Hay, What's So Funny?

A couple weeks ago we ran out of hay for the yaks, But we didn't have to panic just yet because I think we might just have enough space for them to graze. But, when I put them in the coral at night, it's nice to give them a little something to tide them over until morning. And they are lazy yaks indeed because they sit around laying in the sun all day, then wait until the night time hay pile when they don't have to forage. At least that's how it seems. 

So I started the long process of acquiring a vendor for some wholesale hay. Inflation is going nuts because just a few months ago when we bought hay it was $12.39 for a "two string bale" which is about 45 pounds, that same bale is $19.95 now. They have "three string bales" which are close to 80 pounds each and are only 4 dollars more. The two string bales are conveniently wrapped in plastic, and the three string bales are not. So they make a total mess of any car they are transported in and most people with a brain would put them in a pickup truck or trailer. 

I was trying to delay the purchasing of more hay because we don't really have a vehicle to transport it in, and I didn't want to pay hefty delivery fees. Back in December, we decided to get ourselves a Christmas present and wanted to buy a pickup truck, but as you know, it's impossible to buy a new car right now. We put in an order for a Ford Maverick, in Area 51 color, and they said it would take four months, but here we are seven months later and I received a note from them that they wouldn't be able to supply anyone's orders this year. So that's great. 

So we had to find somewhere or someone else to supply the hay. I figured if I could find some local person it would be a lot cheaper than getting it from the ranch store. So I've been googling, calling around, and asking our helpful neighbors. Our neighbors provided two names. The first called me back and said that he had a crop failure this year and that he probably just barely had enough to produce for regular customer. But he's going to plan another round of hay to be harvested in the fall so I should call back then. The second was a sweet and ancient sounding lady who answered the phone. She said she "didn't know" and would ask her husband. The husband is a man I've heard about from other people as being one of the best people ever "give you the shirt off his back" kind of guys, and he's right here in the same town. That would be very convenient. 

Last night I ran out of all the cut grass that we mowed ourselves and we had no hay left, so we just had to get it...couldn't put it off any longer, car or no car. We went to the ranch store and bought 4, three string bales and it just barely fit in my dad's car and made a huge mess. The guy at the store helping us load it said to me,"Well it looks like you'll be riding on the roof" He was taken aback when I replied, without missing a beat, "I've done that before." 


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