Things I learned baling hay...

[Hay Dude]

I had 3 older cousins who baled hay every year and I helped from the time I was 9. First 3 years I lucked out and drove the tractor pulling the hay wagon. Then I got 撤romoted to stacking on the wagon for a couple years, then I was big enough to lift them up onto the wagon. My senior year (67) was the last time I did it. Great muscle building, great character building. More kids ought to have that experience. I never regretted it. Great memories just reading this post.

So true. If you want to get strong, work for a farmer stacking hay bales. The heat keeps you skinny and the bale throwing makes your upper body super strong. I actually miss it.

 

[Jstpssng]

Re hay, the new place doesn't have a hay shed, any way I can stack it that will cause minimal damage such as on its end, side etc etc.

I can't help you there. You will want a vapor barrier between the hay and the ground though; it's amazing how much moisture will come up out of the ground.

 

[3930dave]

I actually miss it.

Haying like that, seems to resonate with many people. Sometimes, with people you wouldn't expect....

Years back, caught a clip of Celebrity Rehab, where part of the physical program was to go to a ranch and move small-squares.

Didn't watch much of that show (too much celebrity whining for me), but that episode caught my eye - one of the celebs at that ranch was Denis Rodman. He was pretty quiet, just got to it and WORKED - when complimented on how much he was getting done, he just smiled and said that he'd worked hay when he was young.

Rgds, D.

 

[bunyip]

I know, in our hay shed here with a dirt floor the bottom 3" is ruined, we stack 3 high so the loss is not great

 

[two_bit_score]

Yep. I grew up in the Midwest with two string sisal 70lb bales. I could carry one in each hand and toss it up on the hay wagon. Then the sisal producers upped the price, and it was like a switch flipped- everybody switched to poly and that was it. Then I moved west and hit three wire 100lb bales, and three strand poly 100lb bales. I don't toss those 100lb bales one handed...

Having cows, I don't like the wire bales. I'm always worried about cattle eating a small piece of wire, and it seems as if there are always small pieces around. I still keep the baling wire around. It does come in handy, though I have also used coat hangers.

Yes, it is a war of attrition. I'm not going quietly into the night; I hustle the water softener salt up the stairs as fast as I can. (House is uphill from the drive by a story and a half.) The hillsides are steep, and walking the fenceline is definitely exercise.

Thanks again for the memories, MossRoad.

All the best,

Peter

That's why there are cow magnets.

 

[cqaigy2]

Yes, many "fond" memories of helping out with the haying. Mostly alfalfa, i remember the first time bucking oat hay, i thought there was something wrong with the bailer, the bales were so light. Some of the farms, walking along side the wagon, throw up a bunch, jump up on the wagon and arrange, and start over. Then going to the barn, and unload onto conveyor, same drill, load a bunch up till no more would fit. Climb up restack em, then down and throw more on the conveyor. Then there's loading those big hay semi trailer, going west toward the coast. My dad was a large animal veterinarian, so we knew a lot of farming families, I was that "city", which was funny as we didn't live in town, kid that would show up to help out. I've always been pretty short and slight build, so i think it was a surprise to them how hard i could work, i remember them saying, for such a little fella, you keep up no problem. I wish i was in 1/4 of that shape now.

 

[3930dave]

I know, in our hay shed here with a dirt floor the bottom 3" is ruined, we stack 3 high so the loss is not great

I'll second the vapour barrier sheeting, and add shipping skids on top of the sheet if stored in the open. Non-domestic skids here are treated with insecticide, so I'd try for plastic ones if that's the same in Oz.

Skids are to allow air circulation, and move away from rain on the sheeting, but I don't know what you see for rainfall....

Rgds, D.

 

[hosspuller]

Twine or poly is the standard for square bales around here. One drought year, we got several loads of hay tied with wire. It was love / hate with those bales. They could be dropped from the top of the trailer (about 12 feet) without bursting. But, even with gloves, they tore up one's hands. Hay hooks were required to handle. I learned to hold the near wire when cutting them open. Then immediately folding both ends over to avoid getting stabbed later. Some folks complained about the used wire disposal. Never bothered me, Twist it together and into the scrap metal bin. Good memories.

 

[cqaigy2]

Twine or poly is the standard for square bales around here. One drought year, we got several loads of hay tied with wire. It was love / hate with those bales. They could be dropped from the top of the trailer (about 12 feet) without bursting. But, even with gloves, they tore up one's hands. Hay hooks were required to handle. I learned to hold the near wire when cutting them open. Then immediately folding both ends over to avoid getting stabbed later. Some folks complained about the used wire disposal. Never bothered me, Twist it together and into the scrap metal bin. Good memories.

Since i don't see any twine anymore, i'd rather have the wire rather than poly. It has a bunch of uses, and you can recycle it easier.

 

[two_bit_score]

Since i don't see any twine anymore, i'd rather have the wire rather than poly. It has a bunch of uses, and you can recycle it easier.

I remember when the hay balers went to twine from bailing wire and my Dad said it was because it was 'cheaper'. That's about when a lot of things started going down hill because they were done "cheaper".