How to dispose of round hay bales?

[Richard]

10 years ago, we leased out the farm. One thing the guy did was create some round bales of hay. Fine & dandy. Lease was up.... he left his rounds with the plastic white covering on them in nice tidy rows...... then, a year later (a year after lease had expired and we called him) he came out and picked up his bales.....EXCEPT he left, I don't know, maybe up to a dozen of them.

That was pushing 3-4 years ago. They're in the middle of a field I like to keep cut....so my thoughts are:

1. He's had plenty of time to get them.... he's done with them
2. They're old...so probably not much value to even try to give away (??)

I've only got a backhoe with 8' wide bucket so don't think I have any worries on man-handling them..... the question is, exactly what to do with them?

Unroll them and run over them with the rotary mower? (15')

Toss them onto the burn pile? (I have one very close to them that is going to be lit soon)
Use them (unrolled) as filler for a couple washouts we have? (I don't like that idea since they'll likely rot further and wash out... now, if we also added dirt on top ????


If tossed on burn pile, (and they are covered in plastic) might I presume them to be dry enough to smoke a lot and smolder away? I don't expect them to "burn" per se'

In case anyone wonders, yes, the plastic wrap and the mesh that I think is under it, would be removed prior to any disposition.


Thoughts???

 

[Industrial Toys]

I would just try and take them apart and spread them in some out of the way place to decompose. No need to make smoke and pollution while detroying good organic material.

Curious. Can one cut bales with a chain saw?

 

[airbiscuit]

Uncover them and stack them some place out of the way. They will turn into nice, rich organic material.

 

[CADplans]

I went and got several for my SIL when he was putting in some grass,,
We simply unrolled them, and then further scattered the hay, by hand (with rakes, and pitch forks)

Well, I think the rolls were over 10 years old, and the grass seed in the roll sprouted, and grew beautifully,,

If you try to compost them,, expect the grass (and weed) seed to survive, and sprout, at some future time,,

 

[kthompson]

IF they were wrapped and the wrapped not punctured they may still be good. Some additional uses: do you do any shooting of bows or guns? If so they are good stops. Would not depend on them only for large caliber guns. Wildlife food, maybe mice so think where you place them. Big tight round bales can last three to four years left in our rain and temps here.

 

[kcflhrc]

Sure would make an awesome fire

 

[Cat_Driver]

Any landscaper would pick them up for free. They use them as a ground cover when planting new laws with seed.

 

[Richard]

Didn't think of landscaper...

Just put a listing on CL for free. Well, I'm currently waiting for the confirmataion text. Has to go through my work phone which might block it so I'm not there quite yet.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Bring them over, I will mulch my gardens in, with them...

It controls the weeds, you need less water on your garden and it adds a lot of GREAT compost to the garden.

SR

 

[Hay Dude]

Any landscaper would pick them up for free. They use them as a ground cover when planting new laws with seed.

Nahhh, we use straw, not hay. If you use hay, all the seeds in the hay bale will infect the new lawn. Straw dont have seeds.

Some of the ideas above are noteworthy. Hereç—´ a few more:
1. Do you have mushroom houses in your area? They will pay you ~ $100/ton for them. They make mushroom compost from them. I sell about 1000 tons of hay a year to mushroom houses.
2. Do you have a “ Halloween haunted farm “ in your area, you know where the kids run through corn mazes, haunted barns, hay wagon rides? They make mazes with bales and use them as props. I have a local farm that buys a trailer load of round bales from me each year for their outdoor maze.
3. A vegetable farm would want them as compost for vegetable gardens. They like the bales to be older & decaying so they break down easily.

I wouldnt be too quick to give them away. They still have value to the right person.