RE: rock and a hard place
Most of the time the only guy that makes any money off of lime is the guy hauling it. They probably have to charge you the same amount of freight for 8.5 tons as they would for 25 (standard load size)which will run the price up. Try finding some pellitized lime. 500-800 lbs. per acre sounds about where you would need to be (depending on CEC and BpH) and you would be able to do it yourself. Pellitized lime will react quicker than most ag-limes but you will have to reapply quicker (probably one - two years) instead of 4-5 for ag-lime because of the finer particle size.