Thistle
Well-Known Member
Have just been quoted £4 a bale for standard small bales. Is it just me or does this seem VERY expensive?
Off the field hay prices?
- Thread starter Thistle
- Start date
perfect11s
Well-Known Member
sorry its pointless asking these sort of questions without putting a region as it varys depending on area ........
AmyMay
Situation normal
Seems someone is trying to cash in for what will be a bumper year for hay and haylage.........
1987
Well-Known Member
It's £3 in Bucks. Lovely meadow hay and smells gorgeous, i've been out baling it so should know.
ebonyallen
Well-Known Member
The chap we use here in Hawkinge in Kent this year has got to charge us 2 80, last year we paid 2 25, just to give you an idea.
Thistle
Well-Known Member
I'm on Herts/Cambs /Essex border.
I would be prepared to travel a bit for a good deal.
I would be prepared to travel a bit for a good deal.
Thistle
Well-Known Member
AmyMay
Situation normal
Why? The weather has been perfect for it........
fumanchu
Active Member
most are on their second cut round here...somerset
and hoping for a third in september..
i've been quoted £15 round bale and £2.00 for small "standard" bales
having 40 round and 150 small delivered for no extra cost
and hoping for a third in september..
i've been quoted £15 round bale and £2.00 for small "standard" bales
having 40 round and 150 small delivered for no extra cost
Kub
Well-Known Member
I'm in Somerset and mine's £2 a bale plus delivery.
fumanchu - where are you getting your hay from??
fumanchu - where are you getting your hay from??
bexwarren24
Well-Known Member
£4 - ouch, just paid £3 to have some delivered and picked some up for £2 (both last week). Off the feild I wouldnt pay anymore than £1.50 but this is devon.
fumanchu
Active Member
same farmer i've got it from for donkey's years..
quirky
Well-Known Member
Not in the North West it hasn't. We've had no rain to speak of since March.
Farmer at the yard has done some of his haylage this week and got 90 bales where normally he would get 140.
Farmers are also looking to buy straw for the bottom of the silage pits due to lack of grass. That is being quoted at £150/ton, considerably more than it has cost in previous years.
We've been warned it's going to be an expensive winter for food in general
.
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite
Well-Known Member
I've been quoted £3.50 in East Devon; but they're a farm which makes lots of hay and you can go and pick it up any time of the year whenever you need. I know its good hay coz I've seen the fields, so don't mind paying for hay that I know's gonna be OK.
tabithakat64
Well-Known Member
Ours is usually £2.50 off the field if we collect, however the farmer concerned is keeping all his crop for himself this year. We are currently paying £4.50 a small bale delivered.
appylass
Well-Known Member
I think hay will be short this year round here. We are really struggling to make enough for ourselves as the grass just hasn't grown as much as normal due to the lack of rain. I hope I don't have to buy too much from elsewhere, I think it will be expensive.
Tinseltoes
Well-Known Member
Last two years Ive been paying £3.50 for a bale,plus delivery from Swansea.I have reserved my hay for this winter.Been using the same farmer for few years now.
I hope it hasnt gone up!"!!.
I hope it hasnt gone up!"!!.
ester
Not slacking multitasking
we just got 80 less bales off our field... 190 last year, 110 this year, same timing (horses off and cut date etc). We just havent had the rain to bring it on. We could have waited but we only need and can store about 100, last year we sold the rest so decided to do it. I can see that per field yields might be down this year... depending on what it does now. If they can get multiple cuts off of what has been cut now it will probably be better.
FigJam
Well-Known Member
Farmer I buy hay from says it's going to be more scarce this year. I'll be paying £4 per small bale off the drier (barn dried stuff) or £4.20 off their stack. Need to try cram as much as possible into my storage area as now panicking I will be short my mid/end winter.
I'll be paying £4 per small bale off the drier (barn dried stuff) or £4.20 off their stack. Need to try cram as much as possible into my storage area as now panicking I will be short my mid/end winter. mrussell
Well-Known Member
Well we are in Suffolk, and we are being charged £3.25 off field for standard hay bales and £25 off field for round haylage bales. We have also been told yield is 1/3rd down on last year so this extra 1/3rd has been added to the price.
That said a field we bought haylage from last year yielded 14.75 bales in 2009, this year its produced 16.5 bales so yield is actually UP.
Its a sellers market in the East though... }:0(
Natalie_H
Well-Known Member
Kent - £2.50 off the field or £3.25 delivered.
Mrs_Wishkabibble
Well-Known Member
The weather hasn't been perfect for it at all! We had no rain and was cold at the beginning of the season so it isn't as thick as usual, our hay fields are much more sparse and the grass is not as long as usual.
Not directed at Amymay - I think sometimes people should actually one year rent a field, look after it ready for cutting, worry about the weeds, ensure no ragwort, growth, fertilising and then baling costs (if you can find a good contractor to do it) and then after all that take a risk at when it should be cut that you have a product that is good and dust free as you have been lucky enough to have no rain!
Then load it up onto a trailer and hump it all in to a nice barn or stable and ensure it is kept rodent free and dry until it is bought.
Without any extra costs - just baling costs and what we sell it for we just about make £1 a bale - not much for all the work and worry involved and even less if it were to get rained on and then you cannot give it away!!
Sorry not meant to be a rant just trying to show it from the other side of things.
mon
Well-Known Member
well said mrs w same as when they complain about landowners or livery managers, try it then say, after all what does £4 buy not even a gallon of fuel.
lochpearl
Well-Known Member
I'm picking up 70 bales tonight at 2.50 a bale, and have just had another 120 cut at 2.50 a bale. Not sure really how to measure how much I will need especially now I know one will be on box rest for the next 4 months..............
StableMum
Well-Known Member
Kub, whereabouts in Somerset are you getting your hay from? I am on Wilts/Somerset border, so if it was not to far would like to get some.
aelt
Well-Known Member
the main problem around where i am in devon is that silage crops are down so farmers will have less hay to sell as they are keeping more for themselves. yield certainly down we made 120 off out field last year 85 this year, everything is least month behind but can't risk waiting just in case weather turns. fingers crossed we get rain so grass will grow so 2nd cuts can happen!
Ditchjumper2
Well-Known Member
I paid for 150 bales today @ £2.00 a bale. Stored by farmer and I collect as and when. 250 bales being delivered by another farmer this weekend at £2.25 a bale. All good stuff. Have had my hay off them for years though.
ceiron
Well-Known Member
the weather has been awful in some places, drought orders in north west and possibly in south scotland.
plus around here we have had a lot of fields burnt down.
so add that to extended winter which ment we used more hay so all reserves are gone in most places and around london hay is nigh impossible to find.
around here its not going to be ready for weeks and most places are empty.
add to that most farmers will now only sell to regular and loyal customers.
add to that a lot of people are refusing to bale small bales due to the return and costs involved.
it potentially in some areas is going to be a very expensive and long winter.
prices were as high as 6 pound a small bale around here at one point and so i dont see the cost being matched to last years early prices as the demand is there and people wont have an option.
plus around here we have had a lot of fields burnt down.
so add that to extended winter which ment we used more hay so all reserves are gone in most places and around london hay is nigh impossible to find.
around here its not going to be ready for weeks and most places are empty.
add to that most farmers will now only sell to regular and loyal customers.
add to that a lot of people are refusing to bale small bales due to the return and costs involved.
it potentially in some areas is going to be a very expensive and long winter.
prices were as high as 6 pound a small bale around here at one point and so i dont see the cost being matched to last years early prices as the demand is there and people wont have an option.
tangosmum
Well-Known Member
Well we are stuggling for hay here in North London/ South Herts.
Last years hay (when you can get it) is £6.00 a bale! (you have to collect it). There is only one farmer within about 25 miles that I have found with any hay at all...hence he is now charging £6.
This years hay straight off the field is £4.00 delivered from another farmer.
Last years hay (when you can get it) is £6.00 a bale! (you have to collect it). There is only one farmer within about 25 miles that I have found with any hay at all...hence he is now charging £6.
This years hay straight off the field is £4.00 delivered from another farmer.
MurphysMinder
Well-Known Member
There was some advertised in our local paper last night £4.50 a bale. I am (fingers crossed) having one lot baled today, from a friends field, just got to pay baling costs which usually works out around £1 - 1.50 a bale.
I agree though, the weather here has not been good for growing this year, too cold in the early spring then not enough rain. I still have 5 acres of my own to cut, left it for now as it really needs to grow more but not sure it is going to happen. A lot of farmers haven't done a second silage cut yet.
And have to agree with Mrs-Wishkibble, have to agree about the work involved in producing a hay crop, every year I threaten to just buy it but at least taking my own I know exactly what I am going to get, and that includes the aches and pains for bringing it in.
. I am (fingers crossed) having one lot baled today, from a friends field, just got to pay baling costs which usually works out around £1 - 1.50 a bale. I agree though, the weather here has not been good for growing this year, too cold in the early spring then not enough rain. I still have 5 acres of my own to cut, left it for now as it really needs to grow more but not sure it is going to happen.
A lot of farmers haven't done a second silage cut yet.And have to agree with Mrs-Wishkibble, have to agree about the work involved in producing a hay crop, every year I threaten to just buy it but at least taking my own I know exactly what I am going to get, and that includes the aches and pains for bringing it in.