# Labor for 2012



## steve IN (Jan 13, 2010)

I am trying to line up labor for this year and was wondering if anyone else was having trouble and what do you do to find the help. I am going to pat between 9 and 10 dollars an hour but I am taking socila security out and sending them a w-2. So far no takers. Kind of makes me wonder how bad it is out there. Giving extensions to unemployment is not doing employers with job openings any favors. Just my thoughts any ideas out there?


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Good Luck!

I don't have enough work for full time guy and part time help always comes with strings attached.Many Many offer to help but with stipulations.Their other job.Around thier kids school events,b-day parties,etc.Hunting season.Fishing season.Can't lift much.Won't work around cattle.Won't work on Sunday.Won't work early morning or late evening.

Somedays it looks like doing less and doing it yourself is the best.Repairs sure went down anyway.


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## steve IN (Jan 13, 2010)

I hear you loud and clear. I have tried to do less and do it myself. Works at first then hay starts to go rank. My daughter does some raking and round baling and does a pretty good job. Have had some good men over the years but they leave for better jobs cant blame them for that. Used to pay cash to the unemployed but then thought why are these people living better than the ones who wrk full time. Trying hard not to go back to that cause I really need to be able write off my labor. Tried the unemployment office and temp services. What a joke. I was told that I would need to pay at least 15 dollars an hour. I dont mind working for nothing but I'll be damned if I am going to lose moneyto work


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## panhandle9400 (Jan 17, 2010)

Labor ? not many out there are willing to work !! Welfare money must be too easy to get ? What I started last year was offering a year end bonus to the ones who will stay with me the whole season, then I pay them as a custom hire basis then they can do whatever they want about SS an taxes. I have had good luck with using a site called agri-seek, combine forum, and a few others which are free to run help wanted ads.I went ahead this month and added another full-time man and hope they will stay with me and not have to carry them during winter and then quit when it turns busy.Which has happened before , piss's a man off when they quit after going thru slow months, that is why I offer bonus at end of year seems to help keep them around a while.If i go adding up the total wages for the year it bothers me how much extra work we will have to do to justify having them around for the whole year but it is so hard to find and keep decent workers these days so I started early this year for a extra man.I keep them busy everyday working in the barn and hauling hay , as the days get longer so do our work hours. Dont want them to get soft on me before we hit those 500 to 600 hour months , thats coming up soon enough . I been getting some young men out of ohio. iowa area so maybe try to run a ad back there ? Hard workers but get homesick after a while for this isolated area here is unlike that back east. Good luck and be safe!!!!!!


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## steve IN (Jan 13, 2010)

Thanks . My problem is I need them on an as needed. Used to get high school kids but they wont work now and with the possibility of new labor laws and driving liscense its not worth the hassle. I dont have housing or otherwise I have a chance for Hispanic labor. I will try those sites and see what happens. May have to go back to paying cas to the perpetaully unemployed.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Steve, I have joined forces with 2 other local farmers and we have 3 different guys that we work. We share these guys all season long planting, hauling hay, working on equipment, painting equipment, baling, raking, loading hay, hauling and spreading manure, moving cattle, etc. You get the picture. None of us have enough work to keep them all busy all of the time. Two of them have part time work for themselves. They understand that they must work for us whenever we need them. It actually works out well for us but we pay them well. Their rate is $15.00 per hour. I know it's not the cheapest rate, but being able to make a call and have someone come in a short time makes it worth it to me. Mike


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## steve IN (Jan 13, 2010)

I do have a neighbor with a dairy that I get one or two of his Hispanic workers. The only problem is scheduling. As far as making the call and having help well I have been there before. Thats fine till they want to go fishing or tubeing or anything else but work. I have heard almost every excuse in the world and nothing surprises me anymore.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

steve IN said:


> I do have a neighbor with a dairy that I get one or two of his Hispanic workers. The only problem is scheduling. As far as making the call and having help well I have been there before. Thats fine till they want to go fishing or tubeing or anything else but work. I have heard almost every excuse in the world and nothing surprises me anymore.


Been there, done that, don't make small squares anymore because of it. Won't go to large squares either because of it as I'm not sure I can always have enough help to get em picked up before the next rain rolls in.

We do have one full time guy but this is rather an odd arrangement. His wife works for child protective services in the next county so they have insurance and she's been their long enough that her job is secure. They foster several themselves but with the state laws he might have to be home in time to meet the bus if the neighbors aren't available to watch em till his wife gets home. Due to state law the foster kids can't be watched by anyone younger than 18, so if one is sick he might miss a day here and their. He usually makes arrangements so he's available for all of harvest and most of planting. He also has a sawmill he runs once a week and raises and trains mules so he doesn't care if he doesn't get 40 hours a week during the slow times of the year. He's good enough help for the row crops I'm not about to risk losing him by telling him he has to be available all summer on the chance I might have hay to pick up that afternoon.


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