Any hay makers out there?

[mscher]

I have about 2 1/2 acres of so-so pasture, that I'm trying to raise a few sheep on.

Looking at the possibility of fencing off 1 1/2 acres, kill weeds and planting good alfalfa or alfalfa/orchard grass mix. I'd like to see if someone local with equipment, would bale off of it, for half of the hay.

I have noticed that some people in my area (N. Indiana) with large yards are growing hay on them now, but usually have round bales. I will need small square bales.

Does any of this sound feasible? Not expecting to get rich, but with the high value of hay, this might help with the cost of the sheep, if a reasonable amount of hay can be harvested.

Generally, what kind of yields (with multiple cuttings) can be had per acre?

Any input appreciated.

 

[JCF350]

Re: Any hay makers out there?

I'd like to see if someone local with equipment, would bale off of it, for half of the hay.

Talking with one of these people would be the thing to do. Used to do it but we had 40 acres of fescue at the time.

 

[SgtMaj]

Re: Any hay makers out there?

My neighbor does it with straw... great yeilds, but that's straw, not alfalfa. Talk to your neighbors. They can point you in the right direction at the least.

 

[tysonnathan]

Re: Any hay makers out there?

1 1/2 acres is a really small spot. It would have to be a really convenient location for someone to justify coming over there to do the work (like really close to another pasture that they were tending). In Georgia, it is hard to get someone to come over for less than 3 or 4 acres. Of course, we grow grass that generally produces much lower yield per acre than alfalfa. You also need to think about your cost to produce good forages. Fertilizer prices have doubled since last year and continue to rise. Other costs to think about: establishment, lime, weed control, insect control.
For good information, contact your local County Extension Agent. They will have information that is more specific to your area.

Heres a links to the Perdue Extension website.
http://www.ces.purdue.edu/index.shtml

 

[mthieme]

Re: Any hay makers out there?

My best friend has 8 acres of horse farm. We contemplated the same thing. We also figured out very quickly that 3 acres of hay wouldn't go far feeding half a dozen.