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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
   
Location: Arkansas | Let me start by saying I know nothing about what I'm asking!
I realize this is based on region, but how hard is it to sell cow hay? Chandler is considering a small hay operation. Is it even POSSIBLE to start small? (Told y'all I know nothing!!) And is it possible to do anything with harvested crops like corn stalks?
I feel so dumb even posting this, but I know there are so many knowledgeable folks on here. . . |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
 
Location: OH. IO | LOOK UP,PM SENT LOL |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | jake16 - 2018-10-23 11:35 PM
LOOK UP,PM SENT LOL
Got ya Miss M  |
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 Expert
Posts: 1304
| What region are you in? I live in southwestern VA and it would probably be profitable here. I know last year we had to buy hundreds of round bales because it was so dry last year we ran out of grass very early (I work on a farm) and I, for example, have to feed my horse average "cow" hay because he doesn't need anything with extra sugars, etc in it. I'm sure I'm not the only one like that!
Also, the corn stalks are definitely good for seasonal profits. We are still making corn silage (roughly 90 acres) and neighbors always want corn stalks for their front porches as do I. There are some big farms around here, one in particular, that does a big corn maze every year and it's super popular.
Agri tourism is growing and I think is a wonderful enterprise to delve into to make an average farm successful in a different way or during a season when the money isn't coming in because farming is cyclical. We're looking into those options as well. Anyway! Sorry to go off on a tangent, but depending on where you're at I think either could be a success! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 575
| I'm in CA and people swoop up cow hay like it's going out of style. Nothing like a good drought to make cow hay a hot commodity.  |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| I guess what's considered Cow hay?? There's people around here who mow off a grass field to feed to cows. There's drought areas mowing CRP and weeds. Then there are those who are mowing and baling 100% alfalfa or turning it into silage. There are also those unlucky folks who get horse quality hay rained on and bale it up for cows.
People around here have no problem selling any of it. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | blccwgl55 - 2018-10-24 6:29 AM
What region are you in? I live in southwestern VA and it would probably be profitable here. I know last year we had to buy hundreds of round bales because it was so dry last year we ran out of grass very early (I work on a farm) and I, for example, have to feed my horse average "cow" hay because he doesn't need anything with extra sugars, etc in it. I'm sure I'm not the only one like that!
Also, the corn stalks are definitely good for seasonal profits. We are still making corn silage (roughly 90 acres) and neighbors always want corn stalks for their front porches as do I. There are some big farms around here, one in particular, that does a big corn maze every year and it's super popular.
Agri tourism is growing and I think is a wonderful enterprise to delve into to make an average farm successful in a different way or during a season when the money isn't coming in because farming is cyclical. We're looking into those options as well. Anyway! Sorry to go off on a tangent, but depending on where you're at I think either could be a success!
We're in Southeast Arkansas, and our land has mostly Bermuda grass. Chandler would start by baling it. We have access to lots of corn stalks from nearby farmers!! Do you bale the corn same as regular hay? I know I sound sooo dumb. . .
Thank you so much to everyone who has taken time to answer; means so much! |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Should be, but it all depends on location and what up front costs you’d have in equipment (such as do you currently own a round baler? Trailer? Skid or tractor to move bales?).
Corn stalks yes, you round bale them. You’ll want to work closely with the farmer to make sure you aren’t taking too much off, some may be enrolled in conservation programs that require they have a certain percent of cover left on the ground. Failing to leave enough and getting audited could result in heavy fines that they may be able to pin back on you as a baler. Stalks are usually used as a bedding material, although they will much on a few. I suppose in times of desperate hay need you could put stalks through the feed grinder, but I’m not sure it’s a regular practice when hay is available.
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | OhMax - 2018-10-25 7:27 AM
Should be, but it all depends on location and what up front costs you’d have in equipment (such as do you currently own a round baler? Trailer? Skid or tractor to move bales?).
Corn stalks yes, you round bale them. You’ll want to work closely with the farmer to make sure you aren’t taking too much off, some may be enrolled in conservation programs that require they have a certain percent of cover left on the ground. Failing to leave enough and getting audited could result in heavy fines that they may be able to pin back on you as a baler. Stalks are usually used as a bedding material, although they will much on a few. I suppose in times of desperate hay need you could put stalks through the feed grinder, but I’m not sure it’s a regular practice when hay is available.
He already has tractors, backhoe, trailers. . . . Bought a rake and cutter yesterday, but Lord have mercy they are PROUD of those new balers!!! (The rake and cutter were used.) And like I'd talked to Jake16 about, we're kinda scared of these used balers we're seeing.
I think he's made the decision to try this 
Thanks OhMax for the corn info, I truly appreciate it! |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Chandler's Mom - 2018-10-25 8:00 PM
OhMax - 2018-10-25 7:27 AM
Should be, but it all depends on location and what up front costs you’d have in equipment (such as do you currently own a round baler? Trailer? Skid or tractor to move bales?).
Corn stalks yes, you round bale them. You’ll want to work closely with the farmer to make sure you aren’t taking too much off, some may be enrolled in conservation programs that require they have a certain percent of cover left on the ground. Failing to leave enough and getting audited could result in heavy fines that they may be able to pin back on you as a baler. Stalks are usually used as a bedding material, although they will much on a few. I suppose in times of desperate hay need you could put stalks through the feed grinder, but I’m not sure it’s a regular practice when hay is available.
He already has tractors, backhoe, trailers. . . . Bought a rake and cutter yesterday, but Lord have mercy they are PROUD of those new balers!!! (The rake and cutter were used. ) And like I'd talked to Jake16 about, we're kinda scared of these used balers we're seeing.
I think he's made the decision to try this
Thanks OhMax for the corn info, I truly appreciate it!
My husband just quit his full time job to start a business building fence full time. We are blessed that if everyone who’s said they need fence built comes through he’s booked into next summer, but I understand the feelings and the scary investments! I support him fully and told him if he didn’t do it now (no kids) he was never going to do it and the worst case scenario is in 18 months he has to go find another job. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | OhMax - 2018-10-26 7:02 AM
Chandler's Mom - 2018-10-25 8:00 PM
OhMax - 2018-10-25 7:27 AM
Should be, but it all depends on location and what up front costs you’d have in equipment (such as do you currently own a round baler? Trailer? Skid or tractor to move bales?).
Corn stalks yes, you round bale them. You’ll want to work closely with the farmer to make sure you aren’t taking too much off, some may be enrolled in conservation programs that require they have a certain percent of cover left on the ground. Failing to leave enough and getting audited could result in heavy fines that they may be able to pin back on you as a baler. Stalks are usually used as a bedding material, although they will much on a few. I suppose in times of desperate hay need you could put stalks through the feed grinder, but I’m not sure it’s a regular practice when hay is available.
He already has tractors, backhoe, trailers. . . . Bought a rake and cutter yesterday, but Lord have mercy they are PROUD of those new balers!!! (The rake and cutter were used. ) And like I'd talked to Jake16 about, we're kinda scared of these used balers we're seeing.
I think he's made the decision to try this
Thanks OhMax for the corn info, I truly appreciate it!
My husband just quit his full time job to start a business building fence full time. We are blessed that if everyone who’s said they need fence built comes through he’s booked into next summer, but I understand the feelings and the scary investments! I support him fully and told him if he didn’t do it now (no kids ) he was never going to do it and the worst case scenario is in 18 months he has to go find another job.
Very supportive and smart wife |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Being in the hay business can get hard at times when the weather gets crazy, like here the hay growers have been trying for weeks to get in and cut hay but its been raining for the last 4 weeks so hopefully we will hit a drying period and hay can get cut and baled. been waiting for the last 5 weeks to get ours done..
Tell Chandler I wish him all the luck, it will be a good business once he gets started and get some clients builted up. We baled corn stocks for our dairy cattle when the dairy was still going. The corn stocks were hard on the equipment thou, so didnt do them to offten.
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2018-10-27 4:49 PM
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Southtxponygirl - 2018-10-27 4:40 PM
Being in the hay business can get hard at times when the weather gets crazy, like here the hay growers have been trying for weeks to get in and cut hay but its been raining for the last 4 weeks so hopefully we will hit a drying period and hay can get cut and baled. been waiting for the last 5 weeks to get ours done..
Tell Chandler I wish him all the luck, it will be a good business once he gets started and get some clients builted up. We baled corn stocks for our dairy cattle when the dairy was still going. The corn stocks were hard on the equipment thou, so didnt do them to offten.
I really wish he would get a job not dependent upon weather and having to sell something. Farming of any kind now scares the poo out of me 
Thank you Miss R---that was a question I had about corn being hard on the equipment 
Edited by Chandler's Mom 2018-10-27 6:57 PM
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Chandler's Mom - 2018-10-27 6:56 PM Southtxponygirl - 2018-10-27 4:40 PM Being in the hay business can get hard at times when the weather gets crazy, like here the hay growers have been trying for weeks to get in and cut hay but its been raining for the last 4 weeks so hopefully we will hit a drying period and hay can get cut and baled. been waiting for the last 5 weeks to get ours done..
Tell Chandler I wish him all the luck, it will be a good business once he gets started and get some clients builted up. We baled corn stocks for our dairy cattle when the dairy was still going. The corn stocks were hard on the equipment thou, so didnt do them to offten. I really wish he would get a job not dependent upon weather and having to sell something. Farming of any kind now scares the poo out of me Thank you Miss R---that was a question I had about corn being hard on the equipment
And something else to worry about like what we have here in South Texas is droughts, they sure can hurt your pocket when droughts hit, unless you have irrigation like some of the hay farmers have here but alot of them do depend on rain and some dry land it. In the Valley we had irrigation that we dependent on. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Southtxponygirl - 2018-10-27 7:40 PM
Chandler's Mom - 2018-10-27 6:56 PM Southtxponygirl - 2018-10-27 4:40 PM Being in the hay business can get hard at times when the weather gets crazy, like here the hay growers have been trying for weeks to get in and cut hay but its been raining for the last 4 weeks so hopefully we will hit a drying period and hay can get cut and baled. been waiting for the last 5 weeks to get ours done..
Tell Chandler I wish him all the luck, it will be a good business once he gets started and get some clients builted up. We baled corn stocks for our dairy cattle when the dairy was still going. The corn stocks were hard on the equipment thou, so didnt do them to offten. I really wish he would get a job not dependent upon weather and having to sell something. Farming of any kind now scares the poo out of me Thank you Miss R---that was a question I had about corn being hard on the equipment
Some of land is bottom of fish ponds so he can actually water that. But he's gonna just start with the levees at first and see how he fairs. I keep saying "get a job that actually pays you a weekly check with benefits". And then I tell myself that I am his momma and I'm supporting him. Period. End of discussion. He has a work ethic that won't be denied, and at 20, I see very little of that in most kids around here these days. And I'm not just saying that because he's mine. Y'all know how I can get where Chan is concerned, so I'll hush now  |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 499
Location: ARKANSAS | We live in SE Ark As well, and have been doing hay for 40 plus years, there will be good years and bad years like everything else. There will be years its to wet and years its to dry...and then there will be years that everything is just right, when its like this EVERYONE has hay and you cant hardly give it away. We put up a couple thousand round rolls a year and its never easy....theres weed control, fertilize, all of which goes along with maintaining good hay ground...You spoke of baling cornstalks, i can GUARANTEE we would not put our equipment in a corn feild!!!! The risks of the breakdowns is not worth the gains!!! If you are planning on sellling out of state you also have to think of FIREANTS.... as you know SE ARK has a bunch of them...You would not be able to ship any bales with fireants across state lines...there is a LOT to consider when dealing with hay...
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 Accident Prone
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Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I see a lot of cow hay going out on trailers from around here. Most of it comes off the levee, I think. As for corn stalks, we wouldn't let anyone remove them because they're needed for organic matter. Someone brought up a good point about fire ants. We are in a fire ant quarantine area, so any hay shipping into a non-quarantined area has to have an Arkansas Plant Board inspection done and be certified ant-free. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | ladyelbert - 2018-10-29 9:17 AM
We live in SE Ark As well, and have been doing hay for 40 plus years, there will be good years and bad years like everything else. There will be years its to wet and years its to dry...and then there will be years that everything is just right, when its like this EVERYONE has hay and you cant hardly give it away. We put up a couple thousand round rolls a year and its never easy....theres weed control, fertilize, all of which goes along with maintaining good hay ground...You spoke of baling cornstalks, i can GUARANTEE we would not put our equipment in a corn feild!!!! The risks of the breakdowns is not worth the gains!!! If you are planning on sellling out of state you also have to think of FIREANTS.... as you know SE ARK has a bunch of them...You would not be able to ship any bales with fireants across state lines...there is a LOT to consider when dealing with hay...
I never thought about ants. . . There's a guy close to us that sells to TX and MS that I would bet doesn't have his hay inspected/certified---how do people know??
I've shown him this thread so he can gain knowledge from y'all! I don't think he's dissuaded 
He will start small so it will be selling close to home to begin with.
Appreciate y'all for answering me  |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Three 4 Luck - 2018-10-29 11:14 AM
I see a lot of cow hay going out on trailers from around here. Most of it comes off the levee, I think. As for corn stalks, we wouldn't let anyone remove them because they're needed for organic matter. Someone brought up a good point about fire ants. We are in a fire ant quarantine area, so any hay shipping into a non-quarantined area has to have an Arkansas Plant Board inspection done and be certified ant-free.
The guy I mentioned above said he's selling hay to a man in TX that is hauling 90 loads a week. And when he told me how much that man is selling it for there. . .Well, I about fell out. Which leads me to ask---what do round bales for cows sell for in TX? (I'm thinking our local guy is telling me tales on the amount!!!) |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| What do you consider cow hay? Can mean one of two things - high quality dairy alfalfa OR decent quality hay but is maybe a little dusty/low levels for horses.
If you sell the latter for cheap enough, people will snatch it up (depending on location of course, I'm in Northern WI and hay goes quick up here). If it's the dairy hay it probably won't sell quite as fast depending on price. I personally love dairy hay for my horses but some are under the impression it causes them to be hot or causes enteroliths or what have you.. |
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Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | I think hay is selling high in a lot of Texas this year. Some places had drought, others too much rain, so lots of haying issues. On the fire ant thing, I think as long as you ship within the quarantine area it’s fine. I didn’t know about it either until Christy Lewis was coordinating hay relief for western Texas and OK after the wildfires last year. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | First bales hit the levees today! (Lula Bell's daddy is picking them up for his cows.) He baled until late--Momma reminded him that they HAD to get the truck packed since they're leaving for TX at 3 am. Please pray for this new venture!
This is a Bermuda grass mix. . . . |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Chandler's Mom - 2018-10-31 8:14 PM First bales hit the levees today! (Lula Bell's daddy is picking them up for his cows.) He baled until late--Momma reminded him that they HAD to get the truck packed since they're leaving for TX at 3 am. Please pray for this new venture! This is a Bermuda grass mix. . . .
Awesome, I cant remember what he was going to bale if it was going to be round or square? How many did he get? Our hay guy came out today and cut two of my pastures, hubby told him it was suppose to rain tonight, he just surged his shoulders and cut anyway, well guess what it rained alot...  |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Southtxponygirl - 2018-10-31 8:27 PM
Chandler's Mom - 2018-10-31 8:14 PM First bales hit the levees today! (Lula Bell's daddy is picking them up for his cows.) He baled until late--Momma reminded him that they HAD to get the truck packed since they're leaving for TX at 3 am. Please pray for this new venture! This is a Bermuda grass mix. . . .
Awesome, I cant remember what he was going to bale if it was going to be round or square? How many did he get? Our hay guy came out today and cut two of my pastures, hubby told him it was suppose to rain tonight, he just surged his shoulders and cut anyway, well guess what it rained alot...
He's doing round bales, Miss R. He did a whole 4 bales 
He's learning as he goes--knows nothing about a baler, so he's just doing hands on, boots on the ground. He's very tickled with himself tonight!!!! I didn't get home from work til after dark so I didn't get to see anything but pictures, but looked like normal bales to me!!!
Rain is moving in on us right now; lots of hay folks and farmers been doing their best to get what they could out of the fields before tonight. This has been a mess of a year where the weather is concerned. . . |
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OT--hay questions