Ev Thomas (Oak Point Agronomics) wrote in the December 3rd W.H. Miner Institute Farm Report an urgent plea for North Country farms to order any needed forage seed IMMEDIATELY. He cited personal reports from seed industry reps that many species and cultivars we rely on here in the Northeast are in very tight supply this year, as a result of high heat, drought, and fires in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia. He says:
Species expected to be in shortest supply include meadow fescue; it’s entirely possible — perhaps likely — that if you go to your dealer in March looking for meadow fescue seed you may be out of luck. Alfalfa and tall fescue are also in short supply, while timothy and orchardgrass supplies are extremely tight. Bromegrass and most clovers (alsike, red, Ladino) are also in very short supply — there’s really no place to turn. […]
It’s OK to substitute tall fescue for meadow fescue in alfalfa-grass seedings, and if you’re still using 5 pounds or so of grass in these seedings this would be an excellent time to drop your grass rate to 2 pounds per acre. You’ll save money, probably have a higher-quality crop, and you’ll leave some grass seed for the next guy.
Excellent advice from a voice of experience here in the North Country.