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Just a hobby farmer here in south-central WA state, with a few acres of grass hay, but just to get a little geographical diversity, and a balance to some of the sad accounts from elsewhere... First cutting was later than I thought I wanted due to business travel during the week I had planned to hay, but turned out to be a blessing. That week had severe wind storms that would have taken downed and drying hay into the next county. As it was, I hayed during the one week of near record high temperatures back in early May, and got my best yield ever. The bad news was that my poor, ancient and ailing equipment didn't care at all for that extra tall, extra thick grass! :) I finished irrigating this morning, and will mow second cutting starting Friday or Saturday. We've had unseasonably cool, wet weather here, so grass is doing great, but not much weather for drying. Looks like starting Friday will be another run of good weather, and looks like my highest yield second cutting ever. Folks I sell my hay to tell me it's next to impossible for horse owners to find good horse hay short of buying it at the feed stores at $8-10 per 100 lb. bale. According to them, most of the haying operations around here lost their first cutting due to wet weather, and/or sold it for cattle feed. My haying schedule is driven by weather, irrigation schedule, and demands of my full-time job, but having only a few acres makes it easier to fit in. However, credit hitting the good drying weather to a lot of prayer! Chuck, WA
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