# Any value in BROOMSAGE HAY BALES?



## whitmerlegacyfarm

So i have a about 50 bales or so that is majority of Broomsage Grass, w/ some Orchard grass mixed in. It was baled when started to go to seed and are nice green color bales. This was a 3rd cutting off this small field. I'm curious if cows will eat this or if i can put these bales on CL and just be honest what they are and see if anyone is interested in it for 2.50 a bale. Maybe someone that's in need of hay but don't have the money right now, i duno, my horses pick threw it, but most goes to waste. Rather not just chuck it if maybe cows would eat it??? Thanks


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## Canderson012

I custom baled for a guy and so many of those bales were just that dead brown looking broomsage haha


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

Luckily mine was not dead and golden brown yet. so i still got a nice green bale, but my horses arn't really touchin it. All the seeds where going air born, looked like it was snowing lol.


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## Tim/South

My cows will not eat sage unless it is cut about four inches tall. That is one reason you do not see sage on pastures. They will eat it young.
I would put the hay on CL and see if anyone was interested. Just be honest, do not play it up or down.
It may sell as reclamation hay. When I square baled I sold a lot of sub par hay to the erosion control folks.


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## dubltrubl

We are slowly getting control of a field that was overrun with the stuff. We've found that if cut short, (less than 12") animals will accept it pretty well. Left to grow longer even if still green then they don't like it so much. If left till it turns brown I don't think even goats will eat it! From my observations, in the spring the cows will go for the very short stuff first but as the season wears on they prefer to leave it alone. Just my $.02.
Steve


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

Well hopfully since i put 2ton of lim on this field the orchard grass may choke it out, but it may just end up getting plowed under and turned sweet corn patch. Maybe for once i will get some sweet corn... dang deer.


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## JD3430

My guess is youd be better off burning it. When I want erosion control, I use straw, not hay. When I want to keep concrete fron freezing, I use salt hay.

Unless you have a local mushroom composting company, you're about out of luck. The fuel to drive 50 bales (approx 1 ton) down to where I am and only get $110/ton, you wouldn't break even.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

Worst case is, i will give it to my neighbor lol, he loves all my bad bales of hay, he rototills um up in garden and puts around strawberry plants to keep the weeds down. I just remember there was an auction up the line from me, and i made plans to take the wife out for lunch and do a little shopping to get ready for our Cruise next weekend. I need some more hay wagons and theres 3 flat bed wagons here. Oh well i will pick up some at the local consignment auction march 31st hopefully theere will be a bunch like last year, got a john deere for 350 and a case for 195 all flat beds. Get 2 more wagons a and a sprayer and i'm set, ready to go.


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## astropilot

The main reason for this grass thriving is poor PH. Lime the ground. Generally you will see the the ph levels are around 5.0, the lower the better the sage grass loves it. Mark


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

Yea i put 2 ton of lime on last fall, which it was at 5.2 previous, soil sample came back and said addin the 2ton of lime targeted PH would be 6.5. I like the sounds of that.


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## RockmartGA

If it is majority broomsedge, I don't think there is much you can do with it as far as a feed bale. I don't know which is a bigger pain in the you know what, broomsedge or johnson grass. My neighbors field is full of both and it is a constant battle to keep it out of my field.

As mentioned previously, PH is a major factor and keeping it cut down and not letting it go to seed will also help in eradicating it.

If all else fails, put it on Craigs List for $1 a bale and see if you can move it.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

Well i just got a call guy with horses wants it all, i got almost 40 bales and i told him exactly what was in it that my horses to pick threw it, he then says his horses arn't picky at all as long as it aint moldy which it isn't, nor dusty. Guys coming tomorrow with cash, sounded like a jockey and is coming from area where race track is. I told him he could try a bale but he said he sure they would eat it.

Is there anything i can write on the receipt to cover my but?

Curious if you guys have any waivers or anything you make hay customers buy? I was honest about it what more can i do if he wants it for $3.00 a bale? I mean i was cheapest price on there. Most hay is $4.00-8.00 a bale.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

http://harrisburg.craigslist.org/grd/3637031604.html.

Link to my add on CL not sure if the pic uploaded, but some bales do have decent amount of O grass like one on left, one on right is light due to all the Broomsage


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## Tim/South

> Most of these hay bales are Broomsage grass w/ some Orchard grass. Nice green color to the bales. I would not consider this Horse Hay, but i would think cows would like it. Our horses pick through these bales. This was a 3rd cutting hay, but the broomsage grass took over. There is no weeds in the hay. Your are more then welcome to take a bale home and give it a try.


You made it very clear in your representation of the hay that you did not consider it horse quality.
Once he buys it then it will be his hay and he can consider it what ever kind of hay he desires and can feed/sell it as he wishes. You have a public record of your evaluation.
I have known people buy less quality hay under the excuse that "it is just filler anyway, they get the best sweet feed".
I would save a copy of the ad before it expires. Down the road someone may say they heard you sold some less than quality horse hay. I seriously doubt it though after your very clear representation of this batch of hay.

One man told me his horses were trained to eat lesser hay as long as it was not moldy. Said he bought cheap table salt and poured it over the hay. He claimed both horses and cows would eat it well once doctored.
Strange the little things a person can pick up on after a few years dealing with people making excuses to go the cheap route.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

Thanks Tim, that makes me feel a lot better, I will b sure to save the ad. I have not sold much hay yet, I do have a good bit thats goin to be leftover. Im afraid to sell the better stuff incase I dont get enough this coming season. But I feel in a,month or so the supply will be lesser but demand higher so im goin to hold off till the fields start to green up.


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## JD3430

I sold some "erosion hay" over the summer. It was either baled after is got rained on or had too much weeds. I made sure the ad specified " not horse quality hay". I think the guy who bought it used it for go cart track barriers.
Prolly resold it as horse hay........lol


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

Yea probably, this should be interesting tomorrow see who this guy is that shows up, sure sounded like a jockey type lol. I hope his horses eat it but im skeptical inless they are extremly starving.


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