In the land of Pinterest and Etsy, “hay” and “straw” are a synonymous crafting and decor medium.  In the land of agriculture, “hay” and “straw” are actually very different.

At first glance, they do seem quite similar.  Both begin the same way as a field crop and look dry towards the end; they have about 15% moisture or below at this point. Then they are compressed into various sized bales for the end user. Overall, to the untrained eye they look like a bale of dried plant material.

However, look a little closer and you’ll find two very different products.