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Post by eirualaerdna on Jul 7, 2007 0:19:16 GMT -5
yea, so I need to find a place that DOESN'T charge $16 for a bale of alfalfa.. and $15 for wheat and $8 for STRAW! suggestions? in the bay area.. like around fremont/castro valley anywhere around there
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Post by sassiedogtk on Jul 7, 2007 1:19:04 GMT -5
$16 for hay. That is terrible. I can't imagine having to spend that much. I get forage mix (we have very fat horse) for $8 and I thought that was high this year, but I buy it by the squeeze load and that last about 6 mo. Hope you find something cheaper.
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Post by cwinterburn ( RIP) We love YOU on Jul 7, 2007 1:19:54 GMT -5
You may need to think of forming a hay - co-op to purchase hay... it is going to get worse way before it gets better. We are all going to have to downsize on what we're feeding I think and lots of horses are going to go pretty hungry. You're going to have to bring it in from further than you think ... the government subsidy on growing corn has taken lots of acres out of hay and you add to that fuel costs ( well you see the pattern already and it's only July) but if you organize now you can buy in bulk and that will help you market and bargain for hay and transportation. You can also look into alternate food and not compete with the dairys for alfalfa. We'll be feeding lots of blue grass straw which is the by product of the grass seed industry.. if you have any contacts with the growers now is the time to establish some.
We are also going to broker some hay and that helps pay for ours, if you can swing that financially. We don't have storage so we'll be selling to people who can p/u when the hay comes in but if you can store it, you can do even better. Good luck, I know that this is not what you wanted to hear and it's going to impact rescue horses more than other groups but maybe there is something in what we're doing that will help you.
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Post by mkgbuegel on Jul 7, 2007 11:22:05 GMT -5
I am having the same problem this year, its really bad. I have always fed tested orchard grass or timothy and the best quantity price I could get this year worked out to about 12.95 a bale, can't do that.
We switched to a tested teff/timothy mix, still not cheap, but its grower direct, at about 8.50 a bale. We have 3 semi loads coming, hoping it lasts us well into next year (keeping fingers crossed that things are allot more reasonable next year).
If you can go in with a group and get a big load you should be able to get it cheaper, its just a big hit to begin with, but believe me, when winter hits and the prices go even higher, you'll be glad you did it. Some growers will even store it for you at their facility and you can pick it up as you go.
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Post by quatzie on Jul 7, 2007 11:24:12 GMT -5
Hello Here is hay growers in CA just click on your region and a list of growers will come up. There is a map of the regions I belive this is mostly for Northern CA hay growers. www.intermountainhaygrowers.com I will try to find some growers in Mid-CA just need to hear back from my friend at the USDF |
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Post by quatzie on Jul 7, 2007 11:44:59 GMT -5
Check out your craiglist for your area if you need hay soon there are ads there, under farm and garden..
Horse Hay - $7 (fairfield / vacaville)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to: sale-362893994@craigslist.org
Date: 2007-06-29, 6:50AM PDT
We have quality horse hay for sale.
1) All grain (contains oats, beardless wheat and barley).
2) California red oats.
3) Pasture mix (contains orchard and fescue grasses with 2 kinds of rye and some timothy).
4) Annual Rye grass.
Price varies from $7.00 to $7.50. Delivery available at $2.00 per mile one way with a 200 bale minimum. Also truck and trailer loads available.
Contact us at the barn at 530.795.2650 or email maxandbuddy@msn.com.
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Post by quatzie on Jul 7, 2007 11:52:36 GMT -5
Here are some listings... not sure if this will work for the Bay Area but if you can CO OP from Northern CA with some other horse folks .. maybe a semi-load it would be much cheaper..
1st cutting ORCHARD GRASS. Cedarville,CA 530-279-6353.
2007 Grass Hay, 300 tons at $130 each. 3 tie bale, squeese block. SUSANVILLE, CA. 530-257-5712.
Alfalfa/Orchard grass/hay. Less than 100 lb bales. $8.00 per bale.100 tons available. Price negotiable for large lots. NICOLAUS, CA. 530-656-2157
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Post by quatzie on Jul 7, 2007 12:01:31 GMT -5
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Post by quatzie on Jul 7, 2007 12:06:54 GMT -5
This Company should be in your area.. give him a call
Mello Hay Company
Address: 9900 15th Ave.
Hanford, CA 93230 US
Phone: (559) 589-0300 Cell/Pager:
(559) 816-3888
Fax: (559) 589-0600
Contact: Gary or Bryan Mellow
EMail: mellohay@onemain.com
WebSite:
Products
Alfalfa Alfalfa-Straw Bermuda Mixed-Grass Oats Oat-Hay Sudan Sudan-Straw Timothy Timothy/Alfalfa-Mix Wheat-Hay Wheat-Straw 3-Way Custom-Haying Trucking
Business Types
Grower/Shipper Broker Exporter
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Post by jenm on Jul 10, 2007 23:56:02 GMT -5
Andrea, Please post what you find out. I buy extra hay to supplement what is fed where I board and it would be nice to actually find hay that doesn't cost $18.00 per bale! Of course, I'm not buying grower direct so that makes a big difference.  Ah, the benefits of living in the Bay Area....  |
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Post by cybercat on Jul 11, 2007 0:58:46 GMT -5
On the General thread is HayforHorses offer to join her Yahoo group...they post hay for sale in the Western states...PM Hayforhorses for an invite to the Yahoo group.
What is the "squeeze load" that you folks mention...is that the compressed hay bales?
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Post by pnp4kidz on Jul 11, 2007 1:31:00 GMT -5
A 'squeeze' is the forklift thingie that they pick up a stack of hay with. It squeezes the stack to transport it off the truck and into your barn.
the stacks hold about 64 bales.
there are also 'retriever' or 'stack retriever' loads, and that is a truck that has a built in hay stack holder/squeezer, lifter and holder... it smashes 72-90 bales stack in it's forks, straps across the top, lifts the stack, then lays it on it's side on the flat bed of the truck to drive to your house, then it tips it back up, and sets it in your barn. voila!
If you buy like that, the stacks are 'built' by machine in the field, then they are picked up in the field by the stack retriever, and brought to you, no 'man handling' needed, so it's cheaper.
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Post by cybercat on Jul 11, 2007 11:25:06 GMT -5
ooooohhhh, me like! Thanks Beth...
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Post by beckybee on Jul 11, 2007 17:18:03 GMT -5
In the winter, I was feeding about a bale per week per horse of the big 3 string orchard grass bales plus about 2-4 lbs of grain. I think there were about 15 bales/ton, so a ton every 5 weeks for the three horses, so about 10.5 tons/year? OMG - that's almost $2500 per year at $15/bale! Yeargghhh! At least I don't smoke - let's see $4/pack, 2 packs/day, 365 days/year = $2920. Whew! I feel better  |
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Post by quatzie on Jul 11, 2007 18:22:28 GMT -5
Yes hay is expensive, but I don't smoke either.. I think I use about 20 tons a year... and another 5 ton for alfalfa... but it's cheaper by the semi-load or is it the car..ton?? Oh ya I dont smoke ?? but it's cheaper up here in Oregon ... yahoo (130/25= 3250) must be horse nuts..
Ya that what I say.. I dont smoke
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Post by mkgbuegel on Jul 11, 2007 23:50:50 GMT -5
I just bought 2 semi loads, painful, but saved about 4.00 a bale in the long run. And I think the hay prices are going to be really ugly this coming winter.
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Post by beckybee on Jul 12, 2007 13:12:12 GMT -5
How many tons in a semi-load?
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Post by mkgbuegel on Jul 12, 2007 13:55:38 GMT -5
About 25 to 26 tons per double trailer semi load. Aprox. 500 to 520 bales per semi load.
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Post by watermarkfarm on Jul 12, 2007 16:22:26 GMT -5
mkg, I'd love to see what you bought. I am calling the dairy guy today and will arrange to pick up some sample bales to test.
Did you ever have Larsen's volunteer hay tested?
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Post by mkgbuegel on Jul 12, 2007 17:42:51 GMT -5
Hi katie,
I had to abandon my search of low sugar orchard grass, there just wasn't any that was at all affordable. It was really expensive this year, 13.00 on up. I ended up buying a teff/timothy mix. The tests came back amazing on it, total sugar/carbs no more that 7.3 all other nutrients were really nice. It came from a small private farmer, so I pretty much cleaned him out, I told him 3 semi loads for next year. We brought home a pick up truck load to make sure the horses liked it, they loved it, cleaned up every little piece.
He is planning one more cutting for the year, if it tests good, I would like to grab another 500 bales, if you want the other half you are welcome to it. Trucking has been a hassle and more expensive than I would like, but at least it will all be handled for the year.
I decided not to test larsens rye, the way it exploded open when I cut the strings, just drove me nuts. Lots of waste and hard to haul around easily, I just couldn't imagine trying to haul it over the fences everyday (lots of hay in bra, not fun)
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Post by pnp4kidz on Jul 13, 2007 1:14:32 GMT -5
I'd love to try the Teff hay too...
I emailed one guy who grows it, but with the hauling, it was up at what I pay for my hay here locally... and I had to get a semi load... which I can't afford right now.
BUT... today, my guy said he is 'out' of hay for at least 2 weeks! ACK!
so, I'm on the hunt tomorrow for a retriever stack to get me thru the month!
wish someone local would grow that Teff!!!
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Post by frr2 on Jul 17, 2007 14:08:39 GMT -5
mkgbuegel: Did that $8.50 a bale include the shipping? If not, how much do you figure you paid for shipping per bale?
Peg (Beth's sister)
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Post by sassiedogtk on Jul 17, 2007 14:10:17 GMT -5
What is the cost for the hauling? We are self employed Truck Drivers, my husband drives for a living. Let me ask him what all we would need and mabey we help out. Where are you located? The only problem would be how to get if off. Let me see. Tina
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Post by mkgbuegel on Jul 17, 2007 14:14:54 GMT -5
8.50 was hay only. Shipping came out to 2.02 per bale, so 10.52 per bale was my final cost. Not as cheap as in past years, but much better than the other prices I was getting for high quality, tested hay. And I know once winter hits, I will feel like 10.52 is a steal.
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Post by mkgbuegel on Jul 17, 2007 14:16:08 GMT -5
That would be great Tina. Getting it off the truck isn't a problem, lots of guys with squeeze loaders around here.
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Post by sassiedogtk on Jul 17, 2007 14:36:59 GMT -5
I see that you are in Sebastopol, where is the hay comming from? My dad use to haul hay from Nevada to California so I will be able to see if we have the right equipment for tieing down and we have two trailers. I will let you know tommorow.
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Post by jenm on Jul 17, 2007 15:10:34 GMT -5
I have contact info for a guy who grows Teff in the Los Banos area. I haven't called him yet, but I would really like to get my hands on some.
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Post by mkgbuegel on Jul 17, 2007 18:32:58 GMT -5
Hi Jen,
I really love the teff hay we just got. I think I am converted. Just thought I would let you know.
-Michelle
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Post by watermarkfarm on Jul 18, 2007 11:55:41 GMT -5
Is teff like grass hay? I am not familiar with it.
The rye hay is in.....going down to pick some up. It sounds like good hay again this year. Will let you know.
And yes, once winter hits, your $10.50 hay will seem like a dream. The dealer I buy from is charging $13.50/bale for orchard grass, delivered and stacked. Ugh.
My horses like the Larsen's hay, but I keep getting little prickly things in my fingers when I feed it, so I am concerned that these things are ending up in their mouths, so I am not going to buy any more of it.
Katie
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Post by mkgbuegel on Jul 18, 2007 12:09:48 GMT -5
Hi Katie,
I have the tests on the teff, its like low sugar Timothy. Finer than orchard, with some very little heads, and its light green, and sweet (yes, I tasted it). The nutrients in it came back really nice as well, very balanced, its honestly the nicest stuff I've seen yet. I will email you the reports if you would like to see them. If you would like a bale to see what your horses think, Just let me know. The grower still has some, but of course hes raised his prices, ugh.
Ken & I neg. a lease for a large parcel of land near the house, if we can get it, we are going to grow our own for next year. We need to keep aprox. 1500 bales, but we are going to sell the rest.
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