Reduce Costs by Using Hay and Animals Over Garden Lime

Feeding Hay on the Land

For many homesteaders, one of the biggest challenges in growing healthy crops and pastures is dealing with acidic soil. The traditional solution has often been to apply agricultural lime, which helps raise the soil pH and makes nutrients more accessible. However, lime is costly, requires regular reapplication, and doesn’t offer much beyond adjusting pH.

What if you could use what you already have on your homestead—hay and animals—to achieve the same results, while also building fertility and soil health for the long term? The good news is that you can, and this approach not only saves money but also works in harmony with nature, rather than against it.

Why Homesteaders and Farmers Use Garden Lime

Garden lime has long been used to combat acidic soils. We learned about it from our neighbors who annually apply it to their pastures. In Bursnville, NC, where we live, the soil in our pastures is very acidic. Reducing acidity will help our pasture plants absorb essential nutrients, such as calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium, more effectively. Adding lime is effective, but it also has its drawbacks.

• It’s expensive, especially for larger areas and pastures.

• It needs to be reapplied regularly, in many cases once or even twice a year.

• It doesn’t improve soil structure or increase organic matter in the soil.

  
  

That’s where hay and animals come in as a sustainable, versatile option.

How Hay Improves Soil Naturally

Hay isn’t just animal feed—it’s a natural soil amendment ready to be used. When feeding your livestock, please don’t put it in a hay ring and forget it; lay it on the soil and let the animals trample it in. This will result in:

• Nutrient Cycling: When hay decomposes, it returns vital nutrients and minerals to the soil. If your hay is made from a variety of high-quality pasture grasses and legumes, it’s basically a nutrient-rich supplement that you already have on hand.

• Organic Matter: Unlike lime, hay adds organic material, enhancing the structure of the soil, improving moisture retention, and increasing microbial activity. For every 1% of organic matter you add, the soil will hold up to 20,000 more gallons of water.

• Carbon Capture: As animals trample hay into the ground, it decomposes into humus, a durable form of soil carbon that helps buffer pH over time and builds soil structure.

  
  

In other words, hay not only reduces acidity, it also improves the entire soil ecosystem.

The Role of Animals in Soil Health

When you mix hay with animals, the results increase.

• Fertilizer: Animal manure is rich in minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, among others, which help balance the soil's pH. If your livestock are on a proper mineral program, those minerals will be present in their manure, further enriching the soil.

• Trampling Effect: Livestock will press hay into the soil, which accelerates decomposition, thereby feeding and increasing the number of soil microbes.

• Urine: Urine is high in nitrogen, feeding the soil.

• Ruminant Hooves: Hooves from ruminant animals help aerate the soil, allowing organic matter to penetrate deeper into the ground.

• Seeding: When you feed good-quality hay, the seeds from the hay will eventually land on your pastures, providing fertilization and adding good forage as well.

  
  

Different animals contribute in various ways. Cows cause heavy trampling, goats shred and scatter hay, and sheep nibble close to the ground — together, they create a diverse and balanced impact.

How to Implement This on Your Homestead or Farm

If you want to use hay and animals to replace or reduce lime, here’s how to get started.

1. Target the Right Areas: Roll out hay to feed on pastures or fields where soils are more acidic or worn down.

2. Rotate animals: Move livestock through these areas to evenly distribute trampling and manure.

3. Test and Monitor: You can use soil tests to track changes in pH, fertility, and organic matter over time, helping you identify improvements and pinpoint areas that require further improvement.

4. Go Multi-Species: Rotate cows, sheep, and goats if possible (depending on fencing). Their combined grazing and trampling will provide better results.

   
   

This is a straightforward method that consistently provides improvements year after year, with no additional cost. To learn more about hay and animals, visit Greg Judy’s site. 

Cost Savings & Long-Term Benefits

One of the most significant benefits is the cost savings. While lime is an ongoing expense you have to purchase year after year, hay is already included in your budget. By feeding your livestock hay directly on pasture, you’re increasing the value of that hay.

Over time, this practice leads to:

• Healthier and more balanced pastures

• Enhanced and improved forage

• Lower reliance on external inputs like lime, chemical fertilizers, and pasture seed mixes

  
  

The critical thing to note is that this is not just about saving money; it’s about creating self-sustainability.

A Word of Caution

Using hay in this way is effective, but it will take some time. It won’t raise soil pH overnight like agricultural lime does. It’s also important to avoid putting too much hay in one area, as this can smother the grasses (ask me how I know). Continue to move your animals and rotate them through your pasture while monitoring the soil and making adjustments as needed.

By combining hay and animals, homesteaders and farmers can save money, reduce their dependence on external inputs like lime, and create healthier pastures that not only feed the animals but also support their own health. Instead of looking at hay just as feed, think of it as a tool for reviving the soil. Each time you roll out a bale, you’re not only feeding your animals, you’re also improving your land!

So next time you encounter acidic soil, ask yourself: Do I need another load of lime, or can I rely on my animals and hay to do what God and nature intended?