2023 Harvest Report: Coarse Orchard Grass
Written by The Rabbit Hole Hay Team
Welcome to our annual Harvest Report of Coarse Orchard Grass!
Within this Harvest Report you'll discover the answer to:
What is Coarse Orchard Grass?
Additionally, our report will provide our warehouse's initial analysis of the year's new harvest. This analysis is based on factors such as the year's weather conditions and climate, giving us an early glimpse into the anticipated quality for the year.
But that's not all - keep scrolling to discover exciting news about our "Fresh From The Hopper" updates.
Coarse Orchard Grass is usually harvested from the first cutting of the grass. Like Timothy Hay, the first cut of Orchard Grass can grow very Coarse, with lots of seed heads and thick stocks.
Generally we are looking for stalk and seed heads in a Coarse vs. a Soft (which we are looking for no stalks or seed heads).
Coarse Orchard Grass should have these qualities:
Harvest: First cut of pure Orchard Grass.
Color: Light green with a tinge of blue.
Stems/Stalks: Present, sometimes thick and full, yet sometimes thin.
Leaves: Abundant, long and lush.
Seed Heads/Flowers: Short seed heads fully developed.
Leaf Crush: Should be none.
Weeds: Should be none, however we at times will see a little bit of Alfalfa.
Dust: Should be none.
Our goal is to offer the highest quality hay, however, all naturally grown and harvested hay holds minor imperfections such as dust, weeds, leaf crush, and brown leaf. The ideal version of Coarse Orchard Grass would have none of these.
Coarse Orchard Grass: 2023 Harvest Report
The 2023 Ultra Premium Coarse Orchard Grass we have in stock is currently a first cut. Unlike last year, our 2023 Coarse Orchard Grass has a generous amount of thick leaves, stems, and even some seed heads, which is an improvement from the softer grass we had in 2022. We had a rainy spring, which boosted the beginning of the growth season, and helped us get a great first cut. The harvest occurred on schedule in June.
Here is the report on what we have in stock:
Overall Rating: 9/10
Harvest: First cut of pure Orchard Grass, it was harvested in June of 2023.
Location: Northern California.
Color: Deep Blue Green.
Stems/Stalks: An abundance of long leaves, a generous amount of thick stems, and some seed heads.
Leaves: Great long leaves that are broad and beautiful.
Seed Heads/Flowers: Moderate seed heads that are average in size.
Leaf Crush: Very minimal.
Weeds: None.
Brown Leaf: Minimal.
Dust: None.
Initial Analysis Summary: This year's Coarse Orchard Grass is a great example of what Coarse Orchard Grass should be.
Important to Know About Harvest Reports
Our Harvest Reports update yearly, and are a first glance and analysis of the newly harvested hay. This is what we are hoping (and anticipating) the rest of the year's hay will look like. Yet, nature's quirks make hay-growing and harvesting unique and can lead to a bit of unpredictability with every new batch of hay we receive. As new hay batches from this harvest comes in, typically every 4 to 6 weeks, we'll update you on any changes through our Fresh From The Hopper.
Order 2023 Coarse Orchard Grass Below!
Want to know about our other hays? Read our Harvest Reports!
