Its rough when the big boys pick the eyes out of a job. I have found myself in the same position plenty of times and you really just help the farmer out and you wonder how to charge fairly. I think hourly rates in these conditions are the only way to go. I find sometimes driving miles to a baling job to find a light crop and only a few bales. I don't have a suitable header but there is a fair bit of demand around here for small paddocks in the 50 acre size and may have trees or maybe just a centre pivot to be done and the big contractors with their large headers and semi tippers just are not interested until the end of the season. Really enjoying how you have been presenting issues and requirements that have to be addressed when farming and contracting regardless of the size of the size of the operation, Dave.

@brookdalefarm7986

6 ай бұрын

Hi Dave, I am glad you are enjoying the videos. I haven’t even had a 50acre paddock yet, but it’s still a-bit of pocket money. It’s hard to get contract work here as most of the property’s are big, this one is 7000 acres, or small lifestyle blocks with the 2 pet sheep and alpacas with not much in between. Even with the rough paddocks I have managed to cover the ground in reasonable time, but next year I might give them an hourly rate instead. They tell me next year they will no cropping beter paddocks so I hope I can still do some for them. I have about 5ha left to go and a full box on the header. I am just waiting for them to bring the truck back so I can finish off. Thanks from Geoffrey

As long as you get enough money to buy some new toys all is good . Great vid keep them coming

@brookdalefarm7986

6 ай бұрын

Hi Robert, I am glad you enjoyed it. Thanks from Geoffrey

Another great video Geoffrey. Would be interesting to know the financials of contracting (without giving away too many secrets). I.E. What you receive vs. your costs. I assume you quote on a per hectare basis. As mentioned, the travel distance to the truck or bin and having an empty one available as well as state of the paddocks would all affect profitability.

@brookdalefarm7986

5 ай бұрын

Hi Thomas, around us there is a fairly standard per ha rate that all the contractors seem to use. The guy who set this up for me gave them the rate. The farmer pays for fuel, so it is maintenance that is the main cost. When things were going well I could cover 3ha/hr, but in the bad parts I was around half that. The 2 other delays are that the farm only had a small auger so it took them ages to empty the truck. The is kept me waiting for almost an hour. I was also in small paddocks which meant I had to take the comb of the harvester to move it 3 times. This means 1 trip with an escort vehicle and the harvester, another trip to go back and move the comb and trailer then go back and pick up the fire unit. The other contractors who were working there were good and helped me out as much as they could, but it still takes more than an hour to move everything even though they were only short moves. It is still good money and I hope I can do some more for them next year. I hope this answers some of your questions. Thanks from Geoffrey

We are in northern Victoria. Never heard of a per hectare rate for harvesting, only per hectare for windrowing. Harvest here we run on per rotor hour. Big difference if your on per hectare rate in a 2 ton crop compared to a 7 ton crop.

@brookdalefarm7986

5 ай бұрын

Hi, yes you are right about the price in a heavy or light crop. I am not sure why we don’t use an hourly rate in WA. Thanks from Geoffrey

How much did you pay for that TR 88, pretty neat.

@brookdalefarm7986

6 ай бұрын

Hi, it was $4000. You can get them cheaper, but this one was almost next door so no transport costs. Thanks from Geoffrey

Never, ever, will I work on an area basis. All cereals, canola & pulse crops are done on an hourly basis …… & that’s engine hours IN THE PADDOCK! For precisely the reasons - & other reasons - you’ve outlined.

@brookdalefarm7986

4 ай бұрын

Hi, yes it will be engine hours next year. Thanks from Geoffrey

Yeah thats what happen when you run older smaller gear you can only get those jobs my dads can only get those shorts of jobs

@brookdalefarm7986

5 ай бұрын

Yeah that’s the way it goes, still it’s abit more money in my pocket. A 40” front wouldn’t have even got into one of the paddocks. Thanks from Geoffrey

Would you work an hourly rate on these jobs?

@tosgem

6 ай бұрын

Judging by the way he's talking he's doing it by the acre or by the tonne or something

@brookdalefarm7986

6 ай бұрын

Hi, yes I should have given an hourly rate, but didn’t know what the paddocks were like. Someone else set this up for me so I just need to go with the standard hectare rate at the moment. Thanks from Geoffrey

@brookdalefarm7986

6 ай бұрын

Hi, yes I am working in a hectare rate at the moment. It still averages our to be a reasonable rate. Thanks from Geoffrey