Tree Hay Days — Ancient Forage, Pollarding & Coppicing (Benton, PA Archive)

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Archived Workshop • Concluded Benton, Pennsylvania Farm

Historical Educational Classes

Tree Hay Days & Ancient Forage Workshops (Benton, PA Archive)

These hands-on workshops and work-stay harvesting days were offered at our Benton, Pennsylvania farm to teach smallholders how to cut feed costs and improve ruminant vitality through traditional tree fodder. This program is concluded and preserved for historical homesteading and silvopasture education.

📸 Agroforestry & Tree Fodder Visual Guide

Tree Hay, Pollarding & Coppicing in Practice

Bundles of green leafy tree hay hanging from wooden barn rafters to dry and cure

Tree Hay Bundles (Leaf Fodder)

Leafy branches tied in bundles and cured in airy barn rafters to preserve vitamins, proteins, and minerals for winter goat feed.

Traditional pollarded willow trees in a lush pasture with crowns above livestock browse height

Pasture Pollarding

Trees cut at 6–10 feet above ground level, allowing vigorous leafy regrowth safe above the reach of browsing livestock.

Coppiced tree stool in woodland with straight new poles sprouting from base

Woodland Coppice Stools

Cutting trees down to the ground stool to stimulate clusters of rapid, straight pole regrowth for fodder, stakes, and craft wood.

🌾 Ancient Nutrition

Why Tree Hay for Goats & Livestock?

Before industrial mechanized haying, European and indigenous pastoralists sustained herds through winter using dried tree leaves (leaf hay). Because tree roots penetrate deep into subsoil mineral strata, tree leaves often contain higher concentrations of copper, zinc, selenium, calcium, and cobalt than shallow pasture grasses.

🛡️ Natural Tannin Power Condensed tannins naturally suppress internal parasite egg shedding and improve bypass protein uptake in the rumen.

💰 Dramatically Lower Feed Costs Harvesting homegrown tree hay during summer abundance significantly decreases reliance on purchased grass hay.

🐐 Goat Browse Biology Goats are natural browsers (eating 60%+ woody browse), not pure grazers like sheep or cattle.

Pollarding vs. Coppicing: Understanding the Techniques

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Pollarding (High Pruning)

Ideal for Active Pastures & Silvopasture

Pollarding involves cutting the main trunk at roughly 6 to 10 feet from the ground. This forms a swollen "pollard head" where vigorous young shoots sprout each year.

Key Advantage: Livestock can graze right beneath the tree without browsing or damaging the tender regrowth shoots.

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Coppicing (Ground-Level Cutting)

Ideal for Fenced Woodlots & Hedgerows

Coppicing involves cutting deciduous trees near ground level while dormant. The stump (stool) responds by sending up dozens of rapid, straight multi-stem poles.

Key Advantage: Produces renewable yields of firewood, fence posts, bean poles, and heavy batches of leafy fodder on 1–5 year rotations.

📜 Historical Workshop Structure

Work-Stay Learning Format (Benton, PA)

During active summer harvesting seasons at the Benton, PA farm, guests and students participated in a work-stay model combining classroom principles with hands-on field harvesting:

Reward Option 1: Farmstay Rebate

For every 2 hours of tree hay harvest participation, guests earned a 50% rebate on one night of their farmstay accommodation.

Reward Option 2: Complimentary Farm Tours

Participants could choose a complimentary Meet & Treat Arabians Tour, Playtime With Fainting Goats Tour, or Farmstead Tour.

🌳 Recommended Tree Species

Top Forage Trees for Livestock

Mulberry High protein (~18-22%), highly palatable goat favorite.

Willow Salicin compounds provide natural anti-inflammatory benefits.

Ash & Elm Traditional European staple with high calcium and trace minerals.

Hazel & Birch Rapid coppice growth; excellent for winter leaf bundles and poles.