How's the Weather ?

[Cayuse]

Sorry about your weather. We had a winter like that 10 years ago. I went without power for 19 days.
We should have an excellent first cut coming in. Plenty of good dry days to make hay and rain has been ok. Hoping second cut will be good as that's what I feed the most of.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

We have had some terrible weather over the last fortnight. We had storms come thru, that Ive never witnessed anything like before. I was lucky where I am but many people are still without power and this was nearly two weeks ago. Its done nothing but rain over the last few days and we are predicted to get alot more over the coming days.

How is everyone coping with getting hay ?

We just had our hay delivered an hour ago. Tomorrow we'll be unloading it all before the weekend.
Here in our place, we had a very nasty storm and one of our tree snapped in two because of the wind. Thankfully, it did not cause any damage or hurt anyone.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Thats fantastic for the both of you I hope its great quality !

 

[Maryann at MiniV]

We've been having unpredictable thunder storms here in Central Oregon which is causing havoc with the hay growers. Normally, they would have had their first cutting done and bailed by now. Probably means they'll only eek out one more cutting by Fall. Previous years they've been able to get a 3rd cut.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Typical summer here. The last few days have been hot and windy, but we've already had one cool front that dropped afternoon June temps to the 80's. Yay! Now another front is coming and the weatherman has us in a flood watch. We'll see. Our farm ponds could all use filling so maybe this is It.
No hay shortage here, but the price is up. I paid $4 for "recycled" small bales of bermuda--rebaled from round bales that fell apart. Hay is just fine.
A seller I got some from last fall is charging $12 per small bermuda bale. I am tempted by that hay as my horses thought it was candy! But since they are on a diet, I will stick with the poorer quality. I don't think $12 a bale is too much, considering inflation and labor.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

Prices here are up too, even for regular, but good quality hay (not talking of bermuda hay). Used to pay 3$ (prices Canadian, of course) a bale. Now I pay 5$, and I'm still lucky. Some will sell regular hay at 10 or 12$... One farmer told me he has lots of clients that come up from the US to buy hay... probably because of the currency difference.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Prices here are up too, even for regular, but good quality hay (not talking of bermuda hay). Used to pay 3$ (prices Canadian, of course) a bale. Now I pay 5$, and I'm still lucky. Some will sell regular hay at 10 or 12$... One farmer told me he has lots of clients that come up from the US to buy hay... probably because of the currency difference.

Bet his clients haven't been up lately...
What is "regular" hay in your area? Most areas have different grasses available. The man I get my bermuda from also has teff. But it has too high a protein for my dieters. We never see fescue here, or timothy, or orchard. Alfalfa is plentiful.

 

[Willow Flats]

We are hot and in serious drought. Right now Orchard 1st cut is $20 a bale. It is the lowest in sugar at the moment. The meadow mix is at $17, but is testing higher. These are the lowest prices in my area and the only place that tests. You can go to their website and click on the hay type and the complete analysis sheet is displayed. I always do this before I go.
The website says: Due to the drought prices subject to increase!

 

[JFNM miniatures]

Bet his clients haven't been up lately...
What is "regular" hay in your area? Most areas have different grasses available. The man I get my bermuda from also has teff. But it has too high a protein for my dieters. We never see fescue here, or timothy, or orchard. Alfalfa is plentiful.

Regular hay here is timothy/orchard mix. There are some farmers who do alfalfa, but not many, most will do timothy or orchard. And I've never seen bermuda here, although it might be possible, but I haven't heard of it yet.

 

[Dragon Hill]

Bermuda is a warm season grass. I doubt your growing season would be warm enough long enough to make it worth growing. Plus while it goes dormant for winter in the southern US, your winter would kill it I imagine.

 

[JFNM miniatures]

Bermuda is a warm season grass. I doubt your growing season would be warm enough long enough to make it worth growing. Plus while it goes dormant for winter in the southern US, your winter would kill it I imagine.

From your description, then I strongly assume it can't grow here (always learning new things!)
Our crops are a rare few that survive this cold winter of ours (although I just love it)

 

[Maryann at MiniV]

It's now going over 100F. and the farmers who are baling now are suffering. It means trying to get things done at night! We haven't seen this kind of heat, especially for an extended time in over 20 years. The hay in this area tends to be a combination of Orchard or a "pasture mix"....rarely Timothy, which growers in Western Oregon grow. Thank God for that as I'm very allergic to Timothy.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Timothy is my favorite hay. But it does not grow in Oklahoma. I have transported it before in the past, just to get some, but now I'm fine with bermuda. I've never seen orchard hay. My hay guy puts up teff; anyone have comments on that?
My neighbor baled some alfalfa. No blister bugs, but he said it did have careless weeds in it. I asked around, and anyone whose had careless weeds in hay doesn't like it and animals won't eat it.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

I WISH I had your hay prices ........

Ill give you an idea of what I'm paying currently and prices have been about the same for the last 3 or so years now.

Plain Grass Mix $23.00
Lucerne (Alfalfa) $25.00 Grade 2
Lucerne (Alfalfa) $27.00 Grade 1
Teff $24.00

I usually order around 80-100 bales of Meadow hay once a year. I use this as my "Base" or "general" hay. I am currently paying $14.00 per bale.

Marsha, Teff is a really good hay for overweight horses , lower in protein than most and I order it tested at under 2% sugar. I use it a lot here at the start of spring , especially when the grass is growing like crazy.

 

[Taz]

What size bales is that for? Hay prices are up here the last few years. $80-$100 for a round bale(800-1000lbs), $6-$8 for a small square(35lbs). That's in the summer, next spring before the new hay comes in they go up.

Never heard of Teff, I wish we had it here!

 

[Cayuse]

I pay $10-$16 for a bale. First cut Timothy is usually the cheapest but the hardest to get. Our best hay comes from Canada or New York according to my supplier. Getting hay is a problem for me as mine all have different dietary requirements, two needing fine hay, one coarser second cut, and one has allergies just to make it more challenging .
We are having a heat wave right now 4th day around 98. First cut should be cut and in around here or it's gonna be toast.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

What size bales is that for? Hay prices are up here the last few years. $80-$100 for a round bale(800-1000lbs), $6-$8 for a small square(35lbs). That's in the summer, next spring before the new hay comes in they go up.

Never heard of Teff, I wish we had it here!

Small squares

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Hmm. Maybe I will get a few bales of the teff when we fetch hay next time. I can try it. It's been raining here and hay making is on hold.

 

[Taz]

Small squares

Oh that's not good,

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Hows everyones weather fairing ? We had a ripper weekend here , we had sunshine and it got to 18 degrees. Was the first time we have had sunny days in so long