alfalfa hay

Alice In TX/MO · #1 01/16/08, 09:51 PM

Trying to avoid hijacking another thread....

Alfalfa hay is more than scarce here in coastal South Texas. It's non-existent. This is a heavy clay soil area, and it will not grow without getting root rot.

I had located a small amount at a feed store that was trucking it in from New Mexico. The promised load that was supposed to come in last week has been postponed till May.

Luckily, my husband is on a road trip to Arizona to search for artifacts proving that he and a friend have discovered Coronado's campsite. I asked him to scout for hay, and he's coming back with six 110 lb bales in his truck. WOO HOO!

They cost less per bale than the half sized ones I had found here before. Our three does will be very happy.

hoofinitnorth · #2 01/16/08, 10:05 PM

Cool!

We don't have alfie grown locally either, we have to import it from WA, OR, or Canada. Costing about $520/ton right now FOB Wasilla. The same stuff is around $120/ton FOB Seattle but the transport costs added to it are outrageous! Alaska is still treated like a foreign country when it comes to shipping. *sigh*

Liese · #3 01/17/08, 04:55 AM

Well, shipping is about distances isn't it? In your case wouldn't Alf pellets be more cost effective because of the lack of waste? I'm sure you've done the maths but just wondering. Here we feel the fuel cost too, just not to the same degree maybe but of course wage structure plays a big role doesn't it - lower pay scales means looking always for "at home solutions". Alf doesn't grow well here either due to soils and humidity but we hope to continue renovating the fields so the Ca needs are largely met there.

Rose is your husband an archealogist? Sounds interesting.

Alice In TX/MO · #4 01/17/08, 07:33 AM

No, hubby's a consulting petroleum engineer, and his friend is a geologist. They both have an interest in archeology, and the result is a MAJOR find, historically speaking.

Archaeologists have been looking for the true trail and campsites of Coronado for a looooong time. Our friend Nugent found this campsite, and my husband found many of the artifacts that prove it.

Here's a link to a condensed version of the article published in the New Mexico Historical Review: http://chichilticale.com/review.htm

Here's the main page:http://chichilticale.com/

hoofinitnorth · #5 01/18/08, 01:00 AM

Alfie pellets here are of very poor quality, don't have a guaranteed analysis beyond protein, fiber, fat, and ash, and have mystery ingredients not listed on the bag. I do use them for certain situations/animals but they are not the main staple and my animals do better on high quality hay vs. pellets or even cubes. I just priced pellets here and they have gone up to rival the cost of the imported hay! In fact, one local mill's prices are over $600/ton!!! ACK!

As far as shipping distance being the cost issue, yes, distance is always a factor, but when you can ship something from Seattle to Portland, ME for less money than it costs to ship it from Seattle to Ketchikan, there is something up with that! We have all sorts of surcharges on our freight, even stuff that is trucked through Canada. Yes, we have less infrastructure and yes you do have to pass through areas that are not domestic, but it's old hat now and we've been a state for 50 years now!

Liese · #6 01/18/08, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rose

No, hubby's a consulting petroleum engineer, and his friend is a geologist. They both have an interest in archeology, and the result is a MAJOR find, historically speaking.

Archaeologists have been looking for the true trail and campsites of Coronado for a looooong time. Our friend Nugent found this campsite, and my husband found many of the artifacts that prove it.

Here's a link to a condensed version of the article published in the New Mexico Historical Review: http://chichilticale.com/review.htm

Here's the main page:http://chichilticale.com/

That is very interesting, haven't finished reading it all but good luck to them!

Liese · #7 01/18/08, 04:57 AM

Alf pellets for us is $12/50# so that's $480/ton, wonder if the $120 difference is the shipping? 'Course here I couldn't keep a ton since the humidity would do it in quickly. Do most your things come by sea or land? Either way I suppose as the energy crisis grows larger your costs are just going to get worse.

hoofinitnorth · #8 01/19/08, 01:22 AM

The pellets that come from Alaska Mill & Feed are more expensive than the ones that come from Manna Pro (both sold at Wal-Mart)! I also would pay more for Alaska Mill & Feed products if I bought directly from the mill! Go figure!

I am not sure which route brings in more freight. We get a lot of freight by air too.