Do any of you buy a "field full of grass" for hay where you organise the machinery and do the cutting, baling and then take it away as soon as it is baled? If so approximately how much would you expect to pay per bale (small rectangular, rather than large round)?
Background is I have a 6 acre meadow that a local dairy farmer has always cut as a favour - we let him have the silage in return for cutting however he does two cuts for optimum silage. Late cut grass isn't right for dairy cows (apparently!) so I thought I'd try and sell the hay.
I want to return the field to an old-fashioned hay meadow regime with one cut done in August and then sheep grazed until February. I don't have organic certification but don't use any chemicals, I pull any ragwort by hand.
I have no idea what to charge so any rough ideas of what the going rate is would be really helpful