Currently, Boone County is experiencing an influx of beginning farmers struggling to select crops suitable for their land, operation and, in some cases, a market to sell their product. In Boone County there is a multitude of small, hobby farms and also large commercial farms that all require hay for their livestock and horses. A large majority of these farms cannot produce their own or cannot produce enough to meet their needs. For these beginner farmers, this need for hay has become a window of opportunity as a way to grow a commodity suitable for most soil types and an almost guaranteed market. The challenges for these producers are baling hay that’s high enough quality to be marketed as “horse hay” to capture a higher value. “Horse quality hay” requires these farmers to mow the hay at the peak vegetative state to ensure optimal nutritional quality and baling at the proper moisture to ensure no mold growth. Both of these requirements can prove difficult due to weather, equipment break-downs and a multitude of other situations that could arise that an unexperienced, beginning farmer would not be prepared for. In response to this need, Boone County ANR Agent collaborated with a beginner farmer producing hay to be sold to horses, Dr. Bob Coleman, Dr. Ray Smith, and local equipment dealers to host a Forage Field Day to better prepare beginner farmers for the challenges they will likely face. Demonstrations were conducted on utilizing seed drills to increase germination rates at seeding, weed control for hay fields, GPS technology for fertilizer applications, disc mowers, hay tedders and rakes, square and round balers, hay scales and also how to test hay and interpret those results. UK specialists also held discussions on how to time mowing and adjust cutting heights to improve quality and production and also better market their higher quality hay. Over 50 participants were in attendance that had not used most of the equipment and were not weighing or testing their hay. Following the program, 100% of the participants noted that they had learned a new management skill to use on their farms, more farmers started testing their hay for quality and moisture, and the use of the rental seed drill increased by 50% due to the program.