# What's it worth --



## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

To run my tractor a couple miles up the road, and drop a couple round bales in feeders, then return to barn?
I'm thinking $25.00, as it's more a favor, for a regular customer, than a money maker!


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

How much time overall from the time you walk out the door until you walk back inside?

Regards, Mike


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I do this with 3 different customers
I charge $25
Great minds think alike!!


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

I'd say $50 per hour but if it's more of a favor and won't take long, $25 isn't crazy.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I take two 4x5 round bales the same distance and put them in feeders for 60$ each time. Soon to be 80$ as they bought hay nets and takes a while to get them in while on the spears.

That's hay and delivery.


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

4x4.5 rounds, customer's hay on site, but his JD 950 can't pick them up!


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## thendrix (May 14, 2015)

I'd say $25 is fair for both. You're not having to carry 1400 - 1600 lbs of hay with you so you're saving some fuel there


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I deliver a 900lb bale to customer, unwrap bale, dump in feeder for $100. I figure roughly $75 for the bale and $25 for delivery.
But that's in the liberal northeast (even though my state is red) so I think my price may be a little high compared to rest of the country. 
Either way, I think we're underselling our hay, but you know there's always someone willing to sell hay for "beer money". You can't help think a 5-10 mile trip in your tractor is doing far more than $25 wear & tear. 
I'm seeing string tied round bales on CL for $30-$40. Those guys are killing us.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> 4x4.5 rounds, customer's hay on site, but his JD 950 can't pick them up!


Yes, 950's are little scudders at 27 hp. I have owned one in the past and used mine to stack 5'X4' rounds inside the barn. Mine worked like a champ.....I am thinking that your neighbors 950 may have hydraulic issues.*

Regards, Mike

*The lift to full height capacity is listed as 920 pounds on the 80 loader.....and mine could do that comfortably. Maybe the 950 hydraulics needed some warm up time?


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

Mike, his tractor might be able to lift them, but, unfortunately, he has neither spear nor forks!  

So, his method of moving them is to push them with the bucket!


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

JD3430 said:


> I'm seeing string tied round bales on CL for $30-$40. Those guys are killing us.


Unfortunately that's the market right now, maybe even slightly above market. Auction prices are rough. Dairy farms don't have any money and in Pennsylvania they drive the market on hay.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I don't think I could even get 30-40 for string tied rounds around here unless it was horse hay. Or at least not in any sort of volume.

Ag is going to be rough around here for a number of years I think.

Next the bottom will fall out of tobacco since there are a bunch of dairy guys that will jump into that to make up for lost income...


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

PaMike said:


> I don't think I could even get 30-40 for string tied rounds around here unless it was horse hay. Or at least not in any sort of volume.
> 
> Ag is going to be rough around here for a number of years I think.
> 
> Next the bottom will fall out of tobacco since there are a bunch of dairy guys that will jump into that to make up for lost income...


PatMike, understand talking totally different tobacco there compared to here: but is it easy for a farmer there to move in and out of tobacco? My impression here the cost for flue cured with the barns and the equipment it is not. My understanding is you need or must have a contact with a tobacco company as there is no more auctioning of tobacco. I think have all that correct. Tobacco here has changed greatly.


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

Shetland Sheepdog, wondering here, the price the customer pays for the hay and then pays you to move the hay, how does that compare to buying bales he would not have to hire you to move? If you do not offer a size of bale that would work for him then of course that is not an option.


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

Been selling him small squares right along,

The big rounds are his own hay that he hired made from his own fields.

He has no storage, so the big rounds with net wrap. Spoilage at this point is in about 4"


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Been selling him small squares right along,
> 
> The big rounds are his own hay that he hired made from his own fields.
> 
> He has no storage, so the big rounds with net wrap. Spoilage at this point is in about 4"


So you are doing this for a product you do not sell him. To me that would justify you charging a little more for when services are separate each ought to be profitable.


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## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

It depends on if he comes out and offers you a cold beverage when your done.


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