The drought of 2012 had its
advantages. Ponds went dry and the dozer
operators had a field day in restoring old ponds. Expensive repairs caused by leaking roofs were
delayed. Those with stock including
horses and donkeys could not find enough hay with their normal suppliers, so I didn’t
have much difficulty in selling mine.
This year was a different story; the
weather changed. It was almost a perfect
spring with lots of rain and long cool days.
At one point the hay reached to my front pockets and the yield was up 57%
over last year. There was no problem
with weeds because cool season grasses like fescue and orchard grass outgrew them. I don’t do second cuttings (yet)
because the process is reversed in September – hay grows slower and weeds like
Horse Nettle take over.
Farm Economics 101 has taught me
that farmers are big gamblers. Who knew
with perfect weather and large crops that my new customers would go back to
their old suppliers? As I waited and
advertised more, the rains came again in July and the crop began its deterioration. Some old timers might say, “Rain won’t hurt
it that much.” I disagree. The strings rot and the bale sags and becomes
difficult to handle. More importantly, the
nutritional value is lost in the bale’s first six to twelve inches.
With no customers, I had to sell
short at half price to get rid of the hay in the field. The real farmers have Net Wrap, a sort of
shrink wrap, and large pole barns to preserve their crop. I was caught with my pants down - no storage. Next year I may have to build a dedicated hay
barn. Two years ago I lost $5,000, last
year only $3,000. This year I broke
even. Added to the 2014 fertilizer bill
in a few months will be my first spraying costs.
I enjoy working on a farm,
especially mowing hay. I’m finding
haying something I have to do to keep up the field and something I might
eventually make a little money at to balance costs. Working in the field is a part of my Ozark
heritage. It has its downside, but it certainly
beats walking the malls in my retirement and dying from a heart attack in front
of Macy’s.
