Hay Time : Call for Suppliers

Hay season is here! Everywhere I see hardy farmers in the fields cutting and baling. Nothing says country like seeing the veil of fresh hay drying in the sun, or the bales dotting a field and waiting to be collected. Any horse person will tell you one of their favorite scents is a barn full of good hay.

Haymaking has come a long way. Early peoples were nomadic, following animals for meat sources as well as allowing their domestic animals better grazing. Some cut leafy tree branches to dry and create “leafy hay.” Alfalfa was first cultivated in Turkey around 2000 b.c. Cutting and drying hay took immense effort. Cut by hand with sickles and scythes, it was either stacked in tall mounds, to easily shed water. If the farmer was lucky, or rich enough, he had a barn or silo for storage.  Today tractors and equipment take the place of swinging hand tools. You can read more about the history of hay in a great article by Equus magazine.

Hay is as much a part of horse life as breathing. We need to feed the horses in winter, supplement in summer, used when transporting, or when a horse is stalled. I have great respect for hay suppliers. Even with our technology and advancement in seed development, it is still a long and hard day in the field.

Finding a good hay supplier is gold to a horse owner. Finding a central source for a hay suppliers can be challenging. If you are a hay supplier, please be a part of Southern Horse Meets Northern Girl directory. you can submit here. Happy Haying!!