# How do you grow hay?



## stonehillfarm (Feb 17, 2013)

hi i was just wondering how i could grow my own hay for my goats? any quick tips?


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I'd like to know this too! I'll be watching this thread. Mind if I ask a question too? What kinds of hay are the best to grow? I know alfalfa and Lespedeza are good, but what about grasses?


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## stonehillfarm (Feb 17, 2013)

@milkmaid. i was wondering the same thing also!! what type of grasses you grow? and i dont mind at all if you ask questions


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## Bit of Everything (Jan 28, 2011)

We grow alfalfa hay for our animals. And we'll work up a field and make it as smooth as possible and then plant the alfalfa seeds with some oats as a cover crop in the spring. Pray for lots of rain to make everything grow. We let the oats mature to either dry or almost dry and mow and bale them. The cows love them wet while the goats love dry bales of oat hay. Sometimes we'll combine the oats and put them in the grain bin. 

You'll need to buy a mower, rake and baler or hire it done if you have neighbors willing to help you out.


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## stonehillfarm (Feb 17, 2013)

cant you do it with a old fashioned sickle lol


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I know someone who just lets their grass grow and then does use the sickle and puts it up in their barn loose. You do have to do all the same things they do when baling lots of hay.


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## audrey (Jul 17, 2012)

You are going to need acres to put up any real amount of hay. If you are just talking about for fun, then yeah, you can use a sickle and a small enough patch that you can actually manage with a sickle. Unless you have the land for it, its way more cost effective to just buy it.


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

If you want to grow hay just don't cut the grass. Soon it will be tall enough to bale, don't ask how I know this


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

> If you want to grow hay just don't cut the grass.


I would gladly do this. But I have 3 brothers that love to mow! :/


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

Send them to my house. I hate mowing, thus the hay


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## serenityfarmnm (Jan 6, 2013)

milkmaid said:


> I would gladly do this. But I have 3 brothers that love to mow! :/


The first thought that comes to mind, after years of fighting to get the grass mowed B.G. (b4 goats) is.... Perhaps you should have your brothers evaluated by a professional.


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## serenityfarmnm (Jan 6, 2013)

milkmaid said:


> I would gladly do this. But I have 3 brothers that love to mow! :/


The first thought that comes to mind, after years of fighting to get the grass mowed B.G. (b4 goats) is.... Perhaps you should have your brothers evaluated by a professional.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

:laugh: I am not going to try to change that disorder, lol!
They had a lawn mowing business for a few years!


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## stonehillfarm (Feb 17, 2013)

i think i would just be easier to buy the hay hahaha


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