I would but I can’t. I’ll be down in my barn doing 16 stalls, feeding and turning out.
The mileage from The Plains was 95 miles. Yes it was worth it. I saved about 400 bucks by driving a short trip up there.
K
Well, here it is folks. This past weekend I paid $10 a bale. Missed the Feb 2nd one. Feb 15th.
ANYONE??? La Gringa, I called your guy. But it’s 150 miles, ONE WAY.
OM, did you already get the hay you wanted? I’m south of F’burg and could be interested in a group buy. Do you have a way to haul it? The website quoted $2.00 per mile, which, depending upon the size of the truck gets the price way up there.
You can email me from my website if you want.
Schiffon … I’m getting ready for Sunday. Can you call me at 703.518.1403 around 12:30? I’ve got one other person … and two trailers.
It was only 90 for me. I felt it was worth it, I saved like 400 bucks, and got great hay. It took an afternoon, big deal.
Saving 5 bucks a bale was worth the trip!
K
Ok. Here we go …
I’m going to the Hinton hay auction tomorrow … leaving here at 8:00 am and (hopefully) returning with hay by noon-ish.
I’m pretty nervous. I’ve never been to an auction before, much less a HAY auction … but what the heck. It’s just LIVE ebay,… right?
Wish me luck … and I’ll report back tomorrow.
AUCTION REPORT:
HOLY SMOKES! Anyone who thinks there is a hay shortage in VA needs to go to the auction. There was a LOT of excellent hay … round bales, large square bales, small … prices went from about 2.10 for 165 bales of ho-hum quality orchard grass to … I don’t know 6 something per bale. The biggest problem is you have to buy quantity. The smallest load there, small bales, was 31. If the price is 5.50 per bale that’s 160. Hmmmm. That’s not very much. IMPORTANT: TAKE A CALCULATOR with you.
I spent $25. on gas (which really surprised me) and bought two gorgeous large bales for $175 … because I met the owner of the farm who agree to sell me two for the auction price (his farm was just a mile down the road.) There were probably 50-75 people there, 95% men (I think there were two other ladies there) and nice nice nice people. All of them willing to help you …
A very very positive experience and I will DEFINITELY go back again. Oh, and there’s no fee for the auction…at least for the buyers.
Oh, and here is my breakdown of cost: each bales weighed 700 pounds, so that’s 1400 pounds total. I was paying $8.-$10 per 50 lb bale before I went down. I paid (for the 1400) $175 … plus gas $25, makes $200. That means I paid $7 a bale.
I think I’ll do better next time … but we’ll see.
Thanks OMOM! So if I go there with a truck and trailer, I could bid on a lot of hay with 100? bales, then is there someone to help load it onto my vehicle? Is there any way of negotiating delivery for a larger load of hay?
Do they always have to pray for no rain on that Wed? <eek>
Fairview,
They have loaders there … but call and talk to Tom. He’s the auctioneer, and a heck of a nice guy. Do you know anyone with a flatbed? That’s the easiest, as they can automatically load it.
I have to say I was surprised … take a look at the Auction results with the link at the bottom of my posts … the VA hay report. I think it will be out sometime today… for yesterday’s auction. A lot of really really nice hay with a range of quality.
Desperate…
Hey guys, or hay guys… lol
I really need the contact info for available hay… Anything we can buy that can be around $5-5.50 a bale… Traveling to PA would not be a problem!!
Need excellent hay NOW!! We have been feeding what people have had (around here)… There have been 5 or 6 local horses that have died from colic (in the last month). (none of mine, knock on wood)…
We need hay asap! We can take a trailor (flat bed, or 4 horse) and fill the truck and the trailor. Round bales, square bales. Orchard grass, alfalfa, great fescue… I do need some alfalfa or orchard grass though (two prego mares)…
Contact me by email or by phone-- jazzylea2@aol.com or 276-650-3337 When are the next hay auctions? Where are they? Any info would be great!
Thanks guys!
Stephanie
check www.craigslist.org for washington dc. There were quite a few frederickburg, va dealers on there.
Sundown Farm,
The auction is in Hinton, VA. 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. Tom Weaver,
38 Whitmore Shop Rd, Harrisonburg 22802. Cell 540.435.0020. Bus. 540.867.0467. Fax. 540.867.0898.
Tom is REALLY REALLY nice. Go with a flatbed so they can load you. Here are the latest prices, http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/RH_GR310.txt .
You’re in Axton…YIKES!!! You’re 178 miles from the auction site. ONE WAY!!!
So can you wander around and see the loads of hay before bidding on them? Who evaluates the quality?
Oh yes, and not only that, pull a hunk out and smell it!!!
Who evaluates? Well, I think most of the guys that are there are experienced. I mean, I could tell what hay I wanted to buy…of course I’m not experienced.
Put a bunch of hay together … would you know what to buy???
Absolutely for what I can see/smell/feel. The problem is that you are only looking at the outside of the bales, and the bales on the outside of a truck/wagon. I am not thinking they are going to let me cut one open. 
A large truck can be stacked too so that the nice, premium hay is visable, on the outside. The moldy bales deep in the middle of the truck. :winkgrin:
When they auction the hay, are they (Auction representative) saying this is “premium” alfalfa, etc? or is it the seller saying it is premium (or other grade)?
This time of year, probably not critical, but if you buy hay in the spring/summer/fall, it is worth having a moisture meter so you are not buying a load that will all mold within a week or so after you get it home.
Well, I’ll say this. There was one load I wouldn’t have touched. Everything else is really out in the open. Also, most of the stacking was clear so you could see each bale, and nothing was hidden. There was only one truck where you couldn’t see inside … and I wouldn’t have bid on that.
I guess it’s kind of … you need to see what’s going on and how it’s set up. The ones I chose were clearly good quality, and the young man who sold them to me stood behind them 100% (e.g., call me if you have a problem with them.)
And actually, the auctioneer said something like … “look at these round bales … dry as they come!” and the guy who was selling them disagreed with him!!! “No Tom, they weren’t … etc.” I’d say the group appears to be a fairly honest bunch. Or seemed to be.
Does that help?
Very much! Thanks. I just remember my old vet saying the hay auctions used to be like wolves leading a sheep to slaughter. 
I may plan on meeting you there next time, and you can keep me out of trouble. 
Hey guys… I live very close to the hay auction – would be glad to fix you a cup of tea–if you can stop by!
I have not bought at the auction in about 5 yrs now-- I never had good luck with it–I was throwing away as much hay as I was using. I am glad it sounds better now. I might go have a peek next time.
I have a regular hay guy-but he is almost out.
Hey Windswept! Great idea! I’ll take a cup of tea … I’d be delighted to have one!
Darlyn, I’ll call you over the weekend and we can make plans.
I think with the auction you’re going to get pretty much what you pay for. I mean, what I bought wasn’t $5 a bale … but it was sure better than $10. Plus, I paid the farmer that grew it…not some face-less co-op or feed corporation…KWIM?
Oh, and I almost forgot, Darlyn, Tom … and others, are more than willing to give you a nudge for any hay sellers that might not be quite … well, 100%. He wants me … and other horse people … to come back and buy.
