The perils of selling hay

Runestone · #1 07/26/07, 08:08 AM

We have about 35 acres of hayfields. We have a local farmer cut & bale the hay. He got half as payment and this year, we kept half. DH advertised the hay for sale at a price of $1.00/bale [these are square bales] picked up off the field. About half the field was baled the first week of July and sold that week. The person picked up about 1/3 of the hay they had purchased. And then, the rain started. It rained virtually every day until last Friday. During that time, no sign of the person who bought the hay even though we had called and emailed. Great, we think. Now we have hay that is spoiled and we have to move it Purchaser FINALLY shows up Monday night & Tuesday and tells DH, no problem, "we've had worse than this" and proceeds to take the hay.
Today, DH answers the door and her BF is there to COMPLAIN ABOUT MOULDY HAY!!!!

He has the nerve to complain??? when all they had to do was pick it up the week it was bought when there was NO RAIN!!! Needless to say, my milded manner DH lost his temper...and then being the nice guy he is...GIVES these idiots 50 fresh bales of hay FREE!!
Some people are unbelievable! I could understand this attitude if we had agreed to pick up the hay, cover it, etc and then sell it (for more than a buck! for sure) but that's not the case. They are the ones who messed up!

Needless to say, we won't be selling any more to them

[okay, rant is over]

amelia · #2 07/26/07, 08:54 AM

Maybe also one of the perils of small town living? Maintaining relationships that are going to be around for a while sometimes carries a hefty price tag.

Jim S. · #3 07/26/07, 09:03 AM

I understand completely. To me, biz is biz. A buck a bale? I have not ever sold square bales (when we did those) in the field for that cheap. To then come back after getting a great price and failing to do their end of the deal, and complain about mold, when it was their responsibility to pick it up, was tacky.

But, some people just have a victim mentality. It's never their fault, it's always someone else who is getting over on them. And no, they wouldn't have gotten any more hay from me. And no, it would not matter that I live in a small rural area, because there are lots of folks in such places who manipulate that "go along to get along" mantra solely to get their way.

These folks would have gotten a nice, even response from me: "You knew when you bought it in the field that it was your responsbility to pick it up before it got wet."

End of story. Oh, except to say that your husband is a saint. And that I have fed moldy square bales to cattle in the past. They lived.

RosewoodfarmVA · #4 07/26/07, 09:14 AM

That's why we don't sell much out of the field anymore. Being just myself and dad operating the farm, we prefer to just get it all up ourselves and then sell it later for a higher price. We try to limit ourselves to about 250 bales a day, so we don't wear ourselves out! With Upickup, we have had enough times of no-shows and rain after baling, that we don't want the headache anymore. You're fortunate they paid for it. Most people won't pay until they are driving out with the hay, and if they say they want it and then don't come, you usually don't get paid, even if it is their fault that it gets rained on!

We have developed good relationships with a few buyers, who know they can count on us for good hay. It is always delivered to them. We have charged 4.00 a bale plus 30 gas. I told them that due to fertilizer cost and drought, our hay may go up to 4.50 or 5.00 this winter, and they didn't seem to mind a bit. I would rather have a few loyal folks than alot of no-shows! Even if it is more work for me to get it up out of the field, atleast I know it's safe and sound.

If you keep on selling out of the field, tell the buyers that you want them there by the time you start baling, so they can get it up as you bale. Also tell them that if they aren't there by then, you intend to get it up yourself and will then charge a higher price due to handling. Better yet, build a hayshed and keep it until winter, then charge higher prices for all the folks that wait until they need it, instead of planning ahead. Around here winter hay is 1 or 2 dollars more than hay in summer time. You'd be amazed at how many people call in a panic around late October because frost has bit their pasture and their horses are starved! They need hay right away, and will pay more for it, becuase of their lack of planning. It's all about marketing. By the way, unless you have not fertilized your fields in years, chances are at 1.00 a bale you aren't even covering your own input costs! Around here 3.00 in the field is the CHEAPEST, and ranges from there up to 7.75 at the local feed store!

Jolly · #5 07/26/07, 10:19 AM

When you deal with the public, try to control as many variables as possible.

Selling hay in the field is a variable...it's better not to do it, IMO.

sidepasser · #6 07/26/07, 11:07 AM

I buy out of the field whenever I can - I like to save a little, but if I know I cannot make the appointment I will decline in advance and buy out of the barn.

So far this year, I have managed to buy once out of the field because I had my son go with me and the field was baled on a Sat. We got there as they were baling and they had an auto loader that they used to load my trailer with the 150 bales and I paid on the spot.

The man actually wanted to sell me more hay, but he wasn't cutting the next field until a Monday which I knew I could not get over there on Wednesday when he baled, so I had to decline.

A DOLLAR a BALE????? how on earth do you make any money?? (sorry I am being a traitor to all people who buy hay...by asking this question...have you lost your mind?)...

I would love to find hay in a non drought year for less than 3.75 a bale..

Sidepasser - has paid 6.00 a bale for coastal this year.

Silvercreek Farmer · #7 07/26/07, 11:09 AM

I would only let them buy it out of the field if it happened to be there at the moment I was baling, and make them pay for what they took. If they didn't take it I would put it up and sell it at the higher price, just like Rosewood said...

marvella · #8 07/26/07, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by amelia

Maybe also one of the perils of small town living? Maintaining relationships that are going to be around for a while sometimes carries a hefty price tag.

this is very true. sometimes you just have to get along just to be getting along. it's well worth it in the long run.

rwfVA said: Also tell them that if they aren't there by then, you intend to get it up yourself and will then charge a higher price due to handling.

this is what they guy i buy have from does. it's 2 dollars in the field, 3 if he has to put it in the barn. he's very careful that it never gets wet. i then pay my son another 50 cents a bale to load it and put it in the loft. i get good hay for 3.50 a bale. this year, being so dry, i bought for the year right out of the field. i was afraid i wouldn't be able to get any at all, as i ran out last spring.

ericjeeper · #9 07/26/07, 11:21 AM

Either they pay up front.. Or they are there when we bale.. Otherwise it is a higher price off the trailer or out of the barn.. You will learn being nice usually bites you in the bottom.
Haying is a business.

Lynne · #10 07/26/07, 11:40 AM

I agree, at dollar a bale for hay you are cutting yourself short. I would think that it cost more to make a bale.

sidepasser · #11 07/26/07, 11:41 AM

What Marvella says..(oh am glad to hear you got your hay early..just because we've had a bit of rain doesn't erase those two cuttings that people didn't get and can't replace!)..I've got mine too for the next year.

my hayman will tell me "I'm baling on so and so day"..(usually two days before and we pray it doesn't rain in the meantime)..and I tell him if I can make it or not. If not, he picks the hay up and puts it in the barn and I pay a higher price.

Marvella - we need to get our sons together..you pay your son more than I pay mine..eek..I only pay .25 a bale for field pickup.but I do provide lunch!...maybe we could "farm them out" lol as hay haulers..lol..

I have never heard of a hayman letting the hay sit in the field after baling if the people are not right there to pick it up..most will load it up and carry it to the barn.

sometimes you have to do what you have to do to keep relationships going..but I would definitely be clearer about expectations in the future!

**fordson major** · #12 07/26/07, 02:37 PM

sometimes ya just gotta wonder, we no longer sell hay due to attitudes like that, they have to go a very long ways to get hay now! i would have reminded the fellow that when the coin changed hands it was good hay when they let it sit it was now their problem.

firefly81 · #13 07/26/07, 02:47 PM

it was there fault it got moldy---- if they would have hurried up and got it back to there place before it rained it would be fine-- they dropped the ball on that

i dont know about you guys but if we are out baling and know its going to rain the next day or after we bust our bums and work well into the night to get it out of the feild and in the barn, we cant afford to loose any to rain

comfortablynumb · #14 07/26/07, 02:52 PM

Quote:

GIVES these idiots 50 fresh bales of hay FREE!!

you should have kicked him in the butt.

marvella · #15 07/26/07, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidepasser

What Marvella says..(oh am glad to hear you got your hay early..just because we've had a bit of rain doesn't erase those two cuttings that people didn't get and can't replace!)..I've got mine too for the next year.

my hayman will tell me "I'm baling on so and so day"..(usually two days before and we pray it doesn't rain in the meantime)..and I tell him if I can make it or not. If not, he picks the hay up and puts it in the barn and I pay a higher price.

Marvella - we need to get our sons together..you pay your son more than I pay mine..eek..I only pay .25 a bale for field pickup.but I do provide lunch!...maybe we could "farm them out" lol as hay haulers..lol..

I have never heard of a hayman letting the hay sit in the field after baling if the people are not right there to pick it up..most will load it up and carry it to the barn.

sometimes you have to do what you have to do to keep relationships going..but I would definitely be clearer about expectations in the future!

yep, i feed him too. it's worth every penny i pay him:-) as i get older, i find i depend on him more all the time. i want to pay him enough that's he's willing to come when i need him, make it worth his while. he's a good son, i'm very proud of him.

yes, we have gotten some rain, good soaking rains, some of them. still 13 inches behind, tho. to beat it all, it's dog days, supposed to be the hottest part of the summer, but it's been staying in the 80's, sometimes into the 50's at night, and having to close all the doors and windows. the weather this year is just plain weird.

Outlaw9 · #16 07/26/07, 05:34 PM

Should have charged them for storage space. Not to mention the spots were the bales were would have been stressed.

marvella · #17 07/26/07, 08:59 PM

y'know, your dh may have given him the extra hay just to get the guy to shut up and go home.

it doesn't mean y'all have to sell to him ever again.

rivesjct3768 · #18 07/26/07, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marvella

y'know, your dh may have given him the extra hay just to get the guy to shut up and go home.

it doesn't mean y'all have to sell to him ever again.

*******************************************

My sentiments exactly.........winter comes quickly and if they showed their faces around there again, I'm afraid that I'd have to say something to the effect that would go ....."sometimes when you kill the goose that lays the golden eggs; you get no more eggs!"

Scrounger · #19 07/26/07, 09:37 PM

Even though you would THINK it is common sense, ALWAYS tell people it is thier responsibility to collect the bales (AFTER they pay for them). That way they don't come crying back. It also helps to tell them they have 24 hours (or whatever) to collect them. After that, they better have a good resaon or the bales revert to your property - NO REFUNDS. I know it's been said before but, that's why poeple a leary of selling out of the field unless the customer is right there. At any rate - your husband was WAY nicer about it than I would have been.

Michael W. Smith · #20 07/26/07, 11:02 PM

$1.00 a bale seems a bit cheap. I'm sure you could have gotten $1.50 without raising any eyebrows.

Farmers around here sell hay straight from the field as it's baled. It's the buyers responsibility to show up when it's being baled to get the deal - other wise if the farmer picks up the hay and transports it to his barn, the price automatically goes up.

Simple solution to your problem next time. Tell the buyers they need to be there WHEN it's being baled. If they don't show up that day (or at the latest, the very next), you will be storing the hay yourself, and due to you handling it, the price has gone up.

You made two mistakes this time. Expecting the buyer to actually show up when they were supposed to, and then letting the hay get wet. If they hadn't shown up before it was supposed to rain even though they told you "we'll be there", with them not showing up should have told you they weren't that interested. You should have picked the hay up yourself and stored it, and then when they came around looking for their cheap hay, you should have said "It's in my barn, but not at the price you were going to buy it from the field."