Tarping Hay

[Rhune]

I have no barn to put my hay in and so I am planning to have square bales stacked on pallets. I am going to cover the hay with tarps. My question is, how much of the hay needs to be covered? Is it okay if I leave the sides open?

Thanks in advance

 

[sizmic]

Make sure it comes to a point at the top, water needs to run off. I would cover it all if it were me.

Sizmic

 

[skyhightree1]

I would cover all as well no need to do half the job...

 

[dun]

You either need to use a breathable tarp or tarp it in such a way that ait can circulate under it.

 

[Rhune]

Ok, I'll try to cover it all. Was hoping to save some money on tarps . Reason why I asked in the first place is that I do a lot of travelling down interstate five and have seen a lot of full hay barns with the bales stuck right under the eves and probably 20-30 feet high of open space on the sides.

 

[Crazy Farmgirl]

Anything left exposed will be junk! Cover it all and as was stated earlier provide some sort of "peak" so the water can run off.

 

[1982vett]

Anything left exposed will be junk! Cover it all and as was stated earlier provide some sort of "peak" so the water can run off.

if it sweats under the tarp it will all be junk.....

You either need to use a breathable tarp or tarp it in such a way that ait can circulate under it.

 

[dun]

if it sweats under the tarp it will all be junk.....

Thus the reason to allow it to breathe

 

[1982vett]

if it sweats under the tarp it will all be junk.....

Thus the reason to allow it to breathe

Guess I didn't finish the post.....

 

[ChrisB]

A lot of old hay sheds consist of only a roof. That's how ours were stored and it worked just fine. The edges of the outside bales were weathered a bit but not enough to really matter. I would say it depends on the price of the hay and the price of the tarps. If it were me in my climate I would just tarp the top.

 

[Kathie in Thorp]

We used to stack outside, on pallets, on a raised/gravel covered area that was kept together by RR ties. Cover the stack and secure it well all sides, but DON'T tie the tarps so that they are secured under/below the pallets -- air has to get through somewhere. At the top of the stack, try to make some sort of a pyramid or similar shape, so that water runs down and doesn't pool on the tarps -- that also gives a little added air flow.

 

[IluvABbeef]

If you have an area that has trees I would also put them near the trees for added shelter. I also wouldn't cover it all, just enough so that the rain'll slick off and allows the bales to breathe enough that they won't spoil.

 

[chippie]

You can put pallets on top of the hay so that the tarp does not sit directly on top of the hay.

 

[Animal Track Farm]

As several have said: Leave air space for circulation and have it so it sheds off the water. Do not wrap it tight. I learned the hard way. After we got rains from a hurrinace a couple years ago. Water pooled on the tarp and wound up splitting it. Also noticed that other areas of the stack was wet due to poor air circulation. It went from good hay for feed to poor quaility mulch hay.