Seed

[bqz]

Has anyone heard of a new type of grass seed mix(hay) .It's supposed to be cheaper$$ than Alfalfa and Timothy and the likes? But supposed to be as good.Any Ideas???

[haypoint]

There are hundreds of grass or clover varieties. Timothy is cheap, so don't know what would be cheaper than that. There is a new one out called Teff, but whith hay there is a new wonder seded developed about each month. If you'd give me a hint, I might be able to help.

[freegal]

We heard about Teff at a horse owners workshop this year. I forget the numbers, but it is a really heavy producer. And the seed is cheap! It sounded like an excellent alternative.

[FalconDance]

Teff (Eragrostis tef) is an annual cereal grain native to the African country of Ethopia. It can be cultivated in a wide range of conditions, from marginal soils to drought conditions. However, teff is most commonly grown in the Ethopian highlands. With a relatively short growing season, teff produces a crop that provides grain for human food consumption and fodder for cattle.

Teff grain is tiny when compared to wheat; it takes 150 grains of teff to equal one kernel of wheat. Teff is an excellent source of protein, amino acids and fiber. For instance, a 2-ounce serving of teff has 7 grams of protein, equal to an extra large egg. Teff is higher in calcium and iron content than wheat, rice, oats or millet.

Traditional Use
For thousands of years, teff has been a staple grain in Ethiopia. Teff flour is used to make the Ethiopian flat bread known as injera, described as a soft, porous, thin pancake with a sour taste, which provides approximately two-thirds of the diet in Ethopia. It is also used as an ingredient for porridge; puddings; baked goods such as cookies, crackers and breads; soups; casseroles; and home-brewed alcoholic drinks. Teff straw is used to reinforce thatched roofs and mud and plaster walls. Teff's chief value as a hay crop lies in its high nutritive value, high yield, rapid growth, drought resistance and ability to smother weeds.

U.S. Use
In the United States, teff largely remains an experimental crop, with a limited number of acres grown for grain or as a late-planted livestock forage

Maybe new forus, but not new at all. We're just a little slowon the uptake .

[bqz]

If you'd give me a hint, I might be able to help.

Sorry not sure myself,My FIL asked me about it and he didn't know much, but sounds like what everyone has suggested "teff".
I'll look into it and see what I can learn.
Has anyone used teff?

[Windy in Kansas]

Teff grain is tiny when compared to wheat; it takes 150 grains of teff to equal one kernel of wheat.

native to the African country of Ethopia. from marginal soils to drought conditions. high yield, rapid growth, drought resistance and ability to smother weeds.

Sounds to me like it might be an ideal candidate to become a weed itself, especially under favorable growing conditions. Just be careful and weigh the use of it completely.

[freegal]

The photos at the workshop showed Teff looking like a heavy grass, and it is cut for hay. I wish I could remember the yield per acre, but it was a lot. Good especially for small acreages.