Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Finally......A Good Hay Source

  After buying hay last year from 6 different farmers, and being disappointed to varying degrees with all of them, I finally found the right one! And Bill lives just a mile away! I bought 40 bales for next winter at $35 per bale. This is nice fescue and orchardgrass hay, cut May 15 and baled right. Bill fertilizes and controls weeds, which is rare around here. He has a customer base that takes most of his 100 acre production, but he sold me 40 bales!

This is one field

Wow...hay that is actually leafy, green and weed free !!

Next winter's hay, all lined up on pallets

I covered about 2/3 of it before a wind storm and shower stopped me. I'll finish in a couple days when it dries out well. Here I just got started.

This pink rose anchors the corner of the garden. It came with a large batch of red Knockout roses we planted 3 years ago. I moved it here and replaced it with a red one. I don't know what it is, but it is as hardy and carefree as the Knockouts, and really pretty.

The Knockouts are at their prime and the Day Lilies are ready to burst out in blooms.

We are still picking a lot of asparagus, spinach, leaf lettuce and strawberries daily.
Chicken salad with fresh homegrown greens again tonight. Supper time...gotta go!

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8 comments:

  1. AlicaMay 21, 2013 at 7:33 PM

    That's a lot of nice looking hay! We don't have any orchard grass hay...all alfalfa... except for a "cake" that we bought from our Amish neighbor to feed Jenna's goats!

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    1. RayMay 21, 2013 at 9:08 PM

      I would take alfalfa in a second, if I could get it. Very little grown around here, and not good quality. And VERY expensive. This hay cost me about $85/ton.

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  2. DewenaMay 22, 2013 at 5:49 PM

    The hay is picture perfect! And oh, those salad greens! I can taste the chicken salad, my favorite salad and it's even better the next day, isn't it?

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    1. RayMay 22, 2013 at 9:17 PM

      Yes, it is. Had some strawberries and walnuts on it too! Yumm!

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  3. gldMay 23, 2013 at 3:57 AM

    How wonderful that you found a good hay source. The bales look perfect.....possibly John Deere equipment? We are trying to bale our own again this year (having it done) and fertilized heavily. I think they need to start cutting but will leave it up to the professionals. I still see some thistles out there but don't dare mess the field up at this point. We were afraid the rains would cause the grass to lodge but, so far, we are good.

    The rose is gorgeous.

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  4. RayMay 23, 2013 at 6:29 AM

    You are right! he does have John Deere baler & tractor. They are the smaller 4x5 bales but are very tight....he did a good job.

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  5. AnnJune 4, 2013 at 9:14 AM

    What area do you all live in? I'm looking for any 'left-over' spoiled straw for my garden but I definitely want weed-free. I live northeast of Nashville but we're willing to travel a ways to get a large trailer full.

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    Replies
    1. RayJune 4, 2013 at 9:22 AM

      Hi Ann,
      I'm near Christiana, south of Murfreesboro.
      Have you tried posting on Craig's List? I've found the farm and garden listings for Middle Tennessee a good source for many things.

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