It’s that time of year again – hay season is here!

It’s that time of year again – hay season is here!

By Sandy Jones

Our grass has been ready for cutting, but with the wet Missouri spring, finding a few rain-free days to hay the field has been a challenge.

 “Hay for pigs”, you might ask? Yes! Our pigs love hay. They play in it, they eat some, and they use it as warm, cozy bedding. We also sell some hay to our local community to support pig feed costs.

Do you know the difference between hay and straw? 

Hay is green grass (or other legumes) that has been cut and dried. 

Straw is made of grain stalks, like wheat. It is fluffier and lighter, as the stalks are hollow. Interestingly, drinking straws were initially made from straw.

Although straw is a superior insulator compared to hay, it’s less common in the Ozarks, a region predominantly covered in woodlands with grass pastures. We make use of what is growing here, so we use our own hay for bedding. That’s sustainability. 

Also, we know that our hay has not been sprayed with any herbicides or fertilizers. As naturally grown as our pigs. The way to achieve that is to only cut the hay once a year and let the regrowing grass die back in fall to replenish the much needed carbon in the soil.

Now, getting the bales on the trailer in the field, and then stacking them up 25 feet in the barn, is not an easy task. Of course the time is right when it is over 85F and hot and sticky in the barn. If you ever want to test your strength and conditioning, let us know and we’ll put you on the roster for next year’s event. Free electrolyte water for everybody!

Here on Jones Hill Ranch, there’s always something happening. 

With only two of us running the ranch, we are not equipped for selling retail cuts. However, if you’re not ready for a whole or half pig yet, check out our variety of boxes and bundlea