More hay tales

K Effective

Well-known Member
I'll try the Readers' Digest version for you folks :wink: . When I finished the first cutting on time from the filed in front of my house, the neighbor came over and asked for some hay. She is the manager of a large stable a few miles over, 30+ rich people horses. They were to "run completely out" of hay in a day or two... the guy she had paid money in advance to mow/rake/bale the stables' 57 acres of hay had not cut anything yet (nor had most of us!!). I had one wagon just rolled in the pole barn, so sure, take that, no labor needed. I'll take a load of good stuff in exchange. She texted Monday that hay was ready(really? when was it dry?)- would be in the barn across the street from me whenever I wanted it. Tonight, after mowing a field behind another neighbor's house, I swung by and hooked on to one wagon and took it home. She said both of the wagons there were for me, since I was so generous! Got it home and set about loading it into the barn- MAN is this stuff wet. Went and got the moisture tester, not a single bale under 28%, most in the 40-50% range and two over 60%. Felt like it was warming as I stuck my arm in. Stopped after the first 12 bales, spread them out on straw in the mow, and ran the wagon back to her place. When I texted, she asked if I knew of someone else who would want it! I am just glad it is in her barn, not mine.
 
I learned years ago with horse people you sell them hay for CASH. Never trade with them for hay. Their hay is too often of poor quality or care.

Just be glad that the hay was that wet. If it had been "close" to dry enough you might not have caught the issue until your barn burnt down.
 
I agree, JD, and actually have gotten out of selling any hay to anyone. The horse people I have dealt with have proven odd at best, insane on the average, and maniacal at the worst end of the spectrum. Lady next door wanted hay in exchange for renting the open ground on her place- but not hay from her place. She wanted to comeback through my loft for individual bales, then have me remove and deliver them, or just come get one or two at a time all winter long.

These folks have been very good neighbors, let me run full wagons into their arena if rain is near, and helped me secure some more hay ground from another neighbor, etc. She has her hands full with the BTO stable, owned by super-rich dude (has own helicopter), and I am sure 30+ other horse owners to deal with. My hay was primo, alfalfa with some grass, cut just a little late, but perfectly dried and baled well. I feel for her having to deal with the issues at the stable- they have equipment, but no one to operate it, or maintain it. Now she has 50+ acres of hay ready and waiting! Way more than I could handle.
 
I have a cousin and his wife that are that way. She wanted 40+ round bales of good hay. That's a lot of acres. So, I baled it, loaded up 22 bales and hauled it about ten miles up to her place. I wasn't sure where she wants it, and no one was there, so I unloaded it by the barn and went back for the second load. I returned about two hours later and she met me coming in the lane. She then informed me that she had already gotten the forty bales she needed a week earlier from the neighbor who said he wasn't going to do anymore hay. She did say my hay was much nicer, and she would keep the first 22, but at $20 less a bale because that was what the neighbor had charged her. I told her I'd be back up in a couple of hours to pick the hay up, and was sorry for her inconvenience. When I did get back up about two hours later, the pile of hay had 'shrunk' to 18 bales.....Oh, and the neighbor?- he still laughs about the old junk hayfield he sold to her.....
 
My hay is sold out of my barn , small squares . Cash in hand , no checks , no credit. I
do have a couple people who pay in advance. Most are horse people that need a couple
hundred or so . Had a guy want me to do his on shares , I said no but I would get it to
his elevator for 1.10 a bale. He thought that was too much and I said buy equipment and
run it yourself for a season , ain't heard from him .
 
Brother started selling hay to horse people on a cash and carry basis. One guy sent his good looking wife out to try to get some hay on credit - no dice. They would drive out 27 miles and buy one bale a week for cash when they actually needed 7 bales for the number of horses that they had.

Later on the couple came out one evening and tried to get brother to loan them some money; he told them that is what banks are for. They finally sold the horses one-by-one and skipped the country.
 
I pretty much refuse to deal with horse people anymore...most of what I put up is prairie hay or red clover/brome and they are just not happy with either!

Last person who I sold hay for horses to was 4 years ago when hay was a real shortage, gal was in her mid 50's and lived in a little run down trailer house on the outside of town that sat on about 2 lots. She asked if I could deliver about 30 bales and since it was already on my truck (conveniently) and it was pretty close by I obliged. When I pulled up she stacked the hay in an old dilapidated RV that sat in the corner of her lot, I asked her where her horses were and she proceeded to tell me that she paid someone down in Oklahoma (2.5 hours south) to board her horses since she didn't have room....let me get this straight....you have 2 horses, 2.5 hours away, the house you live in is barely standing, you can't afford a decent shed to store what little hay you can scrounge up?


What is wrong with these people?
Then the next 18 calls I get are people basically wanting 2 bales a day for the rest of eternity but I have to store them in my barn and they will pay me once a month (probably when welfare checks come out!) NO THANKS "CLICK"
 

I make a lot less hay than I used to and I have had some wack job customers, but I have some really good ones now that come and pick up in the field. They are dependable to show up, never complain, and always pay promptly. After 25 years you get the "chaff winnowed out".
 

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