(WICHITA, Kan.)—
Tim Brandyberry has sold hay since 1993. “This is the worst year we've ever had as far as moisture goes,” says Brandyberry who owns Honeydew Hay in Derby.Brandyberry says the rain we received came too late for brome and the prairie hay he's cutting is about half as tall as it should be.
“It's going to get bad if it doesn’t rain.”
That means trouble for horse owners like Ande Miller, who operates Hope in the Valley Equine Rescue.
“Anybody who has horses that need hay…they're going to be scrambling and we're in that boat right now,” says Miller.
If she can’t find the hay she needs before winter, she has no choice but to turn away some horses.
“If we can't feed them, we can't take them.”
It’s not just south central Kansas. It's worse in western Kansas and our neighbors to the south are becoming desperate.
“Today I’ve gotten calls from Texas, western Kansas, Oklahoma, plus new customers,” says Brandyberry.
High demand means high prices.
“The price will get so high they can't afford it and then they'll have to sell the cattle or horses,” says Brandyberry.
