[tradewind]

In S.Central PA we have been fine...My hay guy did not ship his out to other areas, so we are the same price as last year. I love my hay man.

[enjoytheride]

I live in Indiana. 2nd cutting was miserable and hay prices sky rocketed but then we got rain and had a 3rd and 4th cutting and the prices went back down. There is plenty of hay.

[Rabtfarm]

Southern Maine had a tremendous haying season. It will be interesting to see how much hay is selling for in February.

[deltawave]

Why is it "slimy" for a hay seller to reserve part of their crop to be sold at a larger profit when hay is in short supply?

[Bravestrom]

Ontario had a mixed bag - some areas bad, some good.

We are in Durham region - we had great hay - weather was perfect - our farmer got 355 large rounds off our north 65 acres, then 280 2nd cut and 140 third cut. He is making out like a bandit - don't know what he got off the other 25 acres - but he fertilizes between each cutting and it makes a huge difference. Our hay is fantastic.

[FalseImpression]

DW. There were many cases of hay farmers keeping the hay for their regular customers at an agreed upon price and then wanting more at time of pick up/delivery. A friend of mine was told one price which was different at delivery, then another price again at the second delivery. Next year, if there is no drought, do you think these farmers will get the business? Others refused to sell agreed number of bales and would rather keep it to sell at higher prices in January. Sorry, but it is slimy and gouging when you do that to your regular customers. Thank God, my BO grows his own and got enough, but still decided to hike the board quite a bit. We had not had an increase in 5 years so it was due, but to justify it partly because of the price of hay (when he never sells it or buys it) did not sit well with many boarders either.

[arabhorse2]

Thank God, my BO grows his own and got enough, but still decided to hike the board quite a bit. We had not had an increase in 5 years so it was due, but to justify it partly because of the price of hay (when he never sells it or buys it) did not sit well with many boarders either.

The cost to bale has gone up, so although he may not buy hay it's costing him more to provide it to the boarders. That's why your board went up, because his costs to bale keep going up.

You might want to relay that fact to the disgruntled boarders. It's not like your BO is in some non cost-rising zone; he's paying a lot more for the same supplies. Y'all should be grateful he didn't raise your board until now, instead of getting your noses out of joint.

[deltawave]

The circumstances you elaborated on would certainly qualify as "slimy". But if that farmer loses those customers (and they are good, steady ones) he may come to regret it. What goes around comes around, usually.

However, I begrudge nobody the opportunity to use their head and make good business decisions with a commodity they have worked to produce. I had a number of FB postings earlier in the year (friends of friends, that sort of thing) going on about how farmers who'd raised their prices (in anticipation of a terrible year) were "screwing poor horse owners who counted on those low prices in order to be able to feed their animals, who might STARVE now". I got no sympathy for that--budget and pay for your hay in June, when the prices are lowest. Done deal. If you don't have a hay supplier you trust, get it in writing.

I buy and put up all of my hay in the summer. I have room (barely). And if I need more, I certainly don't expect to pay June prices in January. You want a hotel room in Breckenridge? Don't expect to pay the same in late December as you would in late May.

Diesel fuel and fertilizer costs have not gone down in recent years that I'm aware of. Hay growers are at the mercy of the weather and diesel and fertilizer costs the same whether it's raining or no.

[TBRedHead]

First, I'm giggling because I'm paying between $20-$25 a bale With a horse that goes through 2 a week!

Second, no shortage right now, in CA

I'm on the central coast and things ARE bad here. I was up at the cattle ranches and they are having to supplement their cows despite being on 3500+ acres, there's *nothing* to eat. Ponds are empty, all the cattle and bucking horse strings look like crap. I'm so done with my customers complaining about paying $60/month+ for dog food...I pay ~$50+/week for BASIC necessities on my horse! Basic, because horses eat hay.

So no shortage, but insane prices. The only shortages are on grazing land.

[danceronice]

There didn't seem to be a problem with suppliers HAVING hay, but if you wanted it, you better buy it fast.

[tabula rashah]

In northeastern MD and we had a pretty good hay year. My prices have not changed $55/ 1000lb round and my hay guy stores enough for me for a year and I do not have to pay for them until I pick them up. BTW I LOFF my hay guy

[FalseImpression]

Actually, we had been asking the BO for an increase in board for a few years! We were not looking forward to the big increase which we knew would happen. It is easier to budget smaller increases than a big one. So we do not begrudge the increase, just the way it was presented as it really looked like "hey, everybody is getting big bucks for their hay, so I will get them too from my boarders." nobody is leaving, but adjusting my budget in December means small gifts or none. I just cannot come up with that much extra money...

[Jackie & Starlette]

I paid a little extra this year but it's the first price increase in 6 years so no complaints.

Pricing hay in November is almost as depressing as pricing it in February, so it does pay to be pro-active.

I paid more here, too...luckily my hay farmers were trying to be kind this year. Hopefully it will go back to more normal prices next year.

I also am seeing people now starting to look for hay...can't figure out why it took so long to figure out the shortage (and one I know of was told in July to start shopping!). I actually seem to have overbought...don't tell my hubby, just in case a rescue comes along LOL!

[Bacardi1]

Another vote for no hay problems here in VA. Both of my hay dealers have been providing excellent product all year so far, & neither has given any inkling that that will change.

[arabhorse2]

Actually, we had been asking the BO for an increase in board for a few years! We were not looking forward to the big increase which we knew would happen. It is easier to budget smaller increases than a big one.

I agree that it would have better and kinder for him to increase the board incrementally over a period of years, instead of hammering you with one big increase all at once.

It's really hard to budget for something when you don't know MUCH you're expected to budget.