Dry Spring Leads to Less than Hoped for Hay Crop

As most have or are getting close to completing their first cutting of hay, there's a general theme across the Volunteer State - not quite what farmers would have hoped for. And that's mostly because of how dry of a spring it ended up being.

"I've been farming for nearly 50 years and just when you think you've seen it all, Mother Nature throws you another curve ball," said Mike Scudder of Smith County.

He's one who has already completed his first cutting and said the yield and quality just wasn't what they were hoping, but given the dry spring, they aren't surprised.

"Our crop ran about roughly 50% and there's a lot of farmers in my area that started cutting about the time I did, and they are saying the same thing - about half a crop," said Scudder. "And being this early in the year, pastures are down pretty low."

While some late May and early June showers were beneficial, Scudder actually started cutting about a week before the rain started, and even with the much-needed showers, he's still concerned about the water table and high input costs.

"It takes just as many trips around the field for a good crop as it does for a sorry crop," said Scudder. "And when you add in the high cost of diesel fuel, you've got a lot of money tied up in one bale of hay. But really, my biggest concern is the water situation. I've never seen my springs and ponds this low at this time of year, maybe in August, but not this early."

Likewise in Roane County, cattle farmer Travis Tilley is also concerned about his hay crop.

"The rain will probably not do much at this point," said Tilley. "It will build undergrowth a little bit, but we're probably going to have to live with what we've got for now. If it keeps raining, moving forward our second cutting should get regrowth."

Luckily for Tilley and many others the mild winters over the past two years have enabled him to have an adequate hay supply, but there's always the fear if a drought persists and you must begin feeding cattle early.

"You take a month or two months of feeding - that's a lot of hay not planned for," said Tilley.

Regardless of what Mother Nature brings, farmers will continue on - praying for rain and hoping for a better cutting the second go around.