How to make Straw?

Paul, I would never have made it as a "Guesser" at the fair would I. Glad to see you back.

Most folks, for bedding, prefer chopped straw. Short pieces are more absorbant, and the bale packs tighter so you get more straw per bale. Some older round balers can't handle short straw, those folks want the chopper removed. New rotory combines just generally chop up the straw to short pieces anyhow.

We used to grow rye, much more straw per acre, but it is more stemmy. Wanted that chopped, couldn't hardly get the bale pulled apart if the straw was left long! Rye is good for preventing some weeds from sprouting, there is renued interest in using it as a cover crop over winter & notilling corn into it.

--->Paul

It is difficult to short-circut this process & not get the grain. You can't just leave the grain in, as the mice will go crazy. If you cut the oats before it heads it is very soft & green & shorter, everything would rather eat it than lay on it. You could bleach it out in the sun before baling, but only if you live in a very dry climate. In short, only rarely would it pay or even be possible to raise _just_ straw.

So, do you want to get in this deep for 5 acres? You will need tillage, drill (planter), swather (unless in a very dry climate), combine, rake, baler, wagon for grain, wagon for straw. Or there-abouts. Or have neighbors that do some portions for you.

Straw is really a byproduct allowing us farmers to add a different crop to our rotation. While the small grain is not as profitable as corn & soybeans (here) selling off the straw makes it possible to cash-flow the crop and break up weed & insect cycles somewhat.

If you have livestock that use straw, you must also need hay? It would be more profitable & less machinery to raise that & continue to buy your straw. You could beg or borrow the tools to plant the alfalfa or hay, & only need to own the baling equipment.

(And NCHillboy, I'm 2 years older than you guessed.... ;)

--->Paul