Hay bale pricing

[canuckistanian]

My sister and I recently inherited my dads hay land in Saskatchewan and were wondering what the going rate is per bale? Our dad had been getting our neighbour to cut and bale it and then he would use it to feed his cattle and was paying $10 a bale. Typically he would get about 80 round bales per year off our land.

[Dean2]

I do that type of thing, my deal is 60/40 on the price of a bale. So if bales were selling for 100, the guy cutting and bailing got 60, I got 40. As far as I am aware that was a more than fair deal for the guy doing the cutting and baling. $10 bucks a bale sounds REALLY low unless it is very poor quality hay.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Last scuttlebutt I heard was, round bales were selling for about 130. around here, but that could change dramatically given the prevalent drought conditions.

Grizz

[leeelmer]

Around here
Rent $3500 plus 25 bales thats for a nabour that has been doing it for years
100 acres. He gets 250 bales on average
You are getting screwed
Minimum $40 a bale

[Jim Blake]

We do a 50/50 deal but we split the fertilizer cost. Long term neighbor. Just sold our share (225 1250+- lb. bales) at $125.00 each in the field. They are loading this morning and hauling.

[dfarms11]

Before I comment on price, how many acres is he getting these 80 bales off of? Also how smooth/rough is the field? Makes a huge difference if he's cutting at 2mph vs 6mph. Also if he's cutting 30 acres or 100+acres to get 80 bales. Also, tame hay vs native hay makes a difference as well.

First glance, however, $10/bale sounds like a steal for him.

[yoteblaster]

I have 50/50 arrangement with my neighbors. They cut and bale my hay and leave me half. Quite often they buy the other 50% off me

[ditch donkey]

My system-

Average number of bales per year for the last few years X $80 divided by 3 = my flat rate rent.

Some years I win, some years the renter wins. I don’t want to be policing, rushing out to count bales before they’re hauled, frustrated that the renter is making 1200 pound bales on his land, and he’s breaking shear pins on my land trying to make as few bales as possible.

I flat rate my pasture rental also. $1 a pair x 40 pairs til end of October. If he wants to put 60 pairs and pull them in September, or put 30 pairs and leave them til Christmas that’s his business.

Even if you charge a premium price, it’s not a real money maker. Find a good renter who pays when he says he will, takes care of things, and is generally pleasant to deal with. If on average he wins a little more than me, that’s fine.

[canuckistanian]

Originally Posted by dfarms11

Before I comment on price, how many acres is he getting these 80 bales off of? Also how smooth/rough is the field? Makes a huge difference if he's cutting at 2mph vs 6mph. Also if he's cutting 30 acres or 100+acres to get 80 bales. Also, tame hay vs native hay makes a difference as well.

First glance, however, $10/bale sounds like a steal for him.

About 60 of our 80 acres is hay crop with the rest being poplar bush and sloughs. Our land is relatively smooth with rolling hills. Crop is brome and alfalfa that was seeded decades ago and soil isn’t the greatest.

Honestly not sure what to do with it long term. He has asked about grazing cattle on it but it would need to be fenced, but not sure what a fair agreement would be going that route. I only make it out there once or twice a year currently and same goes for my sister. I don’t really have any plans of spending much time out there for another 15 years when I’ll hopefully be semi retired and will be spending my summers out there.

[lund17]

Originally Posted by canuckistanian

My sister and I recently inherited my dads hay land in Saskatchewan and were wondering what the going rate is per bale? Our dad had been getting our neighbour to cut and bale it and then he would use it to feed his cattle and was paying $10 a bale. Typically he would get about 80 round bales per year off our land.

Are you wanting to know the price to custom cut & bale your hay OR the price you should be selling your bales at?

Reading the comments above...most of them don't understand your question.

[roper1]

Put the word out, or an ad in the local paper, ask for some quotes! $10 a bale average anytime in the last 20 years is absurdly low, and the renter knows this

[smith88]

Go look on kijiji for what bales sell for in the area. Should give you an idea on price.

[huntinstuff]

Originally Posted by roper1

Put the word out, or an ad in the local paper, ask for some quotes! $10 a bale average anytime in the last 20 years is absurdly low, and the renter knows this

Yeah $10 is quite a deal.....like buying dollar bills for 30 cents each....

You can absolutely do better pretty much anywhere. Time to re-negotiate

Check your local prices in the area. Make your renter a good deal. He is doing all the work but it's still your land.

[ganderblaster]

Originally Posted by lund17

Are you wanting to know the price to custom cut & bale your hay OR the price you should be selling your bales at?

Reading the comments above...most of them don't understand your question.

I think he’s talking custom baling rates?

[canuckistanian]

Originally Posted by ganderblaster

I think he’s talking custom baling rates?

Our neighbour is doing all the cutting, baling and taking all the bales for his own cattle. I just want to know what a fair price is per bale for him to pay us for cutting our hay crop. Thanks

[yoteblaster]

Just made a deal with the neighbor kid who is cutting, baling and buying 5 acres of oats and grass off us. 4 tiny pieces totaling 5 acres and he is paying us $60 per bale. He said if the pieces were bigger he could pay us more but the small pieces are a pain

[Dean2]

Well, everyone is being really polite, and I was too in my first post but lets call a spade a spade; don't feel guilty about charging him a fair price, he was taking advantage of your father for many years and full well knows it. Based on 80 bales on 60 acres of smooth land, sounds like good quality hay and not hard to cut and bale. There will be lots of neighbours happy to cut and bale the hay and buy it for 40-50% of the price of a bale. Still a very fair deal for them and a whole bunch fairer deal for you.

[KBF]

Originally Posted by canuckistanian

Our neighbour is doing all the cutting, baling and taking all the bales for his own cattle. I just want to know what a fair price is per bale for him to pay us for cutting our hay crop. Thanks

Sounds like neighbor taking advantage of your father.

[mac1983]

Just curious what your calling a bale, is there a standard weight and percentage moisture that you are using to charge, as in maybe 1400 lbs at 15 % moisture? I've seen bales from 800 to 1800 lbs and 10 % to 20 % moisture. I like to charge by the pound or ton myself.