Comments on: The Difference Between Hay Bales and Straw Bales

By: Chris Anderson

Chris Anderson — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:40:25 +0000

Clarification: Straw is a food source for farm animals… just not in the same way, or extent that hay is.
Think of it as a supplementary source, sort of like pasta, in a meal–it is there primarily as filler, whereas the fruits and vegetables are the primary nutrient source in a good meal. You won’t live well or long on pasta only, but you will live long and well on a fruit and vegetable diet. That’s straw vs. hay.

That said, when harvesting a grain crop, most farmers “chop” the straw and spread it over their fields (that’s what is coming out the back end of a combine). While it would be generous to say they do this to add value back into their land–indeed, land that is constantly baled does lose tilth and nutrient balance over time and is more subject to erosion–the real reason is that it is easier to seed into that field the next crop year if there isn’t a bunch of “trash” standing on it. Hay is ALWAYS baled for feed. Straw is baled mostly for bedding, but is also fed to livestock; but it is primarily just a way of dealing with an annoyance!

Insulation value:
When I break a piece of straw in two, I find a hollow tube. Cutting a piece of hay in two I find a more solid structure. Since dead air is the actual insulator, it stands to reason that for a given quantity, straw will be a better insulator than hay–if you don’t crush the life out of it.

By: Andrew Morrison

Andrew Morrison — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:03:55 +0000

Thanks for the warning and insight. From the research I have done, it seems that these bugs are most common in unkempt homes. Yes, they like the idea of mud plaster, but my sense is that they are more common in houses that are messy, or in fact DIRTY (walls included). It sounds like it is typical in Central and South America where living standards are lower. Not to say all of Central and South America has lower standards. What I mean is: in the areas where the standard is lower, there is more infestation. I think the best thing is to keep the house clean and be watchful for these little bugs. In many cases, they will not be an issue, but it only takes one carrying the disease to infect you. Be careful, but don’t panic. :p

By: Hay vs. Straw – What’s The Difference?

Hay vs. Straw – What’s The Difference? — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 03:10:23 +0000

[...] HERE for The Difference Between Hay Bales and Straw Bales, from Andrew [...]

By: Hay Bales vs Straw Bales | Ecocentric Design

Hay Bales vs Straw Bales | Ecocentric Design — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 16:54:27 +0000

[...] A prospective client with whom I have been talking about using straw bales to construct a little cabin to cut costs, asked me if she could use haybales instead. She owns a farm and can make haybales herself. I didn’t think it is a good idea because haybales could attract mice and other rodents into the wall. I did a little research this morning to verify my opinion and found this article, which I would like to share here: The Difference Between Hay Bales and Straw Bales. [...]

By: Melanie Hayes

Melanie Hayes — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:09:58 +0000

1) Wonderful to hear your site on Straw Bale homes.

2) VERY IMPORTANT, PLEASE INCLUDE THIS TO EVERYONE YOU TALK TO ABOUT STRAW BALE HOMES.
(KISSING BUG DISEASE )( Triatominae) (CHAGAS DISEASE )(American trypanosomiasis) ( Caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. )

This is a bug that has been only in Mexico and South America. It has spread into southern 1/2 Texas, New Mexico, Arizona to California and I do now know how far toward Florida.

THE KISSING BUG IS A BUG THAT LIVES IN MUD AND STRAW OF HOMES BUILT ( MUD & EARTH IS THE PROBLEM, NOT STUCCO OR PLASTER) . THE KISSING BUG LOVES CARBON DIOXIDE. IT COMES OUT AT NIGHT AND GOES TO AROUND THE MOUTH OF CHLIDREN AND ADULTS. IT BITES AND SUCKS BLOOD. ( The person never feels the bite or the crawling ) THEN SADLY JUST AFTER THAT IT’S INTESTINES MOVE AND IT HAS A BOWEL MOVEMENT. IN THE INTESTINES OF THE BUG IS A BACTERIA THAT MEANS DEATH TO HUMANS. IT GETS IN BLOOD STREAM FROM THE BITE SITE. IT SLOWLY OVER YEARS DESTROYS THE HEART/ INTESTINES OF THE PERSON AND CAN DESTROY OTHER AREAS. THEY CAN SLOWLY SHOW SIGNS OF ILLNESS AFTER SEVERAL YEARS OR DROP DEAD SUDDENLY. ( The parasite in the blood can be killed by antibiotics and the person does not have to die. The problem is knowledge you have it. After to many years it is to late and even with antibiotics to kill off the parasite the person will die, but they can live longer if treated to kill parasite in blood stream. THE KEY IS PREVENTION.. WALL CONSTRUCTION NOT USING MUD OR EARTH) ( PLEASE Google: 36 y/o man drops dead riding lawn mower on California golf course. No symptoms of illness )
WHY I TELL YOU THIS IS BECAUSE THE STRAW HOMES MUST NOT USE MUD OR EARTH OF ANY KIND. ONLY STUCCO ETC. THE BUGS LIVE IN MUD PART OF STRAW MUD HOME.) NOTE MANY MIGRANT WORKERS COME FROM MEXICO ETC, AND DO NOT KNOW THEY CARRY IT. THE BUGS ARE SPREADING. THEY DO NOT JUST STAY IN HOT/ WARM ENVIRONMENTS.

( THINK ABOUT THIS! IF SEEDS CAN SPROUT THROUGH DRIED EARTH COVERED WITH PAINT, THE KISSING BUG CAN CRAWL THROUGH ALSO. IF ONLY STUCCO ETC IS USED, NO ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM TO LIVE AND MOVE IN.)

I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE KISSING BUG DISEASE THROUGH WORLD VISION ,THAT WAS GOING INTO CENTRAL AMERICA AND HELPING TO REPLACE MUD STRAW HOMES WITH MATERIAL THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW GROWTH OF THE KISSING BUGS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
PLEASE LOOK UP EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. ALSO CONTACT YOUR STATE CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASES CONTROL AND ASK QUESTIONS FOR FREE. ( THE MAIN CENTER INFECTIOUS DISEASES Is IN ALABAMA, I BELIEVE. THEY DEAL WITH THE WHOLE USA ) PLEASE ASK EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO PREVENT PROBLEM WITH STRAW HOMES.

I THINK STRAW HOMES THEY ARE A WONDERFUL IDEA. IT WOULD ALSO BE A WONDERFUL THING TO BUILD YOURSELF A STRAW HOME CABIN FOR RETREAT AREA OR CAMPING.

By: Andrew Morrison

Andrew Morrison — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:34:47 +0000

I don’t of hand. I’d suggest you contact the folks on the links below as they have completed homes in South and North Carolina and could have some information that will help you. Short of that, you can contact Chris Keefe (chris@organicformsdesign.com) and see if he can help you as a designer. He has engineering connections and lots of SB design experience.

South Carolina: http://sbregistry.greenbuilder.com/search.straw?lcou=United%20States&lsta=SC

North Carolina: http://sbregistry.greenbuilder.com/search.straw?lcou=United%20States&lsta=NC

By: Chuck Hall

Chuck Hall — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:48:14 +0000

Do you know of any architects or engineers in the Upstate South Carolina/Western North Carolina region who may have experience working with straw bales? I cannot get a building permit without one, and so far I haven’t been able to find one.

By: Andrew Morrison

Andrew Morrison — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 03:59:39 +0000

Sorry. Yes, they can be either as well.

By: Pat

Pat — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:16:27 +0000

You wrote that the large round bales can be either hay or straw, so can the square bales be either, also?

By: Andrew Morrison

Andrew Morrison — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:19:48 +0000

It depends on what’s harvested. The large round bales can be either hay or straw. It’s best to ask the farmer directly. Either way, you want smaller bales, so start by finding a good local source of 2 string or 3 string bales. You can ask your farmer supply store for leads or go straight to the source by watching fields as they bale and speaking with the farmer directly. I prefer the second, more direct option.