Re: what to charge for baling??

Posted by JRSutton on March 28, 2013 at 09:46:21 from (75.130.109.233):

In Reply to: what to charge for baling?? posted by 55 50 Ron on March 28, 2013 at 09:11:42:

Lot of missing variables there.

But you're talking a small price window anyways to work within.

Obviously they want to save money - figure they're paying 6 per bale now - means they'd probably be happy if they were paying anything less than 5.

(numbers obviously have to be based on the current hay prices are in your area)

You didn't mention how MUCH you'd do - costs are different for 200 hundred bales vs. a couple thousand.

A couple hundred and I wouldn't worry too much about wear & tear - or your time - that can just be written off as a fun little diversion.

Couple thousand is a lot different.

Do you have a kicker or are you loading all those bales onto a wagon yourself? Will these people be helping at all?

What about unloading into the barn?

how are you cutting? spending a full day with a 6' sickle mower is MUCH different than an hour with a haybine.

The bottom line is - grass if cheap - labor isn't, and I'd be sure they understood that.

Grass is typically pennies per bale.

So if they're supplying the grass and you're doing all the work - they can't expect to save all that much. With the above numbers, I don't think I'd go anywhere lower than 4.00 or so per bale.

But - obviously depends on how much you like these people. If you're doing it for fun and just to help them out - it's more a judgement call.

if you're making 3 per bale - I'd say you're covering a good chunk of your costs - give or take. And if it's in low enough quantities - who cares if you're a little ahead or a little behind.

If it were me and I was feeling kind, I'd say half the going bale rate. (assuming they're handling fertilizer and it's good quality hay)

OR - if you can use hay yourself - do it all for nothing and take half the hay.

Only you know your costs - it's all variable - how much gas you use - the state of your equipment.

If doing their haying results in you doing $1000 in repairs every season that you normally wouldn't have to do - obviously that needs to be factored in.

(on the other hand - if you break down while doing it - don't expect them to foot the bill)

If they're (what I'd call typical) horse people - and they get all picky about how tight the bales are and how square the corners are, and what color twine you're using, and don't want you to bale any weeds etc. etc - I might stay on the high side.

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