Drought causing local hay shortage, headaches for ranchers.
It’s that the hay, which normally makes up for the lack of grass, has become increasingly difficult to find.
Janie Harrington, the manager at Family Feed and Supply in Groveland, said the the store doesn’t sell the big round bales, but they are affected by the shortage anyway.
“I’m having people come to me buying square bales who haven’t bought from me in years because they can’t find round bales.
Even the people that grow the hay are starting to run out for their own stock.” Araceli Rangel, of Irish Trails Farm & Pet Supply in Clermont, does deal in round bales.
The official Lake County year-to-date rainfall through the end of April, as supplied by Lake County Water Authority Executive Director Mike Perry, is 6.11 inches.
Historical average rainfall for the same time period is 11.18 inches.
He also points out that in the month of April, the south end of the county has been considerably dryer than the north end, with the authority’s three south Lake rain gauges measuring only .14, .02, and .01 inches of rain.
“I network to find hay,” she said, “and if I find hay, I tell my group.
Tifton hay runs slightly higher, so local rancher Morrissette considers herself very lucky to have recently found a single round bale of Tifton in the Ocala area for $75.