Our feed store hay is expensive, but it's really good hay. I'd actually like to do a pound for pound dollar for dollar comparison sometimes. Good Eastern WA orchard grass bales at feed store, 100+ pounds - $10. Cruddy filler quality local grass hay, around 50 pound bales, $3.50. I cringe at paying $10/bale, but the quality is nutritous, as opposed to just filler, and a bale lasts a couple days, versus a bale a day. I bet the feed store is a better deal, all in all.
Yes, I can store it awhile, I have it under an awning. I was going to buy 200 bales.
At the feed store it's $7.50 a bale for "ok" hay. The man I bought my last load from charged $4.00 plus delivery and the hay was the equivalent or better than the feed store and the bales weighed about the same.
Hair, $10 a bale is really expensive. The hay that's available here is coastal bermuda and it's good hay, if you get it from a good supplier. I have bought hay that my goats had trouble eating. If a goat won't eat it, you know it's bad. How much is alfalfa up there?