Soft Orchard Grass can be harvested from the second through fourth cuts. Like Timothy Hay, the first cut of Orchard Grass grows very Coarse, with lots of seed heads and thick stocks but that is where the similarities between the two end.

Orchard Grass second through fourth cuts are extremely soft with almost all leaves.  We generally select our Soft Orchard Grass based on whichever cut turns out to be the best in that given year. 

Soft Orchard Grass should have these qualities:

Harvest: Second through fourth cut of pure Orchard Grass

Color: Blue green, especially when compared to Timothy Hay.

Stems/Stalks: There should be essentially be no stems (stalks) in a quality Soft Orchard Grass

Leaves: Be composed entirely of leaves.

Seed Heads/Flowers: Usually the seed heads, also called flowers, will not be found, but if they are found they will be very small .5 inches or less. The lack of seed heads is what allows many people with allergies to prefer this hay over others. 

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 Soft Orchard Grass would have none of these.