How fast does hay grow

The best time to harvest grass or alfalfa for hay is while it's green but not yet flowering. If you notice your crop beginning to flower, harvest the crop within several days if possible. Alfalfa usually flowers months after planting. Plan on harvesting your hay within this time frame. How do you rejuvenate a hay field? Steps to renovate an old hayfield:. Assess the condition of the field, your goals and your resources. What makes a good hay field? How much is a hay bale?

How hay is harvested? Do farmers plant hay? How do you harvest hay by hand? The proper method cutting hay by hand: stand with your legs apart and knees slightly bent. Why is hay so expensive? Why do farmers wrap hay bales in plastic? Is selling hay profitable? How long do you let hay dry before baling? How many acres of hay does a horse need? What animals eat straw? Do deer eat hay bales? Hay Turning: As hay dries in the field, the top of the swath dries more rapidly than the bottom.

Hay-turning is a process of flipping the windrow upside down moving the wetter material to the upper surface to increase the speed of the drying process and to make the hay uniform in dryness to ensure no slugs small, wet clumps of twisted hay.

This turning process is only done when nature has provided a less than ideal curing period. Hay Baling: The hay baler is a piece of equipment that picks up the hay and lifts the windrow from the field surface, going next into a compression chamber where the hay is packed and formed into a bale, and a tying mechanism that completes the bale.

Pickup loss is highest when the baler is being pulled too fast. Chamber loss is greatly affected by crop moisture content, with drier material having greater loss. We typically bale hay during the middle of the night when the days become too hot to bale during the daylight hours and achieve the proper moisture percentage. If it is not possible to achieve this moisture content during the baling process, the bale, while having the same nutritive value, will fall apart more easily when the strings are cut and will be messier to feed.

There is also a greater chance for this dry-matter loss shatter quality to exist in this drier hay. We always strive for this proper moisture content, but Mother Nature does not consistently provide the right circumstances, so we do the best we can. Our 2-string bales typically weigh lbs. We use no drying agents or preservatives on any of our hay. Bale Wagon: The bales are removed from the field by means of a bale wagon. This machine is self-propelled and picks up the bales on a platform and then through a series of hydraulic maneuvers stacks them on the bed of the wagon.

The supply is normally ample at that time of the year as the crops are being harvested for the current year, the price is the best of the season, and the choice range is widest. Hay is only grown during a portion of the year so if you are purchasing hay during a time other than the growing season, the hay you are purchasing is being stored at a storage location.

Large amounts of hay hundreds of thousands of tons are stored either in covered barns or in professionally tarped stacks in Eastern Washington , where humidity is low. Storage at Your Location: Hay that has been properly harvested and baled, and has been stored properly will last for several years in the bale. Bales that have been opened are best stored at room temperature or cooler in a dry location out of sunlight which can leach nutrients.

A garbage can or similar container that is not air tight works well. Your hay needs to breathe, as it naturally has a moisture content that, when enclosed in a sealed bag or container, can cause the growth of mold. Do not store your hay in sealed plastic bags. Properly stored, carefully selected highfiber hay can provide your rabbit with a healthy diet year round. If you live in a windy location, dry your crops in a greenhouse or a shed with windows.

Store your hay in a dry location. Hay is especially prone to mold or mildewing. To prevent this, choose a place with low humidity to store your hay like a shed or garage. If you have to store your hay outside, you can cover it with a tarp to protect it from moisture.

As long as your hay is stored away from moisture, it should last indefinitely. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. If you already grow grass, you can grow it out several inches or centimeters larger than you normally would for a small hay harvest. Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0. Related wikiHows How to. How to. More References 3. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: 3. Updated: December 24, Categories: Farming. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 65, times.

Many thanks for sharing. Did this article help you? Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Susanne Campbell Jun 11, Categories Work World Occupations Farming. When mowing the hay, run it through a properly adjusted conditioner and lay the hay out into wide windrows. This will give the hay the most possible exposure to sunlight to help it dry down quickly. Leaves are the most valuable part of alfalfa but can be easily lost if the crop is handled at the wrong moisture level.

The window is narrow to rake hay without shaking off leaves. Bales need protection from the weather to avoid loss. If at all possible, store bales in a shed or under tarps.