Spring has sprung in South Carolina, according to John Andrae, Clemson University forage crop specialist. Cool-season pastures are starting to show good growth in much of the state. He says crops such as tall fescue are growing well, thanks to some much-needed moisture that arrived late in the fall.

"We had a very rough year, as did many people in the Southeast, with an extremely dry summer," he reports. "We had between one-third and one-half the normal hay crop in upper South Carolina. If we would have had a very dry fall or a bad winter, we would have really been in trouble. Hay supplies were particularly tight in January and February. You can still find hay for sale, but it's expensive."

Horse-quality hay supplies are limited, and small square bales of horse hay are hard to find in the area, he notes.

Contact Andrae at 864-656-3504.