Hey - Northwestern Mini Owners - Hay Shortage??????

[Miniv]

Is it just here???? We are SCRAMBLING FOR HAY! And this is Hay Growing Country!

:

I've been on the phone with all of our sources and a number of other horse ranches (big horse ones) and everyone is DESPERATE!

What is going ON?????? :new_shocked:

MA

PS: Actually, I know what it is..... a lot of the hay ranchers are shipping to Japan for big $$$. Grrrr.....

 

[nootka]

So far, so good. Our hay comes from Eastern OR but I don't buy much, either, admittedly, but what we get has always been there and it is beautiful. I hope it continues to hold out, though, you have me scared but with as wet as it is around here, I dare not store more than a month's worth in my barn!!!

I hope you can find some good hay, soon. That's distressing as all get-out.

Liz M.

 

[kaykay]

its here too in ohio!! i couldnt believe it when i moved and hay was so exspensive here if you could find it. Apparently ohio had a really wet spring so 1st and 2nd cuttings got ruined. Also with the hurricanes alot of farmers shipped theres down south were it sold for much more money.

I hate it as I know this is going to add even more rescues as more and more people cant afford hay at these prices. It is scarey!

kay

 

[hhpminis]

We are tight here too and paying good money for what we can get. The deal here is it rained on the first 2 cuttings and so they sold for cattle hay. Horse hay is in high demand.

Wish you luck in your search, look up in the basin area, Tri Cities, Moses Lake, Ellensburg. I know it is a ways away but if you cant do anyting local they may have some.

 

[Jean_B]

Here is a great site for connecting with hay growers:

http://www.hayexchange.com/

And after moving here I was getting a little nervous because of the drought - so I placed an ad in the local newspaper that I was looking for hay - and was very specific on what I wanted (i.e., VERY clean bermuda/bermuda mix, small squares, etc.). I now have a list of suppliers with PLENTY of hay....at reasonable prices!!

 

[Miniv]

Thanks Jean for the site.....unfortunately no matches in either Oregon or Washington.

We just found a source for some about an hour away for $150 per ton....which is the most we've ever paid!

And as it is, we are scrambling to pay the guy as much as possible as he's selling off what he's got by the truckload to go over to Western Oregon.

MA

 

[CLC Stables]

We seem to be okay here in the Tri-Cities..............but I hadn't really worried about it.........was okay and I have a good source who I seem to call every week.............won't be bringing in hay till the new barn is up on Tuesday.

 

[Triggy&Blue&Daisy Too]

We don't seem to be having trouble getting hay but what there is, is poor quality. One of my biggest reasons for starting beet pulp is to fill in the gaps. I got some beautiful orchard grass last summer, 2nd cutting but 3rd was even better which isn't usually the case.

I wish I could find hay for $150 a ton--only in my dreams! Everything even remotely good comes from E. WA and the transport was part of the horredous prices when fuel was so expensive. The last time I bought, it was $256.00 a ton and it was weedy and full of dirt. I am very dissapointed as most of the bale has to be tossed and these are the maxi bales. Alfalfa is 2-3$ cheaper per bale but I won't feed it, just not worth the vet bills we've had by using it. Too rich for my horses and I hate the constant diarreah they get with it. So we are going to stay with the beet pulp and maybe even increase it to 50% or more of their diet.

 

[Equuisize]

I was feeding pretty heavy this winter with our freeze and then the nasty

sopping wet weather so I was really low on hay.

I just had 1 ton of orchard grass delivered yesterday for $190.00 a T delivered

and stacked in the hay loft.

Schoenbachler's have very consistent quality each and every year, all year, and

they guarantee every bale.

I did have to wait 3 weeks for it. The weather getting over Snoqualmie Pass

with all the avalanches and the soggy fields over there hindered their being able

to keep their trucks moving back and forth from Eastern Washington to Western

Washington.

I feel like a little chipmunk now with my larder full......

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Sorry you're in such a dilemma - we're at record high prices here in Northern CA - like you we grow it so why so bloody high - but it's getting shipped elsewhere too.

I just paid $12.25 a bale alfalfa and $13.65 mountain grass (more consistent than orchard at times). Fortunately the alfalfa is wonderful and not stemmy, plus with the 70 degree weather we've had of late our pastures are growing and green. The bad part with the hay - mine are on pasture so won't eat the grass hay unless they're starving and I have to buy it for foaling stalls! The rye is cheaper and soft so we may get some of that as well.

 

[CLC Stables]

Gosh I need to go buy hay from Suppliers then ship it over to yall and make a little cash.................sounds bad but I guess I never realized how much you had to pay.

 

[Shari]

MA,, Our Local Feed store supplier can't get any Grass or Grass/mix hay in at all.

Just glad, I think I have about a months+ hay left. If I am careful and have them eat out in pasture more often.

Have been told by a few hay people that get their hay from that side of our state that hay is going to be hard to come by this spring/summer.

Like you I just don't quite understand why this has to be?

The place across the river into WA might have some, but I haven't asked lately.

 

[chandab]

I don't know if this is helpful or not, but...

Here's the website for a company in WA that produces grass hay pellets, you might check with them and see if they have a distributor in your area. It might be a way for you to stretch the hay you have.

http://www.sterettbroshayandfeed.com/products/index.shtml

The link takes you right to their products page, but they do have a contact us page, so you can e-mail and find out if they have a distributor in your area.

 

[CLC Stables]

I am not sure how many down in Oregon, but BOTH Ranch and Home stores in Tri-Cities Washington are dealers for Sterret Brothers hay products.