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Summarizing responses to my question about hay rides and scarecrow-making. 

First of all, I've learned that straw and hay are different (hey, I'm a city kid, who knew?). 

Straw is yellow and can be made from wheat, rye, oats and other bothersome grasses. Straw is often used for animal bedding, hay rides and and scarecrows. The wheat kernels are removed from the stalk during the harvesting process, and then straw bales are made from the stalks/stems. I was cautioned that the machinary used is most likely covered in the residue from the wheat and that the dust that remains in the straw can be potentially be inhaled, making its way into the digestive system.  

Hay is green.  It is usually alfalfa that is dried and saved for the winter to feed the animals. But it is likely that the hay is chopped and baled by the same machinery as straw/wheat.

However, that being said, most people said that a hay ride or making a straw scarecrow should not be a problem with proper handwashing. Many celiacs ride and raise horses and do not have a problem with the straw and hay in the stable, and most reported having no problems with hay rides etc.

Some suggested precautions: Remind kids not to chew on the hay, not to put their fingers in their mouths and to wash their hands, faces, and arms well before they eat.  Wear long sleeve shirts and long pants (maybe gloves for making scarecrows), and wash them separately when you get home from the festival. Some people put a blanket over the bale on a hay ride, and some wear medical masks.


Lara Field, the wonderful pediatric dietitian with the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, says, "With good hand washing, and as long as your child is not 'rolling around in the hay', she should not ingest any particles that would be detrimental to her health. Therefore, enjoy the harvest festival!"

Thank you!



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