We've had one of the wettest summers on record here. My pastures are in the best shape they've been in since I got back in the cattle business. Of course, I've also spent a lot of money trying to make them that way. I'm only doing one cutting on hay, as I am planting wheat for hay, and that only yields one cutting, and I'll always cut one of the fields of fescue and clover, then use it for pasture. This year, I could have easily gotten a second cutting off the pasture field, as I didn't need it for pasture.
I have twice as much hay this year as I did last, and may even have some to sell if I go that route. I have some CRP ground coming out October 1, and I'm going to spray it down and reseed it for hay. My son and I are considering getting into the hay business, at least on a small scale, as there is a local hay man that's retiring this year, and there will be some hay ground available for the taking. We'll see how it goes, as we do need to utilize some of our equipment more than we do, but I don't want to work all the time either.
The hay cutting business here is always a risk in late spring and early summer, as it seems to rain about every 3 days. We have been very, very lucky in not having any ruined by rain, but it will happen sooner or later.
