$900/ton on the alfalfa, $1,000/ton for the Timothy… are the hay racks plated in Gold also?
Those costs humble me when I am concerned paying $500/ton for TEFF
I wish I knew. I think it’s a supply and demand issue with the one remaining feed store. Perhaps If I had a hay supplier and bought in bulk things would be different. But I board. And I can only buy about 6 bales at a time to store.
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Well, the somewhat good news for the PNW is the weather is perfect for our ‘local’ hay growers (native grasses/not farmed) and they are cutting and baling like mad! Looks like plenty of supply at $1/bale prices on average over last year. Last year-- the 116 degree heat wave just decimated our hay crops and supply was super low. Fingers crossed the irrigated, farmed Eastern OR/WA hays are abundant despite the late start/wet spring-- maybe the irrigation water abundance will lead to a late 2nd and 3rd crops that are high in quality and quantity. Jingle like mad, folks!!
As an aside, I bought 10 bales of first cut orchard…OMG…the stemmiest, nastiest, weed fill crap at $31/bale/100lb. As my hay broker is promising me nice 2nd cut, I sucked it up and used this as a filler until my loads are in. Sigh…I don’t think this farmer used ANY spray or fertilizer.
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I feel your pain. I bought a bunch of Timothy a couple of weeks ago and it was total crap. You don’t see it until they wheel it out after you pay. Brown. Stemmy. Weedy. Horse refused to eat it. It’s why I reverted back to buying the pricey orchard. Now I have 3 gross bales. I’m using it to bed my chickens. I hate this new world of trying to feed my horse good hay.
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We have an advantage of being near several highly competitive suppliers. We did get some hay last year that had trash in it, it appeared to be insulation that may have blown into the fields then bailed into the hay.
Called our supplier, they did not question anything but asked How Many Bales? and brought replacement bales within three hours and picked up the questionable bales ( doing that within three hours really was not necessary but was impressive)
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I am blessed to have a neighbor who grows NICE local hay… Which I had tested last year, and is wonderfully low NSC for my fat @ss ponies at $5/bale. He got exponentially more off his field this year than last. We are moving soon, and I will be missing him greatly.
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We are humid here in MO and I never have bales have a musty or mold smell ? We have squares in the loft and wrapped rounds outside.
The only time I have had dusty, musty or actual mold is in bales that were suspect when we baled them. We put them aside and feed first if they are good when opened.
ETA: My loft is well vented so that may make a difference?
Can you not return it and get a refund? Most hay sellers, especially feed stores would refund or replace it if it was that bad.
I probably could. The thing is when it’s the only feed store locally I hesitate. Also I am sure some horses would eat this hay. It wasn’t moldy. It was just very over mature, coarse and brown. My horse is a prima donna and would rather poop on it than eat it. I didn’t inspect it when they loaded it. Just saw the color and coarseness in my rear view on my drive to the barn. And kicked myself for not taking it back. Next time I will. I’m the person who never returns anything. It’s a fault of my own I realize.
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I’m in FL and don’t have an issue storing hay either. I’m still feeding some that has been in my barn for a year now. It’s perfectly good. Dry, clean and still green (the outer edges are faded). I keep mine on pallets in a tarp taco.
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Sure, I could take it back, but it’s a solid feed store buying what is available and affordable by customers. My horses are eating it…around the weird weeds and big stems…and like ThreeWishes said, it isn’t moldy or dirty just not the quality you’d expect for $32/bale. The hay I will be buying at the beginning of August will not be this poor quality and I’m eagerly awaiting it! Just not the check I have to write (or cash I’ll get from my bank).
I’m actually seeing local small bales coming down in price! Folks are dropping the ‘in the field/on the trailer’ price to save on having to pay labor to get it stored in the barn. That’s good news!
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After all the hand wringing and desperation from consumers over the shortage of hay this spring, I’ve been really surprised to see so much hay still left sitting in the fields. Although I understand that buying it out of the field is problematic for those who don’t have help/trailer/storage. Hopefully the dealers with ample storage will snap it up to sell off in the winter!
Central Ohio here - beautiful soft 2nd cut orchardgrass for $7.50. Just delivered today for $1/bale and the two young guys stacking could have been in a country magazine…Playgirl style. 
They were so hardworking, kind and swept up all the debris.
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Can you send them to Western NC? 
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Ha! I’m an old lady now but years ago I hired a new farrier. I was probably about 30. He looked like a poster for young strong amazing country man. I think he was 21 or so. After he trimmed my herd he asked if he could use my hose. I said of course let me go pay you. It was upper 90’s and sweltering. I rounded the corner of the barn to hand him a check as he stood shirtless hosing off his chest. Cue time to slow motion. I swear I’m not a pervert but my stars. It was surreal.
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Boy you sure aren’t in Alabama! Don’t have either of those options here. I wish I did.
I texted my hay guy, and asked when they would be doing second cutting grass. Also asked pricing. Looks like I will be paying $1.50 more this year, but that includes it being delivered and stacked. The hay is lovely, and they have been good to me for some years, so I am hoping to stay lucky with them.
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Cue time to slow motion. I’m laughing over here. Next year I’m getting their picture and will post. I’ll ask them if it’s ok. These kids were truly drop dead gorgeous.
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Sadly my “hay guys” consist of my DH who resembles Fat Thor— but not at all like Chris Hemsworth but for the belly, and my two nephews who are both cute but bean poles and I don’t want to see them shirtless. Cuz… eww!
If only a hot hay guy helped me because it would take my mind off how much I’m paying for my hay!!
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We had 2 young guys who delivered/ unloaded hay at our BB on occasion when the BO bought hay from their supplier.
2 of the most gorgeous guys I have ever seen ( before or since) at least I was young and could appreciate the view.
Now it would be wasted on me.
Hay prices are all over the map here. Guess it depends on who is selling. All I know is that we are crispy and pastures are about gone now. If we don’t get rain really soon it may get ugly if you are buying. No second cuttings unless you are in the Northern part of the state.
I still see hay sitting so maybe people are waiting to see what happens??
We need rain desperately.
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