A process is disclosed for the production of turf pieces having a desired length and capable of being laid in abutting relationship with one another to form a grass lawn. The process comprises harvesting from a field a strip of turf having a length significantly greater than the desired length of the turf pieces, coiling the strip into a roll in the field and, while coiling, inserting between the coils of the roll a web of a sheet material having high tensile strength to separate the soil side of each coil from the grass side of the adjacent coil, tension in the web being increased during coiling, transporting the roll from the field to a processing plant, and, at the processing plant, uncoiling and cutting the strip into individual turf pieces of the desired length. Also disclosed is a turf harvesting machine for harvesting a coiled strip of turf 16 having a web 52 separating subsequent coils and a tensioning device for increasing the web tension during coiling of the strip.
