Clean Mixed Grass Square Bales of Hay...

I've got a couple of fields that have probably 15+ years of just growing, going to seed, getting mowed ultra late by the guy at the time who was renting the fields.  There is a legacy bed of seed, primarily orchard grass and some fescue.  I have killed off this field, planted timothy, but the legacy grasses just keep coming-in - which doesn't surprise me.  It is overwhelmingly timothy, but each year the OG and fescue get a little more hold on the field.  It cleans-up great with herbicide and makes very good hay.  Customers seem to like it too - but while it's still 70-75% timothy, the timothy is on the decline.

 

There are only so many hours in the day...

 

I over seeded these fields a few years ago and it really helped fill-in and reinforce the timothy that was there to a goodly extent, I think this fall it's time to do it again or start over.  The mix - other than the timothy, gives me potential for a second cutting.

 

I am leary of starting over with these two fields, I got burned one year by a drought on new fall seeding - this field is a good producer; I'd hate to make it worse and as I mentioned, there are only so many hours in a day.

 

I'm thinking about just overseeding every few years with timothy and having a dominate timothy stand with OG and some fescue mixed-in and sell it as such.  Overseeding is minimal expense and I "think" will keep a good field going - just not 100% timothy - but very good clean hay.

 

Anyone raising/selling a very good/managed/clean - but mixed grass hay?  How's that working out?

 

On another note (knock on wood), we haven't been bitten yet by the cereal rust mite in our timothy - I'm sure it's coming.  How does a timothy mix play with the cereal rust mites?  Are they looking for a pure stand or any timothy regardless of mix?  Does the presence of OG and/or fescue deter the mites in any way?

 

Thoughts?

 

Thanks!

Bill

Clean Mixed Grass Square Bales of Hay...