How to Grow Hay Bales
Hay has many functional uses in society and has been grown and cultivated for thousands of years. Livestock in most parts of the world would find it hard to survive through the winter if not for bales of hay set out for them to supplement other food sources. Hay is also quite functional when used as a mulch or bedding for new and existing plantings and gardens. Baling into squares is the simplest method used for transportation and storage of the hay for later use. Growing and baling hay is performed with specialty implements used in conjunction with farm tractors. Follow these steps to grow and bale hay. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Break up a large section of ground with a disk and tractor in early spring in preparation for planting hay seed.
-
2
Spread hayseed of desired variety in 2 to 3 pounds per 1000 square feet of ground to be planted. Pull a roller or tires behind the tractor to help cover the hayseed to improve germination rates. Hay seed could be rye grass seed, bahia grass seed, or similar.
-
-
3
Allow the grass to grow into the summer without cutting until it reaches a height of 18 to 24 inches.
-
4
Hire or rent a hay grass cutter, hay rake, and hay baler to be used with a farm tractor for cutting and baling the hay.
-
5
Cut the hay grass low to the ground with the pull-behind hay cutter attached to the farm tractor. Allow grass to dry on the ground for a day or two with no rain in the forecast. When the hay has completely dried, rake into a continuous windrow to enable the hay baler to pick up the hay and bale it into square bales.
-
6
Scoop up the dried hay grass and bale it using the hired or rented hay baler and the farm tractor. Once all hay has been baled, it is ready for transport and usage.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Unless a lot of land is available to grow and bale hay, it is less expensive to buy the hay needed from a hay farm versus growing and baling it.
Use caution when operating heavy equipment such as hay cutters and hay balers.
If unfamiliar with the heavy equipment to be used, it is safer to hire a professional with his own equipment.
References
- Photo Credit Making hay image by Allen Stoner from Fotolia.com
