Highway Robbery

[OH Breeder]

I am looking for hay in the Ohio, Michigan and Indiana area. They are charging in some cases $9-10 a small square 50-60#s bale plus $1.50 shipping per bale. I think they should be ashamed taking advantage of the market. I am feeding my cornstalks and skipping the hay. I might as well go to TSC and buy alfalfa cubes at that price.
UGH! I will remember all those when hay is plentiful again that are taking advantage of a bad siutation.

 

[Show Dad]

OHB - I know in 2005 & 2006 when we had our drought that hay got expensive but was always able to find it. In TX where the dry spell was longer I hear they paid what you are being asked and more.

My suggestion is to get together with your Friends and neighbors and buy a semi load. Take what you need and then sell the rest. Sell it under what those guys are asking and use what little you make to pay the freight.

 

[DL]

OH B- got a semiload of alfalfa (didn't really need alfalfa but the price was right)  for a good price from Wisc - of course there is freight - but I just paid $3.50 for farm diesel and $3.90 for on road diesel so everything is up - email me and I can give you the WI contact if you are interested....DL (aka the Elder statesperson  ;D

 

[shorthorns r us]

what is native and improved native bringing in net wrapped round bales.

 

[justme]

Robbery here in Missouri too....straw is $4.50 a bale if your lucky...never thought I'd see the day when wood shavings would be cheaper than straw.  Guess I was spoiled in Ohio with everyone making straw

 

[Doc]

I am looking for hay in the Ohio, Michigan and Indiana area. They are charging in some cases $9-10 a small square 50-60#s bale plus $1.50 shipping per bale. I think they should be ashamed taking advantage of the market. I am feeding my cornstalks and skipping the hay. I might as well go to TSC and buy alfalfa cubes at that price.
UGH! I will remember all those when hay is plentiful again that are taking advantage of a bad siutation.

OHB, Have you tried www.haybarn.com . I had a neighbor bought some off of it here in TN. It's worth a shot. There was 16 listings in Ohio.

 

[chambero]

Yep, the northern folks that had rain have stuck it to us down south for several years running before this one.  We were paying up to and over $100 a roundbale for anything we could get plus shipping.  And a lot of people couldn't find it to buy it at those prices. 

 

[ATOZ]

I have a customer that has about 40 round bales of good grass hay for sale in central -southern Illinois . He is asking $40/bale and should weight around 800-1000/bale. You would have to pay shipping but i think he still has them.

 

[Richburg]

i work at a feed store here in central florida and here are the prices for all the types of hay we have

Coastal 6.95
T/A 10.99
Albert Timothy 21.99
peanut hay 12.50
Orchard grass 13.00
New mexico alf. 15.99
coastal rounds 70.00      4x4

have you guys seen the new thing, COMPESSED HAY its like a cinderblock brick of hay wiegh 40-45 pounds

T/A minis 9.00
Orchard minis 9.00
Alf minis 12.00

hay has really got ridiculous in Florida

 

[strawroanlova]

i work at a feed store here in central florida and here are the prices for all the types of hay we have

Coastal 6.95
T/A 10.99
Albert Timothy 21.99
peanut hay 12.50
Orchard grass 13.00
New mexico alf. 15.99
coastal rounds 70.00       4x4

have you guys seen the new thing, COMPESSED HAY its like a cinderblock brick of hay wiegh 40-45 pounds

T/A minis 9.00
Orchard minis 9.00
Alf minis 12.00

hay has really got ridiculous in Florida

gee jordan ya think,hey i cant go to bartow with you

 

[Show Heifer]

I'm sorry, but you have lost your minds waiting this long to buy hay. I bought 70 - 80 pound  small squares of 70% alfalfa and 30% grass for $3 put in the barn. I spoke for and paid for that in JUNE. I bought 1400 net wrapped 50-50 hay for my cows in AUGUST for $45. I have to go get it, but its only 30 miles away.
I know within a few bales what I am going to need for my supply, so why put off buying until winter???

 

[OH Breeder]

I'm sorry, but you have lost your minds waiting this long to buy hay. I bought 70 - 80 pound  small squares of 70% alfalfa and 30% grass for $3 put in the barn. I spoke for and paid for that in JUNE. I bought 1400 net wrapped 50-50 hay for my cows in AUGUST for $45. I have to go get it, but its only 30 miles away.
I know within a few bales what I am going to need for my supply, so why put off buying until winter???

Step down oh high and mighty.Or maybe it is the way you typed it and came off....BUT..... My hay supplier ran out and left me in a learch. He said he would have some and be able to get me through. About a month ago he said he was going to be cutting it close. In the area I live we didn't have hardly any hay. If you got it for 3 bucks GOOD for you. You won't even touch straw in the area for that this year. Most wheat didn't even make much. Most of the farmers here tried to do oat hay at the last minute. We didn't have any rain in June, July and got little in August. I had very little to make.
Second, I live an hour and half from the farm, my sisters and I run the farm jointly. I have to depend on delivery because between my abdominal reconstruction and there knee replacements, it is all we can do to get in the pen. So that makes it that more interesting.
SO, I am baling corn stalks and should have 200 rounds to get me thru and til I get some hay bought.

 

[Show Dad]

OHB - I was in almost the same situation last year. I had paid for the hay and storage so I could get 100 at a time (I have limited storage space). And as supplies got tight the guy sold it again (not right). So I am in February short on hay. I needed it fast so guess what everyone I contacted did? Yep. raised the price. I did find some but at a higher price than I had paid but less than what the opportunist wanted. Needless to say who I buy my hay from now (The honest one).

Oh, you say, what did I do with the (dishonest) supplier who resold my hay. (clean version) Let's say I gave him some "advice" on integrity and leave it at that. I did make good and I got the hay he owed me. But not until May. I don't think to many people will be buying from him any time soon.

 

[Doc]

I'm sorry, but you have lost your minds waiting this long to buy hay. I bought 70 - 80 pound  small squares of 70% alfalfa and 30% grass for $3 put in the barn. I spoke for and paid for that in JUNE. I bought 1400 net wrapped 50-50 hay for my cows in AUGUST for $45. I have to go get it, but its only 30 miles away.
I know within a few bales what I am going to need for my supply, so why put off buying until winter???


[/quote
To start off with Show heifer , we can't buy square bales like that in the field for that kind of money in a good year (count yourself lucky). 2nd , alot of people around here put their names on lists with guys who kept telling them would get them their rolls & then finally told them they weren't going to be able get them their hay. A lot of the older farmers around here who run 15-20 head have sold their cows instead of paying $75-80 for 900lb rolls of Bermuda out of Arkansas. These guys will never replace those cows either & that's a loss for the industry.
You need to temper your words a little IMO, you never know what a person's individual circumstance is. 
OHB, I know a guy near Cleveland,OH that I will ask this weekend if he knows of any & if he does I will give you a call. Hopefully he will.

 

[CAB]

Here in SW Iowa, I have never seen so many cornstalks being baled. I'm thankful that the CRP acres were released @ 10 % buy back and extended dates for harvesting. It has helped relieve some of the crunch for some. People are talking about setting the poorer quality forage on end & either using corn syrup or a product called mix 30% to put in them somehow. I am concerned about the corn syrup product causing some troubles for some.
  I priced the mix 30% product a couple of days ago. The price was 146.50/ton delivered to me which comes to $.073/lb. Cows were to eat from 2 to 15 lbs./Hd/day. I know that is a large range for consumption. Remember guys, corn @ $4.00/ bushel = $0.0714/lb., and you can control consumption and get your cows to love you @ the same time. I think that a lot of this hay will be sitting around next spring and $45 dollars/ bale may seem high.

 

[CAB]

Hey Richburg, what units of measure are you talking about with your prices that you have posted please?

 

[Will]

I am going to play devils advocate and I do not condone gauging.    I will admit we sell hay and I would love to sell it for nine dollars a bale, currently we are getting $5.60 out of the barn.  The cost to produce high quality hay has really increased.  When you figure fertilizer, land values , fuel and labor.  Last year I had almost $70 a ton in the hay and my time was free.    My next argument is last year I sold a group of heifers at the sale barn for a ton of money, at a point were I do not think they can ever break even.  Should I send them a refund because they paid to much?  It is simple supply and demand.  I beleive the days of cheap hay are behind us.  Their may be some for a few more years but with the cost of production going up it will drive the price of hay  up  and as the older generation who have thier land and equipment paid for retire the guy that has to pay interest can not sell it as cheaply.  In todays enviroment you are not only competeing with other farmers for the hay to be used as feed but their other markets for hay and straw.  We have sold it to landscaping companies, the state for drainage ditches and sell a lot to horse people who do not even consider the price.  As well they are going to be using hay in the production of ethenol.    

 

[CAB]

We have to also remember that the hay ground is in competition with $4.00 corn, $10.00 Soybeans, and $6.00+ wheat. It is going to be interesting to see how us "cowboys" will fit into the picture.

 

[Show Dad]

CAB - You are right! We need to get use to higher input cost. The cost of things has stayed stagnant for years and now it's make up for lost time. I sure don't expect them to go down any time soon. If hay prices do drop you will see that land go into production of some other higher paying crop.

 

[knabe]

the government will only clap with glee as ag consolidates into fewer corporations which have employee numbers over thresholds with different requirements, usually around 45-50 employees.  of course since it will be easier to regulate at that point, they of course won't reduce government employee head count, they will probably increase it as they impose fees on acres (already happened in CA) in which they charge a yearly fee of $2-3 an acre so that the government can manage the property.  CA legislature is trying to extend this cost structure to ranchers.  it will be interesting to see if they can get it done.  basically it will kill the smaller rancher in CA and all ranchers who derive most of their income off the land.  Of course this is their goal as private property rights go against their orwellian desires.  private property should be illegal to them and they are not shy about stating it.

when ted turner dies, what will happen to his holdings?  will he donate them to the government as a preserve?