Photo Karen Graham.
Harvesting hay is all about timing, and this farmer recruited some help to ensure his hay crop was baled before the weekend rains arrived. Rain on an already dry hay crop significantly reduces its quality.
Despite that late May snowfall, the hay season arrived early this year and by now most local farmers have already taken their “first cut” of this ubiquitous crop.
Some years conditions allow as many as three cuts of hay in the season, but the first one is the most valuable, with the most protein and highest yield per acre. It also has the most moisture, making it more difficult to “cure” or dry, which is critical for safe storage.
But what is hay, after all? Hay is a mixture of grasses which could include ryegrass, timothy, brome, clover and alfalfa which has dried and been baled. Also called a forage, it is the main source of food for most livestock when pasture is inadequate or unavailable. It is not to be confused with straw, which is the hollow shaft remaining after the harvest of oats, barley or wheat and is used primarily for bedding.
The market for hay is closely linked to its use as a food source for livestock like beef cattle, whose numbers are shrinking, softening the demand, and therefore the price, of hay. Higher cash crop prices have also squeezed out some hay production, and some fields have fallen victim to the impact of urban sprawl. While fewer cattle might be considered good for the environment, the same can’t be said about fewer acres of hay.
Last spring, Ontario farmers were encouraged to boost their hay production as part of their crop rotation. Forage acres in Ontario have decreased by roughly 40% over the last eight years, being replaced with rotations of corn, soybeans and wheat, crops that deplete the soil. Currently less than 10% of agricultural acreage in the province is in forage. Experts say that rate should be 20 to 30 %. Forages capture sunlight more days of the year and help to manage water by enhancing infiltration, increasing water holding capacity, reducing surface runoff and reducing erosion. They also reduce the need for tillage and increase soil aeration and improve soil resiliency by supporting microbial life.
Growing quality hay can be challenging. The grasses must be cut and left to dry over a few days, then baled and protected from the elements – either brought into storage or covered in some fashion. Perfect hay has never been rained on and is cut at precisely the right moment when the moisture content has fallen below 25%. This requires three to four consecutive rain-free days at the time when the hay crop is at the right stage of development. Timing is everything. The focus on moisture level is not only measuring its feed quality, also its safety. Moist hay can begin to ferment, leading to spontaneous combustion, particularly when it is stored indoors. Acid can be applied to hay to reduce the chances of catching fire, but that, too impacts its quality.
As anyone who has ever had a vegetable garden knows, crops ripen all at once. Because hay quality is so sensitive to harvesting timing and conditions, some farmers have opted to cut hay early and wrap the bales in heavy gage white plastic, creating what looks like rows of giant marshmallows along fence lines. These contain hay that is cut and stored wet (50-60% moisture), which is possible because the wrapping protects the hay from spoiling. Better product, higher expense.
To the untrained eye, a hay field might look like an area where the owner has let nature take its course, but if it’s managed by a farmer, the appearance can be deceiving. Well-managed hay fields are reseeded every four years, fertilized after every cut and meticulously harvested to optimize the crop’s nutritional value. In other words, underneath that “natural” veneer lies a professional management addressing natural challenges (weather, weevils) and man-made ones in commodity and financial markets. These fields also represent an environmental asset where soil can rebuild and erosion and run-off are contained. You can thank a farmer for that. KG
