We received 0.25 inches of rain yesterday. That is the first measurable rain we have received since 6/29/15. We are in a major drought here without grass growing. Our usual hay provider did not have any hay for us this year, and we have been scrambling. We found 5 tons of $10 per bale hay up Highway 20. Today Tom found 10 tons at $10.50 per bale that we will pick up tomorrow. It is supposed to rain tomorrow so we will attempt to put the hay in our hay loft and hay barn between showers. This is somewhat ironic. I am really worried about the livestock of Skagit County, if their owners will be able to get hay for them to feed them through the winter. But at least ours will have enough good quality (but expensive) hay.
Glad you found hay. Here, it’s been so wet, I haven’t been able to cut it to make hay. We finally cut the waterways and it got rained on. Seems like we can’t win no matter where we are.
Agreed Teresa! Not sure why the weather does not want to cooperate with our efforts to feed out critters.
Ouch! Yup – a lot of first cutting going on here. We’ve had our first dry 3 days in a row (humid, but dry…) since about the beginning of June. We would have just about one dry day every 10 days or so, but no time to dry after cutting. Never mind the crop losses due to flooding and wet. I have a feeling that our hay prices will be up as well, if for the opposite reasons. I’m just happy that my horse’s pasture drains decently (in a flat part of the state – IN) so that her little hoofies are ok. She’s pasture boarding with all of the other horses at the moment while the farm owner is rehabbing the old barn this year.
Thanks Toastyak! The last cutting is over here unless we start getting some serious rain.
I’m feeling better about the 50 bales waiting for our pick-up at my hay guy’s place – it’s “only” $8/bale!
“Only” $8 is a deal right now.
this year I bought hay a lot earlier than I usually would- started seeing 2nd cutting ads on craigslist in mid-june! Also paid $10/bale, but that was delivered at least. Yeah, I think its going to be tough finding any deals as the summer wears on….
Glad to hear you have your hay secured. It is going to be a tough hay season for many.