What is Alfalfa?

Alfalfa is native to Asia and is one of the most important and common hay crops in the world. A long-lived perennial legume, fresh, pure alfalfa stands from one to three feet tall and produces clusters of small purple flowers. It prefers deep, well-drained soils and is found throughout the entire United States.

In addition, alfalfa grass yields healthy amounts of plant matter that can be harvested several times a season, which is why it is invaluable in hay production and is widely grown and used among farms and pasture lands. Alfalfa can also be partnered with grass species such as meadow fescue and orchardgrass for pasture grazing, although it should be a small percentage of the overall forage mix content to avoid bloating.

 

What Are The Uses of Alfalfa?

Though we provide a brief list of its uses above, here is a more detailed description of the many uses of alfalfa for livestock and agriculture:

Hay Production – As mentioned earlier, alfalfa hay is considered ideal for farmers, as its persistent growth cycle throughout the year can allow for great volumes of hay to be produced. Alfalfa hay is also known as high-protein feed, ensuring the livestock it feeds grows healthy and strong.

Livestock Grazing – During more verdant times of the year, alfalfa is also great for animals such as cows and lambs to graze and consume directly.

Silage – Alfalfa can also be stored in a silo for lengthy amounts of time, providing high-quality feed for times of year when there are no grasses or other plants for animals to graze.

Green Manure – For those looking to help sustain their lawns or pastures better, alfalfa can also be used as a great fertilizer while it is still green, providing additional nitrogen to the soil.

Ground Cover – In some cases, alfalfa can also be used as feed or fertilizer and as protection from soil erosion, weeds, diseases, and more.

Those are just some ways alfalfa seeds are used to benefit your farm, pasture, or other landscape. There are many incredible advantages to growing it as a crop on your property.

 

What Are The Benefits of Having Alfalfa Fields?

In addition to its varied uses, planting alfalfa seeding provides several benefits that make it more distinct and ideal to include as part of your forage mix. Here are a few perks of alfalfa seed to consider:

Alfalfa Increases soil nitrogen

As it is a legume, alfalfa plants have the ability to fix available nitrogen from the atmosphere, absorbing it from the air and back into the soil, enhancing plant growth for subsequent crops you may be planting in the same field later on.

Alfalfa is the highest-yielding forage plant

As mentioned before, alfalfa seed also provides a high yield for a sizable time of the year, giving it the highest feeding value among other legume and grass species.

Alfalfa Helps prevent soil erosion

Alfalfa plants each grow an incredibly deep root system, making it somewhat drought-tolerant, loosening compacted soil for better water infiltration and structure, and reducing soil erosion.

Alfalfa Provides high-quality forage and animal feed

Alfalfa grass can also be excellent feed and forage for livestock such as sheep and cattle. It provides them with a healthy, abundant food source with a high protein content and remains fresh for long periods, even when stored in a silo.

Alfalfa Manages the insect population

Planting alfalfa also helps protect every acre of pasture or farmland from harmful pests, as it attracts all kinds of other more beneficial insects, such as bees and other pollinators, as well as birds, which will hunt down any pests looking to eat your other crops.

These benefits and more help to prove that alfalfa may be the best legume in the world to plant in your pasture or grazing area. For premium quality Alfalfa seed and other legumes, order from Nature’s Seed today!

Sweet William is an introduced perennial that often acts as an annual. Native to southern Europe, it grows in dense clusters of beautiful and colorful blooms on stiff, extended stems. It thrives in full sun and is an excellent plant for flower beds, gardens, and fields. Sweet William is loved for its sweet fragrance and its ability to attract pollinators.

This bushy, annual wildflower is native to the Canary Islands, but has adapted to conditions found in northern North America. Wallflowers get their name from their habit of growing in cracks and crevasses along buildings. It produces a brilliant orange ball of flowers and blooms from April to May. Wallflowers thrive in full sun but can handle partial shade in well-drained soil. Wallflowers usually don’t get more than a foot and a half tall. It is a good wildflower for roadsides and along fences.

Moss verbena, also known as South American mock vervain, is an introduced perennial from South America. It requires little water and full sun. Moss verbena has purple flowers that bloom spring to summer on light soils along road shoulders or in waste areas. It is an excellent perennial for ground cover.

Also known as Lady’s Glove. This introduced species from Europe is a biennial flower whose flowers typically develop in its second year. It requires a high amount of moisture and prefers full sunlight. The flowers bloom purple early in the summer and it is a popular source of nectar for bees due to its long, tubular flowers. Purple Foxglove can grow quite tall, reaching heights up to four feet tall.

Vigna unguiculata, commonly known as cowpeas, are esteemed as a summer annual legume, offering valuable high-protein summer hay or pasture. Resilient and adaptable, they resemble soybeans but exhibit superior tolerance to heat and drought, featuring softer stems and robust regrowth post-grazing. Renowned for their exceptional nitrogen-fixing capabilities, cowpeas surpass soybeans in this regard. Ideally sown in spring when soil temperatures exceed 60 degrees Fahrenheit, they require a seeding rate of 30-60 pounds per acre when planted as a monoculture, at a depth of one inch. Inoculating seeds ensures optimal results. Cowpeas find versatile applications in forage, including pasture, silage, and hay, making them a favored summer option for deer and other wildlife. Moreover, they excel in erosion control and weed suppression, further enhancing their value in agricultural and ecological contexts.

Kummerowia striata, commonly known as common lespedeza, is an introduced annual plant that thrives across the southern and eastern regions of the United States. This versatile plant is a favorite among grazers like cattle and other herbivores, making it a valuable addition to pastures and mixed grasslands. Blooming from August to September, common lespedeza produces subtle purple flowers that may easily go unnoticed. It flourishes in full sun and exhibits adaptability to various soil types. While it can become weedy if left unchecked, effective control measures such as chemical and mechanical treatments are available to manage its spread and maintain ecological balance.

Lathyrus sativus, commonly known as chickling vetch, emerges as a versatile and valuable cool-season annual legume, prized for its dual benefits as a nitrogen source and forage crop. Whether planted in early spring or late summer, it serves as a reliable option for enhancing soil fertility and providing nutritious forage for livestock. With its high palatability, chickling vetch is suitable for both pasture and hay production, offering flexibility in agricultural management. It can be harvested for hay or grazed approximately 60 days after planting, allowing for rapid utilization and maximum yield potential. In addition to its role as a forage crop, chickling vetch exhibits impressive nitrogen-fixing capabilities, enriching the soil and supporting subsequent crops in rotation. Chickling vetch is often included in mixed plantings with oats, peas, radishes, and other cool-season annual forages, enhancing diversity and productivity in cropping systems.

Brassica oleracea, commonly referred to as collards, transcends its role as a leafy green vegetable to also serve as a valuable forage crop, particularly for livestock. Characterized by their large, dark green leaves that grow in a rosette formation, collards are known for their robust flavor and hearty texture. They are a cool-season vegetable, thriving in mild climates and often enduring frost with resilience. Recognized for its adaptability and nutritional value, collards offer numerous benefits in the realm of animal agriculture. As a forage crop, collards provide a rich source of nutrients for grazing animals, including cattle, sheep, and goats. Their large, dark green leaves are not only palatable but also highly nutritious, containing essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that contribute to animal health and productivity. One of the key advantages of collards as a forage crop is their versatility in cultivation and management. They are relatively easy to grow, adapting well to a range of soil types and climates. Collards are typically planted as a cool-season crop, thriving in mild temperatures and often enduring frost with resilience. In addition to their nutritional benefits, collards offer advantages in forage management. They exhibit rapid growth and regrowth, allowing for multiple harvests or grazing cycles throughout the growing season. This characteristic enhances the efficiency of forage production and utilization, maximizing yields and extending grazing periods for livestock. Furthermore, collards can play a role in diversifying forage systems and mitigating seasonal feed shortages. Their inclusion in pasture mixes or as a standalone forage crop provides farmers with additional options for meeting the dietary needs of their livestock, particularly during periods of limited forage availability.