Buying Hay Direct From a Florida Farm: What to Ask Before You Order
Buying hay direct from a farm cuts out the middleman and the markup. It also puts the quality check on you. Here's the conversation to have and the inspection to run before you commit to a load — whether it's our farm or anyone else's.
Five questions to ask every hay seller
1. "Can you send me the forage analysis on the cut I'd be buying?"
Expected answer: Yes, immediately, by text or email. They should know which cut you're getting and what tested. Red flag: "We don't really test, but it looks good." Walk away.
2. "Where is the hay stored?"
Expected answer: A specific location — barn, shed, building, or covered structure. Bonus if they invite you to come see. Red flag: "Out by the field" or "under a tarp." Florida humidity makes outdoor storage a major spoilage risk.
3. "What's your moisture rating at baling?"
Expected answer: Under 18% at baling, under 16% at delivery. They should have a tester and know the number. Red flag: "We just go by feel." Feel works for experienced growers most of the time, but you have no recourse if the bales mold.
4. "Did you apply any picloram, clopyralid, or aminopyralid herbicides?"
Expected answer: No, not in the past 36 months. These herbicides persist in hay and are lethal to horses (and pass through manure to kill garden vegetables — yes, really). Red flag: "I'm not sure." Get sure before you buy.
5. "What's your return policy if a bale arrives moldy or out of spec?"
Expected answer: A clear replacement or refund window — 48 hours is industry standard. Red flag: "All sales final." That's not a confident seller.
Inspect before you load — the 5-bale rule
If you're picking up or accepting delivery, pull 5 random bales from the stack (not just the top) and check each one:
Weight
Lift it. A 55 lb bale should feel substantial but liftable for an average adult. Bales noticeably lighter than 50 lb may be over-dry or under-leafed; bales noticeably heavier than 60 lb may be wet.
Color
Pale green to golden tan = good. Brown = old or sun-bleached. Gray = moldy. Dark olive green = baled too wet.
Smell
Open the bale at the cut end. Sweet, fresh, slightly grassy = good. Musty, sour, sharp, "chemical" = bad. Trust your nose, your animals will.
Leaf retention
Pull a section apart. Count leaves vs stems. Premium perennial peanut hay should show 60%+ leaves intact. If the leaves are mostly shattered off, you're paying premium price for stems.
Compression
Press your thumb hard into the bale. Good hay resists. If your thumb sinks in easily, the bale is under-compressed and will mold faster in storage.
What to bring to a pickup
- ☐ Trailer or pickup with tarp
- ☐ Straps or rope
- ☐ Cash, check, or Venmo (always ask payment method in advance)
- ☐ Phone for photos of the load before you leave
- ☐ Time — don't show up at 4:55pm
What to confirm on a delivery
When the trailer pulls up:
- Count the bales as they come off
- Pull a moisture reading on at least 1 bale (your own tester, or ask theirs)
- Take photos before signing
- Note any visible damage on the paperwork
Red flags that should end the conversation
- ❌ No forage analysis
- ❌ Refuses to disclose herbicide history
- ❌ Demands cash up front for hay not yet delivered
- ❌ No physical address listed for the farm
- ❌ "I can only meet you at the gas station"
- ❌ Pressure to take "all of it today" before you can inspect
What we do at McDaniel Farms
To save you the runaround:
- We post the forage analysis publicly on the product page for every current cut.
- Every bale is barn-stored from baling to load.
- We test moisture on every load before it leaves the barn.
- We've never used picloram, clopyralid, or aminopyralid — happy to certify in writing.
- 48-hour rejection policy on every load, no questions.
See current cut's forage test → or call (850) 573-0470 or (850) 573-0471 with any of the questions above. We'd rather answer them once over the phone than have you end up disappointed.