Vrginians! - How is the Hay Crop?

[MossflowerWoods]

Fellow Virginians,

I am now concerned about the Hay season here in Norther VA.

In my area near Ladysmith, I fear things did not go well for the first cuttings. Every hayfield I watch has had issues that will keep the hay from being "Horse" quality.

My guy in Bumpass I've been buying from had a useless 1st cutting, none of it was salvagable. He is hoping for a second cutting but has advised me I need to seek out other sources as he cannot guarantee any good hay.

And my horses are not high maintenance.

On my street, the've set all the round bales in the trees to rot. Off I-95 near Thornburg that guy must have cut and stacked thousands of square bales only to have that HUGE wind and rain storm that killed everyones power rain on them and then bake them in 100+ heat. Candidly, they were looking a bit burned and brown when he cut and baled them.

Does anyone have any good news to share on this topic?

Will we all be spending big $$$ on out of state hay?

Just asking...

Be well all,
David

 

[s219]

Today in Toano, I saw a field full of square bales, many of them looking like they crumbled into a pile. Not sure about the story there -- will see what happens with them over the next few days.

 

[newbury]

Fellow Virginians,

I am now concerned about the Hay season here in Norther VA.

In my area near Ladysmith, I fear things did not go well for the first cuttings. Every hayfield I watch has had issues that will keep the hay from being "Horse" quality.

My guy in Bumpass I've been buying from had a useless 1st cutting, none of it was salvagable. He is hoping for a second cutting but has advised me I need to seek out other sources as he cannot guarantee any good hay.

And my horses are not high maintenance.

On my street, the've set all the round bales in the trees to rot. Off I-95 near Thornburg that guy must have cut and stacked thousands of square bales only to have that HUGE wind and rain storm that killed everyones power rain on them and then bake them in 100+ heat. Candidly, they were looking a bit burned and brown when he cut and baled them.

Does anyone have any good news to share on this topic?

Will we all be spending big $$$ on out of state hay?

Just asking...

Be well all,
David

So David - did you back out of the hay business?

Guys,

Maybe I'm crazy, but it seems to me that I spend more for Hay than I do for feed/grains.

There is a lady on my street who leases her land to a hay guy, and he just leaves the large round bales there to rot. they sit in the field for months, then he stacks them on the treeline.

I'm thinking about offering her a lease and curious how hard it is, and how long before I break even on the investment (I would go out and buy used hay equip).

I'm sure I'm just being a silly n00b, but it sounds tempting...

Talk me into or out of this Hay-brained idea!

Be well,
David

Probably not a good time to be a hay farmer.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

So David - did you back out of the hay business?

Probably not a good time to be a hay farmer.

Newbury,

Thus far buying hay equipment has been off the list of accepted activities. Not before the 2nd floor remodel is WELL ALONG (It has not even started). But the temptation is strong...

At the moment I'm not so secretly hoping a VA TBN guy has decent hay I can buy and fill up my barn...

David

 

[Ed of all trades]

Not so good here in the central valley. Every thing is dry and the farmers that sell their extra are most likely going to feed it. Check out the Rushville hay auction if there is good hay for sale in this area it will prob. be there. (just south west of Harrisonburg)

 

[SPYDERLK]

Here in the Gordonsville area we got a so-so late stemmy 1st cutting and an excellent 2nd cutting. It only amounts to about 900 bales tho and will all be used for our horses. Right now its a bake. Dont know if well get any more.:confused3:
larry

 

[creekbend]

Although, I don't live in VA, we don't live that far south west of you. The season looks bleak here. The grass is brown and our creek is dry. We are expecting 50% chance of rain the next three days. Hopefully, conditions will make a positive turn around. Two of my neighbors raise horses. My immediate neighbor boards and trains horses, and he told me the other day that his supplier expects less horse quality hay being produced. Best wishes.

 

[SLHawkins]

David,
Hunter's Hill Farm put up about 800 bales of decent hay. It is primarily Orchard Grass. It is a first cutting and was cut the week following the Memorial Day weekend. We also baled another 300 or so, but it is a late first cutting and could be a bit stemmy. They also have several hundred bales from last season that is all stored in a barn. I can send you their number if you are interested. They are located off Route 2, just outside of Bowling Green. If nothing else, it worth going by to take a look at. Hopefully, they'll get another cutting before the season is over.

Hawk

 

[Grateful11]

We're in central NC and my wife drilled in about 25 acres of soybeans and brown top millet for hay and if it doesn't get rain this week it's had it. Her corn just started putting on ears when the high temps hit and some of it looks really bad but some still looks pretty good. We need rain. Her 35 acres of Oats hay yielded really well.

 

[DKCDKC]

The large-operator farmer who rents a field from me told me tonight that his first cutting was of great volume, average quality. Spotty t-storms account for most of our rain this time of year, and we've had just a little shy of average. He expects his second cutting to be ok, but light. Sorghum and other crops are doing surprisingly well, but need more rain over the next few weeks to take off.

I'm watering my garden tho, but with the windstorm herebouts and an invasion of moles and voles, it will be a weak year produce-wise.