Farmerdoug, I can appreciate the enthusiasm you have please re-read your owners manual. The only time you should raise a heavy load like that is when loading or unloading and especially when children are not present. I'm sorry but its to unsafe to have them around while handling heavy loads. Things happen to fast.
Very scary photos. No place for children. I have seen adults suffocated to death slowly when a large bale came back on top of them. You are placing incredible trust in the ratchet strap which was likely made in China. Please don't take these comments as mean spirited but some of us older guys have seen bad things happen and would like others to not suffer the same fate.
Dave M7040
2009 Kubota RTV 900, 2009 Kubota B26 TLB & 2010 model LS P7010
You really need to watch putting nylon straps across the sharp edges of the bucket, it can slice them pretty easily. Just be careful with your son and make sure you keep him well away when he isn't posing for a photo. Keep your load close to the ground is good advice also.
Aside from all the unsafe practices, it was pretty good thought to split up the bale and hold it tight with a ratchet strap. Next time put some softeners (rounded pieces of wood) at the sharp corners of the bucket so you don't damage the strap.
I would go out on a bit of a limb and say a compact modern tractor with mower deck is probably not large enough to safely transport large bales. Be careful.
It looks like a huge bail, but since it is straw, it isn't nearly so heavy for the size. At first glance, I thought it was meant to show that he had 2-1000 bails 5 feet in the air held up by a BX, at which point I was gonna call 'foul'.