The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Techniques and skills => Topic started by: JFW67 on May 21, 2024, 09:27:33 am
-
Hi all,
Anyone tried successfully to do haylage by hand in small amounts?
We have a 2 acre field planted as a woodland (four years ago) with a 3m grass margin around it. At times I have my (small flock) of sheep graze it with an electric fence protecting the young trees.
The grass margin is good and I feel, if possible, it would be worth cutting and baling up for haylage for the sheep to have in late winter.
Given it would be a fairly un mechanised process I would aim to do it in small amounts either using a scythe or pull behind mower with my quad. Scythe seems wiser since I can better. O troll the amount cut at any one time.
Questions:
How long should the grass be?
Is it better cut in long lengths or chopped up?
How long should it lie before packing into bags?
I have heavy grade black bin bags to put it in - I have read both it needs very firm compression to remove air and that a vacuum will suck out enough air to work. Any comments?
Thanks for any input.
-
quite a few years ago but there were a few posts on this, you would have to do a search.
i think tubs and rubble bags were mentioned.
-
Any reason you wouldn't just dry it and store and feed it as hay?