TUNBRIDGE, Vt. (WCAX) – Farmers across our region are taking advantage of the sunny weather to get in their first hay crop of the season. When it comes to feed for animals, this year is off to a much-needed strong start.
Coming off a relatively poor year for feed across the region because of wet weather, things this year are looking bright.
Fourth-generation farmer William Pease of Tunbridge spent Monday morning lifting and separating the recently cut drying grass. It’s one of his family farm’s most important crops which feeds the dairy herd in the barn.
“Then I’ll rake it up and put our square bailer to it, then put it in the barn for dry hay,” Pease said.
The Pease Family Farm in Tunbridge has already bailed about 700 tons of haylage this spring.
On a good year, their own fields will supply enough food for their cows through the entire winter.
“We are supposed to have three days of nice weather and cropping is going good this year. We are pretty much done with our first cut, and that is way ahead of last year,” Pease said.
Last year, wet weather prevented the tractors from getting into the fields. Cows were also confined to their stalls more for the same reason which meant less grazing.
“We had record precipitation between June and October, so compared to last year, folks are feeling hopeful. I think everyone is a little nervous to predict trends too far out,” said Nina Gage of the Vt. Agency of Agriculture.
Earlier this year, the Pease farm ran out of feed. They had to buy about 50 tons which came with an added cost of more than $2,000. The Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets has set up a website for farmers to connect with feed for sale.
“They are still managing a lot of the impacts that come from last season whether it’s feed shortages or impacts to feed that they were able to put up,” Gage said.
This year, Pease says the quality of the feed is also looking good.
“The tonnage has been up what, we have been doing and we are a week two weeks earlier, so that’s been a good thing,” he said.
Of course, the weather in New England can change quickly but if things remain relatively dry, farmers here hope to get in at least four cuts this year.