Soybean Hay ?

[Stocker Steve]

You see an occasional reference to soybean hay. Are folks just try to salvage a poor grain crop, or are there other reasons for it ? How well does it dry ?

 

[skyhightree1]

You see an occasional reference to soybean hay. Are folks just try to salvage a poor grain crop, or are there other reasons for it ? How well does it dry ?

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=99990

 

[dun]

There is a type of soybean that is planted as hay. Cleverly enough, they are called "hay beans" I've planted them for wildlife.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Most of the time it's for salvage reason, planted to late and frost to early.
But some grow them for hay, in fact they were originally only used for hay. My grandpa would grow about 20 acres of bean hay some years.

Two down sides to beans.
1) If they have pods filled, but are still green, they will hardly ever actually get dry, but that's fine if you make haylage.

2) They are dirty, and itchy!!! Worse than pure clover.

 

[pricefarm]

I know a few people that plant them each year. Usaly in fields that where suppose to be planted in corn but for whatever reason didn't get planted soon enough. No one close to me plants any soybeans to harvest so if they get planted it's for hay.

 

[Stocker Steve]

You see an occasional reference to soybean hay. Are folks just try to salvage a poor grain crop, or are there other reasons for it ? How well does it dry ?

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=99990

Great link.

If they are so hard to dry - - is haying soybeans a reasonable plan ?