Got hay?

[Cam]

Usually by now farmers here are looking at a second crop. I can't remember more than 2 days, maybe 3 days a couple weeks ago in a row with no rain since early spring. Even then, the ground is so saturated that you can't get equipment on it without sinking in. I've talked to a few farmers. One managed a few round bales and one of the stables got one field done, but other than that its looking bleak. They are predicting that prices could more than double this year. How are the rest of you doing? I know some are having problems due to drought. I just hope there is enough to go around regardless of the price. I graze part of the hayfield after its cut, but its not available yet so even pasture is sparse (and again, so saturated that some is off limits to prevent tearing it up). Yikes!

here's an example of our usual weekly weather for my area.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/data/forecasts/MEZ008.php?warnzone=mez008&warncounty=mec007

[lisa l aka marci]

We have not had hay made this year yet - but we usually have it done late anyway. Hopefully in the next month or so it will get done - at least enough for me to feed the horses over the winter!

Mom usually puts about 1000 bales in the barn, and will sell it 'locally' - you pick up/load.....or they sell tractor trailer loads too.....

[Barbwire]

Was just got a load of excellent timothy hay that was baled 3 weeks ago. I am sooo happy my hay guy got a first cut in when he did; the stuff that farmers are baling now looks rather stalky & weedy.

[CarolU]

CAM...how about trading weather for a week??

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/index.php?wfo=slc&zone=utz003&county=utc035

This is the third straight week just like this, sun and in the mid-high 90's. It is a good thing we had a good snow year because we're irrigating like crazy to stay ahead of the dry heat.

I got my year's worth of hay in, stacked, covered...and boy, am I relieved. I stress every spring/summer until I have it done.

[Linda Y]

Yeah, I would like to trade for a while, too. We haven't had but maybe 2 inches since late March. In the mid/high 90's every day. My pond is all but gone. Found one of the big mouth basses dead in it yesterday.
We won't have hay either because the grass isn't growing. It is a year of extremes, I guess. :(

[Cam]

CAM...how about trading weather for a week??

Let me know when you can arrange a swap. ;-)

Wait! I think it stopped raining..I'll get back to you

[Terri]

It is actually hot and sunny today, but my round pen is still soggy and T-storms are perdicted for today.

Hay - I am waiting http://bestsmileys.com/anxious/1.gif to hear from my hay guy. I am expecting a truck load (or two) from upstate NY and so far ...... silence. My neighbor is haying down the street, guess I go buy some bails off the field. But he can't get to the lower fields yet, still under water.

[DSDECKERT]

We had another monsoon of rain today - my grass is finally growing and I think I can stop haying during the day! YEAH!!!

Linda, this may be headed that way, some sort of tropical wave that's moving east to west. Let me go see if I can blow it to you!

[Carol Nelson]

Linda, it's raining here right now...a nice steady heavy rain. It's predicted for the next five days! This one might blow your way...it's wonderful...and so needed here.
Everything is green here again! :D

[andrea]

I just put up 15 acres of first cutting hay Saturday. About 50 round bales. Wow was that a day. I was on the tractor from 10 in the moring till 9 at night. This old body hurts today. I will never put down that much again. I bought a round baler this winter and one old farmer said just put the whole field down. It will not take you long to get it up. Yea, neck is sore and have cramps in my feet. :( Next time 10 acres is the limit. I have one more field to put down. Weather here is nice for 2 days then rain. Isnt giving us enough time to dry out hay. Hope the rest of you get your hay in.

[Monty]

Bought 178 small bales and have another wagon of about 160 stored -
Hubby bought a small New Holland 66 baler today($100 -price I found on web was $795!) .
So, if we have to buy Large bales - we can convert them to small ones! Seems all the farmers are going to the large bales around here -
Just back the baler up to the storage area and break open large bales and feed them in ;-)
Where there is a will there is a way :lol:
Hay is a decent price at the moment and I would like to lock in prices now if we can ! ;-)