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Oklahoma weather wreaking havoc on local farmers
Sabrina Bates
Meteorologist
Oklahoma weather wreaking havoc on local farmers
- PENNY CUSTOMERS ARE NOW HAVING TO PAY. THIS IS DON. ECHORE’S HAYFIELD USUALLY BY JUNE 1ST. HE’S ALREADY HAD HIS FIRST CUTTINGF O HAY THIS IS THE SIGN HE HAS OUT FRONT ADVERT. THE HAY BUT TAKE A LOOK. THERE ARE NO PRICES JUST YET AND BECAUSE THE HAY HASN’T BEEN AEBL TO GROW LIKE IT USUALLY DOES AND IT’S STARTING TO GET THERE BUT IT'’ IT SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN WE SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BASICALLY HAD THIS CUT AND GEON THE LACK OF GROWTH IS CAUSED BY A NUMBER OF THINGS INCLUDINGOT N ENOUGH SUNLIGHT AND RAIN THIS SPRING BUT THE BIGGEST FACTOR HAS BEEN THE COLD THIS YEAR. UYO THINK IT’SORE M BECAUSE OF THE LATE FREEZE IN APRIL OR DO YOU THINK IT’S BECAUSE OF TTHA PROLONGED COLD AND FEBRUARY ALL ETH ABOVE? 294 HOURS BELOW FREEZING IN FEBRUARY, THEN THE GRASS TOOK A BEATING BY OUR LATE APRIL FREE BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS WAS HE’E'S THE BLACKNESS THIS KIND OF WHAT YOU SEE RIGHT THERE, BUT WHAT HAPENED? WAS IT FZERO AND BECAUSE OF THE LATE HARVEST ECK WROTE TELLS ME HIS HORSE CUSTOMERSRE A GOING TO BE IMPACTED BY THE DELAY. THERE’S NOT ANY REALLY GOOD. HAY LEFINT THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW. EVERYBODY IS SCRAMBLING FOR HAY DAN HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE SOME. HAY FOR THE COST OF HEY MIGHT EVEN. UP SINCE FERTILIZER THIS YEAR HAS COST 20 TO 30 PERCENT MORE THAN USUAL ANEC WROTE THINGS THERE’SOI GNG TO BE LESS. HAY THAN NORMAL. IT’S ALL UP TO GOD TO TAKE CARE OF US AND IT WILL IT ALL BALANCE OUT AND AND WE’LL START GETTING SOME HEAT AND THEN WE’LLE B TIRED OF THE HEAT, BUT RIGHT NOW WE GOT TO PUT UP WITH WHAT HE’S GIVING US AND CERINTALY THIS KINDF O WEATHER RIGHT NOW IS IT’S GOOD FOR SOME OF US. IT’S JUST NOT GOOD
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Oklahoma weather wreaking havoc on local farmers
Sabrina Bates
Meteorologist
Don Eckroat usually has already had his first cutting in his hayfield by June 1, and he usually has a sign showing the prices for hay.This year, however, prices aren't listed on the sign just yet. He told KOCO 5 that's because the hay hasn't been able to grow like it usually does."It's starting to get there, but it's ... it should have already been. We should have already, basically, had this cut and gone by now," Eckroat said.The lack of growth is caused by numerous factors, including not having enough sunlight and rain this spring. The biggest factor, however, has been the cold this year.There were 294 hours below freezing in February. Then, the grass took a beating by Oklahoma's late freeze in April."Because what happens ... here's the black, and this is kind of what you see right there. There's what happened. It froze," Eckroat said.Because of the latest harvest, Eckroat told KOCO 5 that his horse customers are going to be impacted by the delay."There's not any really good hay left in the country right now," he said. "Everybody is scrambling for hay. And, hopefully, within the next two weeks, we're going to have some hay for them."The cost of hay might go up since fertilizer this year has cost 20% to 30% more than usual. Eckroat thinks there's going to be less hay than normal this year."It's all up to God to take care of us. And it'll all balance out, and we'll start getting some heat. And then, we'll be tired of it," he said. "For right now, we've got to put up with what He's given us, and certainly this kind of weather right now as it's good for some of us, it's just not good for everybody."
OKLAHOMA CITY —

Don Eckroat usually has already had his first cutting in his hayfield by June 1, and he usually has a sign showing the prices for hay.

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This year, however, prices aren't listed on the sign just yet. He told KOCO 5 that's because the hay hasn't been able to grow like it usually does.

"It's starting to get there, but it's ... it should have already been. We should have already, basically, had this cut and gone by now," Eckroat said.

The lack of growth is caused by numerous factors, including not having enough sunlight and rain this spring. The biggest factor, however, has been the cold this year.

There were 294 hours below freezing in February. Then, the grass took a beating by Oklahoma's late freeze in April.

"Because what happens ... here's the black, and this is kind of what you see right there. There's what happened. It froze," Eckroat said.

Because of the latest harvest, Eckroat told KOCO 5 that his horse customers are going to be impacted by the delay.

"There's not any really good hay left in the country right now," he said. "Everybody is scrambling for hay. And, hopefully, within the next two weeks, we're going to have some hay for them."

The cost of hay might go up since fertilizer this year has cost 20% to 30% more than usual. Eckroat thinks there's going to be less hay than normal this year.

"It's all up to God to take care of us. And it'll all balance out, and we'll start getting some heat. And then, we'll be tired of it," he said. "For right now, we've got to put up with what He's given us, and certainly this kind of weather right now as it's good for some of us, it's just not good for everybody."