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Barnyard Buddies:  Hay cooperatives?  |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 20 2013 : 9:44:53 PM
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So, being clueless as usual, my question is: Do people do anything like hay cooperatives? A way for several people to go in together on the lease/purchase of a piece of land that they all put money and time into planting and harvesting hay from?
My reason for asking is, in the last few years my landlords have had an increasingly hard time finding hay locally, and I was told that most people were planting biofuel crops because of subsidies from the government.
Unless everyone in America is planning on becoming a vegetarian in the next couple of years, I think that we need to either make hay worthwhile for farmers to grow or everyone needs to start growing their own.
In the next couple of years we will be getting our own farm and I'll need to find a way to ensure that I have enough to feed my mini-cows once I start raising them. I don't like the fickle local hay availability problem, but I can't afford a huge piece of property to raise hay on either, so the thought of coming up with a hay growing venture struck me. I would like to look into founding one in the future. So I thought I'd ask if anyone had any experience with this?
You must do the thing you think you cannot do
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Annika
Farmgirl & Sister #13
http://thegimpyfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
http://pinterest.com/annikaloveshats/
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
Posted - Apr 21 2013 : 3:30:41 PM
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I would not know much about if it would be feasible for you to grow or not. Maybe it's a new idea of yours and could be a good one :)
We have to travel about 120 miles to get hay because there is no hay growing locally. I don't buy much hay any more because we save a lot of money and my horses do better if we soak and feed beet pulp and alfalfa pellets to them, but still give them a little hay so they can chew on something. But many people around here and myself included go in on having large quantities of quality hay brought in and split the cost.
Laura
Horse poor in the boonies.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/CrittergrannysLair
www.creamofthecroptrailrides.webs.com |
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crittergranny
True Blue Farmgirl
1096 Posts
Laura
Lindrith
NM
USA
1096 Posts |
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AlyssaMarie
True Blue Farmgirl
287 Posts
AlyssaMarie
Palouse
Washington
USA
287 Posts |
Posted - Apr 22 2013 : 5:09:58 PM
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Hay locally has become harder to find! We were fortunate to find a provider last year and we just told them to expect us to order from them as long as they're providing. We couldn't even find a farmer with equipment willing to hay our own field. Granted we don't have much, so we opted to just graze more and longer into the season. I know some of the hay makers in our area are selling for export hay because it pays more, which doesn't help out us local folks. I also heard the drought in the Midwest last year effected hay all over.
AlyssaMarie @ Link'd Hearts Ranch
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - Apr 23 2013 : 06:47:30 AM
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What we do...dh has two hay fields that hr owns. He mows the rest. Payment is keeping the hay for resale. The draw back is if the property gets sold and that we may or may not have permission to plow and reseed or fertilize as needed. People buy the hay out o the field and haul it themselves or we deliver for a higher pricewithin a reasonable distance. That's all I can say about it really.
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
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Calico Hen
True Blue Farmgirl
146 Posts
Meg
Middle Tennessee
USA
146 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2013 : 07:27:55 AM
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| Having recently moved onto our farm, we have many hay fields but no equipment to rake and bale the hay. We worked out a deal with our neighbor to bale the hay and take a large percentage. He left us stranded last fall having decided he didn't want to do it. We ended up bush hogging acres upon acres! This spring we have talked/begged another guy who does custom baling to help us out and split the bales of hay. He says he has too many clients and won't have the time. Our new hay field is gorgeous - timothy, alfalfa, clover =great for horses which he has. Frustrating! Wish we were closer Annika, a cooperative sounds like a great idea. |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2013 : 08:48:01 AM
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Well, we've looked at some land lately and we're still holding our cash until we find what we really want, but I was hoping to turn 2/3 of it over to hay. I would love to form some kind of hay coop with shared equipment and work once I get set up with my cows. I can't afford to have pure bred mini jerseys that I can't find hay for.
You must do the thing you think you cannot do
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Annika
Farmgirl & Sister #13
http://thegimpyfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
http://pinterest.com/annikaloveshats/
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2013 : 09:41:26 AM
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Don't "share " equipment. First of all, you all will need it at the same time. Secondly, when it comes time to harvest it could be broken down and the person who broken it won't fix it or deny it broke while in his /her possession. Lastly, when it comes time to harvest will the people you helped be there to help you? This happened to my dh and this is what he learned. Either you own it or you don't.
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
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Annika
True Blue Farmgirl
5602 Posts
Annika
USA
5602 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2013 : 10:47:26 AM
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Oh Lorena thanks! I'm really too trusting at times and hadn't really thought that through before I posted, my fingers work faster than my wits!  I'm sure that my brainy and logical dh would have bonked me over the head for being a ditz when he got home!
You must do the thing you think you cannot do
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Annika
Farmgirl & Sister #13
http://thegimpyfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
http://pinterest.com/annikaloveshats/
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - Apr 24 2013 : 7:03:49 PM
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Farm equipment is a major investment. My dh has antique tractors that he's fixed up. All his equipment is used but well maintained. Used is an option if you or your dh is mechanically inclined. This won't happen overnight but if you go slow and can acquire equipment and lease some fields for mowing it could work.
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
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Barnyard Buddies: Hay cooperatives? |
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Hay cooperatives?
