Tarps?

[AF Ranch]

Questioning tarping 5x6 round bales this upcoming season. How are you guys handling the tarps, when you remove hay, if you are by yourself, windy, cold tarps, etc? Also.....what about mold? What tarps are you using? I will be stacking 1 on 2.

 

[preston39]

We are tarping this year for the first time. A neighbor has been doing it for years...good results.

We will follow this procdure;

Lay-out tarp flat. Tie 2 ropes 2/3rds up the height edge of the tarp---on the beginning end of the tarp. Lay the rope for the distance of the tarp with 5/10' extra. Roll the ropes up with the tarp(inside roll-opposite end) to the point you plan to start to cover hay.

We will stack 5/3/2. When you have 2 rows stacked bring the ends of the two ropes up over the hay and pull to get the roll of tarp to the top of the start of covering(two pieces of flat plastic material on the edge of the first row of hay bales where the ropes will glide...is most helpful..we will use 1/3 sides of blue plastic protein tub material and pull ropes with a small tractor/4 wheeler/front end bucket,etc.

As you add rows of hay pull the ropes to extend the tarp over the stacked hay. Draw firm and tie sides off to ground grummet(your choice)with a plastic pipe threaded thru the loops/eyes..good method of tie down... as you extend the tarp.

We have watched and helped him a few times now and should have no problem.

We have a 6" raised dirt area beveled to each side...with diverting trenches around sides and ends to prevent water entry. Mold should not be a problem.... as with any hay cutting...cure it properly. The wind routinely airs the hay under the tarp.

Some put down ground covering for the bottom bales. What we have seen...it isn't needed if outside is ditched and drained properly.

TArping saves 20-30 % of hay.

 

[tytower]

So you have stacks of 10 rolls then covered with tarp with the ends of the rolls exposed is this right ? Any chance of a photo ??

 

[backhoeboogie]

Get yourself some used billboard covers. They are some really thick vinyl pieces. The sides of the covers are pocketed and you can insert cable or ropes the length of the cover. Some folks inset pipes and then run ropes through the pipes and stake the ends.

I use pallets to keep the hay off of the ground. I also put one pallet in between the bales vertically. When I stack the third bale on top, the center vertical pallet keeps the weight off of the first two lower bales and allows better air flow.

Hence, two bales wide with a third on top, then stacked end to end such that only the end bales are exposed to the weather. They get fed first. Each time you remove bales, pull the rope back to the anchored end.

 

[Dave]

I use 30 by 100 or 40 by 100 black silage tarps. I stack in either a two-one stack or a three-two-one. Both of those configurations allow the rain to run off the stack. After I cover the stack with the tarp I use twine off big bales (bigger, heavier twine that doesn't cut the tarp) to hang old tires on each side of the stack. I do this so the tires are about a foot off the ground on each side. I do this at every row. The weighted down twine holds the tarp on the top of the stack.
I have tried weighting down the bottom of the tarp. The wind either worked to tarp out from under my weight and blew it off the pile or if I managed to weight it down enough to hold the botttom the tarp would rip. Neither of these things have happened since I started tieing over the top. I blew about 80 mph here this winter and the tarp stayed put. The bottom was sure flopping in the breeze but the stacks stayed covered.

 

[Dusty Britches]

Hey, Backhoeboggie -

Do you have pictures? I'm a visual person and I was thinking of using your method.

The tarps I wound up with were 12x24 (you can add 12-18 inches on each measurement). I actually like them better. They are easier to handle. I did get one 12 x 50 and I can barely pick it up. I really like those billboard tarps. Awesome.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Hey, Backhoeboggie -

Do you have pictures?

I did get one 12 x 50 and I can barely pick it up. I really like those billboard tarps. Awesome.

Dusty,

Unfortuneately I do not have any pictures. And as of now I only have a few rounds left and can't get a good pic.

Take that 12 by 50 and stretch it over a long row of 3 pyramid stacked rounds and you have it. I put pallets on the ground underneath. Put one small pallet vertical between the bottom two rolls and it will take some of the weight of the top roll as well as permit better air circultation. You'll get 36 rolls underneath the 12 by 50.

I'll remember to take some pics this year when I start stacking and pm them to you.

By the way, thank you so much for the lead on the old trampoline frame. I actually got three hay cradles built out of that one when I put it with what I had left over from before.

 

[dj]

Will a twelve footer cover 3 bales? These are 20 x 50's and they only hang over the bottom bales by about 2'. What I cover with these next year will be 4x5's.

This hay was covered for 6-7 months with just a lumber wrap.
Show me 20-30% waste. Maybe 10% maybe.

front side

back side

 

[Dusty Britches]

Backhoe -

Didn't you say that you also run a pvc pipe through the side loops to hook weights to (like tires, bricks, etc.)?

 

[preston39]

So you have stacks of 10 rolls then covered with tarp with the ends of the rolls exposed is this right ? Any chance of a photo ??

=========
sorry ...error....4-3-2 total of nine. The tarp is long enough to cover the ends.

When we get it done this hay season will try for some pics. Must get a digital camera.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

We just ordered a special hay tarp from Gemplers dot com that has grommets every 18" as well as straps imbedded in the tarp every 4'. Got a 20' x 48' one to cover our large semi-load shipment of 50/50 mix of alfalfa/orchardgrass hay from Canada.

After researching a number of tarps, this model seemed to be quality and with the imbedded straps should eliminate the problem of grommets pulling out. We do get some wind here in the Texas Panhandle.

This hay is also stacked on wooden pallets. We keep our small squares in our hay barn and our bermudagrass net-wrapped rounds placed in our holding areas. With only an average of 23" of rain per year and frequent wind in the 10-20 mph range, we haven't had a problem otherwise with our rounds getting moldy.