Hay season off to fast start

By GINA KINSLOW
Glasgow Daily Times

GLASGOW June 01, 2009 11:55 am

— Area farmers have not wasted the sunny days this past week. They’ve stayed busy working in hay.
The spring’s local hay crop has been reported to be one of the best in the last two years, mostly because of a large amount of rain.
“It’s twice as good as it was last year due to the wet weather,” said Gale Wood, of Glasgow.
A spokesman with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture said there have been some areas of the state where the rain has hampered the spring hay harvest.
“Right now the hay crop is really good,” said Bill Clary, director of public relations for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. “There’s been scenarios in the state where there might have been a little bit too much moisture, but overall the hay crop is looking good. It’s too early to say that by the end of the summer we will have a bumper crop, but right now it looks hopeful.”
Rommie and Suzette Barrett, of Cave City, and their farm hands have been working late hours to get their hay crop harvested, and so have their neighbors.
“These guys have been working past midnight to get their hay in,” said Suzette Barrett.
Rain was forecast for Memorial Day Weekend and farmers wanted to get their hay in before it rained.
It is the rain this spring that has also delayed farmers in what work they have to do with other crops.
“We’ve got to get our hay up so we can start planting tobacco,” said Dusty Gossett.
Because the area has witnessed two years of droughts, many area farmers were forced to purchase hay to feed their livestock.
Gossett did not have to buy hay last year, but said his family did the previous year.

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