CLAREMORE, Okla. —
This summer's drought has forced farmers to get creative. Some are turning to the Internet to find help feeding their animals.
This is a tough year on several levels, and the repercussions of this drought could linger. The corn crops, upon which many farmers depend for income as well as feed, have been devastated
Dry conditions have turned pastures into dust, meaning those farmers who decided to keep their herds have been using hay to feed them. If the pasture is dead, the area hay fields probably aren't doing so well, either. That means the farmers must look, and go, farther to find feed.
That's where The Hay Connection comes in. Clint and Casey Round of Oklahoma helped set up the Facebook page. Clint is an insurance adjuster, while Casey is a rancher and horse trainer. Established in August 2011, this year's tough weather has boosted the number of page likes to over 13,000.
Postings from farmers are the heart of the page, coming in from everywhere as farmers seek feed and offer it for sale. Oklahoma is well represented, but farmers as far north as Minnesota and as far south as Mississippi are posting. A California seller even posted a photo of bales for sale.
It's not just farmers. A boarding facility in Colorado posted, looking for bales to feed their animals.
The Rounds say the goal isn't to make money for themselves, but to offer a way for farmers and ranchers to make connections and keep themselves in business.
And with little help expected from the weather for the next several weeks, the Hay Connection will likely continue to see heavy traffic.
CNHI/SE Iowa
Hay Connection helping make ends meet in drought
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