Combines Thinking about custom cutting

[Jeremy]

One thing I forgot to ask is how you put a price on cutting. Do you charge by the hour, day, week, volume of crop cutIJ

 

[Tom_Russell]

We hire custom cutters for corn for $20_acre to ease the workload around here. In my opinion, I cant operate a combine for under $20_a when considering cost of ownership, labor etc. Another factor that may not necessarily be true is machinery seems to break down on the first day. So if you get it running past the first day, you can run for the rest of the season without too much additional trouble. This observation is based on running cars, trucks, tractors, combines and even outboards. The conclusion is that a custom guy will have fewer breakdowns unless of course he gets the rocky ground that nobody in his right mind will venture into. Tom in MN

 

[Combineman]

Where you fromIJ Our family ran the wheat harvest from Okla. up to the Dakotas and over to Idaho for nearly a couple of decades. We went broke on 96. We've started to regroup and next year I plan on renting a a R72 to do some local work here in Idaho. After all, I still ahve all the names. location plays a big part in custom harvesting. I can tell you right now it's tough out there. But it's also about the finest way I know to make a living. Thats why I'm looking in sticking my toe in it again. I have a good job now but it will give my dad something to do and I'll run it on weekends. E mail me at jgale@if.rmci.net. I'll try to answere some questions you have. CM