Question About Hay Fields

[msscamp]

I'm curious as to how many of you routinely patrol your hay fields and keep the trash cleaned out of them. The reason that I'm asking is that most of the hay we produce is alfalfa, so we have to buy grass hay to keep up with the demand from our boarders and the general public that we sell hay to. We bought some grass hay from one particular producer in our area - he will remain anonymous - and I got at least 2 5-gallon buckets of trash out of the last grass bale that was put down for feeding - including, but not limited to smashed beer cans(every brand known to man), parts of styrofoam containers, disposable filters, mangled baseball caps, squashed soda bottles(mountain dew seems to be the brand of choice), lots and lots of paper, twine, squashed water bottles - you name it, I found it in that bale of hay. I absolutely couldn't believe the amount of trash that was in that bale of hay - and this bale was not the only one full of trash. Is this the norm? We work hard at keeping our hay fields and pastures free of trash - I have a hard time believing that we are the only one's who do.

 

[fitz]

Always a problem with the fields I work along public roadways. Both hay & pasture. Hate the Walmart bags. I truly wish if the slugs felt they have to dipose of trash in that manner they would consider just dropping it out the window instead of slinging it out towards the fields. I pick up along the road also about once a month if I'm here.

fitz

 

[grannysoo]

I patrol the hay fields by the highway. I patrol the hay fields by the dirt roads. I detest trash, and I detest the people that throw it out the windows. Every Saturday, it probably looks like I'm on probation doing community service because I'm out picking up the trash in the ditches.

I just don't want to see it when I go home everyday.

 

[1982vett]

I'm curious as to how many of you routinely patrol your hay fields and keep the trash cleaned out of them. The reason that I'm asking is that most of the hay we produce is alfalfa, so we have to buy grass hay to keep up with the demand from our boarders and the general public that we sell hay to. We bought some grass hay from one particular producer in our area - he will remain anonymous - and I got at least 2 5-gallon buckets of trash out of the last grass bale that was put down for feeding - including, but not limited to smashed beer cans(every brand known to man), parts of styrofoam containers, disposable filters, mangled baseball caps, squashed soda bottles(mountain dew seems to be the brand of choice), lots and lots of paper, twine, squashed water bottles - you name it, I found it in that bale of hay. I absolutely couldn't believe the amount of trash that was in that bale of hay - and this bale was not the only one full of trash. Is this the norm? We work hard at keeping our hay fields and pastures free of trash - I have a hard time believing that we are the only one's who do.

Sounds like you got some grass hay baled of a highway right-of -way.

 

[bigbull338]

that hay you bought didnt come from a hay meadow.it most likely came from the guy baling the road side bar ditches.most people wont junk their fields up with trash like that.

 

[ga. prime]

that hay you bought didnt come from a hay meadow.it most likely came from the guy baling the road side bar ditches.most people wont junk their fields up with trash like that.

Very good guess, bigbull. No other way would you get 10 gallons of garbage in one roll.

 

[iowafarmer]

Yep, sounds like you got some hay from a roadside ditch.

 

[EAT BEEF]

We never had much trouble with trash but one year I was mowing hay along the road and hit about 200 bud light bottles and porn items all within about 100 ft. I think someone had picked this spot to tose bottles and reading material right before they got home.

 

[Jogeephus]

To me, that doesn't speak well of the hay producer. I sometimes find stuff in the field but I'm not too lazy to get off the tractor and pick it up instead of baling it. Its pretty obvious to see stuff when you are in the seat of your tractor. Worst thing I found was a dead dog. Moving this was pretty challenging for me.

 

[ga. prime]

I had to buy some hay in winter '06-'07. What I bought was mostly crab grass and Texas panicum baled from an onion field after the onion harvest. I knew that going in. It was priced right. Got a load of trash in those rolls. Mexican field crews don't know what a garbage can is. Also got 2 or 3 weeds I had never seen before. Spent all last summer patrolling and spraying the hay feeding area trying to eradicate the new weeds. I think I succeeded.

 

[gertguy]

Don't forget cigarette cartons and lottery tickets. I found a dead dog one time in a trash bag someone through out.

 

[ga. prime]

Few people know how to dispose of a dead dog or deer remains. If someone is not going to bury it, they should at least dump it off the road away from where folks live and where people don't have to stop their vehicles. I have a constant inflx of deer legs and other deer parts brought into the yard by the dogs during deer season. I don't know where the dogs find them, but it's got to be nearby.

 

[msscamp]

that hay you bought didnt come from a hay meadow.it most likely came from the guy baling the road side bar ditches.most people wont junk their fields up with trash like that.

It definitely came from a hay field, and not the bar pit - I know that for a fact - but the hay field does run alongside a fairly busy highway.

 

[bigbull338]

well then it got alot of trash from being close to the roadside then.i wouldnt buy from that guy again.that trash could kill a horse.

 

[TexasBred]

that hay you bought didnt come from a hay meadow.it most likely came from the guy baling the road side bar ditches.most people wont junk their fields up with trash like that.

It definitely came from a hay field, and not the bar pit - I know that for a fact - but the hay field does run alongside a fairly busy highway.

Wow...that's bad. Really doesn't speak well of this persons management practices. I find lots of that stuff in the highway right of way but for whatever reason it never gets into the fields. I did find part of a rattlesnake hanging out a bale one time as well as a perfectly mummified rabbit in another bale I unrolled.

 

[msscamp]

that hay you bought didnt come from a hay meadow.it most likely came from the guy baling the road side bar ditches.most people wont junk their fields up with trash like that.

It definitely came from a hay field, and not the bar pit - I know that for a fact - but the hay field does run alongside a fairly busy highway.

Wow...that's bad. Really doesn't speak well of this persons management practices. I find lots of that stuff in the highway right of way but for whatever reason it never gets into the fields. I did find part of a rattlesnake hanging out a bale one time as well as a perfectly mummified rabbit in another bale I unrolled.

No, it doesn't. In all honesty, the wind up here tends to blow all kinds of crap into the fields/pastures when one is next to the highways/county roads/etc, but most people do their best to keep that trash cleaned/picked up, and it generally isn't a problem when it comes to hay. This was not the only bale that was full of trash, and the overall quality of the hay left a lot to be desired, as well - but that is another story for another time. I am relatively certain that I can state with absolute confidence that we won't be buying any more hay from this particular producer. ;-)

 

[Brute 23]

I feel sorry for people with land right on the higway. They get all kinds of trash in their fields. I would be POed.

You got to be kind of picky buying hay. Nothing like scattering some one elses problem in your field. :x

 

[FarmGirl10]

That really sucks and I would be really POed.

Whenever I see something laying in the fields when I'm mowing, raking, tedding, or baling I always stop to pick it up. A lot of times its a renagade supplement bag. There's always a chance that whatever the trash is that it could be toxic.

 

[msscamp]

I feel sorry for people with land right on the higway. They get all kinds of trash in their fields.

That just goes with the territory - literally. Most people are smart enough to know that if they buy land next to a highway they will be dealing with trash in their pastures/hay fields. Most of them just pick it up and deal. I do not understand the people who bale it up, though. Not only does it destroy their reputation as a hay producer, it also carries a fairly high risk of damaging/destroying their haying equipment. :???:

I would be POed.

I've been dealing with/cleaning up this hay all winter, and I'm not real happy about it. I guess that also goes with the territory - live and learn, I guess.

You got to be kind of picky buying hay. Nothing like scattering some one elses problem in your field. :x

Isn't that the truth - in more ways than one! The trash is bad enough, but I've also gotten a wake up call as to just how many people around here don't spray for noxious weeds such as Barley Foxtail, Bindweed, and a few others. I can't wait to how much of both I've got coming up around my place this summer. Judging by what I've seen in the hay we bought, I've got my hands full just trying to eradicate the stuff before it spreads out of control. I'm excited! :roll:

 

[Jogeephus]

Isn't that the truth - in more ways than one! The trash is bad enough, but I've also gotten a wake up call as to just how many people around here don't spray for noxious weeds such as Barley Foxtail, Bindweed, and a few others. I can't wait to how much of both I've got coming up around my place this summer. Judging by what I've seen in the hay we bought, I've got my hands full just trying to eradicate the stuff before it spreads out of control. I'm excited!

Yet some maintain its cheaper to buy hay.