Rainfall no blessing to hay growers

Summer rains are great for the forests, but not so great for hay growers. Rain does affect the quality of hay, but not as greatly as many people believe. photo by Kathryn Godsiff Last week's rain brought sighs of relief to many people in Central Oregon as temperatures dropped -- along with the fire danger.

Haymakers, on the other hand, were either sighing with frustration or rejoicing that they hadn't cut that field that was just about ready.

Those with hay down stand to lose value in the price paid for rained-on hay.

Russell Luloff of Lower Bridge maintains that summer rain is never enough to do any good in the ground, so if it didn't rain all summer long, he would be happy. Luloff did have hay cut last week and is going to take a hit in the price.

Rain affects the quality of hay, though not to the extent that most people fear, Luloff said.

A common misconception is that rained-on hay will be moldy. The only cause of mold in hay, according to Luloff, is baling when moisture content is too high.

Even rained-on hay can be dried properly, though the quality loss becomes greater the more it is handled through the hay rakes.

Thus, if a field has been cut but not raked when rain comes, the loss is less than if the hay had been raked and was just about to be baled. It would require another raking to ensure drying.

Grass hay loses some of its looks when rained on, due to sun bleaching as it dries. It turns brown, and even though it is still palatable, customers won't pay the same price for it.

Alfalfa loses more quality than grass, due to loss of leaf area when the hay is turned.

The leaf is where protein is stored, plus it's tastier than the stalks, an important consideration for a horse or cow.

Less is more when it comes to handling alfalfa, which makes drying it after rain a tricky proposition.

Corey Stengel of Sisters also had hay down when the rain hit.

"I thought I jinxed myself when I told (a neighbor) that I'd never had hay rained on," he said.

"Two days later it rained," he said.

Philosophically, Stengel recognizes that the hay would eventually sell, just not at the premium prices that Central Oregon hay usually commands.

In fact, most haymakers realize that a combination of good management and good luck come into play during hay season. Unseasonable rain is just plain bad luck.