OK, so after 6 years of this I am finally tired of paying $340-$400 per ton for hay down here in Florida. I am sure you northerners don’t believe it because I know in CT and VT we used to find hay for $2-3 per bale.
I have tried Perennial Peanut hay down here and actually thought it was pretty good - but had a hard time finding a good supplier year round.
Does anyone know people who make trips down that would stop and unload a few tons once a month for less $$? T/A, O/A, Alfalfa, anything?
My other problem is keeping hay around in the summer - it goes moldy fast so I can’t really order a whole trailer load - I won’t use it fast enough.
*I will not feed coastal - for me it is not even an option.
Any suggestions??
Thanks!
Check with the county extension office or Farm Bureau for a peanut supplier. Most are going to be in N FL. Since it is a perennial, you aren’t going to be able to get it year round unless a grower stockpiles it. I am in love with it, but have a hard time finding it as well - it hasn’t caught on very well where I am.
I do know Midwest Hay carries peanut year round. At least the one in Archer does, the Ocala location may as well. I was buying from a local guy who is in Williston on Sundays - not particulary convenient, but very good prices. PM for his info.
As for T/A, O/A etc., it’s common place to pay $14+ per bale for anything remotely decent if you are buying from a dealer.
Can’t tell you about buying by the truck. Since hay does mold within 6 weeks down here, we’ve never made the effort to buy in bulk.
Good luck!
I didn’t know that about the Midwest Hay guy in Archer - thanks - I will check it out. We actually live in Williston so I will PM you for the guy’s phone number - we were getting it from a guy named Lamarr Martinez in Williston and he can get it all the time but the bales are tiny tiny (6 flakes?) and now he wants $10.50 a bale - its just not worth it. Someone told me in N.FL I could find it for $6-8 per bale - wondering if it is worth a drive up there because I was also told that it would not get moldy even if I bought a month or two’s worth…
I have found the cheapest way for us is to get it from Larsen Farms in those big bales - a bit inconvenient but at least it is cheaper and it is good, consistent hay.
It just makes be crazy to pay this much - back home it was so much cheaper!
Here’s a link to FL peanut hay producers:
http://www.florida-agriculture.com/livestock/peanut_hay.htm
Last time I checked, which was middle of July, Midwest had peanut in stock and had plans to keep it through the remainder of the year without interruption. The bales were on the smaller side, and they fell apart pretty easily (I think the supplier was growing a turf variety rather than a forage). None the less, it was a gorgeous green and smelled amazing!
I’ll PM you with the Williston guy’s info just so you have it.
Just met a guy last night who lives in my area but delivers in ALL directions - Ocala included. Has all types of hay except coastal - O&A, Timothy, etc… More hay you buy (up to a point) the cheaper it is.
Will try to remember to bring in his phone # and give it to you. Says he gets hay from multiple places and uses the same farmers all the time (for years) and always gets good hay. I won’t buy crap and refuse to pay an arm and a leg for it so when he gets a new load in tomorrow will be going over to look at it after work. He even delivers and stacks it for you - so as long as it’s convenient I’ll have him do that, otherwise I’ll pick it up myself.
He said 50 lb bales O&A for 11.25 a bale I believe. Not cheap but if good quality and delivered I’ll probably do it as it’s less expensive than the feed stores.
My hayman from Georgia who keeps me supplied here in Florida with very nice round rolls of coastal for our 20 warmbloods ( and we have never had a hay colic in 5 years since using him!) is about to start bringing down round rolls of his beautiful alfalfa from his farm in N. Dakota at a really great price. This is going to be fabulous when fed in conjunction with my new COVERED big bale hay feeders!
You can contact me through www.hayhuts.com or www.palominowarmbloods.com
Actually - I did want to add that we also get some hay from our local feed stores amongst other stuff because if we do not support them and keep them alive then we will all ultimately be forced to drive miles and miles to the big conglomerates for even our smallest needs Do remember that the feed stores have to pay top dollar also down here in Florida; they are not trying to fleece us. Support your local businesses and we will all be better off environmentally and socially too!
I know of someone who does. Hay prices are MUCH better than what you are being quoted. She’s a grower and not a broker. I’ll pm you her number. Hay is from PA
[QUOTE=pura vide;4321829]
Actually - I did want to add that we also get some hay from our local feed stores amongst other stuff because if we do not support them and keep them alive then we will all ultimately be forced to drive miles and miles to the big conglomerates for even our smallest needs Do remember that the feed stores have to pay top dollar also down here in Florida; they are not trying to fleece us. Support your local businesses and we will all be better off environmentally and socially too![/QUOTE]
The feed stores in my area are run by folks who haven’t a clue about feed stores. They are “new” owners to the business and the prices reflect as much. Some of us have tried to get them to go directly to a hay farm, such as Production Acres, but they’d rather deal with brokers who charge an arm and a leg. Sorry, but I’m quite jaded to my feed stores so I support feed stores out of area. They are run by folks who have a clue and try to do right by their clients.
as an intersting note…we have had about 6 phone calls from Central FL area feed stores in the last week
the only buying requirements are:
“horse hay” and green
no RFV,no by the ton price, no testing, nothing nada
and when we asked them what their parameters were they could only repeat
“horse hay” and the price per bale delivered…
let your feeds stores know that unless they pay by the ton and not the bale they are passing the “screwing” on to you and not any savings…
best
[QUOTE=Tamara in TN;4347600]
as an intersting note…we have had about 6 phone calls from Central FL area feed stores in the last week
the only buying requirements are:
“horse hay” and green
no RFV,no by the ton price, no testing, nothing nada
and when we asked them what their parameters were they could only repeat
“horse hay” and the price per bale delivered…
let your feeds stores know that unless they pay by the ton and not the bale they are passing the “screwing” on to you and not any savings…
best[/QUOTE]
This does not surprise me at all. They just don’t get it and it’s simple math. I have tried numerous times but it’s like talking to a bag of air.
When I was feeding hay, I always got mine from Rosas Farm on 301 in Citra, good quality, reasonable prices.
http://www.alrosas.com/id20.htm
Unfortunately he does not sell peanut hay, but might be worth the call for prices on the other hays.
Hello,
I live in Florida and my hayman is providing me all facilities here for a long time, if you need any kind of help in this regard just do let me know, i will be happy to help you out.
Reasonable T/A
Looking for reasonably priced t/a hay. Feed store in Tallahssee,Fl charging 26.oo/bale.
[QUOTE=barnmom13;4386814]
Looking for reasonably priced t/a hay. Feed store in Tallahssee,Fl charging 26.oo/bale.[/QUOTE]
how heavy is this bale ?? curiosity and cats and all;)
best
I believe they are around 60#. Argh.
that is $858/ton
wow
just wow:eek:
Yup, it hurts, huh?? 
[QUOTE=Tamara in TN;4392890]
that is $858/ton
wow
just wow:eek:[/QUOTE]
Yeah…it’s friggin awful. It’s much like that with the feed stores in my area. And they wonder why so many in this state are abandoning or giving away their horses. 
well $800 plus a ton is crazy but we are having the devils time getting hay into FL right now for any reasonable truck rate…the cheapest we have found is $1.60 mile and we are 10 hours from JAX and another truck company will do it for 2.25/mile but that is just too high…
best
