Hay Hay Hay!!!

Seems like a good topic being that it's winter and all.  Heck my whole day, week, month, world revolves around feeding right now.

  Too much...are they wasting copious amounts? 

Too little...are they getting enough to stay warm and happy? 

And now...is Tari getting too much sugar? 

Yikes... 

When is spring again??  (0:

Above is a small round from my "old" hay guy Jack.  It was advertised as a 400-500lb bale.  Jack made his hay for himself and sold off the rest.  It was good hay and the girls ate it pretty good.  But it was baled pretty loose and they made quick work of it as far as tearing it apart. 

It was fairly hard to keep the waste under control...but we managed. 

Cost $25-$30 per bale.  It really just depended on his mood some times.

Last fall Jack sold all of his cattle.  This fall, he sold his place.  So I had to find a new source for my small round bales.

This bale (above) is from my "new" hay guy Gary.  Gary sells hay.  Gary used to be a truck driver who dabbled in cutting horses and cattle.  He harvests his hay crop, sells it and then goes to Arizona for the rest of the winter. 

This hay is advertised as 500lbs. 

It's also $30 per bale. 

This hay is wound tighter than an 8 day clock.  It takes the girls much longer to get it torn apart.  And eaten.  They don't love it quite like Jack's but I am sure that's because Jacks was an Alfalfa mix.  This is pretty nice clean grass hay.

It's pretty easy to see that there is quite a difference in what one old cowboy says is 500lbs and what another says it is.  I had a suspicion that Jack's hay was light.  But until I got Gary's I wasn't sure of it.  Jack's hay would (with some manipulation) fit into my round tub.  Gary's doesn't no matter how carefully I try and set it into it...

And there is also the fact that I can feel the hay land when Gary sets it in the back of the truck...

Neither of these two old guys is my small square supplier...(0:

The square bale guy is Glenn.  He is really more of a hay broker...the squares that I am feeding right are not local, it's from Montana.  St. Ignacius Montana.  Glenn delivers my hay and stacks it for me.  If I could find this quality hay locally AND get it delivered and stacked, I would...but thus far, it's a no go.  Although, if Tari really needs to be taken off of Alfalfa, I may have to do some shopping next summer... )0:

I hate shopping.  I like telling someone what I want and then having them bring it to me! LOL!!

I suppose though, I could try just telling Glenn that I need some good grass hay... Get a quote, then call some local guys 'round the area and price check.  That's what I will probably end up doing. 

He was $30 per ton cheaper with this mix hay stacked and delivered.

That price difference paid for my rounds. (0:

Yahoo for me!

Totally off topic...but aren't donkey noses cute?  I mean REALLY cute?  This is Jack-Jack's nose.  It's really picture worthy wouldn't you say??

Patron's nose...also picture worthy!

And that's all I've got on hay.  For now! (0:

Please, please...hold the applause!