grasses through a meat grinder??

[Kapidolo Farms]

So all my fellow tortoise food nuts, I got this question for you.

Chopping grasses is a pain the a$$ as bits and dust get everywhere and it wears down the blades in blenders and coffee grinders pretty fast. By hand with scissors is no bargain either.

I've looked at pellet machines and they are big $$, a few 1,000 or more. I noticed powerful (2 HP) meat grinders cost much less.

Have you ever chopped grasses in a meat grinder, how'd that work for you?

I know it could make a bit of a mess based on feed rate (how fast you put stuff in) and I don't mind using my food dehydrator afterwards so that it's not a weird wet mess.

 

[Yvonne G]

Are you talkimg about grass hay? What about a coffee grinder?

 

[Hugo's Home]

There was another post where someone converted a paper shredder to cut hay and maybe grass. Can't find it though or remember who posted it. It was recent though!

Oh and I have seen people try "juice/shred" wheat grass through a meat grinder. Kinda sloppy though and left the grass as a pulp.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

So all my fellow tortoise food nuts, I got this question for you.

Chopping grasses is a pain the a$$ as bits and dust get everywhere and it wears down the blades in blenders and coffee grinders pretty fast. By hand with scissors is no bargain either.

I've looked at pellet machines and they are big $$, a few 1,000 or more. I noticed powerful (2 HP) meat grinders cost much less.

Have you ever chopped grasses in a meat grinder, how'd that work for you?

I know it could make a bit of a mess based on feed rate (how fast you put stuff in) and I don't mind using my food dehydrator afterwards so that it's not a weird wet mess.

@Yvonne G please see text in red.

I have been looking in many places for USDA certified organic (orchard, Bermuda, clover, even timothy) pellets of different grasses that can be fed to our shelled buddies. I find much alfalfa and it has high acceptance (Will prepares for the wind of "too much protein" concerns), and the moringa (USDA cert Organic) is selling really well in other venues, people like the idea of grown with no pesticides and vetted fertilizers. I can get bales of organic of these things but not pellets, or even chopped. Seeking to add only USDA certified organic to the product line.

I can grind and then dry, or dry and them grind or someplace in between where grinding is done at a specific water content. Pellets are so darn handy to moisten and add to the dreaded grocery greens. I may just buy mill and teach myself how to do it. Pelleting preserves most of the fiber based on pellet diameter and then it becomes more dense and easier to ship.

A meat grinder does a similar job to a pellet mill, I don't really need the item compacted like what happens when a pellet is formed. Anyhow....

 

[AmberD]

Out of curiosity, have you looked into dried hay cubes for horses? It's usually a mixture of different hays like timothy/alfalfa etc. They can be soaked in water for horses or I'm sure you could break them apart or even let the tortoise chew on them dry if they would. In Canada they are like $20 for a 40-50lb bag and at any local feed store. Might be an option to find your hay? I think there is orchard and Bermuda mixes too.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Out of curiosity, have you looked into dried hay cubes for horses?

I've used these and they work ok but it seems Will wants to be very specific about his greens.

Will, ever visit your local butcher? They would have lots of meat grinder experience. Maybe they've tried grass before.

Good luck in your search

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

Out of curiosity, have you looked into dried hay cubes for horses? It's usually a mixture of different hays like timothy/alfalfa etc. They can be soaked in water for horses or I'm sure you could break them apart or even let the tortoise chew on them dry if they would. In Canada they are like $20 for a 40-50lb bag and at any local feed store. Might be an option to find your hay? I think there is orchard and Bermuda mixes too.

These are great and I do use them. But none are USDA certified organic except one Stand Lee product sold exclusively through Tractor Supply. Many sources for certified alfalfa but nothing else. Someone sells a pasture grass for bunnies that USDA certified but to expensive from my POV.

 

[Kapidolo Farms]

I've used these and they work ok but it seems Will wants to be very specific about his greens.

Will, ever visit your local butcher? They would have lots of meat grinder experience. Maybe they've tried grass before.

Good luck in your search

That's an interesting idea. Come to think of it I have a few friends that are butchers.