Can you make hay from picked grass?

[DMS260820]

Always wondered, would it be possible to make my own hay from picked grass? If i picked a load and then somehow dried it in a pile. Maybe next to a radiator? Or will it just turn out to be readigrass?

 

[DM030819]

@Skypipdot I'm sure one of the past forum members used to do this. She was from Italy so the grass used to be quite dry anyway and she fed quite a lot of it.

It wouldn't turn into hay and it's not the same as hay but it wouldn't be Readigrass either as they do something to it to turn it into Readigrass.

Give it a try. As long as it's not wet and gers fermented then it should be fine.

 

[DMS260820]

@Skypipdot I'm sure one of the past forum members used to do this. She was from Italy so the grass used to be quite dry anyway and she fed quite a lot of it.

It wouldn't turn into hay and it's not the same as hay but it wouldn't be Readigrass either as they do something to it to turn it into Readigrass.

Give it a try. As long as it's not wet and gers fermented then it should be fine.

Ok thanks, il have to turn the pile every now and then so it dried evenly

 

[MilliePigs]

Yes it does! I do this every summer, I leave the grass to dry in the sun for a few days, sometimes a week and you have some very green hay, my piggies love it too, much more than store bought hay

 

[DMS260820]

Yes it does! I do this every summer, I leave the grass to dry in the sun for a few days, sometimes a week and you have some very green hay, my piggies love it too, much more than store bought hay

Best thing is a green house.

 

[teddymouse]

l forage greens and grass and dry alot of it for winter fed.

 

[DMS260820]

Thats a nice set up you have too bad i live in a flat

 

[Guinea Slave]

That’s amazing!

 

[ThePiggieHouse]

Wow, that's brilliant. Do the dandelions etc not ferment? How do you achieve this? Do you wash it all first?
Sounds odd, but is it really as simple as it looks? It's such a money saving exercise...

 

[dannif_piggies]

l forage greensView attachment 100189 and grassView attachment 100188 and dry alot of it for winter fed.View attachment 100186

Love this! This is every piggies dream Such a lovely set up

 

[pig in the city]

I make hay every summer and feed it during the winter it's so much nicer than shop bought hay. I cut long grass and dry on a sheet in the sun. Keep turning it an store in Hessian sacks or cardboard boxes once fully dry.
I forage as well but feed it fresh.

 

[teddymouse]

Wow, that's brilliant. Do the dandelions etc not ferment? How do you achieve this? Do you wash it all first?
Sounds odd, but is it really as simple as it looks? It's such a money saving exercise...

during spring and summer most days,l go out on my mobily scooter and trailer to forage, keeping watch on the weather, this year as been brill. if it forcast rain l move the forage into my 16 foot greenhouse, take about f our days to dry out, then store in the free veg crates you can get form shops, in a dry shed, now it's getting colder, the dryed forage is shredded ( just a small wick's garden waste shredder) and made into chaffe. and fed most days. when made well ,it stays fresh and sweet and dos not go mouldy. piggies love it.

 

[ThePiggieHouse]

during spring and summer most days,l go out on my mobily scooter and trailer to forage, keeping watch on the weather, this year as been brill. if it forcast rain l move the forage into my 16 foot greenhouse, take about f our days to dry out, then store in the free veg crates you can get form shops, in a dry shed, now it's getting colder, the dryed forage is shredded ( just a small wick's garden waste shredder) and made into chaffe. and fed most days. when made well ,it stays fresh and sweet and dos not go mouldy. piggies love it.

This is brilliant, thanks. Next summer I'm definitely going to have a go at this. Anything to keep my piggies happy lol x

 

[Sophie B]

Did you give it a go?