The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Marketplace => Topic started by: SallyN on June 27, 2015, 11:10:06 am
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Just about to cut a 1-acre field in south Somerset.
About 60-80 small bales available - it's quite loose-baled as we're still tweaking the settings on the baler, hence low price of £3 a bale. But if you want to buy lots, make me an offer as I'm happy to do a deal!
Ideally collection from the field later this week (most likely Thurs 2nd or Fri 3rd) but will be shifting it up to my sheep shed if rain threatens so can hold onto it a little longer if need be.
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Can't give away cutting grass around here at present. Everyone has plenty left from last year and barely enough room for their own.
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That would explain why no-one was interested in mowing,baling and keeping my field of grass for free.......
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All bales now taken - thanks for the interest!
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£3 a bale. . . . cheap???
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Time, fuel, band, machinery maintenance... We charge £25/hr from start to finish plus mileage.
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I wasn't arguing that it was cheap to make. £25 an hour is about right for most basic machinery work. But £3 a bale is pretty much standard price is it not??? DO folk sell it for more?
This is in no way a dig at the OP and i'm glad all her bales got sold, i'm just wondering what people think is cheap / expensive for hay.
Bought a pile of small bales last year, for £2 a bale and bought more for £1 a bale as there was so much about.
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A lot depends on the quality of the hay starting with the grasses it is made from, age at cutting etc. For really "good" hay £3 is very cheap. I sold last years hay at that price, it was nice hay, well got, from very old permanent pasture but while good for ponies and sheep it was not what would be classed as racehorse hay for which people were prepared to pay £5 a bale.
This year my already sold hay is £3.50 and I have a waiting list for another field which is down now.
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Out of interest, where are you guys? I cannot imagine anyone here paying those prices. But then again, horse folk usually have more money than sense! Good luck to you though, if you get £3.50 + a bale . . . . . not much point farming anything else!
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Cheap hay around me at this time of year would be less than £3 off the field. I like to get from some one who makes a lot as they have usually invested in a good bailer so you get tight, heavy consistent bales which stack well.
My neighbour usually sells hers at £4 and delivers but ends up having them stood in the barn at the end of the year.
This year I have been really lucky, I got the grass for nothing and bartered the baling, into half hestons for supplying some water, but I will be throwing in a barbeque as well.
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Hay round here goes for around £3.50-£4 a bale - in winter can easily rise to £5 a bale or more if hay is in short supply. Mostly though if you buy by the bale and late in the season you're talking £4.50, right now it's cheaper.
But £3 a bale bought one by one is cheap - I did say I'd take an offer for a bulk pick-up from the field which is what happened, so in the event it's working out at less than £3 anyway.