Bales from 1940s a lesson in housing hay long-term

Kristen Sindelar
Apr 17, 2026
11 hrs ago

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In an analysis of hay quality, producers are typically paying attention to percentage of total digestible nutrients or crude protein. No one would ever question its R-value.

Old hay 1.png — Hay bales insulated a house in Logan County, Neb. for nearly 80 years. They were recently tested for forage quality.
Submitted photo

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Old hay 2.png — Hay identified within the hay bales from the 1940s revealed that it indeed originated from upland Sandhills range.
Submitted photos

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Old hay 3.png — Hay identified within the hay bales from the 1940s revealed that it indeed originated from upland Sandhills range.
Submitted photos

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Mineral analysis — Quality and Mineral Characteristics of Upland Sandhills Hay Samples

Reporter Kristen Sindelar has loved agriculture her entire life, coming from a diversified farm with three generations working side-by-side in northeastern Nebraska. Reach her at Kristen.Sindelar@midwestmessenger.com.