Texas members and other hay needing area members

[QRTRHRS]

The biggest problem selling hay for horses is the folks that own the horses. Bale it up, put it away and it will look very good to somebody about Feb 15th.

True to a point. As mentioned, a little moisture right after being cut is not so bad but once hay is on the ground a few day and gets wet, forget it. The hay is going to be dusty. About the only way to safely use it for horses after that is to dunk the flakes in a tub of water. Otherwise, your horse(s) may end up with respitory issues that are not going to go away. Not to mention that you are going to be throwing about half of it out with the manure.

Color is everything to the average horse person, that and weeds. Except color does not necessarily mean squat. Nor do weeds. I took pasture management classes years ago with instructors from both Rutgers and Penn State. After a few hour session one instructor summed up with this thought, "weeds are not always so bad".

While some truly are posionous, some are downright tasty and nutritious for a horse.

 

[RickB]

once hay is on the ground a few day and gets wet, forget it.

True, but hardly what has been described.

 

[QRTRHRS]

True, but hardly what has been described.

As mentioned, generous offer for sure. We should all be so kind with our excess.

One problem is round bales just do not lend themselves to long distance transportation. That and interstate highway regulations.

Around my neck of the woods, although it has been dry, there is an abundance of round bales. At ten bucks a bale, no one is making any money off of them. Everywhere I look, there are bales left over from last year when there was normal rainfall and the growers had three or more cuttings.

 

[aczlan]

Ended up with between 400 and 500 bales of very nice hay. Sold 100 bales to the lady referenced, put up 150-200 bales in the barn and the rest is tarped in the wagon waiting for us to have time to stack it.
Was between 8% and 13% moisture, nice green hay. Need 1-2 more wagons for next year though so that we can bale, unload and have one or two out for customers all at the same time (we currently have 2 basket wagons)

Aaron Z

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Ended up with between 400 and 500 bales of very nice hay. Sold 100 bales to the lady referenced, put up 150-200 bales in the barn and the rest is tarped in the wagon waiting for us to have time to stack it.
Was between 8% and 13% moisture, nice green hay. Need 1-2 more wagons for next year though so that we can bale, unload and have one or two out for customers all at the same time (we currently have 2 basket wagons)

Aaron Z

I have 4 baskets and still want one or two more. Never seem to have enough capacity.

 

[aczlan]

I have 4 baskets and still want one or two more. Never seem to have enough capacity.

We have a flatbed dump wagon and I am looking at adding sides to that, but IMO, we need to have 3-4 wagons available if we are selling hay.

Aaron Z

 

[Robert_in_NY]

We have a flatbed dump wagon and I am looking at adding sides to that, but IMO, we need to have 3-4 wagons available if we are selling hay.

Aaron Z

I found 4 to be the minimum for selling. Anything more though is just added capacity so it makes it easier to schedule customers. Plus enough wagons gives you emergency field storage as long as you have good tarps.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon Robert,
I was trying to think of someone in Ny that might be interested... RichZ came to mind, but after I went to mapquest and typed directions from Cambridge to Silver Creek, I quess he wont be coming anytime soon... 340 miles and on the other side of the state...

Good Luck with the hay...

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Good Afternoon Robert,
I was trying to think of someone in Ny that might be interested... RichZ came to mind, but after I went to mapquest and typed directions from Cambridge to Silver Creek, I quess he wont be coming anytime soon... 340 miles and on the other side of the state...

Good Luck with the hay...

Thanks, yeah it is hard to find anyone local that is interested. If I was on the other side of the hills where all the dairy and beef farms are then I wouldn't have a problem but on this side its all vineyards and horse farms.

I decided to let the hay mulch back into the soil. I couldn't find anyone interested so I just spread it out and let it go. We had a nice rain starting last night and ending this morning so it should help the break down get started. I am planning to cut either later today or tomorrow. We "currently" have a very nice stretch of good weather for haying so I need to take advantage of it.

 

[aczlan]

We ended up with about 75 good bales out of the ~150 bales that were tarped on the wagons. I put the rest on CL for mulch, if nobody nibbles by the weekend, they will go.
On the good side, we now have an imputeus to get the sill on the barn fixed which will give us enough space to back one or possibly both wagons into the barn for next time such a thing happens...

Aaron Z