? Might not be worth the time for a big operation like yours that needs to move a lot of lime in a short time.
> I get damp lime dumped for around $12/ton. Rent a tractor spreader for $2/ton. $14/ton cash cost plus labor and tractor. Local guys want mid to high $20's/ton for lime and spreading.


does the damp lime spread pretty well do you ever have trouble spreading it.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

No trouble spreading it. Its called damp lime, but it looks/feels dry to me...Never had one lick of trouble running it though a 6 ton or 8 ton stoltzfus spreader. It takes some time but way cheaper than what the custom guys charge.. I have have bought lime from rohrers quarry in Lititz, and I Gladfelter paper in york county.


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## PaCustomBaler (Nov 29, 2010)

PaMike, I'm renting one of those stoltzfus spreader from a friend and have nothing but problems with it. Piss poor design of having the drive tire make the web turn. I lock the hydraulics in to keep constant pressure on the tire but it still doesn't spin. They need to do like the Lanco or Chandler spreaders and have it hydraulic. If the ground is any sort of wet or damp, the small drive tire will never spin to walk the lime out. We only have 20 ton of lime left to spread and that spreader is hitting the road. Been getting lime out of Roosevelt quarry in York. $7/ton plus trucking.

I'd think twice about the Glatfelter lime. Compared to other ag-lime, it's comparable in CCE but if you have a chemical test done on it, you'll see it has a few heavy metals in it. If you know anything about heavy metals, once you put them in the soil it takes a LONG time for them to leave. It's no wonder they're almost giving it away...hope this helps.


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## PaCustomBaler (Nov 29, 2010)

Here's a picture of us spreading lime last week.





  








Spreading lime




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PaCustomBaler


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Jan 7, 2015


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

The spreader I used is all PTO. Works like a champ. Last I heard gladfelter is charging now for the lime. We havent gotten lime out of there in 8 years or so. We got it when it was free...


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## PaCustomBaler (Nov 29, 2010)

Maybe that's the trick then...all PTO.


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

endrow said:


> Our lime price $31.00 includes Dry Lime delivered and Spread . Comes in 25 ton loads . We are less than 10 miles from quarry which helps with price. The same applicator has sold me lime from a distant quarry for $38.50 mileage means a lot. .


We haul some from TN Valley Resources which is about 75 mi one way. Picked up at the quarry, lime is $2.85/ton. Trucking is a big cost that factors into lime prices. By the time it is dumped, the price will be $8-$10


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