hay, usualy alphalfa, usualy sold in rectangular bales, is something fed to herbivourous livestock. straw is something that is spred on the floor of where they are kept to provide bedding for them and to facilitate cleaning up their droppings. hay, if it gets too dried out or looses it's feed value in other ways is then sometimes used as straw. i've never lived on a farm, or been on a 'hay ride', but i do know THAT much. growing up in the country and having had friends who did and so on. =^^= .../\...