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The hay fields are mostly WW B-Dahl old-world bluestem, which is drought resistant, does not require much nitrogen fertilization, and is very palatable to cattle. We also have some Coastal, which requires more nitrogen fertilizer but also produces more hay when fertilized. We are currently using dairy manure for fertilization, and may use hydrolyzed fish in the future.
All bales are Certified Organic. Some are 4×5 ft net-wrapped, some are 4×6 ft net-wrapped. We found a square baler in July 2025 that makes bales of 60-75 pounds.
- As of July 2025, we have hay and plan to harvest it as soon as the rains stop. We love rain, and always appreciate it, but cannot bale until the grass
can be dry for at least 4 days. Otherwise, the hay may be damp and can catch fire. We can also part with some round bales in limited quantities. The protein
content is pretty low (5%) but it does provide bulk for cattle that can be supplemented with other sources of protein. Contact us for details.
- As of Spring 2023, we have no hay for sale. We did manage to harvest enough hay from one dry-land field to keep alive the animals we did not sell last fall,
but we did have to sell three-quarters of the herd. The pivot field's grass was needed just to keep the herd alive into the winter. So our plan is to keep our
hay until we have 18 months on hand. If we get rain and keep the herd smaller than before, we might be able to accomplish that in 2023.
- As of Summer 2022, we have no hay. The temperatures have been above 100F since mid-May and we have had little rain. If this continues, we may not have
enough hay for the winter to support a herd. Fortunately, mid-July brought some rain and the pivot seems to be working more or less again, so we will see.
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