PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 9, 2025
Farmers say this summer’s hay crops have taken a hit from the long stretches of dry weather, leaving pastures brown and feed supplies thin. Most agree, though, that the swing isn’t unusual and this year is part of a larger cycle. In a typical year, pastures provide enough hay to harvest three times and, in a good year, sometimes four. Travis Haley, who runs Caldwell Farms in Turner, said this year’s second haying was “extremely, extremely short,” with some pastures not yet worth harvesting a third time.