The tractors are silent this May & June in much of the upper Midwest and I know I am not alone in feeling like something isn't quite right. In so many parts of the country the constant rain and flooding has ruined crops of every kind. The comforting sound of the farm tractors working the fields has been reduced to a few fields here and there for those farmers who are lucky enough to have higher ground to plant on. For those of us that have horse boarding stables in my area the waiting has been a constant concern for first crop hay to get cut and baled. The farmers are trying their best to work in-between heavy rains that don't seem to stop and the ground is so saturated that the tractors can't even get into the fields to cut the hay. What does this mean for the horses and boarding stables in the area?
When you are running a horse boarding stable or training barn your lively hood depends greatly on the ability to feed and take good care of the horses at your barn. We have been so blessed over the years to have an abundance of great quality hay at lower prices than much of the rest of the country. In fact for as long as I have had horses in Wisconsin I don't remember ever worrying about trying to get hay. It was always there in abundance.
It is a leap of faith running a horse boarding stable. We are so dependent on our suppliers for hay, grain and bedding and without them our business would be hurting. Yes it is a leap of faith trying to keep your stalls full with horses and paying the monthly business mortgage BUT today I want to thank all the farmers that keep our horses fed with great hay year round. It is a job that is often overlooked but without them Vinland Stables and so many other boarding stables would not exist.
I am lucky, we have hay in our barn that will last us a while but with almost forty horses in our care it will go fast. I know many stables are starting to run out and they will need to look for hay in places that they have not gone before. It can be overwhelming especially when that means the hay prices will be much higher. As barn owners we try to be prepared for unexpected situations but as in life things can catch us off guard and this year is one of those years. The stress can be magnified if you need to adjust your boarding rates to cover the unexpected high cost of hay. It happens and it is not easy to navigate through when you are figuring out the financials.
Today I am asking for you to pray along with me for warmer temps and sunny weather for the farmers all over the country. Pray that the crops can grow and the hay can get cut and baled. It doesn't just affect my barn and business, it will affect the food you buy at the grocery store. We are all in this together.
I wish you many blessings in your horse business, Sheri Grunska