farm hand wages in Illinois question

kentuckyhippie · #1 04/01/10, 10:16 PM

just curious as to how much wages for farm hands in illinois has changed since I worked as a hand on a beef cattle farm in '73. I made $100 a month plus a rent free house to live in and half a beef every six months.

Forerunner · #2 04/02/10, 06:42 AM

It would depend now somewhat on what you were doing, but, generally.....
all the little farm hand houses have been bulldozed and are now cornfields.
The IRS would throw your boss in jail if he tried to pay you for anything with a side of beef.
Minimum wage prevails, but the fair guys are paying around 10 bucks an hour.

ronbre · #3 04/02/10, 09:35 AM

guess those are considered partially bartered wages..but if you don't barter you probably will be required to pay the min wage??

springvalley · #4 04/02/10, 10:20 AM

We've paid our farm hands around $10 per hour. Sometimes less if they're really green around the gills and new to farming. Sometimes more if they're doing nasty hot work, like stacking the hay mow. Then again, we have folks that stay and work with us for the experience and to pick our brains; these we don't consider 'farm hands' though. -Catherine

TedH71 · #5 04/02/10, 03:22 PM

I've heard $1k a month plus a place to stay but the resident pays the utilities. The really big farms pay more of course.