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  Discussion on New York Hay?
Author Message
Member:
Terrilyn

Posted on Thursday, Jun 24, 2004 - 1:04 pm:

I am trying to decide if I want to order a tractor/trailer load of hay from NY. We have lots of nice hay here in eastern VA this season (finally, not too wet or dry!), but am interested in some timothy/orchard/brome hay out of upstate NY...specifically from a hay guy named Nathan with a 315 area code (I have talked to him on the phone and he assures me it is quality horse hay). By any wild chance, does anyone get hay from upstate NY from him? (I don't know his last name!)?

I'm trying to get a reference or two since I can't look at it before 700 bales of it show up on my doorstep. I found his listing on the Internet Hay Exchange under AAA GOOD HAY. Is it a pretty good hay year there? This would be second cutting. Thanks!
Member:
Jojo15

Posted on Friday, Jun 25, 2004 - 2:49 am:

I have just gotten some NY T+A hay. 13.95 a bale and looks great. Bought it from a feed store. So i haven't a clue where/who they got it from. Each pad is heavier than the next. and i would guesstimate 65lbs per bale. I bet this is second cutting too since its still pretty green and smells nice. But you are taking a risk for 700 bales. What about asking him to take a picture of it. Or get some references of people he has supplied in the past?
Or is that pushing it.

good luck.
Member:
Bonita

Posted on Friday, Jun 25, 2004 - 9:00 am:

Would he be willing to send you a small sample?

I'm in VA too, & there's a hay guy about an hour or so from me who states on his website that he will Priority Mail a representative sampling (I guess a fistful or so) of his hay before bringing a full order.

(Although in this guy's case this service probably hurts his business rather than helps it, as the 2 times I've bought hay from him it's turned out to be awful. First time it was chock full of horse nettles & thistles; 2nd time the hay had been baled too soon, as the bales were either wet or already moldy in the center.)
Member:
Alden

Posted on Friday, Jun 25, 2004 - 5:00 pm:

This has nothing to do with NY hay, but I just have to know joj.

Is that $13.95 a bale? In US dollars?!!

WOW, and I though $8.50 a bale for Alfalfa here in So. CA was highway robbery! I'd be out of the horse business at that rate. I feel sooo much better about moving to Colorado next month now.

Come to think about it though I did see Timothy advertise here for $18, but it isn't something they grow around here. They sure have most of us over a barrel, don’t they!

Good day,
Alden
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Friday, Jun 25, 2004 - 8:29 pm:

I'm feeling really good-I pay $110 to $120/ton delivered! Oat or grass mix is less, as is 5 way.

JOJ-If you go in together with someone can't you order a truckload (about 18 tons per truck/trailer load usually) for a whole lot less? At $13/bale!!! I'd be out on the street with Alden. Does that hay have golden strands woven through it?
Member:
Bonita

Posted on Saturday, Jun 26, 2004 - 7:46 am:

I too find $13+/bale for 65# bales exhorbitantly high - especially for Virginia where there is so much hay available. Granted, I sometimes do pay $18-$19/bale - but the bales are 100-120# each & are absolutely pure bright crisp weed-free perfectly made Timothy shipped in from Washington State, or the same quality pure Alfalfa shipped in from Montana. I have NEVER paid more than $8/bale for normal-size 50-65# bales. That's just plain price-gouging, in my opinion.

Member:
Eoeo

Posted on Saturday, Jun 26, 2004 - 11:02 am:

One reason for the $13.+ a bale is feed store price. They darn near double their cost to the person who needs a few bales. Sure wouldn't buy a truckload at that. Get busy and check on prices. That is TOO MUCH to feed on a regular basis. Get a hold of your extension office in your area and have them help get you hooked up with a reputable hay dealer. Get references. EO
Member:
Jerre

Posted on Saturday, Jun 26, 2004 - 11:25 am:

I get excellent E. Washington orchard grass (I'm in W. Washington) for about $9/105# bale at the feed store. I can only accomodate 12-15 bales at a time -- about a month's worth. Local hay is as cheap as $2.50/bale in the field but the bales are about 50-60# and the quality can be quite variable. It's worth it to me to know the feed store is consistent and always has a supply, but then, I'm only feeding two horses.
(And it's a pleasure to watch those nice young men load my truck.)
Member:
Jojo15

Posted on Sunday, Jun 27, 2004 - 12:04 am:

wow i had no idea i was being robbed. The hay from Canada and Michigan are more. I wasn't trying to change the subject, just that i know what to ask for in terms of NY hay. My feed store might have 3 different costs- based on cuttings and then the state the bales are from. Florida is the last stop on the ladder, so i imagine that is why its so expensive the further down the line.

And yes its in dollars. :-) and i know that T+A up in the middle of the state is about 8.00-12/bale for 60lbs. and if i had a barn then i would buy truckloads. Also, the mold issue is really scary here since the humidity is so high. In the summer i would rather take my chances on smaller amounts, where i can hand pick the bales.

I like the idea of asking for a handful shipped. But then what is stopping them from handpicking the best.
Member:
Terrilyn

Posted on Monday, Jun 28, 2004 - 1:28 pm:

Always interesting to hear what others pay for their hay! I am going out on a limb and getting the truckload...I talked to the trucker who does most of the shipping for "Nathan" (and it turns out he is a broker who arranges sales for all his relatives who actually produce it) and he said folks were consistently happy with the hay quality. And that IS important to him as he's the one who gets stuck with it if it were to have to go back to NY! I have four other parties going in on this with me, and hopefully it will turn out fine. BTW, can't imagine paying what Joj is for hay...but feed stores always charge at least a buck or two more per bale. My local feed store owner says he doesn't WANT to carry hay....it's messy, takes up too much room and is a hassle to deal with. He carries it for convenience to his customers when they need it to tide them over and feels no guilt charging double what he paid for it!
The NY hay we are getting will end up right at $3.25 a bale, 40 lbs. each. Not a bad price.
Member:
Deggert

Posted on Monday, Jun 28, 2004 - 1:47 pm:

Here is San Diego CA.we buy 10 bales or so at a time due to storage. We are moving in a few months and we will have storage there. Anyway, alfalfa and bermuda weigh @ 100-120 at 10.99 give or take. Ochard is 17.00 for 110-120 pounds, timothy is 18 or 19. Ouch.
Member:
Sunny66

Posted on Monday, Jun 28, 2004 - 1:56 pm:

Northern Cal....$12.50 for great quality Timothy. It took me forever to find it tho.
Member:
Terrilyn

Posted on Monday, Jun 28, 2004 - 2:03 pm:

Interesting Debbie--here, Alfalfa is the most expensive, and Orchard is much less. Those last two prices for the Orchard and Timothy are outrageous.

On a slightly humorous note....my boyfriend, not a horse person, accuses me and my horsey acquaintances of sounding like pot dealers on the phone...."Is it green? How much does it weigh? Does it smell good? Any seeds....er, I mean, WEEDS in it???" :-)
Member:
Mrose

Posted on Monday, Jun 28, 2004 - 3:05 pm:

I'm very glad I live where I do! As I write this I am gazing out the window looking at fields of alfalfa and grass! One of the prettiest sights a horse owner can see

Terri-you're boyfriend's comments re: your phone calls reminds me of an incident I had several years ago. I met a good friend of mine, another breeder, for lunch. Our conversation soon turned to breeding. As we sat there happily eating and talking about semen counts, cycles, and the best way to collect a stallion, we suddenly bacame aware of quietness around us. It seemed the entire place was hanging on our every word,with looks of horror on the faces of a few of the older patrons. I'm sure our faces turned several shades of red as we realized people there were trying to figure out just what kind of business we were in, anyway!
Member:
Terrilyn

Posted on Monday, Jun 28, 2004 - 3:19 pm:

Too funny! Great story...
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