Straw is the stalk of a harvested grain, such as wheat or oats, and is a toasted golden yellow colour (much like the colour of buckwheat honey) when fresh. Straw is also very light in weight. Hay is harvested grass and/or alfalfa used to feed animals like cattle, bison and other hoofed animals in the winter months when there is no fresh pasture for them to feed. Fresh hay is green, very aromatic and awfully heavy. Being a farm kid from the '60's I can remember dealing with both types of bales in my teenage years. Hay bales left me exhausted by the end of the day where straw bales were "a walk in the park," so to speak.
Keeping the cattle warm? I thought the straw was because you had to do something with it after you took the grain off it...
ReplyDeleteStraw is used for bedding in barns.
DeleteThe animals certainly appreciate the warmth.
ReplyDeleteHow do you tell the difference between straw bales and hay bales. They look the same to me.
ReplyDeleteStraw is the stalk of a harvested grain, such as wheat or oats, and is a toasted golden yellow colour (much like the colour of buckwheat honey) when fresh. Straw is also very light in weight.
DeleteHay is harvested grass and/or alfalfa used to feed animals like cattle, bison and other hoofed animals in the winter months when there is no fresh pasture for them to feed. Fresh hay is green, very aromatic and awfully heavy.
Being a farm kid from the '60's I can remember dealing with both types of bales in my teenage years. Hay bales left me exhausted by the end of the day where straw bales were "a walk in the park," so to speak.