Hay prices near you.

Heavy Western alfalfa small squares (3-string, ~100 lb) run about $12–20/bale across California, Oregon, and Washington — roughly $250–400/ton, not as steep as the per-bale price first looks. Grass, orchard, and grain hay run $5–14/bale. Round bales run $50–120. Premium Washington timothy (export-grade) and retail orchard/timothy run highest, into the $25–31/bale range.

Western hay is baled big: a standard alfalfa small square is a 3-string bale around 100–110 lb — more than double a typical Eastern 2-string. So a $15 Western bale (about $300/ton) can actually be cheaper per ton than an $8 Eastern bale at 45 lb (about $356/ton). Always compare cost per ton, not per bale — that's exactly what this board computes for you.

California's Central and Imperial Valleys are alfalfa country — much of it irrigated, some of it exported — with orchard grass, teff, bermuda, oat and grain hay too. Washington's Kittitas and Yakima Valleys grow premium timothy (a lot of it export-grade) plus alfalfa. Oregon grows orchard grass, alfalfa, and grass hay. If you keep horses, watch for low-sugar grass and tested timothy; if you run cattle, the grain and #2 alfalfa are the value buys.

Always compare delivered cost if you can't haul. Many West Coast dealers deliver full truckloads and squeeze-unload them right at your barn, and Central Valley growers often discount by the stack or load. A cheap field-pickup bale an hour away can lose to a local delivered load once you count the truck, trailer, and your Saturday — or win big if you're taking a full load.

Irrigated alfalfa cuts many times from spring through fall here, so fresh hay comes off the fields in waves and supply is highest mid-season. Field prices are lowest then; they firm up over winter once cutting stops. Buy as early as your storage allows.

A lot of West Coast hay trades through Facebook groups, Craigslist, and grower/equine directories (the Washington Hay Growers Association and California equine hay-distributor lists are the source for several sellers here). Facebook listings change fast and can't be verified or linked the way classifieds and farm sites can, so most don't appear on the board yet. That's what the price checker above is for — paste any ad and we'll tell you how it stacks up against the verified market. Sell hay? Claim a free listing and get on the board.