In 2019, we underwent a transformation in naming our Timothy Hay products. Shifting away from the traditional first cut, second cut, and third cut labels, we proudly introduced Coarse, Medium, and Soft Timothy.

Our aim was to ensure that every box of hay consistently meets your expectations. The previous naming system, although accurate, failed to capture the nuanced texture details that matter most. After a decade of using terms like soft, coarse, and leafy to convey hay textures, we realized the need for names that speak universally.

Soft Timothy hay can be harvested from the second or third cut depending on where it was grown and harvested.

Moving forward we will provide you with the highest quality hay we can find that meets the standards for what a Soft Timothy Hay should be, regardless if it’s from the second or third cut. 

Soft Timothy Hay should have these qualities:

Harvest: Second or third cut of pure Timothy Hay
Color: Described as hunter or deep green. Soft Timothy Hay should be noticeably darker green than Coarse or Medium Timothy Hay.
Stems/Stalks: The stems of Soft hay should be very thin, less than 1/32nd of an inch, if any at all. Generally when stems are found within  Soft Timothy Hay they are almost completely wrapped in leaves, making them appear thicker, but if you peel off the leaves you will find that they are very thin underneath. Any stems (stalks) that are present should be solid, almost ‘wiry’ in feel. 
Leaves: Soft Timothy Hay should be almost entirely leaves, at a glance it should look to just be leaves. Only upon closer inspection can you find a few seed heads and/or stems.
Seed Heads/Flowers: The seed heads, also called flowers, should be rare. But, if you do happen to find some they will either be underdeveloped and a bright light green in color, or they will be fully developed with purple wisps, generally no longer than 1-2 inches. Generally the seed heads  in Soft Timothy Hay should be few in number, if any. If the hay is from a second cut,you may find more than if the hay is from a third cut.

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 Timothy Hay would have none of these.

The 2024 Ultra Premium Soft Timothy Hay we have in stock is currently a second cut. This hay was specifically chosen from a high mountain field for its unique qualities that allow it to be a really great Soft Timothy Hay.

Here is the report on what we have in stock:

Overall Rating: 9/10
Harvest: Second cut of pure Timothy Hay, it was harvested in August of 2024.
Location: Northern California
Color: Deep green
Stems/Stalks: Minimal stem content. Those that are present are about 8” inches on average. Stems that are present are thick.
Leaves: Majority of flat and wide leaves, averaging around 7-8” inches in length.
Seed Heads/Flowers: Fully developed, averaging at 2-3" in length.
Leaf Crush: Minimal
Weeds: None.
Brown Leaf: Minimal
Dust: None.

Initial Analysis Summary: This year's Soft Timothy Hay is a great example of what Soft Timothy Hay should be. Although the leaves are a bit short this year due to cooler summers and various rainstorms stunting some growth this is an improvement from 2023 harvest. It has minimal seed heads and stems, and we find it works well for Soft Timothy Hay loving pets. The only reason it doesn't receive a 10/10 is the length of the leaves may be a concern for some customers.

Soft Timothy Hay: 2023 Harvest Report

The 2023 Ultra Premium Soft Timothy Hay we have in stock is currently a second cut. This hay was specifically chosen from a high mountain field for its unique qualities that allow it to be a really great Soft Timothy Hay.

Here is the report on what we have in stock:

Overall Rating: 9.5/10
Harvest: Second cut of pure Timothy Hay, it was harvested in July and August of 2023.
Location: Northern California
Color: Deep green
Stems/Stalks: Minimal stem content. Those that are present are about 7-8” inches on average.
Leaves: Majority of flat and wide leaves, averaging around 6-7” inches in length.
Seed Heads/Flowers: Fully developed, averaging at 2.5" in length.
Leaf Crush: Minimal
Weeds: None.
Brown Leaf: Light.
Dust: None.

Initial Analysis Summary: This year's Soft Timothy Hay is a great example of what Soft Timothy Hay should be. Although the leaves are a bit shorter this year, it has minimal seed heads and stems, and we find it works well for Soft Timothy Hay loving pets. The only reason it doesn't receive a 10/10 is the length of the leaves may be a concern for some customers.

Soft Timothy Hay: 2022 Harvest Report

The 2022 Ultra Premium Soft Timothy Hay we have in stock is currently a second cut. This hay was specifically chosen from a high mountain field for its unique qualities that allow it to be a really great Soft Timothy Hay. 

Here is the report on what we have in stock:

Overall Rating: 8/10
Harvest: Second cut of pure Timothy Hay, it was harvested in September of 2022.
Location: Northern California
Color: Deep Green
Stems/Stalks: Almost no stems
Leaves: Made up of mostly leaves with the leaf length up to 6-8 inches. They are nice and broad. While they seem to be a little on the short side, they are maintaining their structural integrity and are not breaking into leaf crush.
Seed Heads/Flowers: Very minimal seed heads, the few I could find are all very short 1-2” tops.
Leaf Crush: Almost none
Weeds: Slight Brome, which is actually a Hay that we sell in our Mountain Grass, it is a nutritious grass hay that is completely safe for your pet to enjoy.
Brown Leaf: Light, this is why we rated the hay at a 8, there is only a small amount of brown leaf. The rest of the hay looks so good!
Dust: None

Summary: This year's Soft Timothy Hay is an okay example of what Soft Timothy Hay should be. It has minimal seed heads on the short side, however, because of the high amount of leaves and the stem size, we find it works well for Soft Timothy Hay loving pets. The only reason it doesn't receive a 10/10 is the light amount of brown leaf scattered throughout.