Hay shortages underway. What to do

samedi 11 juillet 2015

Currently I'm out of hay. 2nd cutting is really nowhere near ready. Customers want hay next week. I was planning on buying hay from a few local fellow hay farmers I can trust, but they are holding onto what little they have. One is willing to sell, but probably $250/ton for 3x4 bales and I don't even know 100% if he is wanting to sell. I really don't want to lose this customer. She buys 16 round bales per week. As much as $85/bale.
If I could get the big bales for her, I could possibly make a small profit acting as a hay transporter. The drive up to her including loading is about a 2 hr up, 1 hr unload and 1 hr home, so say 4 hrs. Might be able to make $350 for transport fee.

My other option is to cut some fields way early (grass is maybe 24" tall) and make a light 2nd cutting. Not exactly perfectly clean as I sprayed weeds only about 8 days ago, but used herbicide that's ok to cut in only 7 days, so I'm clear to cut, but weeds still present.

Or I might lose customer. I was just brought on board a month ago. Previous supplier was bringing her junk hay.
So do I buy hay from someone else until mines closer to being thick enuf to cut, or cut mine now? if I cut mine now, I'm sure I'll get another cutting and the hay will be really nice, but I'd be lucky to cut 4-5 weeks worth.
I'm leaning towards cutting early and getting her round bales while weather warm. She will switch to a lot more squares for winter and maybe they'll be more plentiful by then.
Would have no problem making an extra $350-$450/week bring her someone else's hay until mines ready, but.....
Advice??

Hay shortages underway. What to do

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