That’s why started doing our own, waited 3 weeks one year whilst dairy boys got theirs on time. But our 80 acres of hill ground and heavy crops wouldn’t be as profitable as 200 acres cut 3 or 4 times so you can’t really blame the contractor. Easy to buy a forage wagon/ baler and just work away.
If you were a silage contractor
- Thread starter Sid
- Start date
Land of milk & honey the Sainted Isle.
regrowth was strong and looks a decent crop TBH but need to get it off as it's thinking of heading.
Lovely sunny day too
Skintagain
Member
- Location
- Perched on the Pennines
I think balers will be getting bought as we speak by folk.
dowcow
Member
- Location
- Lancashire
Sorry, but I think you're on the wrong track here. It's precisely because it is his most valuable crop that when he thinks it is the best time to mow it, he does so and then finds whichever contractor that can manage to chop it. If he waited for the contractor who is so so self important that he thinks he owns his customers devout loyalty and makes them wait until he is ready for them, his grass would be a week late, or even more with a year like this and the quality wouldn't be there, and the next cut would be delayed too and possibly be struggling to find a good time to spread slurry and fertiliser if a prolonged heat wave strikes up by the time the contractor makes time for him.
If the smaller farmers really care about quality silage, a forage wagon or baler is a very good investment.
- Location
- North of Perth
There bloody expensive now though!
Wellytrack
Member
I’ll agree a forage wagon or baler is a good investment for someone wishing to do their own, particularly if timeliness or quality is a concern. We have been there before, this is how I know what life is like both sides of the gate.
However if he has gave a good and honest contractor some heads up he will get the grass cut and in without issue year on year.
If the shoe was on the other foot he wouldn’t like it.
Your not wrong but buy one and often you get a couple of neighbours wanting some done and it doesn’t take long to pay it off, and then it’s yours.
- Location
- Yorkshire
And then they mow and then ring you and tell you when they want it done and your doing your own and it all starts again
- Location
- South Molton
Always use to ring before I cut, oh but so and so has just rung to say they cut yesterday.
Know of one farm that always has last years silaging bill outstanding, that way he knows the contractor will come when required as last years bill then gets paid!
What’s the odds a couple of neighbours and you are all on the same day?
packed in contract baling / wrapping a good few years ago but kept a few neighbours to justify running a fusion. Honestly cant say there has been any conflict like that but one is dairy so goes early, one quite old fashioned so goes late and so on. All are friends and we always make it work, always get good notice and they will all notice when I am on with my own and ring to check I can get.
Local guy around here only sends a bill every few years.......so it’s always a big one
- Location
- somerset
virtually all of this thread could be simply avoided by having a really good relationship with your contractor, probably helped by promptly paying the bill. Young lad that took on from his dad, had loads of new customers book in with him, he prioritised these new customers over his existing ones, he didn't do most of them following season, l don't expect he ever got all his bills paid either, in doing that, he also lost some excellent customers, where bills were not a problem, when we started monthly s/o with his father, the figure matched his finance payment on his chopper, he was highly pleased about that, one worry he didn't need to think about.
- Location
- Yorkshire
I never tell people whether they can cut of not. I just ask them to ring when they're thinking of cutting and tell me what there plan is. Then I tell them I will do it or if they cut a day later I'll be able to do it or if they want they can ring someone else to see if they can get it done.
- Location
- Yorkshire
That's it though nail on head ^ we started from a post about a man who would mow and then start ringing to get it picked up and then it was said
'If he waited for the contractor who is so so self important that he thinks he owns his customers devout loyalty and makes them wait until he is ready for them,' Abit of notice makes the whole job alot easier. And yes it is very likely a couple of neighbours and me want to go at same time I very often am doing that sometimes I can barely touch a road going between neighbours
Homesy
Member
- Location
- North West Devon
My old contractor used to say
"I can't come today but if you want to get someone else I won't be offended"
Knowing full well everyone else was busy. Just a polite way of saying fudge off and stop harassing me.
"I can't come today but if you want to get someone else I won't be offended"
Knowing full well everyone else was busy. Just a polite way of saying fudge off and stop harassing me.
When we were contracting we always used to send someone if we were busy, had a phone full of farmers lads looking for a bit of baling. Nowadays them lads are the farmers and their young uns are not interested. Changing times
beefandsleep
Member
- Location
- Staffordshire
I tell the contractor what week I want him the day i put the fert on. Keep an eye on heading and give him heads up week before if weather looks good. Usually not far out.
Mouser
Member
- Location
- near Belfast
Cant really expect a contractor to invest heavily in a reliable outfit if customers aren't reliable/ able to give a bit of leeway. Seems to be the way it's going though. Between no patience to wait and 1 contractor not being enough if rains coming things are changing round here. I'm lucky I drive the mower for my contractor so can usually talk him round.
- Location
- Welshpool Powys
Not easy being a contractor and certainly not where harvest is concerned as everyone gets stressed over it.