The cheapest hay you can get is usually in the field, behind the bailer during the summer haying season. After that, the price starts going up. If the hay producer picks the hay up and hauls it to his barn, I would expect to pay more. The most expensive hay is generally during the winter when everyone is feeding. You can usually get a price break by buying in volume also. If you have the storage space try to buy all of your hay at one time rather than buying it little by little as you need it. The most expensive hay around here is usually at the feed store.