# Hay prices in Fresno and North bay areas?



## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Um, I live just outside of Fresno and its 20.00 dollars for a bale of grass hay...It wont be in season for long
Reg alfalfa is 14.95 a bale for the good bales..
11.48 for a bag of 50lb cubes.
12.36 for 50lb bag of rice bran.

I am spending 120-160 a month for my guys groceries/Just for one horse.


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## ApolloRider (Feb 14, 2013)

Oh wow.
Do you happen to know how much the bales weigh, on average? 
I know it's a pretty big farming area there, I just don't know exactly what the primary crops are. Is it possible to grow there?

We have tons of local grass growers here so the prices are fairly competitive.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

I am sorry I dont know how much the bales weigh??? I couldnt even guess...I'll ask a friend if she knows that buys from the same place I do and get back to you on that..I think the primary crops are alfalfa, Bermuda, and oat...Big time farming areas here ) (Not bermuda..Reg grass hay) And orchard grass..


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Oh yea you can grow here - I do know of a friend of a friend that grows his own oat hay here and sells...


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## ApolloRider (Feb 14, 2013)

Great!

The properties I've been looking at are all 10 - 40 acres.
My agent knows I want flat acreage so hopefully I will find a gem. Then I'd have learn what the heck I'm doing, or just have my cousin do it and pay him... 

We just need to figure out what the heck is going on with the relocation....
We were supposed to know last Friday... I hate having to wait. 
Grrr


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Good luck to you!! This is a nice area but you may hate the hot summers lol!
I think just outside of Fresno in the Clovis area is best..(Its the nicer community)
I hardly ever make it to Fresno unless shopping in that area. The bay area is more expensive to live but is nice as well and the summers are not as hot there.


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## ApolloRider (Feb 14, 2013)

Yeah we are looking at a few in Clovis, and some properties further North, I forget the city names, but they are bordering some forest. Whatever the forest is below Yosemite. 

I do LOVE north bay. If we end up relocated there we may have to buy property and build. I haven't found a single place I've liked in our price range. 

I'm used to the heat, the husband however has lived in WA. His whole life... He will be miserable during the summer. Poor thing. Haha.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Wow, that is pricey for a bale of hay! 50 - 60 lb bales are $4 right now, farmers are getting it out of their barns to make rooms for this years hay. Even though we share a coastline and a faultline (BC here), glad we don't share hay prices!


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## ApolloRider (Feb 14, 2013)

waresbear said:


> Wow, that is pricey for a bale of hay! 50 - 60 lb bales are $4 right now, farmers are getting it out of their barns to make rooms for this years hay. Even though we share a coastline and a faultline (BC here), glad we don't share hay prices!


The one thing that's cheaper up there.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

ApolloRider on that hay weight 60-75lbs.
I think you will like it here if you move here..There is horse community, functions, farming ect~ everywhere...
It is pricey to live here but again the wages make up for that so it evens out a bit..

I agree Wares lol! Everything here is expensive...


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Apollo....check Craigslist Fresno, Merced, Modesto. Lots of hay offered. 
I get 100-110 lb bales of oat hay for 11$, from the grower. Alfalfa, 90-100lb bales run between 12 and 15$, grass hay, IF you can find it, 90lb bales 15-20$
I was getting orchard/timothy, 85lb bales, from the feedstore for 21$, all winter. 

Don't know if you'd be considering my area, Merced county, but next to us is a place for sale, probably 5-10 acres, house, well, irrigated, 498, I think, and adjacent 20 acres, 245k....all flat, you'll see Thursday who will visit Sunday;-)


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

I have lived around Fresno/Clovis my entire life... In the "mountain" communities of Auberry and Prather and Tollhouse and North Fork, etc.

I currently live roughly halfway between Fresno and Yosemite around a pretty populated town called Coarsegold, which is still in that general vacinity. In Coarsegold, the hay prices have been pretty consistently between $18 - $35 for a bale of grass hay, and alfalfa is usually slightly cheaper. The feed store that we buy from is by no means the cheapest in the area, but it's usually around that regardless of which store you purchase from.

No one irrigates here, so grazing alone is usually not enough here. It also almost never rains. Cause it's kind of a desert and stuff. 

It's also yellow. So, so yellow. All of the time. Except for a month or so in spring. But then yellow. So much yellow. And brown. Yellow.

Welcome to the stinky polluted party!  Maybe we'll be seeing you around!


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

mudpie said:


> I have lived around Fresno/Clovis my entire life... In the "mountain" communities of Auberry and Prather and Tollhouse and North Fork, etc.
> 
> I currently live roughly halfway between Fresno and Yosemite around a pretty populated town called Coarsegold, which is still in that general vacinity. In Coarsegold, the hay prices have been pretty consistently between $18 - $35 for a bale of grass hay, and alfalfa is usually slightly cheaper. The feed store that we buy from is by no means the cheapest in the area, but it's usually around that regardless of which store you purchase from.
> 
> ...


You better get a truck and a trailer and come over here for hay;-)
Seriously, 35$ for grass hay????


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## mudpie (Jul 15, 2011)

deserthorsewoman said:


> You better get a truck and a trailer and come over here for hay;-)
> Seriously, 35$ for grass hay????


Ai-yup! Mudpie and I are actually staying with a friend in Oakdale right now and the grass hay here is $14.95 and I'm just rolling around with glee! 

Fortunately, the prices dropped to $18 a bit before we left, but when Mudpie sustained his suspensory injury I had to switch him to grass hay I discovered that unfortunate pricing... I gagged every time I had to buy a new bale...


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## ApolloRider (Feb 14, 2013)

Merced may be a little far. My husband has some family there I think. 

I did actually check craigslist just asking about people who sold hay. I got quite a few responses. I was thinking it would cost a lot more than it actually does. 
The suspense is killing me. We were supposed to find out last friday whether or not we are moving. This is the 3rd time we've gone through a 'possible' relocation.
So annoying...


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## ApolloRider (Feb 14, 2013)

deserthorsewoman said:


> Apollo....check Craigslist Fresno, Merced, Modesto. Lots of hay offered.
> I get 100-110 lb bales of oat hay for 11$, from the grower. Alfalfa, 90-100lb bales run between 12 and 15$, grass hay, IF you can find it, 90lb bales 15-20$
> I was getting orchard/timothy, 85lb bales, from the feedstore for 21$, all winter.
> 
> Don't know if you'd be considering my area, Merced county, but next to us is a place for sale, probably 5-10 acres, house, well, irrigated, 498, I think, and adjacent 20 acres, 245k....all flat, you'll see Thursday who will visit Sunday;-)


Whats the address? It's worth a look my husband would be traveling all over that area so we have a wider range than most people.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

I PM'd you


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## caseymyhorserocks (Apr 5, 2010)

Where I am in north CA it is $22 for grass hay, $24 for Alfalfa/grass, and $26 for Alfalfa. 120 pounds. It is insane. Cant grow hay where I am, too wet. It has raised $2 in the last 5 years, not a lot, but it is still insanely expensive. It is great hay though. The only other hay is crap moldy stuff for $8.


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

deserthorsewoman said:


> You better get a truck and a trailer and come over here for hay;-)
> Seriously, 35$ for grass hay????


Down here in San Diego grass is between $20 and $25 and orchard is $30


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

ApolloRider said:


> Whats the address? It's worth a look my husband would be traveling all over that area so we have a wider range than most people.


If you want at least a squeeze....you may want to try and contact Andre Musgrave who owns Musgrave Hay Sales. He is awesome. Great hay. Used to get his stuff at a Fresno Feed Store. My friend is a breeder in Paso Robles and he gets a truck load and loves it too.

Musgrave Hay Sales - Riverdale, CA (California) | (559) 410-2328


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## Paintlover1965 (May 22, 2009)

That's too bad about the price of hay in Ca. It's interesting to gain perspective for us to realize what others have to deal with. Good luck with your hay season this summer no matter what you choose to do.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Oldhorselady said:


> Down here in San Diego grass is between $20 and $25 and orchard is $30


I will never complain anymore.....the 21$ bales are timothy/orchard and just now, after a year, I had caught a bottom bale with a little mold.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Its interesting to see the hay prices in this area and how they differ. For sure in my area you can buy a ton or a squeeze and get individuals discounted with the bundle. I think a few years ago we bought a half ton and it was around seven hundred....That was nice for the time, I didnt have to worry about trips to town for feed.
I now just buy for the month - Only feeding one horse.
I dont know how I did it before w/two horses, I use to buy weekly it was crazy.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

We just picked up 25 bales alfalfa, 90lb bales, $12 each and 20 bales oat, 110 lb bales, $10 each. We prefer to pick it up, stack doesn't fit under the overhang, so it would have to be taken apart by hand anyway, and have it delivered, 16 miles, is $85........


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Thats nice Desert!


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Yeah, I consider myself lucky lol...
Mainly because the oathay guy will hold a stack for us. That is awesome!!


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## Aggs (Apr 9, 2013)

Holy cow that's expensive hay! 

On the ranch we just grow our own. Saves a lot of money.


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## ApolloRider (Feb 14, 2013)

Thanks for all your insight everyone. My husband was offered a position in Fresno, but he decided to turn it down. He went there to get an idea of the locations he would be managing and while loved the opportunity he decided he absolutely hated the heat, and would rather wait for the same position to open up in Seattle. 

I thought it was funny... It's not even summer. What a weenie, I warned him!!!


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

I don't blame him AT ALL. 98 today. 
BUT.....my hubby was offered a position up at your end, Bellevue, and yesterday it was, according to the weather channel, 52 and raining.....No thanks, he said...lol


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## ApolloRider (Feb 14, 2013)

Haha. 
Yes it does rain... a lot. I kind of like it though, keeps it green! You should have visited Seattle, its fun. I really enjoy seattle.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

I've had my share of rainy country. I'm German;-)
So of course, keeping horses without drowning in mud is HEAVEN. I kinda miss 4 seasons, tho. If they'd come without too much rain...;-)


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## ApolloRider (Feb 14, 2013)

deserthorsewoman said:


> I've had my share of rainy country. I'm German;-)
> So of course, keeping horses without drowning in mud is HEAVEN. I kinda miss 4 seasons, tho. If they'd come without too much rain...;-)


Ugh.. I totally agree with the mud. This is my first time owning a horse in Washington. Oh my god the mud... I can never keep him clean and he really enjoys rolling. I'm actually kind of lucky because he does try to avoid most muddy areas.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

We had 3 days of continuous rain this winter. My drylot turned into a wetlot with lake...about 2" of mud, for about a week. The " lake" remained for a while, soil is not draining there. But I completely freaked.....bad memories....;-)


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## Oldhorselady (Feb 7, 2012)

deserthorsewoman said:


> We had 3 days of continuous rain this winter. My drylot turned into a wetlot with lake...about 2" of mud, for about a week. The " lake" remained for a while, soil is not draining there. But I completely freaked.....bad memories....;-)


We moved to Lemoore in 2010. That 2010/2011 winter made me almost give up horses up there! It rained for what seemed like 40 days and 40 nights straight. No sun....at all. The only dry spot was some new sand in the arena. We had to turn out the horses everyday there for there feet to get out of six inches of mud. Feeding was nearly impossible for us. No barn, only run in shelters in the pastures. My hips would pop out of socket when I tried to walk through the mud to give them hay.

Then....when it started drying up?.....Oy, the mud turns into cement and sticks to everything. Don't want to ever revisit.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

I lived with these conditions and horses for years, but make that about 100 days......although I wouldn't expect that around here, lol


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

ApolloRider said:


> Thanks for all your insight everyone. My husband was offered a position in Fresno, but he decided to turn it down. He went there to get an idea of the locations he would be managing and while loved the opportunity he decided he absolutely hated the heat, and would rather wait for the same position to open up in Seattle.
> 
> I thought it was funny... It's not even summer. What a weenie, I warned him!!!


_I tollllldddd you the heaaattt!_ lol!!!:lol: It was 102 yesterday...I was smoldering...I went riding w/a friend this last weekend and it was HOT hot hot!! My face was red the whole time from the heat, and wearing that riding helmet didnt help matters any.


*destert*~ Ha ha yea four seasons..We dont get much rain here do we?! And the seasons seem like winter,summer,summer, summer....It's been weird lately.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Charley...you beat me...102....wow....we had only 98 yesterday. This morning I woke up, freezing....wind came up at about 4am and cooled everything to 55.... go figure....


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Weird weather?! I hope its cooler for more riding this weekend. I'll bet you get the wind bad where you are at.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

WNW....normally it picks up around 2pm until 6, but it's been blowing all day today. Two good points, tho. Not as hot and no flyspray necessary...;-)


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Oh yea!!!! The flies!!!! They are sooooo bad this year here....We got those fly predators and fly traps to help. I hope they work..
Another good point for you is your horses are desensitized to wind blowing lol - Mine would get snorty and energetic.


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

They are pretty lively when the wind first starts, but get rather annoyed with it over time


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## hopie22 (Jan 28, 2013)

I pay 3.25 for 50lb grass hay!


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

I am waiting for prices to go down some more. I dont buy until August If i figured correct and dont run out. Prices are usually lower then. Some o the fields here are just doing first cut, some are on second. In this area , first and second cuttings are dairy hay, Way to high in protiens and TDN for a horse, you'g burn the livers out ..


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

It was hot here yesterday 101 , Fresno beat Bksfld. Right now its 98 .lol we got our cooling trend.. I hope it gets into the mid 80's again . I cannot take this heat anymore. I loved it when I was younger, and there was weeks that stayed at 110 and 115 .. those weeks are Miserable.. lung scorchers..
I wish I could find some good oat hay, but i think $10.00 a bale is tad high !
But then again I remember when #1 alfalfa was $2.00 a bale for a 110 - 120 lb bale..


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

Still windy here today. Woke up at 4am, freezing. 55 degrees in the house.....it's mid may....hellooooo.....

My 10$ oat hay bales are super nice, 110-120 lbs and, as I said, he's holding a stack for me. So I won't complain;-)
My alfalfa is second cut, pretty stemmy, lots of leaves...looks like newly seeded. Pretty strong plants, no blossoms. Due to the high stem ratio I don't think it's very high protein, tho.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

DHW I guess thats not to bad for the oat hay being the bigger bales . The stemmy hay is usually not super high protein, and those are usually older fields, around here about 7-10 yrs is when they disc under and plant a different crop. 10 being a really old field. I like the fine stemmed hay that has flowered as the plants use a lot of protien up making the flowers, and the horses just love it. Best hay I ever saw was planted next to a Cherry field, and the bees pollinated it and it was soo sweet !


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

hopie22 said:


> I pay 3.25 for 50lb grass hay!


You are LUCKYYYYYYY


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

stevenson said:


> DHW I guess thats not to bad for the oat hay being the bigger bales . The stemmy hay is usually not super high protein, and those are usually older fields, around here about 7-10 yrs is when they disc under and plant a different crop. 10 being a really old field. I like the fine stemmed hay that has flowered as the plants use a lot of protien up making the flowers, and the horses just love it. Best hay I ever saw was planted next to a Cherry field, and the bees pollinated it and it was soo sweet !


I was guessing they're young plants, new grass hay is really coarse, but very sweet, I've found out. Looking at the field out here, was told it's its 5th and last year, not very strong plants and yield has gone done considerably.


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## Charley horse (Nov 12, 2012)

Sevenson its going to be cooler this weekend )


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