Hay! Has anyone ever tried to grow their own?

[Poodles]

Was wondering if a backyard garden of Timothy Hay was possible? Has anyone ever tried it?

[aqh88]

Entirely possible. Here is an article meant for small farms http://www.sheepscreek.com/rural/hay.html. The article is aimed more for saving money when keeping small herds of livestock. It probably talks about cutting a larger area than what you are planning but it does cover the basics and gives you ideas what to type into google for more info. Another useful article is http://www.motherearthnews.com/libra...gust/Make_Hay__. Hay can be cut by hand but it takes plenty of practice to get the hang of it and you need to be up to the excercise. I would build a small building with good ventilation to store the hay in to keep it cool and dry. Hay set directly on dirt will mold so if the building has no floor lay down a plastic tarp. A poorly ventilated building will hold in moisture and mold the hay.

[Poodles]

I was thinking about building a 4'x8' raised bed and plant some veggies and such for my piggies. Know that some people just go out and cut grass to feed them, and thought that they might like fresh Timothy hay. I don't know how to grow much, but thought I could surely manage some dandilions for them.

Thank you for the links, I appreciate your help!

[Zeander]

Our pasture is Bermuda grass. Is that hay okay for piggies? I think i'm too lazy to do all the work.

[Slap Maxwell]

Bermuda grass is fine.

[LuvMyPiggers]

I had a friend who had pigs. She found a huge plastic storage container about 1 foot deep. I mean this thing was like 8 feet long. Well anyway, she planted on one side Veggies and the other timothy. She placed it in the sun and wala... fresh hay and veggies. I don't know how she got the timothy to grow though. Later in life she planted chemical free grass seed in the same container. Worked beautifully

[TheQueen]

I've never tried to grow hay, but I grow my own lettuce, parsley, and other veggies. Oh, grass, too!

[Ly&Pigs]

Lesson time for everyone! Hay is grass that has been cut and dried. Grass that has not been cut and dried is fresh grass. It can't be called hay if it's not dried. You can grow your own various types of grasses such as Timothy, Orchard, Bluegrass, Bermuda, etc., but it's not hay unless you cut it and let it dry on the ground for a couple of days and then you can bale it or you can put it in a airy cardboard box or something for storage in a cool place. I used to work in hay fields putting up bales of hay.

Feeding fresh grass is good for the pigs but they still need the hay as it helps to wear down their teeth and helps aid in digestion.