This message is from: "Skeels, Mark A \(GE Healthcare\)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Ditto: We have a stack this year over 1000 bales. About 12 foot tall, 14 foot wide, and 60 foot long. I stacked the top 3 rows in a inverted V with a single width bale going down the center at the top, to form a peaked roof. Leaving it flat on top is a mistake I have made a few times, the water always settles, the wind whips the tarp and makes small holes, and the water runs down thru the hay and makes it moldy all over the place, if stored for any lengthily period. Even in Montana where the climate is fairly dry. Wisconsin was real bad if you didn't keep it dry, mold, mold, mold. A lot of waste/deer/cow feed. This year I bought 6 mill plastic, comes in 100 foot rolls at home depot for around $50. Cheaper than tarps but you have to put rope like the red bailing twine, across it in several spots (about every 4 foot and around the ends in a couple spots) to keep the wind from getting under it. I wrapped it around the ends too so I just have one continuous sheet starting on the ground on one end, over the top to the ground on the other end. The sides are exposed about 7 foot up. On pallets. The pallets are a convenient spot to tie your rope. Do it on a calm day. Looks like a huge loaf of bread with a peak going down the center. It will stay that way until we start feeding from it sometime in October/November. I found the tarps only last about 1 season then they get little tiny holes all over them and no rain stays out. Basically all they are good for is shade after that. I have also used the more expensive silver tarps, but haven't tried the very expensive hay tarps. I figured the 6 mill plastic is cheaper than the tarps and will last as long, about 1 season, maybe more if I'm lucky. The red bailing twine is better because it seems to keep tight, the natural twine tends to decay and loosen up. The best of course is a shed, which is on it's way, time permitting, after the barn, which I just poured footings for last week. Concrete block next for foundation, then up it goes. My winter project. Mark in Montana. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, August 11, 2005 12:06 PM To: fjordhorse@angus.mystery.com Subject: Re: storing hay This message is from: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Carol, We tarp a lot of hay each year as we have cattle as well as horses. One thing we have found helpful is to "peak" the top of the stack. We run one bail (or two if stack is wide) down the middle of the stack before we tarp it. That way the rain will run off and not settle into valleys on top of the stack. We also like to have it on pallets. Barb Lynch
