I’m well versed in hay acquisition, but hubby wants to purchase approximately 1000 bales of straw for a non-equine and non-landscaping use, and I have no idea where to buy it or how much we should pay.
It doesn’t have to be super clean- weight of the bales is most important to him (the more dense, the better).
We live in Maryland if that helps.
TIA!!
I bought the last two bales of straw my MD hay guy was willing to let go (we’ll be staying overnight at a barn that requires straw). He charged me $5/bale.
This is not the right time of year to buy straw, as it will be a few months before any grain crops will be harvested for this year’s straw. If he’s just looking for weight, you might be better off buying CRAP hay from last year instead. It would be heavier than straw, and certainly cheaper.
Good straw (dense bales, pre-seeding, weed-free) will go for as much as if not more than hay. We do a brisk business in quality straw; good quality grass hay is around $5/50lb bale in my area, we sell the straw for $7/bale, with discounts for quantity.
Mango is right that it’s the wrong time of year to buy straw, and also correct that depending on his needs, he might be better off just buying out last year’s mulch/crap hay supplies, as it IS the right time of year to be doing that.
Most of your larger local hay guys should know who does straw, as well as any of your larger, locally-owned garden centers. (Who may be able to either get that quantity in for you, or send you straight to the source.) Craigslist can also be a viable place to look. Your issue will be the quantity, at this time of the year.
Last time I wanted to buy straw I asked my hay guy and he directed me to where I could buy some. Straw costs just about the same as hay does in my area.
So when I call, I should specify that I don’t need pre-seeding or anything? If it helps, he will be using the bales as insulation in some super-green building he is putting together that will not be seen and will be on the outside of a metal structure(Engineer husband with too much time and imagination lol)
[QUOTE=pinkpony321;8674901]
So when I call, I should specify that I don’t need pre-seeding or anything? If it helps, he will be using the bales as insulation in some super-green building he is putting together that will not be seen and will be on the outside of a metal structure(Engineer husband with too much time and imagination lol)[/QUOTE]
Yes, I would make a point of saying you’re looking for “construction quality” (vs garden quality) bales that are going to be used for insulation, with a premium on tightness/weight over color, quality, etc.
We have had to liquidate bales at mulch pricing before, since they had gotten rained on and (despite being fine quality for any straw purpose) were not the color that consumers expect. You might just luck into a deal like that.
Buy cheat coastal hay, cow quality. Either by the square bale or cheaper by the round bale.
Just don’t let your horses get into it.
Oat straw
My hay guy has oat straw. Nobody around me beds in straw. He overseeded a new hay field with oats last year, and therefore has a barn full of oat straw. I have bought a small amount for one horse that I bed on straw, $5 a bale. It is really nice and the bales are huge. I am guessing he has 1000 bales. Location is upstate NY.
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