The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

With hay prices rising recently, it is no surprise that local farmers jumped on their tractors this week to take advantage of the dry weather.

For the best results, farmers look for a three or four day window of dry weather. Rain may not completely ruin cut hay, but it will decrease the yield, which is not ideal.

Traditionally, farmers prefer to wait an extra couple of weeks to cut hay than to cut their hay and have it hit by rain.

“Last year’s weather was so hit and miss,” recalled one Grays River resident, “They only got one cut.”

This year, it appears that Mother Nature is smiling down on large pastures of grass and alfalfa.

In the Grays River Valley, farmers worked this week driving tractors around the perimeters of their fields, raking hay, and baling into the evenings.