43 replies to this topic

[ARD Farm]

Another 'unrealistic expectations' this time in this evenings newspaper in the editorial section.

BTW, it's the Monroe Evening News, Thursday, August 9th, page 4A

Direct quote.... My comments inserted italicized......

Farmers shoudn't charge so much for hay

As a child growing up on a farm, when things got tough, such as a drought, the neighbors would all pull together and share with each other.

...I doubt she grew up on a farm. Farming is for profit at least last time I checked and always has been.....

Today, that is such a different story. I found this fact out when I went to purchase hay for my horses. The few neighbors that do have hay are selling it for an outrageous price. They would rather make an extreme profit than help out their neighbors in need. My pasture is dead and all I have to feed my horses last years hay just to sustain them.

...You charge what the market will bear according to value, last time I checked rare commodities cost a lot. Here, hay is a rare commodity. She's a real person of the earth. Her pasture is dormant, so is her cranial area IMO.....

My husband and I discussed it and we would rather pit our horses down than to let them starve. They are rescue horses that have been through that once. That is why we have them and it would be inhumane to put them through that again.

...If you can't afford them you had no business getting them in the first place. Slaughter of equines has been legalized here. Maybe you should cut your losses and butcher them.....

I am all for farmers making a profit, but we report gas gouging, why not hay gouging? I can even see charging double but i refuse to pay $10 a bale and some are even charging up to $30. Is greed worth seeing neighbors livestock suffer?

....In the broadest sense of the word, owning horses isn't owning livestock, it's like owning a boat except with a boat, it's a hole in the water you pour money into. A horse is a hole in the barn... Hay gouging? You have to be kidding me. This lady has no idea just how tough it is this year for many producers, she probably has no idea what it takes to produce a quality bale at any time in any year.....

I was lucky and found hay at a somewhat reasonable price but what about those who haven't found it yet? I pray that those who do still have hay find it in their hearts to think of the animals and not their greed,

...I sincerely hope that whomever she got the 'cheap' hay from isn't a poster on this site and that the check isn't rubber.

Just thought I'd share that 'letter to the editor with all of you....
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[steve in IN]

BITCH. Thats putting it mildly. Glad shes not my wife.I am sure she complained when it she was buying it for two bucks from some weekend warrior. If sh had a stable supplier instead of buying the cheapest hay she could find she would have hay. All of my regular long term customers are getting all of thier hay. This year will open a few peoples eyes and thier wallets.

[Mike120]

We had to listen to the same bleeding hearts last year with the drought in this part of Texas.....While I was importing hay. They get rid of the slaughter facilities, can't feed their rescue animals, and expect everyone else to support them. That's what happens when stupid people turn livestock into pets.

[urednecku]

Issue a public challenge for her...to produce hay at the price she now wants to pay, and still have enough left over for her to eat and buy grain for her horsie.

[NDVA HAYMAN]

Yep. I can see her now. 15 horses and a 2 acre pasture. Sure her pasture is dead! She has to feed last years hay? I am glad she still has some. Why didn't she share it with her neighbors last year?

Steve, you always crack me up. I like to start the day off with a good laugh.

[swmnhay]

BITCH. Thats putting it mildly. Glad shes not my wife.I am sure she complained when it she was buying it for two bucks from some weekend warrior. If sh had a stable supplier instead of buying the cheapest hay she could find she would have hay. All of my regular long term customers are getting all of thier hay. This year will open a few peoples eyes and thier wallets.

So would these same people go in to a feed store and demand to pay less for some oats?I've been weeding out these types of customers.

[HALLSHAY]

You gougers!!! How could you charge $400 a ton for hay and sleep at night? That might cost a whole $130 a month to feed a horse! You could fill your tank ALL the way with gas with that kind of a wad. I bet you could even go out to dinner at McD's with the leftover. Truth is that hobbies cost money and we all work hard so we have some time and money to do a few of the things we want to do. I owned a bad-ass Malibu boat when I was a little younger. When it was all said and done and we sold it, It worked out to over $100 per HOUR to own. I have a hard time not spending $130 a month on toys for my 2 kids on random Walmart trips!

[somedevildawg]

Oh so now you gotta bring boats into the equation, thanks.....I think I'm at about 500 an hour if I HAD to think about it......I try not to...

[swmnhay]

EXACTLY! Horses are a hobby and there is no way someone should support someone elses HOBBY.

I like to fish.I would hate to guess how much the fish I eat cost me per lb.I know I could buy it a lot cheaper but it is MY hobby and I pay for it!

Maybe horsey person would like to pitch in and buy a tank of gas for my boat?

[NDVA HAYMAN]

Cy, If it wasn't for Karen catching all the fish, think about how much that would cost then?

[swmnhay]

Cy, If it wasn't for Karen catching all the fish, think about how much that would cost then?

Cy -7 walleye Karen -1

So about 12 lbs of fillets

Boat $12,000-10% annual= $1200
boat license $30
fishing licenses $40
boat gas $100
pickup fuel $100
snacks for in boat $100
beer $200

$1770 div by 12 lbs of meat =$147.50 per lb

Karen just needs to catch more fish to get our cost per lb down!!!

[mlappin]

We had to listen to the same bleeding hearts last year with the drought in this part of Texas.....While I was importing hay. They get rid of the slaughter facilities, can't feed their rescue animals, and expect everyone else to support them. That's what happens when stupid people turn livestock into pets.

Pretty much what the government has been doing for years. Turning stupid people into pets that the rest of us can support.

[NDVA HAYMAN]

I figured the beer tab would equal the cost of the boat!

[mlappin]

only $200 for beer?

Not a fisherman myself. Within five minutes I get bored and start taking the boat apart or power slam the beer and ready to go home. Just can't stand to sit still that long. With the Olympics being on and in England this year, it's most likely the most I've watched the boob tube in years. Flights are hell for me, drop a wad in the airport lounge, get on plane, hopefully sleep most of the way.

[swmnhay]

We actually don't drink much beer in the boat.Operating the boat same as driving a car and can get a DWI at .08

Have a few beers afterwards with fresh fish!!!

[Chessiedog]

I just don't understand why you guys think it is ok for hay prices to climb. Everyone knows that grass is free! “we report gas gouging" really? When did that ever do anything? What about diesel fuel? Something that takes less refining then gas, but it's higher.


Earth to women come in ! Earth to woman come in ! Oh dang she headed back to her plantet already .

[Teslan]

People in Florida and California have been paying $10 a bale for years from what I'm told. Time for the rest of the horsey people in the country to get used to it. Oh and we give plenty of hay to the neighbor for free. He happily goes out and picks up the hay we missed with the baler in the field. He happily takes the "inferior" hay that others pick over and cusses those that don't buy that hay from us. His horses haven't died yet from that "inferior" hay.

I sold some hay to a lady that runs a horse boarding facility this week. She said she probably won't be in business next year thanks to high hay prices. I said why don't you just raise your boarders rent or charge then a hay price surcharge. She looked at me like she had never thought of that.

[RockmartGA]

"As a child growing up on a farm, when things got tough, such as a drought, the neighbors would all pull together and share with each other. Today, that is such a different story. I found this fact out when I went to purchase hay for my horses. The few neighbors that do have hay are selling it for an outrageous price. They would rather make an extreme profit than help out their neighbors in need."

Reminds me of the old story:

Young couple looking to buy a house. They spot a man sitting on his porch next door and go introduce themselves. They ask "How are the neighbors around here?" to which the man replied "Depends. How are the neighbors where you live now?"

[cwright]

To them "its just grass" and at the same time don't care or understand the expense and intense labor to produce it.
I doubt she ever sweated a drop in a hayfield.

CW

[mlappin]

I hardly doubt she has ever just "helped" a hay producing neighbor without expecting something in return.

She also needs to realize high prices like these make up for years when hay is selling at or below the cost of production.

I remember one year hauling in loads that were a touch over three tons, had just enough from the sale of the load to fill both tanks on the hay truck and maybe enough leftover for lunch at McDonalds.