Carol wrote - Since moving to South Dakota, that's all we see around here is hayfields and cornfields and alphalfa?
I have a question. What is the difference between wheat, hay, and straw? How can I tell which is growing in a field?
Carol,
Here in Ohio we grow lots of alfalfa hay, clover hay, orchard grass hay, timothy, and combinations of the four--(other types also, but these are the most common). Hay can really be just about any meadow plant that is cut after it gets to a certain height, then sun dried for a couple of days, raked, and finally baled. It becomes barn food (or winter food) for grazing animals (cattle, horses, sheep, goats, etc.).
Straw is the leftover stalks from a grain that has already been harvested (wheat, oats, rye, etc.) When grains like these are harvested, the heads (the top part of the stalk where the grain kernals are located) are all that is taken, leaving the grass-like stalks behind. These stalks are raked and baled and become straw. Straw can be used for animal food, but rarely is, because it has very little nutritional value remaining because the grain head (where most of the nutrients are) has now been separated from it. For the most part, straw is used for animal bedding.
Wheat is just one of many types of grain that farmers grow (barley, oats, rye). Wheat always starts out green and after it reaches it's mature height it begins to die and dry out, turning a golden yellow first and then to a golden brown. That's when its ready to harvest (after its fully dried).
Hope this helps.
Harley-Dog