The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Land Management => Topic started by: DartmoorLiz on March 19, 2012, 09:34:14 am
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Hi :wave:
I have been asked to look after some permanent pasture on Dartmoor. We have up to now had sheep and cows on but the fencing is so bad I think we'll fall out with the neighbours if we continue. So, for one season only, (unless I don't get around to doing anything about the fences) I thought I'd sell a crop of grass in an kind of "buyer collects" sort of arrangement.
Any advice on where to start? Its not really the sort of thing you see on e-bay so I'm stumped :dunce:.
Liz
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Interesting one - I know there are auctions for other standing crops (stands of hazel for coppicing, for example, so might be worth talking with your local agricultural auctioneers). Round here I think you would just need to mention it to a few key farmers (usually the retired ones that still go to auctions and meet in the local cafe for a chat every day) that you may have a standing crop you are interested in selling... or you could put up a postcard in the local farmers shop? We chose to get it small baled (paid a local farmer) and sold it off the field as we didnt have storage. That way you take more of the risk, but get more of the money. If you can get someone local to small bale haylage its like gold. We small baled hay and sold for £3.5 - £3.75 as long as they collected on day of baling and it worked really well - word traveled and it all went quickly. Good luck.
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Thanks, that sounds like a great idea. I'll put the word about and hopefully, by July, there'll be a good crop of grass which will attract interest.
Thanks again FiB.
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We got our straw for the year from a neighbour on this basis. He left got the only chap left in the village with a small baler to come in and bale it and sold it straight off the field. Finding the kit for small bales seemed the hard part, comparatively speaking, buyers were easy to find.
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Ask your nearby farmer. If he can't do it he will certainly know someone who can :)
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A recommendation I've often heard is to do a 50:50 deal with whoever you get to make it - then they have an interest in making good forage. I presume you will have some need yourself? We 'paid' our contractor his costs in bales which was slightly better than 50:50 in our favour, more like 60:40.
We got about 12 medium sized large square bales per acre from unimproved permanent pasture. I would guess this equals c 6-8 no commercial small bales haylage (we got the contractor to set baler to smallest length about 4'6"). So you would hope to get 300-400 small bales from your 4 acres. I have also seen people quote 10 large round bales/ acre as a guide (and a round bale is supposed to equal 10 small).
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You can sell it as a standing crop through your local land agent or mart, usually.
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Try contacting the local riding club/bridleway group. Small bale hay or haylage is like gold dust in some areas and, if they know you are making it, you can get advance orders. If you can store some for the horse owners with very little storage - even better. Mine's all sold and the grass hasn't even grown yet! We average 300 small bales from 5 acres, heavily grazed by our sheep in winter and no fertilizers. We also do a 50/50 with the contractor - then they have a vested interest in making it well.
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Thanks soooo much everyone, the cows are now off the field so I can get on with getting it nice and smooth for the hay cutter.
I had an interesting conversation with a land agent where he was very patiently explaining to me that you go around with the chain harrow before the roller. I'm such a townie I was grateful for his guidance which was not at all patronising.
Thanks again, I'll let you all know how I get on.
Liz