Hay Again

**bergere** · #1 07/28/12, 08:10 PM

Glad I bought Orchard grass hay today.... the price is already going up. yech......
Not as good as the first cutting but still good stuff.

Had to make two trips because my Pilot is limited in how much it can haul on the trailer. At 1 1/2 hours, to and from the hay folks, makes for a very long day.

Keeping my fingers crossed I finally have enough to make it through winter....

The owner did tell me, he had to stop all the big sales of hay due to not having enough rain and the grass isn't growing. He "might" just have enough hay for his smaller customers.
That is not good news.

So if folks in VA, haven't gotten their hay for the winter, they better get it soon.

Irish Pixie · #2 07/29/12, 08:14 AM

We're finally getting some rain so there will probably be a second cutting this year. My gut is telling me I need a 100 more bales (hard winter) so I'm calling my hay guy tomorrow, my gut is often wrong but at least I won't worry about hay.

CheerfulMom4 · #3 07/29/12, 08:30 AM

We are having similiar issues here. The guy I always buy my hay from just now barely has enough to feed his own animals. If we don't get a second cutting it's not going to be good!

**bergere** · #4 07/29/12, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish Pixie

We're finally getting some rain so there will probably be a second cutting this year. My gut is telling me I need a 100 more bales (hard winter) so I'm calling my hay guy tomorrow, my gut is often wrong but at least I won't worry about hay.

I saw with the weather radar, you were lucky enough to get some rain up there!
Hope you get a good hay crop!!

**bergere** · #5 07/29/12, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CheerfulMom4

We are having similiar issues here. The guy I always buy my hay from just now barely has enough to feed his own animals. If we don't get a second cutting it's not going to be good!

Keeping my fingers crossed you will have a 2nd cutting in your area.

If I had the money, and more time in the day, I would of gotten two more bundles of hay.....

Molly Mckee · #6 07/29/12, 09:31 AM

I can't believe the hay that is being hauled out of here. Central WA has produced hay cubes, pellets and compressed bales for overseas shipping for quite awhile. Now much of the hay ground out there is going to corn and wheat so they are hauling hay from eastern WA. What is sad is that it is mostly going overseas--I wounder how much it costs in Japan?
Unless it starts raining and we have another mild winter, I think hay is going to scarce almost everywhere by fall.

where I want to · #7 07/29/12, 10:08 AM

So anyone here having a good hay year?

Irish Pixie · #8 07/29/12, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by where I want to

So anyone here having a good hay year?

Mine was fine, 260 bales of mixed grass hay in the barn, I just have a feeling it's going to be a harsh winter and want a bit more. It's rained so there will be a second cutting, it was iffy if we hadn't gotten rain.

SFM in KY · #9 07/29/12, 10:28 AM

Good first cutting here in KY but then turned hot and dry so second cutting is a bit iffy in places. We're getting the summer thunderstorms now, but that means some places get way too much too fast and some places not enough.

We had to pull horses off the pastures for about 3 weeks, but the grass has come back after it started raining and there are some that are starting to cut a second cutting now. Probably won't be as heavy or tall as it would have been without the 4 to 6 weeks of dry we got, but most people should be okay.

fellini123 · #10 07/29/12, 10:49 AM

We have about a 5 acre field. We used to have someone cut it for hay. It is riverfront, so grows really well.
For the last two years noone, and I mean noone has been interested in cutting it.
So my DH is down there right now bushhogging it. He has done it about 4 times this year. He says the grass is thick and very nice. It is a shame it just goes to waste. I figure most people think that it just isnt worth it. But when it was being hayed they used to get at least a hundred of the square bails.
Alice in Virginia

Work horse · #11 07/29/12, 11:44 AM

We got about 1/3 of what we should have from our hay field. Luckily, it should be more than enough to get my fatties through the winter.

Joshie · #12 07/29/12, 02:32 PM

I kept back quite a bit of hay because we had so little snow and I was afraid of a repeat of last summer. This year is even worse so I'm glad we kept it back. I think we'll have a second cutting but I don't think the quality wi be what it should. Our hay guy says he's hoping it will soften up. If it doesn't soon I think he'll have to cut it as it is but I doubt it'll be horse quality hay if it doesn't soften.

We hadn't recovered from last summer's drought then were hit with a really dry winter. This summer the problem isn't just the lack of rain. The force of the sun has been really hard on our vegetation.

I think we might have difficulty finding anybody to cut our hay if our field was less than ten acres. Fellini, do you have critters that could graze on your pasture?

The weather people have said that we need at least a good three inches to even get our lawns to become green again. I hate to think what we need to turn hay and other crops around. Heck, in southern IL farmers have already turned their corn over because it's past all hope. My mom was traveling in IN this last week and saw corn that was barely knee high.

I hate to think how many horses are going to starve. I know our pastures are mostly beyond all hope so even if we do get in a second. Hitting we might. It have enough to sell. The only good thing I can see in that is that if we do get more hay we ought to make a pretty penny.

chewie · #13 07/29/12, 03:57 PM

we JUST found some hay, its only prairie hay and last years. not thrilled but its allll we've come across for a while, $110/ton. ugh. its better than nothing and I might have to add sweet feed or something. I sure hope not. maybe just to the 2 older horses.

fellini123 · #14 07/29/12, 09:06 PM

Right now we do not have any critters to use the grazing field, and the field is not fenced in. It is about 1,000 feet by 300 feet, more or less. But the grass is good and green and thick. DH is really looking into maybe getting some machinery that will make square bales, that way we can get enough for anything we might have and sell the rest.
Alice in Virginia

Chixarecute · #15 07/30/12, 08:15 AM

I'm always amazed that folks can get second cuttings of grass hay - up here, that doesn't happen. Legumes, yes.

Anyway, I got an email today from someone in Indiana looking for hay - and we're about 4.5 hours north of Milwaukee, WI. Our hay crop was down 20% this year, and my BIL, between the dry and a few extra acres down in other crops, is down 50%. He barely has enough for his beef, and he is very worried for his customers - mainly backyard horse people. Most years, if he is short on hay, he can source it within 2-3 hours, and will order the hay in and sell at cost. This year, he can't find it at all.

haypoint · #16 07/30/12, 09:20 AM

Chippwea County has shipped hay for years. Many beef farmers bring cows up her for Sumer Pasture. Great hay/pasture soil and climate.

This year we set records for number of days at 90 degrees. There was very little snow and only a few good rains.

What little pasture there was has been eaten and the cows shipped back south to go on hay. All the hay made has been sold and prices at record levels. Many selling cattle because hay too costly.
I have seen small square bales selling at $11.00 each. Last year it was $2.50 to $3.50.

mayfair · #17 07/30/12, 04:12 PM

Hay seems OK in Western WA. I paid the same price for second cutting as I did last year and I didn't have any problems finding it.

opportunity · #18 07/31/12, 09:07 PM

We are getting about 1/4 of what we normaly do on the fileds we are even cutting. it's sad last year I had 70 tons by now this year I have 10. I went and bough 15 tons 300 miles away and will haul 15 tons from my inlaws (we have thier cows so they are going to help feed)
I'm still down 30 tons hope I can get it most people are not selling at any price and I have a contract to another guy to feed his horses hope I can fill it.

**bergere** · #19 08/01/12, 05:11 AM

Never had a hay issue the 16 years I spent in the NW. But boy, as you gals said, it is a problem everywhere else.

Glad you are all finding at least some hay!

Joshie · #20 08/01/12, 11:58 AM

Thankfully, our hay guy was able to cut our hay yesterday. It will probably be baled tomorrow. There's a small chance of rain so I hope it'll hold off. Friday we have a 40 percent chance. It looks like we won't have enough to sell. I'm sure it's not as good as it has been but at least it looks like we'll have enough to get us through the winter.

I bet a lot of people will find extra horses in their pastures.

Tiempo · #21 08/01/12, 07:24 PM

After much worry just secured 300 small squares at $5.00 per bale. It's not the greatest quality, but it will have to do....it was all I could find.

Teej · #22 08/01/12, 10:28 PM

Was out running around yesterday and saw a farmer loading up a semi out in the field with large square bales. Somebody, somewhere should be getting a load in soon.

haypoint · #23 08/02/12, 08:16 AM

Hard choices in northern Michigan. Hay prices are up and the demand is strong. But how much should you sell now, how much should you sell in the spring and how much do you need for your own animals? All depends on how mild the winter is. Last year it was warmer than average and a lot less snow. But the spring was dry and the pastures didn't get going as soon as average.

No one wants to sell small squares at $3.00 a bale now and see them sell at $8.00 in the spring. Worse yet, sell at $3.00 and have to buy someone else's junk at $8.00 in the spring.

But everyone has bills to pay and it would be foolish to leave a bunch of hay in the barn that doesn't gget used. Then throw it out next summer to make room for the new hay.

GoldenJoe · #24 08/03/12, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fellini123

We have about a 5 acre field. We used to have someone cut it for hay. It is riverfront, so grows really well.
For the last two years noone, and I mean noone has been interested in cutting it.
So my DH is down there right now bushhogging it. He has done it about 4 times this year. He says the grass is thick and very nice. It is a shame it just goes to waste. I figure most people think that it just isnt worth it. But when it was being hayed they used to get at least a hundred of the square bails.
Alice in Virginia

We have lived on our property 8 years and have never hayed the field. It is between 4-5 acres when you consider the corners that are missed due to small acreage, fencing, and big equipment. I was lucky enough to find someone who would hay a small parcel. Luckily our pasture is free of too many obstacles (rocks, etc.) and is nice and flat so that may have helped. He thought we might get 1-1.5 ton per acre considering it is not irrigated and we did not fertilize this past year....we ended up with 11 ton (440 bales)....we just have one horse but might be looking at a couple yearling steer to raiser over winter. So we got lucky....we are in NW and I dont' think we have the same problem with supply; however, our hay guy said prices are going to go up.....We asked if he would be willing to hay it again next year and we will fertilize and opt for a 1st cutting early (if practicle) and then a nice 2nd cutting, hopefully....My DH was looking online and watched youtube videos of haying with a scythe....very interesting, but looks like alot of work....

janetn · #25 08/04/12, 04:04 PM

Hay has doubled in price at the local auction in 1 week

Anyone looking for hay better get it now. We were not even in the drought area and we are seeing problems. Some of the farmers who normally sell excess hay dont have any excess to sell. Those who do are getting calls from out of state and getting premium prices.

I dread what this winter for a whole lot of horses will look like. My old trainer is now the Animal control officer and he had horror stories when the economy tanked. This year looks to be as bad for many unfortunate horses

freegal · #26 08/11/12, 02:51 PM

There is a little hay to be found, if you can manage huge round bales of questionable content for a high price. We found another source of good WESTERN grass hay equivelent to $11.00 a bale in small squares, which is quite an increase over $3.50 a bale in normal years but we are relieved to get it at that price! Even so, we are going to make do with less. The grass is not growing here for a second cutting, the alfalfa is doing ok, it seems. We are moving some of our cross-fencing to make more grazing area for the horses, less for the sheep. The crop situation here in Illinois is very bad this year.

Scything is hard work but I have been thinking of doing that in one of our smaller fields, in a good grass year, that is.