The Hay Situation
October 26th, 2015 · No Comments · Posted in farming
Two years ago when we were just starting Spy Dog Farm we were a bit panicked about how we were going to feed our livestock over the winter. We weren’t sure where to turn, then the woman who sold us our sheep steered us to a local farmer who not only delivered a gorgeous stack of 450 bales but just happened to have a never-been-used tarp to cover it with.
It was so convenient having all that hay close by. As the pile diminished, I was less enthusiastic about the tarp, which flapped and tore in the wind.
Two winters later, that hay’s been eaten and the tarp is in tatters. We turned to the same farmer for more hay and were told we were at the top of the list. But weeks passed between phone calls. He said hay season had been delayed on account of the weather. As summer gave way to fall, I grew increasingly nervous. Finally, when our calls ceased to be answered, I reached out to a mutual acquaintance who informed me our farmer friend had produced hardly any hay at all this year. If I could find it somewhere else, I should buy it quick.
I was disappointed. Besides being a really likeable fellow, our hay supplier was also a forester who more than once sped to the rescue when a big tree fell on one of our fences. Fortunately, the family who sells us our livestock feed also grows hay. Just in the nick of time–meaning before they sold out–we made a deal for 330 bales. The big difference: they don’t deliver. I’ll be driving to Greenwich to fetch the hay with the pickup truck. It fits 15 bales. That’s a lot of trips to Greenwich.
All that driving certainly makes our hay more expensive. On the up side, we won’t have to deal with that stupid tarp anymore. On a traditional farm, the hay would be stored in a loft inside a big barn. We don’t have a barn. Nowadays, some farmers erect canvass “high tunnels” for storage. That’s not in a our current budget either.
So drive it is. No doubt there are some winter adventures in store.
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