hay today, gone tomorrow....

last year, it seemed like I couldn't get hay from anyone for any price come september...
got home yesterday, 4 different guys on the machine all telling me they have loads and loads waiting for me to pick up, and when can i come by today? No one wants to come down on price, though- 5.50 in the feild, 6 at the barn. That's $1.50 more than last year
Weekday, I'm working and the kids are in school- see ya Saturday, fellas!
We'll see what August brings...

I sold some the other day for $3.00 a bale in the field. Mixed grasses and some weeds but nothing really bad. Still made some pretty good hay.

With the price of fuel and fert, I don't think they CAN come down on those prices. Not without taking a loss, at least.

Giving my neighbor $3.50 a bale dropped at my place for me to stack. Bales are nice and tight, probably 75 lb.

I bought some PA hay last week from a local feed guy...probably similar stuff to yours...tight, 75lb bales that the horses just eat right up...but $7.50 down here!
How long a drive from Fredburg to your place? Think the guys would sell me 200 squares?

I'm getting 5.00 in the field and 6.00 in the barn. If I can't get that I'll brush hog my place next year.

You should at least give him enough to cover expenses. He sure isn't getin much for his labor.

That is up from $2.50 a bale last year. I am not twisting his arm to sell it at that price. This is hay he is taking off another neighbor's pasture on shares if that matters. I can be pretty sure fertilizer/seed inputs are zero and they pre-purchase as much as they can so fuel might not be hitting them too bad yet. Don't really know if it pencils out for him or not, but I don't think I am going to be responsible for sending him into bankruptcy.

Have a good day,

Kirk

even brushhoggin it costs money. You may want to look into giving it to someone as standing hay. Then you get it cut for free.

Simple answer is the neighbors will sell wherever the market is. If you are really interested I will ask around.

I am probably about 1.25 hours closer to you than the farm show complex in Harrisburg. Not sure what it took you travel time. I can ask if he has any extra. Usually the rule is the price goes up 50 cents every time they handle the bale. Into the barn/out of the barn/delivered/etc. When I spoke to Joel last week he was not having any trouble finding people to take it off his hands before it hit his barn.

Another possibility here is Joel's brother, but he only makes large square bales. My price at his barn is $60 for nice 700 lb bales. They are a pain to handle/store for us so I usually just pick up one or two at a time. He might want more than that, but if you have a flat bed or some way to get them home it might work for you.

Yet another possibility is that I could sell you my share when he gets back to cut my 5 acres of pasture. Probably have most of 200 bales at that point myself. That would mean I don't have to store it, and need to bank the cash for future hay purchase. Not sure I want to approach it that way, but just brain storming right now. And another thought is the Owner of the field might have his share for sale. He has some needs, but just for a handful of sheep and a couple of mare/foal pairs so he usually has a surplus.

I will see if Joel has any small squares for sale next time I run across him. If the large squares interest you at all give me a shout.

Kirk

It's not hay it's pasture clippings. Sounds like Missouri someone will call anything in a bale hay. Some people like him are going to work all summer and then turn around and look behind them and see what this stuff cost to put up.

Strictly speaking I probably should have qualified this as meadow grass hay (horses really like it). These pastures have not been grazed for several years. Gentleman used to run a pretty well respected Standardbred breeding operation. Still likes to keep a few mares around to do something, but has scaled down. Having said that, the same equipment might be baling the Timothy down the road and it is still the same price.

Appearances can be deceiving, but they don't seem to be hurting at all. Price has a lot more to do with other market forces than costs. Profits on the other hand have everything to do with costs. I can call 3-4 locals and find the same deal.

have a good day,

Kirk

The USDA just announced the release of 24 MILLION acres of CRP ground, nationwide, for haying and grazing this year. I imagine these guys know this. Hay can be cut as soon as the bird nesting season is over in one's area. Second and later cuttings will probably be cheaper as this policy goes into effect. The announcement was made 5/27/08.