Tree Hay

Here's something I'm considering for my goats (and rabbits).  I dry lot my goats so I don't have to do much of any chemical worming.  I have already started a living hedge round our 3 1/2 acre property.  Right now I have trifolate orange planted.  I'm going to add: mulberry, hybrid willow, wild rose, and blackberry.  The necessary cutting back to keep the hedge under control will be fed both green and dried.

Anyone tried this rather than just pasturing animals in the trees?  

Yes, I started making tree hay last year and it was a real success. Easy to do and the animals went nuts for it. I've just started the process for the season, since we are at the point where we need to get nets over the fruit trees and that means trimming off leaders and excess vertical growth. So there's currently a pile of apricot branches with a few hazel ones mixed in, spread out to dry in the sun.

Trees that I've used so far: most deciduous fruit varieties (apple and pear are ideal because of their tendency to sucker and my tendency to remove, but plum, cherry, fig, quince, grape, kiwifruit, and feijoa are also good), willow, poplar, tagasaste, hazel, oak, and coprosma. Trees with resinous leaves don't get more than a nibble from the stock, so I leave out eucalypts, blackwood, and conifers. I haven't tried maples yet but we have a huge one close to the house that needs a couple of branches removed, so I'll try it.

My method is to cut rods and whips preferentially (not too much branching) and I go for lengths of about 1m. I spread them to dry for a few days, then tie them in bundles with flax leaves and lay them in the hay shed. Feeding out is just grabbing a bundle or two and watching the critters come running when they see it.  The leftovers become biochar, of course.

Phil Stevens wrote:Yes, I started making tree hay last year and it was a real success. Easy to do and the animals went nuts for it. I've just started the process for the season, since we are at the point where we need to get nets over the fruit trees and that means trimming off leaders and excess vertical growth. So there's currently a pile of apricot branches with a few hazel ones mixed in, spread out to dry in the sun.

Trees that I've used so far: most deciduous fruit varieties (apple and pear are ideal because of their tendency to sucker and my tendency to remove, but plum, cherry, fig, quince, grape, kiwifruit, and feijoa are also good), willow, poplar, tagasaste, hazel, oak, and coprosma. Trees with resinous leaves don't get more than a nibble from the stock, so I leave out eucalypts, blackwood, and conifers. I haven't tried maples yet but we have a huge one close to the house that needs a couple of branches removed, so I'll try it.

My method is to cut rods and whips preferentially (not too much branching) and I go for lengths of about 1m. I spread them to dry for a few days, then tie them in bundles with flax leaves and lay them in the hay shed. Feeding out is just grabbing a bundle or two and watching the critters come running when they see it.  The leftovers become biochar, of course.

I never thought about making biochar from the leftover twigs!!!  What a great way to make use of them.

Thanks for the suggestion.