Hay delivery and tips

[5030]

Boy am I glad of 3 things. One, I only run round bales, two, I quit dealing with equine people years ago (except my wife and her horses get rounds) and three, 99% of my hay is for high grade cattle feed., cattle that are processed and served in the finest resturants in the country. Got a pristine NH 575 sitting in the barn unused for 5 years now. Probably should sell it.

 

[TheMan419]

I have given something to guys that have done work or deliveries for me. A "Here let me buy your lunch" and giving them $20 isn't a bad thing, especially if they are going to do the next delivery.

I too have gotten to the point where the wife and I can't unload 100 bales and stack it in the barn. Got tired of depending on others to help. I bought a NH Workmaster 75 and a WR Long hay grapple to unload the trailer and stack the bales in the barn. Unloaded my first 100 bales this last weekend. Now I kick myself for waiting this long.

That would be a luxurious way to go for me. We use about 1200 small squares a year. I have a 24 hp sub compact. I wish I had a friend who did 3x3 large squares so I could see if my NH could lift one. If it could that would be the way to go for me.

I know one thing is for sure - I am never unloading and stacking hay again. The back just won't handle it. Last time I did 70 in the space of a half hour I ended up in the hospital unable to stand.

 

[CobyRupert]

I know one thing is for sure - I am never unloading and stacking hay again. The back just won't handle it. Last time I did 70 in the space of a half hour I ended up in the hospital unable to stand.

Use it or lose it.

The answer to "My muscles are weak and sore and they hurt when I use them" is not "I will never use them again." They'll just get weaker...and you will still be sore and stiff...but more easily....then feeble...then really stiff if you catch my drift. Sorry if my comment seems harsh.....and ask me again in 20 years (hopefully) if I still have the same opinion..

 

[TheMan419]

Use it or lose it.

The answer to "My muscles are weak and sore and they hurt when I use them" is not "I will never use them again." They'll just get weaker...and you will still be sore and stiff...but more easily....then feeble...then really stiff if you catch my drift. Sorry if my comment seems harsh.....and ask me again in 20 years (hopefully) if I still have the same opinion..

It is not harsh but it assumes facts not in evidence. You have absolutely no idea about the rest of my lifestyle, workout routine or anything. So it is pretty presumptuous to assume I am just a slug sitting around and unloading hay was all the exercise I ever got.

 

[WM75Guy]

I never considered one of those grapples just for unloading and stacking hay. I considered it more of a hay farmer's tool. How high are you stacking? Do you have an issue with arranging the bales so the stack is solid?

I'm still unloading and stacking hay by myself, 150 bales at a time. I have said that will be the first job to go as I get older. I used to stop a couple of times, because I felt like a break. Now I stop a variable number of times, because I need to sit down before I fall down.

I stack them 5 rows high so I can grab one off the top if I need it. I could go higher if needed in my shop. The grapple has a bar on one side and the back so you can push them tight as you grab them. My 3 bulging disks in the lumbar back and knee that has been replaced appreciated the purchase.

 

[drssg]

I stack them 5 rows high so I can grab one off the top if I need it. I could go higher if needed in my shop. The grapple has a bar on one side and the back so you can push them tight as you grab them. My 3 bulging disks in the lumbar back and knee that has been replaced appreciated the purchase.

I see, thanks. I stack them about 12 feet high, and I'd have to figure out how to make one of those work for my setup, or modify the setup.

Knock on wood, my body's still holding up OK in general. My wind seems to be the first thing to noticeably decline.

 

[TheMan419]

I see, thanks. I stack them about 12 feet high, and I'd have to figure out how to make one of those work for my setup, or modify the setup.

Knock on wood, my body's still holding up OK in general. My wind seems to be the first thing to noticeably decline.

One guy that I buy hay from uses the Kuhn accumulator and grapple. He can stack 8 high in my arena (that is the limit of reach on his skid) and the stack is nice and tight and not tippy at all. Of course you have to start with a level base. It is a sand arena and we throw down a pallet. So we make sure to start as level as we can. In the other barn where the floor is concrete the stack is VERY tight and stable. He can only go 7 high there due to the rafters getting in the way.

He has about 200-250 acres a year that he hays. He does rounds for cattle and small squares for horses because there is more money in it.