Grass Cutting / Baling Question

t1mm

Hi everyone,

I've recently bought a property on a 1 acre field. The grass has not been cut for over a year at this stage. There are a number of farms in the surrounding area. I was wondering - would the grass be of any value to a farmer to bale up? I'd be delighted if a farmer would be interested in cutting the grass in exchange for the bales it produces. I'm unsure whether it would be worth their while, or whether the fact that the grass has gone through a whole winter would be of any concern to them. Would be great to get an idea before approaching them with a potentially stupid question!

Thanks!

funkey_monkey

Would they be able to easily access it with the machinery?

How long is it? You could be as well seeing about getting a contractor into mulch it.

t1mm

Thanks for the reply funkey_monkey. Yep - access is straightforward (there's a 12ft wide farm gate to access the field). I'd say it was 60 or 70cm tall, but has laid down with rain / moisture over the winter.

queueeye

Honestly the grass is of very poor quality by now, you’d be doing well to get someone to take it for nothing.

If as suggested above you can get someone to mulch it, you’d at least have the nutrient value of the grass going back into the ground for what it’s worth.

t1mm

Thanks queueeye - appreciate the input. Sounds like I'll need to find someone to mulch it altogether. Cheers!

Jb1989

Not a stupid question, can mulch or let farmer cut it. Plenty of farmers would love the few bales off it, quality or not.

fulldnod

Have u any friends with horses that would eat it

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121908719#Comment_121908719

You would want to be badly stuck like you can buy quality bales for 30-35 ,this rubbish will cost the best part of 20/bale to gather up and might end up doing harm to what ever unfortunate that ends up eating it

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121908900#Comment_121908900

Maybe so. I'd often do it tho in small plots locally , usually as hay, tho have own outfit apart from round baler.

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121908923#Comment_121908923

Turning out makes a difference but dogs also tend to litter in lawns

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121909004#Comment_121909004

No dogs in my parcels, but if op has then your right. Probly as easy mulch it alright and start a fresh.

t1mm

Thanks a lot lads. No dogs either but there are definitely foxes etc knocking around the area. Will try and find someone to mulch it altogether. Appreciate the help!

cute geoge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121909897#Comment_121909897

A small local farmer might chance it during the summer for hay ,he might be interested in the maps

Water John

The best thing for the ground and the grass would be a few cattle or horses, to both graze and trample it. Mulching that grass cover will kill what's growing there, IWT. Second option is cut and bale to remove crop.

K.G.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121908923#Comment_121908923

Used to so a bit of cutting plots for hay .I d say now if you gave a fiver a small square bale in the yard it would nearly be cheaper. The amount of time you d waste at it

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121915501#Comment_121915501

Suits the smaller farmer. Wouldn't suit a big milk man like yourself alright.

K.G.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121916331#Comment_121916331

I m a small farmer too I don't think you could describe someone owning 40 acres as big

Jb1989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121921261#Comment_121921261

Sorry. Thought you were a lot bigger than than that.

K.G.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121923368#Comment_121923368

Renting alot and I am paying a mortgage on land too so hopefully some day I can call it mine

Good loser

Simplest thing might be to get a guy to zero graze it. All would be done in 10/15 mins.