OK, so woods don't usually have a lot of hay, but we have quite a lot of open space in our woodland, and some of this is wildflower hay meadow. Most of it is in Betty's Wood which is our new woodland planted alongside the ancient woodland in 2011. This included 3 1/2 acres of wildflower meadow in among the remaining 6 acres of trees. We also have approximately 1 acre clearing in our main woodland. Until now we have struggled to produce wildflower hay from these meadows, largely because of the difficulty of getting equipment to mow, turn, row-up and bale down through the woods and into the meadows, which we also designed to be quite fiddly in shape (mistake!). Modern equipment simply doesn't get through the trees. Getting a contractor to help proved impossible, so we eBayed equipment and this year have done our first haymaking. It still isn't finished - the hay is still drying, and should be baled up on Friday - but it is quite an experience.
The mower was not working when we got it (saved from scrap) and we fixed it up and it now works fine, although looks a bit shabby. The hay-bob and baler were working but needed a new drive-shaft and drive-shaft guards and other bits to make them fit our old tractor.
We are making hay and selling it to offset some of the costs. More important is the fact that at last we are able to get the cuttings up off the meadows so the fertility can be reduced to help development of wildflowers. It is quite different from coppicing, thinning and other woodland-related stuff, but also very satisfying. We mowed the meadows on Sunday and have been turning the hay every day this week to try and get it to dry. Planning to restore the hay to rows tomorrow and bale tomorrow and Friday, weather permitting (light showers not a problem, prolonged rain would be a problem). Fortunately we only live a mile from the woods, so we can fit this round running our business and other stuff that we have to do!
And the hay smells absolutely divine - quite different from grass, much sweeter and more fragrant. Nice to lie in a pile of hay looking up at the sky.
There is more information in my blog post on http://alvecotewood.wordpress.com/2013/ ... ng-part-1/
