roadside grass

[Hayguy]

every year at this time i anguish over the amount of grass that go's to waste along the roadsides. they even pay to mow some of it,but it still get's wasted.
just wondering if other areas have figured out how to utilize this grass?

 

[randiliana]

Most gets cut for hay in this part of the world. As long as the ditches aren't too steep or small for the cutting machine and baler, anyways.

 

[Northern Rancher]

That's called the long pasture lol. The RM's would be better off letting a guy run an electric fence to the shoulder and grazing in off in a couple days-our ditch mower guy is pretty handy at wrecking culverts. Alot of the ones that aren't too steep do get hayed in a short year.

 

[gcreekrch]

I have had a flail silage chopper/ vacuum/ compactor trailer built in my mind for years. The chopper would be suspended on a Hyab affair with a vacuum hose from it to the trailer. A separator would collect the cans and bottles to help with the fuel bill. :lol:
Plus you get paid to mow the ditches.

Think it will work?

 

[Hayguy]

OF COURSE IT WILL, in your mind anyway's :wink: :wink:


i've had a flail forage harvester mounted on a road grader pulling a hy-dump or truck for years now. (in my mind) :!:

 

[PATB]

Close road in sections and mob graze You will have to put up a sign stateing road may be slick.

 

[per]

That's called the long pasture lol. The RM's would be better off letting a guy run an electric fence to the shoulder and grazing in off in a couple days-our ditch mower guy is pretty handy at wrecking culverts. Alot of the ones that aren't too steep do get hayed in a short year.

We graze using electric fence along the side on some of the side roads during the day time. I saw a road side silage outfit along time ago in the farmshow mag.

 

[lefty]

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:16 am Post subject:

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I have had a flail silage chopper/ vacuum/ compactor trailer built in my mind for years. The chopper would be suspended on a Hyab affair with a vacuum hose from it to the trailer. A separator would collect the cans and bottles to help with the fuel bill.
Plus you get paid to mow the ditches.

Think it will work?

What would you do with the deer bones & baby diapers spare tires ?

 

[gcreekrch]

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:16 am Post subject:

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I have had a flail silage chopper/ vacuum/ compactor trailer built in my mind for years. The chopper would be suspended on a Hyab affair with a vacuum hose from it to the trailer. A separator would collect the cans and bottles to help with the fuel bill.
Plus you get paid to mow the ditches.

Think it will work?

What would you do with the deer bones & baby diapers spare tires ?

Isn't it recommended that we leave some "litter" behind?

 

[Soapweed]

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2011 9:16 am Post subject:

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I have had a flail silage chopper/ vacuum/ compactor trailer built in my mind for years. The chopper would be suspended on a Hyab affair with a vacuum hose from it to the trailer. A separator would collect the cans and bottles to help with the fuel bill.
Plus you get paid to mow the ditches.

Think it will work?

What would you do with the deer bones & baby diapers spare tires ?

Isn't it recommended that we leave some "litter" behind?

A lot of those baby diapers even contain fertilizer for the grass. :wink:

 

[Northern Rancher]

As a veteran of many ditch picking fund raisers with 4H I have undying hatred for people who throw pampers in the ditch-nastyyyy stuff!!

 

[JF Ranch]

We ranch along both sides of a highway. I tried haying the ditches a couple times but the clutter of cans and other litter made it more of a hassle than it was worth.

Although the litter disgusts me, I am gullible for collecting anything useful, especially good plastic buckets. I spotted a shiny new one not far from our turn-off one day and since I wasn't going too fast, I hit the brakes anxious to add this one to my burgeoning collection.

As I quickly jumped out to get it, I was appalled to see that it had been last used as a porta-potty, with the odoriferous contents still inside. Needless to say, that was one piece of litter that my conscience had no problem leaving lie.

 

[tta stockdogs]

I don’t run any big numbers(60) and have sheep…when quit haying in a few years gonna up it to 100-150 when have more time to road graze. But graze the roadsides and waterways regularly, especially Nov-April.. Open the gate, use a dog or two and down the road we go. When see vehicle coming, have dog(s) bunch them and hold them… then away we go again. Not many cars tho and most people in the area are use to me doing it, they slow down and chat a bit at times. Getting older, legs giving out so saddle up the horse and let her do the walkingJ.
One time took off for a short graze,so I just walked. Got a few hundred yards from the house and heard clippity clop, turned around here comes Maggie down the road, she said you’re not leaving me behind.

 

[loomixguy]

Around 25 years ago I bought the rights to hay approximately 25 miles of roadside grass, all right close to home. 1st problem was they wouldn't let you hay until I believe it was September 1...too late to get any really good grass. If one is not mechanically inclined, and you don't like changing sickle sections, sickles, tires, or pickup teeth, or, you don't like swathing and baling trash, fence posts, etc., you probably better not hay the roadside. gathering and loading the bales to take home was tons of fun, also. Fighting traffic, etc., and just having to constantly be on the lookout for motorists is nerve-wracking.

Who needs the hay that bad? Not me. Save yourself the grief and aggravation and buy the hay, if you need to. It ain't worth it, plus you can pick up trash out of where you fed the bales the next spring/summer!

 

[randiliana]

'Round here, you own the rights to any ditches that are along your own land. Rules are though, that if it hasn't been cut/baled by July 15 then it is up for grabs by whomever wants it. And if the bales haven't been picked by Aug 15 they are up for grabs (not that anyone ever really would do that...). Roads are quiet enough here that we don't have to worry too much about traffic, it just pulls out and goes around you anyways. Biggest problem is glass bottles, they are hard on tires. Culverts can be a problem but we know where they are...

 

[cowsense]

Had some friends that had a ditch swather custom built with a conveyer feeding a forage chopper blowing into silage trucks. The local RM crew graded the road edges ahead for them to make things easier. Outfit was on the Prairie Farm Report several years ago. The cost of fuel & extra repairs to run up & down miles of roadside made it impractical & they switched to silaging cereal crops instead.

 

[Hayguy]

free feed isn't necessarily FREE,or cheap for that matter. the most cost efficient way to handle it is to graze it. but with traffic and liability issues it will continue to be wasted