The hot and dry weather is making for an excellent haying season.

Murray Giles, owner and operator of M.R.G. Land & Cattle Ltd., says this has been one of the easiest years to put hay up in the High River area.

"I feel our hay quality is better this year. Number one, our cutting was not delayed because we were concerned for rain, so we could just cut it exactly when we wanted to. There has been other years our hay has gotten too mature or too course on us, because we were waiting for a little drier weather. As well as having little rain this haying season, I think there's going to be some excellent quality hay this year."

Giles adds, as usual the younger stands are producing more than the older stands, and that's why it's so important to use rotations.

"I think hay can be a really good rotation for us. It has a way of increasing the organic matter in our soils. What we've noticed in all of our farming is the more we rotate our crops the better our crops are. Hay is a good rotation, especially if you are a cattle producer."

The Northern areas of the province are beginning to get their first cuts, and in Southern regions producers have gotten the majority of the first cut baled.