What Ground Hog Day means to farmers

“Half your hay by Ground Hog Day,” is an old saying that helps a farmer estimate how much hay is needed to make it through the winter. Even if Punxsutawney Phil's shadow does not frighten him back into hibernation, and spring comes early, livestock will still need hay well into April.

On the coldest days, we dish out four or five 1,000-pound round bales of wrapped hay called baleage. After it's cut, grass used for baleage is allowed to dry just a bit. It's best when only 40 percent of the moisture in the grass has evaporated. Then this wet grass is then rolled into large, round bales, wrapped with mesh and covered with plastic. The plastic wrap creates an airtight seal that allows the hay to ferment. Without the plastic seal, the damp grass would rot. Sealed, the wet hay ferments into a delicious, juicy meal; high in protein and pleasing to a cow's palate.

Read More

Carole Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm, where she raises and sells local pork, lamb and grassfed beef. She can be reached at cas@milessmithfarm.com.