Hay-2015--effects of too much rain=shortage in your area?

[greybeard]

Both the guys I get hay from have doubts they will have much available unless all this rain stops soon. I passed on 1st cutting--usually do----beginning to think that might have been a mistake. I doubt they were able to get in and do any fertilizing, since it's been wet and soggy since Feb and now still can't get enough dry sunny days back to back to do any haying.

 

[Toad]

Here we were cool and wet through April with one frost that hurt growth. May has been dry and warm and so far the hay is really growing. However I wouldn't mind to see one more significant rain soon while it is warm. Right now I think first cutting will be a little less than last year but thats going to depend a lot on how much moisture we get in the next two weeks. I normally start cutting around the last week of May.

 

[1982vett]

Both the guys I get hay from have doubts they will have much available unless all this rain stops soon. I passed on 1st cutting--usually do----beginning to think that might have been a mistake. I doubt they were able to get in and do any fertilizing, since it's been wet and soggy since Feb and now still can't get enough dry sunny days back to back to do any haying.

I wouldn't worry to much....June, July, August, September, October, and November are still in front of us. :nod: I can't say for you, but I think June of 1998 was the last time it rained something like 18 days out of 23 days here....By the middle of July we were parched and begging for rain.

 

[Rafter S]

Both the guys I get hay from have doubts they will have much available unless all this rain stops soon. I passed on 1st cutting--usually do----beginning to think that might have been a mistake. I doubt they were able to get in and do any fertilizing, since it's been wet and soggy since Feb and now still can't get enough dry sunny days back to back to do any haying.

I wouldn't worry to much....June, July, August, September, October, and November are still in front of us. :nod: I can't say for you, but I think June of 1998 was the last time it rained something like 18 days out of 23 days here....By the middle of July we were parched and begging for rain.

I agree. While it's pretty much always a good idea to plan ahead, it's way too early to worry about not enough hay. I'd be more inclined to worry if we weren't getting rain.

 

[skyhightree1]

If I bought hay id buy it soon as it was available you never know what could happen.

 

[bigbull338]

we are going to get a 1st cutting of hay.but when i dont know as they are giving 2 more weeks of rain.but the hay is still growing good.

 

[bball]

Im more worried that when it finally does dry out enough to get to mowing, the hay is going to be pretty rank for the first cutting.

 

[Kingfisher]

Im more worried that when it finally does dry out enough to get to mowing, the hay is going to be pretty rank for the first cutting.

Yep it's going to be way past the boot stage in some fields I would guess.

 

[greybeard]

Yes, stayed in the field uncut too long.

I wouldn't worry to much....June, July, August, September, October, and November are still in front of us. :nod:

For you, that is probably ok, but for my location, those are tropical weather months.
I didn't live here in 1989 or 2001, but my parents did and I remember both tropical storm allisons and their 15-40" of rainfall.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Allison
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_S ... ison_(1989)

 

[dun]

A cople of years back we had an exceptionally wet spring. There was plenty of hay but it was all put up late so it was low quality.

 

[Craig Miller]

I say its never too early to wory wbout enough hay. There is a time when its too late though and that time will be here before we know it.

 

[highgrit]

Our first cutting is in the barn. We need a good rain and the second will be good also. Hay is never a problem, all you need is a good truck and trailer.

 

[inyati13]

Here we were cool and wet through April with one frost that hurt growth. May has been dry and warm and so far the hay is really growing. However I wouldn't mind to see one more significant rain soon while it is warm. Right now I think first cutting will be a little less than last year but thats going to depend a lot on how much moisture we get in the next two weeks. I normally start cutting around the last week of May.

SAME HERE.

 

[Big Cheese]

Its still really wet here and we still haven't been able to get into any of our hay fields. We have a lot of hay ready to cut as well.

 

[Texas Gal]

A cople of years back we had an exceptionally wet spring. There was plenty of hay but it was all put up late so it was low quality.

It appears we're headed down that road this year. On the bright side, I'd rather have low quality hay than be short of hay.

 

[Big Cheese]

A cople of years back we had an exceptionally wet spring. There was plenty of hay but it was all put up late so it was low quality.

It appears we're headed down that road this year. On the bright side, I'd rather have low quality hay than be short of hay.

i agree here. Don't want to be short on hay no matter what the quality.

 

[blx]

Well, a week since the last post and things in central MO are still the same... can't get a rain break, at least where I am. Rained all day today. Anyone in MO cut any hay yet?

 

[dun]

Well, a week since the last post and things in central MO are still the same... can't get a rain break, at least where I am. Rained all day today. Anyone in MO cut any hay yet?

We're in the same boat. Noy enough rain to do any real good but just enoughto keep it too wet for hay to cure. We used to cut hay in about mid June, the last couple of years we finished by Memeorial Day. This year we're looking like maybe the 4th of July before we cut it. Lots of great growth with a lot of leaf. By the time we cut it the quality will be pretty poor.

 

[Big Cheese]

Same boat down here in Arkansas. Hasn't been dry enough to even think about cutting anything.

 

[greybeard]

there sure hasn't anything changed here. went down to the pond on a tractor today and pulled both boats further up the embankment and dang near got stuck coming back to the shop. i can drive it some places, but don't want to drive in the same track twice. I have not seen a single trailer of hay on the road this spring.