How to Grow Hay: 12 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

FAQs

What are the steps in farming hay? ›

In general, three steps are required to turn a green crop into what can be called hay: cutting, drying, and baling. Then, hay must be stored properly in order for it to hold onto the nutrients.

Commercial farms have little difficulty raising hay or sourcing out their needs, but smaller farmers and urban hobbyists can also grow, harvest and bale hay even on a smaller scale. Haying can be challenging, and some farmers simply enjoy that challenge.

With up to four passes through the field required just to cut, rake, bale, and move alfalfa, and four to five harvests during a typical season in the Midwest, producing hay isn't for the faint of heart.

Seeds from hay forages should only be planted at about 1⁄4” or 1⁄2” deep (it's OK for some of the seeds to still be on the surface). A seeder is helpful for this process. Once your hay is growing and on its way, there isn't much to do except wait and watch!

To make hay, a farmer must cut off these forage crops and allow them to air dry in the field. The plants are then raked into what is called a “windrow” before they are picked up, compressed and tied into a bale by a baler. The frustrating thing farmers face when making hay is weather uncertainty.

Check any farm management records program and see that alfalfa has been the most profitable crop when compared to other com- modity crops over a number of years, especially in the absence of subsidy payments.

Oats and barley are commonly grown for hay, with oats the better crop for hay-making. Wheat and rye are not that suitable for hay-making. Maize can be used for hay (or stover) but is generally used more for silage-making. Some sorghum species can be used for hay-making as well, e.g. Sudan, Columbus grass.

It typically takes approximately 60 days for new growth of alfalfa, 60 for mix hay, 60 for orchard grass, and 75-80 for timothy in Lincoln County. Alfalfa, which is a herbaceous perennial legume, originated near Iran . It has a high mineral content and contains at least 10 different vitamins.

Teff is a self-pollinated, warm season annual grass which can be harvested multiple times during the growing season as dry hay, silage or pasture. As a fast-growing crop, Teff combines excellent forage quality with high yield during a relatively short growing season.

Can you grow hay at home? ›

There are many different types of hay that you can grow, and which you choose will vary depending on where you live. Some of the most common include: Grass: Hay can be made from many types of grass, with timothy, bermudagrass and orchardgrass being common choices.

Here's one example for pricing a field of standing alfalfa (or grass hay) in 2020. uncertain dairy/livestock markets due to the ongoing pandemic. to environmental conditions and harvest management practices. In this example, the sale or purchase price for all cuttings the entire year would range from $435 to $700/acre.

Growing and harvesting hay is an expensive activity. In many years, the hay would be worth less than the ex- ample cost of production I calculated. However, there are many hay growers who have found ways to lower the cost of hay production and add value to the hay through aggressive marketing.

Optimum seeding depth varies with soil type (sandy, clay, or loam), soil moisture, time of seeding and firmness of seedbed but generally is not more than 3/8 inch deep. A rule-of-thumb is that 5-10% of the forage seeds that are planted, should be on the soil surface after seeding.

Points in favor of growing hay

You can ensure that it has high-quality nutrition and is free of mold and pests. You don't have to haul it from another farm or pay for delivery. You can save a lot of money compared to buying hay, assuming you already own the necessary equipment and storage space.

Feeding from the Ground

Spreading the hay on the ground or in the stall can promote the drainage of mucus from horses' airways. This is beneficial for horses with breathing problems such as heaves. In groups of horses, offering various piles of hay will also ensure all horses have access to the forage.

Time your mowing around the most reliable weather forecast you can find. It basically takes about three days of good weather to cure hay. This can be a challenge in late May or early June. A good strategy is to mow just before or right after a rain, because of the likelihood of good weather for the next few days.