Newer combine ???

[Tucker86]

We have a combine , it’s ready for changing , on market value it’s worth about £100k , my boss thinks selling it and getting a contractor to do the combining is the way to go , I think he is better putting £100k plus trade in to a newer machine , we are farming just over a 1000ac of combinable crops , what do you all think ?

 

[TripleSix]

What's your handling drying and storage like?

You might be as well investing in that and using a contractor.

A more sensible use of the money that doesn't depreciate

 

[Tucker86]

No problem with handling and drying , we do all are combining up to this point

 

[SilliamWhale]

You'd be paying a contractor £35k a year and may not get him when you want him.

 

[Tucker86]

I think it would be abit more as we chop the straw , but this is my point to him you don’t need many years of paying that kinda money out to pay for a decent second hand combine

 

[SilliamWhale]

Well, two or three. And then it shouldnt have lost equiv of £90k

 

[two-cylinder]

If you have a driver to operate your own combine do so.

 

[benny6910]

If he sells the current combine for £100k he’ll be able to pay the contractor for nearly the next 3 years. He won’t of had to pay for any repairs, he might not of been able to cut on the dry days as the contractor is else where and will come to you tomorrow when it starts raining. There are so many things that make either option sound good or bad.

 

[Tucker86]

If he sells the current combine for £100k he’ll be able to pay the contractor for nearly the next 3 years. He won’t of had to pay for any repairs, he might not of been able to cut on the dry days as the contractor is else where and will come to you tomorrow when it starts raining. There are so many things that make either option sound good or bad.

Yeh but in that 3 years you would of paid the 100k off towards a new to us combine , plus after that your paying money out every year to a contractor at least he would still have money tied up in a machine he owns , and if he did sell it then in a few years decided it was no good using a contractor he then has to find an awful lot of money to buy another decent combine , to me it’s a no brainer really

 

[e3120]

Yeh but in that 3 years you would of paid the 100k off towards a new to us combine , plus after that your paying money out every year to a contractor at least he would still have money tied up in a machine he owns , and if he did sell it then in a few years decided it was no good using a contractor he then has to find an awful lot of money to buy another decent combine , to me it’s a no brainer really

I'm with you but maybe the guvnor doesn't want to/can't raise the 100k. Contractor for a year or 2... drill is knackered - wouldn't it be easier to get them to do the drilling too... CFA arrangement... no need for the hired help.

Depressing but commonplace.

 

[Cowcorn]

We have a combine , it’s ready for changing , on market value it’s worth about £100k , my boss thinks selling it and getting a contractor to do the combining is the way to go , I think he is better putting £100k plus trade in to a newer machine , we are farming just over a 1000ac of combinable crops , what do you all think ?

I think your boss is stuck for cash ??? I cut200 odd acres with a 1985 combine worth maybe five grand ??? Keep your 90 grand combine it should easily cope for another few years ... You will never have money spending money ......

 

[JeepJeep]

What Combine?,

2 50k machines would munch that.... you'd have to fo do a bit but you'd survive.


Contractor, you'd be sat with your thumb up your bum

 

[ollie989898]

Contractor will want to cut cut cut. Farmer might want to wait until the grain is cut a bit drier.

If you are relying on a contractor to cut the crop on that sort of scale might as well let a contractor do the lot.

 

[Tucker86]

I'm with you but maybe the guvnor doesn't want to/can't raise the 100k. Contractor for a year or 2... drill is knackered - wouldn't it be easier to get them to do the drilling too... CFA arrangement... no need for the hired help.

Depressing but commonplace.

We do not need hired help apart from harvest when we just need a part time lad on carting duty between us both we can manage the cultivation,drilling , spraying , fertilising no probs we manage harvest well aswell

 

[David1968]

If you can't talk him out of it altogether, persuade him to try the contractor for a year before he sells the combine, see how it goes.

 

[benny6910]

Yeh but in that 3 years you would of paid the 100k off towards a new to us combine , plus after that your paying money out every year to a contractor at least he would still have money tied up in a machine he owns , and if he did sell it then in a few years decided it was no good using a contractor he then has to find an awful lot of money to buy another decent combine , to me it’s a no brainer really

Yes I agree and if I was in the same position I’d swap the combine but I was more meaning that it might not be just as simple as swapping the combine. Is all the land owned? How old is your boss? Is he wanting to ease a bit of pressure to have a easier life? Im not asking for you to answer any of the questions but Im just trying to point out that sometimes there is more than one reason why somebody decides to change to a contractor.

 

[Tucker86]

Yes I agree and if I was in the same position I’d swap the combine but I was more meaning that it might not be just as simple as swapping the combine. Is all the land owned? How old is your boss? Is he wanting to ease a bit of pressure to have a easier life? Im not asking for you to answer any of the questions but Im just trying to point out that sometimes there is more than one reason why somebody decides to change to a contractor.

I get your point

 

[Boysground]

Has a similar situation here. I cut about 700ac cereals on 2 blocks 20 miles apart. The combine was worn out and had to be changed. Sitting with a blank piece of paper and using all the costs of a combine, repairs diesel insurance labour etc. I could make either owning or contractor work, it only took a small change to shift the best deal.

In the end I went the contractor route, mainly because by a long way my biggest income is my dairy unit. I can make more use of the money spent on a machine running for a hundred or so hours a year elsewhere.

Last harvest was a learning experience and very successful. I was very picky on who I asked to cut the crops and ended up with 2 contractors. With some organisation I can cut damp and dry later if needed. I still have 300t of 16.5% wheat but as that will be fed to the dairy it’s not a problem. A NH 9.9 with a 35 foot macdon has a hell of an output and we were clearing wheat much much faster than before. We were selective on days and late August was damp here which made decision making difficult. I didn’t need to employ a harvest student. A good header trolly made moving to some of my awkward fields easier than before. I had one piece of flat wheat that could have taken a day to cut before, it was done in a few hours in the dark.The biggest downside was damp straw and balers.

@Tucker86 my advice is start with a blank sheet and be rational. Last year was the 1st for 35 years that I did not drive a combine for harvest and I did really miss it. I did do an afternoon on the 9.9 though. If I had my choice we would still own one but we probably made the right decision.

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[Tucker86]

Has a similar situation here. I cut about 700ac cereals on 2 blocks 20 miles apart. The combine was worn out and had to be changed. Sitting with a blank piece of paper and using all the costs of a combine, repairs diesel insurance labour etc. I could make either owning or contractor work, it only took a small change to shift the best deal.

In the end I went the contractor route, mainly because by a long way my biggest income is my dairy unit. I can make more use of the money spent on a machine running for a hundred or so hours a year elsewhere.

Last harvest was a learning experience and very successful. I was very picky on who I asked to cut the crops and ended up with 2 contractors. With some organisation I can cut damp and dry later if needed. I still have 300t of 16.5% wheat but as that will be fed to the dairy it’s not a problem. A NH 9.9 with a 35 foot macdon has a hell of an output and we were clearing wheat much much faster than before. We were selective on days and late August was damp here which made decision making difficult. I didn’t need to employ a harvest student. A good header trolly made moving to some of my awkward fields easier than before. I had one piece of flat wheat that could have taken a day to cut before, it was done in a few hours in the dark.The biggest downside was damp straw and balers.

@Tucker86 my advice is start with a blank sheet and be rational. Last year was the 1st for 35 years that I did not drive a combine for harvest and I did really miss it. I did do an afternoon on the 9.9 though. If I had my choice we would still own one but we probably made the right decision.

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Yeh ok I get your point , only difference is that we are only arable but I will give it a go.

 

[Exfarmer]

We do not need hired help apart from harvest when we just need a part time lad on carting duty between us both we can manage the cultivation,drilling , spraying , fertilising no probs we manage harvest well aswell

2 men on 1,000 acres , just cereals?