Models just shifted North, which means we have a better shot of getting the NE quadrant rain/moisture drifting across MX to us.
Posted on 09/23/2011 6:04:50 PM PDT by DeaconBenjamin
GRAPEVINE (CBSDFW.COM) – If the drought wasn’t enough for farmers and ranchers to struggle with, now they are facing a growing threat. Thieves are targeting pastures and barns for suddenly valuable hay bales.
It’s the nature of ranchers like James Lockridge to give you something if you need it badly enough. “Come up and ask us. Surely we can work something out.”
Mitch Waters runs a feed store that’s such a fixture, people drive 50 miles to shop there. “Got out of school in 77 and been here ever since.”
But now both men, are putting their livelihoods behind locks. Signs are posted, keep out. They know where all the area security cameras are, and are intent on protecting something that’s never been worth as much as it is right now. “Our convenient hay barn here, for just the drive up customers.”
Yes, hay, is the new target for thieves. Round bales that used to sell for $20 are now topping $175.
The night watchman at Master Made Feed in Grapevine has scared off a half dozen prowlers already, and Lockridge says he’s lost more than 150 bales from a Grand Prairie Field – a $26,000 loss.
“If you want to steal a bale of hay. We’re going to press charges on you. You get caught stealing hay. You’re going to jail. We’re just not even going to play around no more,” says Lockridge.
It’s so valuable and becoming so rare that even the hay falling off the bales on the back of a truck is being picked up, put in bags and sold.
“It’s going to be a secured product because people are going to be in need of it and who knows what’s going to take place this winter,” says Winters.
With winter around the corner Lockridge is worried about having enough to feed his own animals, and is hurrying to get everything secured in lots now locked or guarded by round the clock security.
Hay is becoming so rare that Master Made Feed is paying people a finders fee if they can hook them up with willing sellers.
Bummer ... I use hay in our chicken nesting boxes. With the price of groceries skyrocketing we can little afford increased prices on hay.
that ain’t hay.
Would shredded newspaper work for the chickens?
Heck, around here they’re just taking orders and not delivering. Craig’s list is full of warnings re such.
I don’t use hay at the farm. Yet. Planning on a milk cow or three next spring and probably will have some then. I use wood shavings in the chicken nest boxes and peat moss on the coop floor.
I guess I better keep an eye on the price of hay for a while.
No trouble finding hay at the regular price here in Illinois. Must be a Texas drought-thing.
This is in drought scorched Texas. At that kind of price, hay ought to be coming in shortly from places like Louisiana.
That's expensive hay! (Right now hay is now about $150-$200 per ton)
We’re 100 miles from drought country- our yields are off 30% or so, so we’re feeling fat in comparison.
Hay will be a big deal by winter’s end. Cattle prices are sky high today but will go down soon.
Taking 5 heifer calves to the sale barn tomorrow I’d love to keep but the prices are too good to resist.
Thanks DeaconBenjamin. Sounds like someone needed hay for their own special meth recipe, but let’s see how many ways this can be blamed on ethanol. ;’)
We had a hot dry stretch here in Michigan this summer but the way the grass is growing now, I can’t imagine the hay is doing too bad.
Try the wood chips they use in horse stalls. It worked fine for me. Hard to find straw anymore.
Probably I will switch to wood shavings if hay spirals up.
Round bale of blue stem in the Panhandle right now is 180$....
Ranch hands an farmers are out there at night an will shoot you over such if ones tries to steal it yet they would share the last dollar they have if you needed help and asked.
Thieves don’t deserve to breathe IMO.
Hay is coming in from neighboring states in large amounts. Farmers an Ranchers are helping each other but if you steal from em your risking to much for such.
Pray for rain folks.
30 cows could eat a ton in a day with no pasture easily
5 years ago Tx sent hay here at $45 a bale...I bought 300
Never had heard of Sand Burr before..imagine a half sized pea with points
Had a few rolls with them in there
Terrible stories coming out from this drought in Tx and Ok
For people looking for hay online type in hay exchange
Models just shifted North, which means we have a better shot of getting the NE quadrant rain/moisture drifting across MX to us.
Hope it happens...we got a little yesterday morning but just enough to turn dirt into dust....:o)
Stay Safe !
Here in Arizona, we’ve given up feeding hay. We just chop up dollar bills, and feed that!
OK, joking. An 80 lb bale is running $17 (was around $10), and that is expected to rise to $25 this winter. However, it is poor quality hay. I’m feeding twice as much just to keep my two horses from losing weight.
But it beats what is happening in Texas...must really suck there!
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