[goosepimple]

That's a great tip, you should remind everybody of that next summer when they're mowing 

[fairhaven]

I can't wait for the grass to grow again to give this a try - I had to bookmark this topic so I didn't forget about it!

[bigchicken]

Tryed making my own silage in black bin bags no very successful to many holes in the bags. Going to try the barrels this year, what size barrels and where do I get hold of some cheep smallholder prices please.

[GaddesdenGal]

What a brilliant idea. If you're adding grass to the barrel filling it gradually between each mowing how do you weigh down a half filled barrel? Just with bricks so some air is getting in all the time or do you put the lid back on too? (And leave it half full of air?) 

[MarvinH]

You want to keep all the air out.

[sugartown farm]

I think this is a fascinating thread.  Just one query. Do the barrels have to be plastic or can they be the metal 40 gallon ones?

[macvity]

i use only plastic barrels only.i would think that steel barrels would rust away inside.the quality of the grass out of a plastic barrel is realy good with a nice smell.and the sheep love it.

[sokel]

I am definatly going to try this this year, we have about 10 of the blue barrels here already and will watch out for some more at the sale at hexham mart

[Penninehillbilly]

Must try this this year, we have an Allen scythe type mower, presumably if I cut some areas regular so its fairly short, this would do?
(Copied this thread into MS word and filed in 'goat feed' so I can refer to it easily.)

[Fairhaven Stud]

I know this topic has been thoroughly discussed but I have a simple question not mentioned... Will it matter if the grass is damp when cut or will it just go mouldy?

[macvity]

hi its ok if its damp but not realy wet because you will have alot of liquid at the end of the barrel.

[Chris P Duck]

hi all,

was just reading this old topic and couldn't find an answer to the question of 'how do you weigh down the half full barrel of grass' - is it as simple as sticking a round piece of wood on top and a load of bricks?

its something i'd like to try as it seems quite simple.

cheers

[Laurieston]

Feedback on my experience of making silage.

I gathered my last lawn mowing and stuffed it into a blue plastic barrel.  Pressed it down hard, actually climbed in and jumped down on it.  Put more cuttings in and jumped again, and repeated until I could just get the lid on.  (I don't think one can make a half barrel as that would mean there was too much air in the mixture, which means it would have a different chemical reaction and end up as something other than yummy silage.) Put lid on tightly and turned it upside down.  As it was so late in the season there were a lot of leaves already mixed in.  In March I openned it and it smelled lovely, I think one could make soup out of it.  The sheep were not too impressed, but the following day most of it was gone, apart from the leaves. 

I only have 3 sheep, and they are little Ouessants, so they did not get through much before the silage went mouldy and therefore can no longer be eaten.  I was surprised how quickly it went mouldy, especially as I was careful to always put the lid back on.  I suppose the new air that went in every time I opened it.  I'm not sure, but I think it went mouldy within 3 weeks.

I will do it again next year, and early so less leaves.  Actually I will do it more for the good feeling of creating something useful out of something 'waste' which always appeals to me.  If I could make smaller amounts I would, so that it wouldn't have to stand around open for so long. 

Overall easy to do, and worth the effort (very little effort needed), but should be eaten quickly, and keep a careful eye out for the developing mould which I know is bad for horses, so guess to be also bad for sheep.

[mowhaugh]

OK, dim question alert - do your blue barrels actually have lids that come off?  We have loads but they don't have lids, just a wee plastic 'plug' for putting liquids in, to use for clippings you would have to cut the tops off, then I am not sure you could seal them again very well?

[Penninehillbilly]

Ours have black lift off lids which should have metal bands round to clip them on (lost all the metal bands of course