Drought ravages hay crops

REELSVILLE, Ind. (WTHI) - Even farmers with unconventional crops are feeling the pain.

While hay prices are nearly 60 percent higher this year than last, News 10's spoke with one Hay Farmer who said the dry weather is hurting business for him as well.

Almost a year ago News 10 spoke with Barry Price about the 2011 hay shortage.

At the time, his crop was high in price and demand, but the late summer dry spell doomed his crop.

So fast forward to this year's drought.

"We didn't think it could get any worse this year from last year, but here it is, its worse,” Price lamented.

Price said he hasn't cut hay since Father's Day, and with the dry weather, his hay crop has raised in value.

“I’ve had so many new customers coming, word of mouth heard that I sell hay and I told them I almost don't have enough for myself and my regular customers,” he said.

If you could see his Alfalfa fields, you would see a barren field. But, the hay bales he does have put him in a tough position.

The dry weather actually hurts Barry in another way.

He's not just a hay farmer, he's also a cattle farmer; so, he has to use the hay he was going to save for the winter now, because the grass in his pastures are also dead.

"That's what’s making it rough, I don't wanna sell any now because I won't be able to sell any for the winter and if I don't have enough for my self, then I am gonna have to turn around and buy it or sell my cows,” Price said.

If there is a silver lining for Barry, he said that unlike other crops in the Indiana, there's still hope left for his hay business.

"The hay if we get some rain on it, it'll start growing again and maybe I can get a second cut off it we hope,” Price said.