Growing Organic Hay?

[ProjectKing]

Hello, Curious if any of you are growing and selling organic hay. I'm getting ready to reseed my field in the fall and am considering going organic.

Biggest question is where do you get seed and how much more is the seed. I think if it all goes well I could get a premium price for the organic hay.

Thank you

 

[stuckmotor]

I guess when I used to bale grass from an unfertilized field or one fertilized only with chicken manure the hay might have been called organic. It's been many years since I researched organic gardening and don't remember ever seeing any mention of organic seed. Please explain.

 

[rustydollar]

Hello, Curious if any of you are growing and selling organic hay. I'm getting ready to reseed my field in the fall and am considering going organic.

Biggest question is where do you get seed and how much more is the seed. I think if it all goes well I could get a premium price for the organic hay.

Thank you

Organic certification - Wikipedia

 

[ProjectKing]

I guess when I used to bale grass from an unfertilized field or one fertilized only with chicken manure the hay might have been called organic. It's been many years since I researched organic gardening and don't remember ever seeing any mention of organic seed. Please explain.

Seed has to be certified non gmo. Also no chemical fertilizer can be used. Manure would be the go to fertilizer.

 

[stuckmotor]

Non GMO seeds. Thats probably something that's come up since I read about this in the 70's and 80's. Most of what I learned back then came from Rodale publications and Mother Earth News. People seemed to think I was a nut when I talked organics in those days, now organics are popular. Thanks for explaining and Good luck!

 

[RickB]

Seed has to be certified non gmo. Also no chemical fertilizer can be used. Manure would be the go to fertilizer.

Manure from animals fed GMO crops? Or is all manure magically certified organic?

Kinda like mulching organic strawberries with straw bought from a neighbor that sprays his oats with Butyrac.

 

[ProjectKing]

Manure from animals fed GMO crops? Or is all manure magically certified organic?

Kinda like mulching organic strawberries with straw bought from a neighbor that sprays his oats with Butyrac.

I thought about that as well! Haha

 

[Oldoak]

ProjectKing, Your best source of information for growing organic hay would be your local extension office of your state's Department of Agriculture rather than relying on the replies you will get here. There you will also find official information about what can and cannot be used on the fields to be classified as "organically produced" hay. There are such elements as agricultural lime and commercially produced "organic" fertilizers than can be applied, etc.

Before getting into growing organic hay "for profit" check to see if there is a market for it in your area. I know it does bring a premium price. We have organic dairy farmers in my area and they receive a premium price for their milk. Of course they also pay a higher price for organically grown hay.

 

[Paul N]

I don't know if this applies everywhere, but here in Minnesota, you must be pesticide and commercial fertilizer free for 3 years to become certified organic.
The only GMO alfalfa I know of would be Roundup Ready. I never even heard of GMO grass.

Paul N

 

[joeu235]

What quality of hay are you wanting to make? Horse quality, at least what people expect around here, is impossible without herbicide and fertilizer.

Protein content in hay is directly related to the amount of N available in the ground, and for our conditions, we put out 300# an acre of 20-10-10 per cutting to get in the 14% range. That would be a lot of chicken litter.