I remember reading a few decades ago on how some farmers had built barns specifically so they could dry out bales for those days where the farmer has to bale hay that is not totally dried out before baling.
I think these barns had their own heaters and fans. It sounded like a wonderful idea to me living in the often rainy southeast. Sorry, I can’t remember the book, I think it was a library book in the agricultural section, possibly dealing with pastures for cattle.
Central Florida. I do not feed coastal hay which is locally grown. Hay prices for coastal about 40 pound 2 string bales is around $10. Peanut hay which is locally grown is about $25 a bale and weighs about 70 pounds. My horse does not eat peanut very well. We are down to one nearby feed store the other closed in 2021. 2 string bales of alfalfa probably 60 pounds are $27. Straight Timothy is very hit and miss in quality. 2 string bales of equal weight to the alfalfa are almost $30 a bale. The most consistently good hay is the big 3 string orchard. Probably weighs 120 pounds. It’s $49 a bale. So that’s what I feed at night. During the day my horse is on lush pasture.
Oh wow! That’s crazy high for peanut! I’m getting it for less than $10 a bale, delivered. Lighter bales though 50 lbs avg
That’s awesome. Before the other feed store closed peanut was generally less than $20 a bale. Like maybe $17 or $18. Then the competing store closed and then gas prices skyrocketed…
. A bag of shavings went from $4.50 when you bought more than 10 at the old store to $6.00 a bag at the other feed store. I get shavings now at Rural King for $4.95 a bag. My TC balancer is $42 a bag. Feeding horses in central to south Florida is a losing game 
.
I get the TC Gold balancer and it’s 40 something a bag, I try not to look too close lol. I use pellets and they are up to 8 for the ones I like best now. Both of those from an independent local feed store. I might could get the bedding cheaper, but I like the product and have to go to that store anyways.
Most of the western hay is approximately in line here in NW FL with what you’re seeing. Especially with the convenience of buying from a retailer. Hay out of KY seems to be a few bucks cheaper.
I get the peanut hay direct from the farmer, I’m sure that helps keep the cost down. I’d feed mine straight peanut bc it’s so much cheaper but my younger horse would turn into a blimp.
I guess if we wanted to save money we’d have another hobby. Like ant farms or something.
Or chia pets! Super cheap. Just can’t ride. Lol.
And none of them smell as good as horses do. Vitamin H is costly, but we gotta have it
$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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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!
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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