What did livestock owners do for hay in ancient times? This is a question I’ve pondered and yearned to know, because we strive to live life as non mechanized as possible. When I heard about tree hay, I instantly knew it was what I’d been looking for. Tree hay is one of the oldest hay production methods in recorded history. Ancient pollards, or trees cut specifically for branchy growth as is used in tree hay making, have been found across Europe and it is even mentioned in ancient Roman times.
We experimented this summer with silage making from lawnmower clippings. The first barrel wasn’t a complete success–mold made it several inches down the barrel–but it was enough to convince us to keep trying, so in July we ensiled 4 barrels of grass clippings sourced entirely from our lawnmower.
We opened the first of those barrels today, so I wanted to show you the results, along with a step by step explanation of silage making with nothing more than an air tight container and a lawnmower with bagger attachment.
Silage making is so incredibly simple I’m surprised it isn’t more popular. It took me quite a bit of searching initially to find resources that talk about it and in the end, we were pretty much on our own. This guide is my hope of spreading the word so more people can create a sustainable, nearly zero cost food source for their livestock. Continue reading “Silage Making with Lawnmower Grass Clippings”