# lawn to hay?



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I have a customer that has about 30 acres of lawn that used to be horse pasture. They pay someone a lot of money to cut it with zero turns and have been looking for ways to cut their costs. They asked me to just "bush hog" it for them every month or so. Now that I've got about 35 acres of hay to cut nearby, I thought I would propose to them a way they could get their "lawns" cut free by letting me hay their fields (lawns) for them. It would be cheaper for them than bush hogging and I get more acres of hay.

Before I make that offer I want to make sure I'm doing this the right way. 
So my question is: If we let their finish lawn "go wild", would it make good hay? I would say the current lawn is a mixture of bluegrass and ryegrass-just like you'd find in someones front yard, but much bigger. What do you think?


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## downtownjr (Apr 8, 2008)

Should see if they would let you put in alfalfa or an alfalfa/grass mix to sell the horse customers. Not sure what you may see in the soil tests, but if they would let you do all that for no cost and give you something in writing for at least 5 years, that would be a nice way to get a field and would look nice for them between mowings.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

OK, thanks. Let's just say I didn't change the grass mixture and just left it as is. Horses would eat "lawn" if it's bluegrass and ryegrass, right? 
Or would that be undesireable?


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Are you wanting to sell the hay or feed it yourself?
I have a friend who is a hay farmer. He also has cows.
There is a large yard across the road from one of his hay fields. He cuts and bales the yard for hay.
I am not sure if he sells the hay from the yard or feeds it himself.
If you want to sell the the hay from the yard I am not sure what you would market the hay as?
Also unless the yard was fertilized the yield would be small and the hay of less feed value.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

JD3430 said:


> OK, thanks. Let's just say I didn't change the grass mixture and just left it as is. Horses would eat "lawn" if it's bluegrass and ryegrass, right?
> Or would that be undesireable?


It would make good hay.But more then likely not a forage type ryegrass more of a turf grass variety.It could be some nice fine hay tho,you just won't get near the tonnage.The grass likes Nitrogen also,depending on price of hay there it may pay well to fertilize.

Blue grass is fine and is hard to cut.I would reccomend a disc mower.With NEW blades!!!

I have a small pasture I cut that is Tinothy/Bluegrass.It is some nice calf or horse hay.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I would want to sell it to buyers to feed to their horses. 
I've seen it after it gets let go and it was very thick. Only have a haybine!!!!


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## Chessiedog (Jul 24, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> I would want to sell it to buyers to feed to their horses.
> I've seen it after it gets let go and it was very thick. Only have a haybine!!!!


I think you could mow it. Might not be able to fly through it ,but folks have been cutting
all sorts of grass hay with a haybine long before discbines were every where . Sounds like some decent grass hay to me as long as it's not full of weeds. Not everyone feeds their horse the best money can buy . A lot of folks feed the best hay they can afford . As far as marketing it I would say it just grass hay , what you see is what you get. You could sell it very reasonable since you won't have a lot in it . I have found if you put it up right , dry , no mold , no weeds an 50 pound bales you'll have a buyer for it . If it works out then maybe you can get them to let you put something else in it later .
Good luck , always hard to find more hay ground .


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I must be losing it because everywhere I drive, I see vacant parcels and think "they should let me turn those into productive fields"


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

Have a neighbor who bales all his town lots. Needs to keep them mowed anyway, might as well get a little hay out of it.

OBTW He is one of the few around here who has not needed to feed hay to his cattle in Central Texas. He is not greedy, just practical.


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## Texasmark (Dec 20, 2011)

I don't know where you are located, but if in or close to Texas, anything the cows can eat will make you money. For what it's worth, I have baled grass that I have brush hogged, both round and square. A good bit of loose hay on the rolls falling out as you bale, but once the bale is formed it's just like any grass that you sickle cut.

Mark


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I'm up in PA. 
It seems to make sense because whenever I see even the most particular horses turned loose on a lwan, they go to town on it. 
I sent an email to the prospective property manager and hope to hear back from him. It's very close to 3 other fields I hay and it would be great to add this one. 
Even though it's closeby, I hope I'm not creating a logistical nightmare for myself (moving equipment too much)


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