This is the second edition of “Ramène ton Ballot”: UGA staff can come pick up a bale of hay harvested from the university’s meadows.

Instead of mowing regularly, the UGA practices late mowing, which allows plants to complete their life cycle, produce seeds, and support the reproductive cycle of the species present. The hay is baled during the summer and then donated in the fall.

These hay bales can be used for several purposes:

• Mulching your vegetable garden: Hay enriches the soil and stimulates soil life as it breaks down. It also acts as a “cover” because it retains moisture while limiting temperature fluctuations at soil level.
• Promoting Biodiversity: A hay bale, in and of itself, can serve as a refuge for insects, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and other organisms. It thus contributes to ecological connectivity. To maximize its potential as a habitat, the hay bale should be thoroughly loosened. This is because, as the grass decomposes, it generates heat.

The hay cannot be used as animal feed because, since it comes from a university campus, it may contain plastic waste.