Agricultural News
This Weeks Ag in the Classroom Features mAGnificent Mondays with Oklahoma Hay!
Mon, 15 Jun 2020 10:38:43 CDT
Summertime is here as the kiddos are out of school and many parents are at home with their kiddos, wondering, "What do we do now?" Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom has come up with some excellent daily activities you can do with your kids and family.
Today we are featuring mAGnificent Mondays with Hey!!! Oh, I meant to say HAY!!
Did you know Oklahoma has excellent conditions for growing hay, which requires plenty of rain, and then hot dry weather for harvest.
In 2015, Oklahoma harvested over 5.9 million tons of hay!
Common plants used for making hay in Oklahoma are alfalfa, wild and prairie grasses, sorghum/sudan crosses, sudan, bermuda, lespedeza, soybean, peanut, and small grains like wheat, rye and oats.
Many people confuse hay with straw. The square bales often sold in the fall for Halloween decorations are actually bales of straw. Straw is the stubble that is left after the grains from plants like wheat, oats and rye are threshed from the plant. It is most commonly used in animal bedding, as mulch for gardens and, in some cases, even in the walls of houses.
Many farmers and ranchers are cutting hay right now and round bales are beginning to dot the countryside across Oklahoma.
The best hay is made from alfalfa. Its name in Arabic means "the best fodder." Alfalfa originated in southwest Asia and is believed to have been first cultivated in Iran. It was introduced into Greece as early as 490 BC as food for chariot horses. Both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew alfalfa.
Alfalfa can grow in many different climates and can tolerate a variety of soil conditions. Alfalfa is usually planted in April or May. It is a perennial crop, which means it will grow in the same field four or five years in a row without replanting. Farmers like alfalfa because it is a legume plant which captures nitrogen to enrich the soil. Nitrogen is food for the soil and helps feed other plants which may be grown later in the same field.
To see all the Learning Activities for Hay which include How to make Silage, Haystacks, Hay's connection to Humans and animals, and more, click here;
And don't forget, Ag in the Classroom offers daily activities to do with your kiddos on their website, and their facebook page.
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