Relieved!

[Songcatcher]

We have had one of the driest summers already here in southeast Oklahoma that I can remember, and we have a long way to go until fall. My pasture is burnt up. The only thing that is green is where I have been running a sprinkler, and that is not nearly enough to keep the horses going. I have been feeding hay that I had left over from last winter (SO GLAD I bought more than I needed last year). I have been very concerned about getting a stock of hay for this year. VERY little being put up this year. My hay man called in the middle of the afternoon today and said he was getting ready to bale, if I wanted some to come now. Needless to say, I dropped everything and went. I got 15 rolls (which will be way more than enough under normal circumstances) and another man who puts up square bales promised I was first on his list when he cuts. I feel so fortunate!

As bad as things are here, I hear that other areas of the state are drier than we are.

 

[Becky]

Lucky you on the hay! We are baking here and hay is scarce. Sure hope my feed store has a steady supply!

 

[chandab]

We have the opposite problem for getting good hay; we've been so wet this year, that there are hardly enough sunny days between rain showers to get good hay put up. Lots of hay probably going to be available, but little of it will be clean enough for horses. I did get 50 small squares today; picked out of the field and then on the way home had two flat tires and the suspension went out of the trailer, so that's it for hauling hay with the trailer. We put up most of our own hay, but all rounds and mostly alfalfa (which I don't feed to the minis). so, I buy a small number of small squares for the barn. [Hopefully, there will be some grass rounds this year, but I just don't know, yet. Just barely into the prime alfalfa to bale for the cows.]

Oh, and I"m utterly exhausted after hauling those bales, so they are still on the trailer; they'll be unloaded in a day or two (stock trailer, so at least under a roof).

 

[bevann]

I got my last load today also.343 bales of BEAUTIFUL Kentucky blue grass with a little bit of alfalfa mixed in.this stuff is so good they won't leave a blade of it.Had to go about 60 miles to get it, but we have had no rain here to grow the new field we just planted last fall.My old dairy barn with giant loft will hold lots of hay.Get help here tomorrow to get it unloaded and up in the loft.Now we just need to get some alfalfa for the sheep and we are set for the winter. Nice feeling to have all my feed stored.

 

[wpsellwood]

We get ours tomorrow 4.25 a bale small square alfalfa. I really feel fortunate to get hay for that price.

 

[Minimor]

Hay is a concern here too. There's been so much flooding, betweeen the 1 in 300 years spring flood levels and excessive rain this spring/early summer, there is much hay and pasture land that is under water. Farmers are going to need more hay than usual since they don't have pasture, but with so much hay land being flooded the hay supply is going to be short. On top of that we've had so much rain, getting the hay up dry and in good condition was a major problem. However, the past 10 days the weather has been co-operating quite well, and haying is in full swing now. In areas where the ground is dry enough for the farmers to get out on the fields with their haying equipment, there is a good amount of hay--the excessive amounts of rain means that the hay has grown better than usual.

Unfortunately the high demand for hay this year means that some farmers will be jacking up the prices. One of my hay guys sold his equipment (he is retirement age) and leased out his hay land. The fellow leasing the land wants to supply the other fellow's customers, but it seems there's a good chance the new guy will be raising prices significantly.

I've spoken for 70-100 round bales from one neighbor, and have 200 square bales ordered from another supplier, and that will leave me needing another 60-100 rounds to get through to next year at this time. Thankfully the suppliers I'm dealing with are not raising their prices this year. The rounds will be same as last year ($40 for a 1200 lb. bale, small squares are $4. If I can get rounds from the same guy I'm getting the small squares from, his bales are 1400 lbs and $60--again, same as he charged last year) Big relief to have prices holding steady & to have some good haying weather just when we need it!

 

[weerunner]

The feeling of getting all your hay in for the year is incredible! I haven't got mine yet, but it is ordered and they are not hiking the price up this year. So it will be 3.50$ per square bale again this year. I'm also very thankful for this.

 

[Charlotte]

I'm afraid hay prices are going to be sky high....when you can find it. We don't have storage for a large supply so have to buy from the feed stores at premium price.

Like Freeland, we are feeding hay now instead of having horses out on pasture. There IS no pasture.

 

[srpwildrose]

Bet that is a great feeling of "relief" to have the hay in the barn for the horses.

I do not have that feeling of "relief" here yet. My hay person has not baled yet! Hopefully soon. And hope there is enough to go around so I can get a 100 bales this year.

 

[SHANA]

I am glad I don't have to buy hay. I have over 100 round bales of dry hay and about 300 square bales. I feed round bales year round and have the square for shows, and my stallions in winter when they are in seperate pastures or for any minis I keep inside. This is just one farm we did first cut, still haven't done 2nd cut yet. Our farm here the hay is mostly wrapped round bales for the dairy cows but also about 2000 square for the dairy. First cut is done at our farm too, just have to do 2nd cut so this year we have more than enough hay and will be selling some.

 

[jacks'thunder]

Relieved here too! Just unloaded our last 300 bales this morning before it got too hot! Total we cut, raked, bailed/loaded, and unloaded 700 square bales of first cutting! Just the 2 of us! We work well together but I have to say that man is a work horse

and I could NEVER do it alone! Now were just waiting and enjoying the down time before 2nd cutting!! LOL!

But I'm all set for the year even if I don't get second cutting!!! Woo Hoo!!!

 

[Davie]

Ive got my 200 square bales in or should say at the house. 100 is already in the barn the other is tarped on the trailer waiting for the young man who helps me to get back from Colorado to unload it. Still need around 20 rounds to keep me through the year. Hay is really in short supply here in the OKC area. My hay dealer usually loads his hay barn twice during the season and he only got it 2/3rd full on the first cutting and he is through for the year. My other hay guy is who I get my rounds from and he brought me 2 the other day that were just really medeocure -- I'm hoping this is not going to be the norm for this year.

I talked with my 3rd hay dealer and I'm way down on his list. He said he has a $85,000 fertilizer bill (he fertilizes all his fields) and has over 2000 square bales committed for and has just started to cut, he will not have any round bales at all. Does not sound good as I just got off the phone with him and he is going to be short to his clients as well.

Looks like anyone who has not gotten their hay or contacted their dealers are going to have to go way up NE to get hay. Friend found some nice hay while up at Congress but by the time she added fuel cost to go back up and get a load with the 48' trailer it was going to cost between $8-10/bale.

This year is really going to be bad for everyone.

 

[ohmt]

Having a really tough time trying to find decent hay around here. With all this rain, people are rolling up their bales still wet. Got a couple of big round bales yesterday for $40 a bale (they are loose too so not even close to a ton)-opened them up and ALL mold. They are brand new bales.

Going to have to search a little furthur from home which means EXTRA expensive. We're thinking it'll cost us at least double what it usually does to get our horses through winter this year. Just hoping I can find some hay that's mold free.