Dave H (MI)
Well-known Member
Dont do all that much, but i can need several hundred small squares loaded in a day. I just cannot do it anymore. Whats a fair rate for high school kids...if I can get them?
- Thread starter Dave H (MI)
- Start date
Dave H (MI)
Well-known Member
Which Home Depot you at, I'll hire ya! Dang hs kids say they do it...cant get them on the phone,
Josh in Pa
Member
They are hard to find. I have a few this summer that seem pretty willing. I pay them $15 an hour. They seem happy to work for that, and I am happy with how much we can get done.
Dune Country
Well-known Member
For an event we have here we got ahold of the local high school football team coach and offered a "donation" to their equipment fund for some of their time, work out for the team and a write off for us.
Keith Molden
Well-known Member
I've gone to trading hay for them helping me get it in the barn. I have a guy that has 3 boys and he buys hay off me. I usually trade him hay for them loading and unloading & stacking it in the barn. The amount depends on how much we have to put up and how much he needs. Works out great for both of us, he doesn't have a lot of money and I don't have a lot of help.
Any Amish or Mennonites nearby? I am not saying that "regular" kids are no good but there are less problems and in particular with the parents. Today you have to worry that if you seriously irritate a kid off that he will vandalize property if he thinks he was treated unfairly. One problem that can arise with Amish or Mennonites is they want to send kids that are simply too young for the task. I had to send an Amish kid home on two different occasions because I don't think that they were 80 pounds soaking wet. I don't want to be responsible for some kid over doing and needing to go to the ER. I don't very many small square bales in my travels or at the hay auction anymore. I will close with the following story. There was a dairy farmer back a few decades who had several daughters. The mother enrolled every last one in dance school. Needless to say the curves were quite a sight to see. I don't think that farmer touched a square bale for the better part of two decades because the gentlemen callers were only too happy to impress the mother and father. I don't see that happening in today's kids.
Dave H (MI)
Well-known Member
Without a doubt! 
grandpa Love
Well-known Member
Got a place near us. Called Farm Ministry. It's a rehab place. Cost men 500 to get in then after 10 days they have to get a job. Cost 180 a week to stay. We hired a guy pay him 100 a day. Good worker and almost guarantee he will be around a year. Lol. "farm " takes em all to church and AA meetings. Got anything like that near y'all?
Dave, we pay $12 per hr and do not get anyone under 30 for the most part. Quick story, tried to hire a guy with a sign along the freeway. Asked what I would pay and told him. He laughed and said that he could make in an hour what I was willing to pay all day. Told him to change his sign to say, " I'm lazy so just give me money ". Found someone else.
pete black
Well-known Member
In alabama this past weekend grandgaughters 17 year old boy friend worked putting square bales in barn for $8.00 an hour. Good kid and worked with several others doing the same for 12 hours. He also does grass cutting at a local vets office, makes good grades and plays football.
Are you looking to just get by just one time or do will this be part of your long term operation? Word of mouth gets around high school kids much faster than it did when we were that age. Baling hay is a very time sensitive operation, when the weather is right everyone else will also be baling at the same time you are, and they will be calling the same people you will be trying to hire. A good reputation will make it much easier for you to hire help the next time you need extra people. You want to pay at least double what your local McDonald's pays if you want to have a ready supply of help. How many bales do you put up per hour? Even an old JD 14T in good condition will punch out over 200 bales per hour with a crew of four people. $20 per hour for experienced help is only 10 cents a bale or less each time it's handled.
Think about where you will need to add people and where you will be. Will you be driving the baler or working with someone else at your barn/stack? Do you have someone familiar enough with your baler to keep the twine feeding, the shear pins replaced and is able to unplug the pickup without getting hurt? Will hired help be hauling loads on public roads? Training and supervision will be important to keep things moving smoothly, reduce horse play and to avoid any injuries.
Baling hay is a very time sensitive operation, down time can be expensive when rain is approaching. $15 per hour for inexperienced help, $20 per hour for experienced help and $25 per hour for someone that can act as a crew chief at the baler or at the stack would not be out of line, they will be worth it.
Think about where you will need to add people and where you will be. Will you be driving the baler or working with someone else at your barn/stack? Do you have someone familiar enough with your baler to keep the twine feeding, the shear pins replaced and is able to unplug the pickup without getting hurt? Will hired help be hauling loads on public roads? Training and supervision will be important to keep things moving smoothly, reduce horse play and to avoid any injuries.
Baling hay is a very time sensitive operation, down time can be expensive when rain is approaching. $15 per hour for inexperienced help, $20 per hour for experienced help and $25 per hour for someone that can act as a crew chief at the baler or at the stack would not be out of line, they will be worth it.
steve terplak
Member
I have one hired guy - $20/hr, always available when I need him. Stacking in my barn, stacking wagon racks or loading customers. Trust him to load customer and take $$ even if I am not home. Works hard, for a variety of reasons he is always available- seems to have gotten into a fight with anyone else he works for, but we get along fine. If he raised his rates, I would still pay him - he enables me to sell hay even when I am working.
Reading these replies made me chuckle. As a teen, hiring out for making hay was our 'big' income for the summer.
I made $.75 as a 16 yr old, up to $1.00 a year later. (1959) Best payday was when we got $.01 per bale and we put
1000 (old square type)bales in the barn. WOW 10 bucks in one day !!
I made $.75 as a 16 yr old, up to $1.00 a year later. (1959) Best payday was when we got $.01 per bale and we put
1000 (old square type)bales in the barn. WOW 10 bucks in one day !!
flying belgian
Well-known Member
I pay $15/hr. and get all the help I need. The way I do things I need them two at a time. I have a list of about 6 kids. Start calling a day ahead. Usually get two before I end list. What with activities and family vacations. Good kids too. Once you get one you ask him If he has a buddy who can help? Then you ask the buddy if he knows someone. Before you know it you have a list of kids to call. Then you ask them if they have a younger brother? Have a water cooler full of ice water on tractor and stop often. Then after every load in barn go to shop and sit in front of blower and have a pop-sickle. Ask them about their families and what extra school activities or sports they are involved in. Take an interest in their lives. They will be calling you next year reminding you to put them on your call list. Been doing it this way for 20 years. Oh, also give your list to your neighbor who hires help. That way between the two of you, he can work enough days to beat having a part time job at Mc Donalds/
When I was haying I had trouble finding help one year, my wife told me to get some boys hired because she wasn't handling all that hay anymore, couldn't find anyone, came up with a brainstorm, hired the prettiest 16 year old around, drove my 3010 around the neighborhood with her riding on the fender, had her wave at all the high school boys as we drove by, the next day I was turning help away.
Dave H (MI)
Well-known Member
I hear you! Went to get a haircut today and my barber asked me, did I ever eat at Big Boy. I said, NO, I managed a Big Boy for a couple years and worked there a total of 6 when I was younger. He said they are having a special all day, the original BB is 89 cents. I told him that was more than they cost when I worked there and I had made tens of thousands of them in my life...not interested.
Dave H (MI)
Well-known Member
Who me??? I'm a great boss. Pay in cash and if you work really hard I take you out with the family at the end of season for our annual "hays done!" dinner. All you can eat.
Dave H (MI)
Well-known Member
Sounds like a good plan! That and the jock kids. I hear that all the time.
Dave H (MI)
Well-known Member
This would be a regular gig. Daughters will ride the wagons and stack. I just need a couple strong boys to throw the bales up to them. I won't let an inexperienced kid up on a wagon. My wife will keep them supervised. I think I am going to do this. It is really my only hope for continuing. My poor girls used to do it all but 9 months of the year in hard studying at college leaves them too out of shape. They can stack though.
Hay hay hay
Well-known Member
I pay $15/hr for field hay stacking. I tell them this is premium, hot, dirty, nasty work and I pay well for it. I can usually get help...but I make sure they know this is NOT the going rate for normal farm work...like weed wacking.
You need to get a reputation as a good, well paying, reliable honest employer. You don't need to lose many bales to a sudden rain storm to more than cover the extra cost...of $15 vs $10.
You need to get a reputation as a good, well paying, reliable honest employer. You don't need to lose many bales to a sudden rain storm to more than cover the extra cost...of $15 vs $10.
Cory Schmidt
Well-known Member
When I went up by the neighbor I can't recall what I made. I think it was $10 a load not hour, though took around an hour a load(some little less, some little more). Neighbor would load the kicker racks, then hire the help to unload, the lucky/trusted ones(like me after the first year) got to run the tractors when time to switch loads out. I know when I was 10 when I started up there, and I noticeably outworked the "city" boys that would come out (they asked, said there is no way a 10yr old can work that hard).
flying belgian
Well-known Member
I run some land right next to the driving range of the golf course. I was baling wheat straw once with two high school boys helping. There was a girls team practicing on the driving range. Man would those boys stare every round we went by them. When we were finished we were talking about what we were doing for rest of evening. I said I am taking Grandkids to county fair. They said they were going golfing. Hmmm.
flying belgian
Well-known Member
Tell me again why anyone would let them fall on the ground only to pick them back up and put them on a wagon? Why not hook wagon behind baler and let the baler "lift" them onto wagon.
in-too-deep
Well-known Member
Ask the local high school shop teacher or FFA advisor. That's how I got my work.
K Effective
Well-known Member
Guess I should up my rates. I pay about $10 per hour, rounded up, in cash , right away. Have had a hard time with the neighbor kid, he says he will, but always has an excuse. Only exception is the teacher from the church school with seven kids- I sell them a half of beef, he is working his half off this summer. Well, one time so far.
My kids have been very willing to help this summer, more so than usual. Maybe I am looking more broke down to them. I'm gonna look for a round baler, at least to do first cutting by myself.
My kids have been very willing to help this summer, more so than usual. Maybe I am looking more broke down to them. I'm gonna look for a round baler, at least to do first cutting by myself.
Bruce from Can.
Well-known Member
- Location
- Woodville, Ontario, Canada
I would offer $15.00 a hour , give all the cold soda or energy drinks they want , maybe even some burgers and ice cream at the end , but never try to work them more than 4 hours . That is all most kids have in them anymore. Work them hard , for a short time . Treat them well , and they will want to come back . Always hire one more kid then you will need , and work with them . That way you will know who Not to ask back.
Geo-TH,In
Well-known Member
Dave,
My dad bought a JD square wire baler in the 50's.
He would do costume baling for people. Back then it was hard to find anyone who wanted to work in the heat. He would hire migrant workers, now we call them Illegals.
I don't know what you would call the device dad found. It would attach to the side of our hay flatbed truck. If you had the bales lined up, the hay hiker would lift the bales up to about 4 ft above the truck bed. My brothers would stack them on the truck. I was the youngest so I got to drive the truck in granny gear and got yelled at is I couldn't drive at a steady speed. It was difficult for me to touch the gas peddle, see through the steering wheel and look out the window to make sure I centered the bale for the hiker. Dad would run the baler and drop the bales on the ground. He could bale faster and we didn't have to eat the dust from the baler.
Not sure if this device is still available or what it's called, but we were glad dad found one. If you are using square bales, you may want to get one, saves time and labor.
geo
My dad bought a JD square wire baler in the 50's.
He would do costume baling for people. Back then it was hard to find anyone who wanted to work in the heat. He would hire migrant workers, now we call them Illegals.
I don't know what you would call the device dad found. It would attach to the side of our hay flatbed truck. If you had the bales lined up, the hay hiker would lift the bales up to about 4 ft above the truck bed. My brothers would stack them on the truck. I was the youngest so I got to drive the truck in granny gear and got yelled at is I couldn't drive at a steady speed. It was difficult for me to touch the gas peddle, see through the steering wheel and look out the window to make sure I centered the bale for the hiker. Dad would run the baler and drop the bales on the ground. He could bale faster and we didn't have to eat the dust from the baler.
Not sure if this device is still available or what it's called, but we were glad dad found one. If you are using square bales, you may want to get one, saves time and labor.
geo
Cory Schmidt
Well-known Member
Yah the local FFA is a good way...our local one has a labor auction every March. The kids (and sometimes the advisor) sell themselves for I think 8 hours of work(though a lot of em will work more if needed) then get half the bid when time is up, the other half then goes to the FFA. They always have a good turn out.
Dave H (MI)
Well-known Member
Thanks John, I'll remember that. The truck resolved. When the problem appeared in several engines i thought the gas was bad. It was. I had filled the truck and two cans. I drained half a cup of water out of the 300u alone.
Tom OConnor
Member
Something not to overlook, Dave is to be sure you have an abundance of liability insurance.
jimg.allentown
Well-known Member
Migrant workers are not necessarily illegals. There is a difference. Migrants are allowed in and out of the country as travelling WORKERS that are here LEGALLY and with either permits, work visas, or green cards. Illegals are those who come into the country without going through the proper procedure. The majority of the illegals are probably NOT migrant workers. At the same time, most migrant workers are not illegal. It is an unfair statement to group the two into the same category.
BarnyardEngineering
Well-known Member
- Location
- Rochester, NY
$1 a bale? That better cover ALL the help, and get the bale from laying on the ground in the field to stacked neatly in the barn.
Otherwise it's highway robbery. An average load of 100 bales would cost you $100 per kid just to get them stacked on the wagon. Unless you're selling the hay to Tractor Supply, there's no way you could make any money at it.
Otherwise it's highway robbery. An average load of 100 bales would cost you $100 per kid just to get them stacked on the wagon. Unless you're selling the hay to Tractor Supply, there's no way you could make any money at it.
Years ago Dad did some custom baling and only one time did he not pull a wagon behind the baler And he was baling with a 2N Ford. That time the field was very hilly and the wagon did not have the bed tied down and dumped the bed backward off the gear and Dad said I will cut the price if I can just drop them on the ground. That was when it was $.10 per bale for baling. If I did not have anything except a bad wagon I would not drop on ground. Only exemption would be a New Holland stack wagon to pick them up. And unless I had that stack wagon I would have a thrower, no way else. When 3 of us got overcome by heat in one year the baler to hand stack them went and one with a thrower came. And I later was farming that ground and still have the gear but a different bed.
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