Stacking On Edge....

Bill VA

Well-known Member
On a wagon????!

We've thought about doing it this year. Some of our hay will stay stacked on the wagons, all of it that goes in the barn is stacked on edge, cut side up.

Anyone stack on edge when loading hay wagons?

Found this video on YouTube - stacking bales on edge on the wagon. Not exactly flat ground and the bales look really stable.
Stacking on Edge on Wagon
 
I've been doing about 13,000 squares a year for the last 20 years and it all gets stacked on edge cut side down. If hauling from field to be directly unloaded, it is stacked flat cut side pressed into the previous bale-kind of like velcro. But if it is to stay on wagon over night, then on edge cut side down. Cut side down they seem to cure out better, plus smack them against each other with cut side down and you can walk on the bales with ease. I'm curious, why would you stack any cut side up?
 
I am confused. All of the square bales I hauled had "cut sides" on both sides of bale. Top and bottom of bale was long lengths of grass. Can someone explain what y'all are talking about this? We stacked bottom layer on trailer on side, which was cut side down and up, We did this because the trailers being used would hold 5 bales on this layer, strictly trying to squeeze in more bales per load, it also made a firmer base as the middle two bales had to be "married", which was put in at the same time, kind of like folded in or shuffling cards. Virtually all of the hay I hauled went down the highway some distance, only rare occasion was storage on site. Myself and 2 other teenage boys did "contract hay hauling," the guy on the drivers side steered the '76 3/4 ton Chevy truck through the window, at end of field he would jump in and make the turn.
 
When I was around the farm making hay, late 50s and 60s, we never loaded a wagon like the u tube video. We stacked them one down the middle and one on each side, did that about four rows high, then 2 end to end and then one row on top. Never had two guys loading either, usually me driving the baler and a brother on the wagon and another running them up in the barn and we'd mow them in our spare time, rainy day job. Think we had one of the first New Holland kickers in the neighbor hood witch eliminated a guy on the wagon.
 
I do not understand either a small square has 2 sides that are cut, how do you tell difference between the the 2 sides.

Joe
 
Cmon, think about it. Bale chamber of the baler only has knife on one of the four sides. So that is the only side of the bale that can be cut. The other 3 sides are just smashed against the side.
 
Like I said, 99.9% of hay I hauled went off-site, all balers we worked behind just spit the bale out on the ground. Yes, inefficient, I know but by not having to pay a driver we made more $.
 
Only one side gets cut by the ledger knife on each stroke. Although the cut hay outside the knife ends up on the opposite side of the at the next stroke the cut stems are more "ruffled up" from the stuffer action and this surface is not nearly as hard and "pokey" as the side with the knife. This makes a big difference when picking up bales made with a Hesston in-line baler - you don't want to grab the twines on the cut side with bare hands or you might get jabbed! Side feed balers have the cut side 90 degrees to the twine so this isn't an issue.
 

I think I learned something. I was baling about 15,000 small square bales per year in small fields and cannot look at a bale and tell you which side was on the right as it came out of the baler. My NH bale wagon stacks them on the wire so when they're dumped they are cut side down or up. I guess I'll look closer but if it were obvious I would be able to figure out where the wire twist easier than I can. I like to cut close to the twist to make reusable baling wire.
 
From the time we got the first baler 1955 I think untill we quit making hay in 1980 we NEVER stacked any bales on a side either in mow or on wagon. 10,000 or more bales some years. Never a reason to do the hard work of handling then on their side.
 
The only time I have ever stacked bales on their side on a wagon is when I bale using a kicker wagon behind a chute baler. And I certainly have never bothered with which side was cut or not.
Usually can get 7 across. When I was a kid the neighbor had really nice wagons and I could go 4 high like that and 4 more rows laid flat. Borrowed a wagon from a friend last year and his wasn't so good. 3 sideways and 2 flat and the tires still weren't happy about the load.
 
On the wagon, we always stack the first layer on the flat side, then each additional layer on the cut side.
 
We never stacked bales on edge; flat makes the stack more stable. We always had a wagon hooked behind the baler, never dropped bales on the ground for pickup later.
 
I started sweating about half way through it.....
4 of us young fellows worked on a large beef farm when we were teenagers, put up
about 25000 bales of hay in the summer. Had a competition of sorts who could build
the biggest load. First 2 layers on edge, easier to walk on. Next five layer on flat
. Top tie in layer. Could get 200 bales on a wagon. Boss was tickled we worked so
hard.... Ben
 
By putting cut side down it allowed air between the bales to lessen heating.
The cut side is waffered and allows breathing room.
 
I would think cut side up would allow the moisture to rise and dry out a little better if the hay is just a bit wet. Many old timers stacked in the barn on edge and put salt on each layer to help it finish drying without molding.
 
We pull the wagon right behind the baler. All bales on wagon on flat side for stability. Bottom layer five bales, middle bale north/south, four side bales east/west, string knot side up to take advantage of slight bow upwards. Next layer, bale on right side of the wagon n/s, four more e/w. Third layer bale on left side of wagon n/s, four more e/w. Layers three, four and five alternate, layer six is like the bottom layer, one in middle n/s four flanking e/w. Layer seven is only four bales, staggered over the middle bale of layer six, knots down. Can only get seven layers through the door on the pole barn, so we stop there, 34 bales per "rank". four ranks on a 16 foot wagon, with room for about 16 bales in the front with room to stand to finish that round, about 150 bales. Eighteen foot wagon will hold five full ranks plus bales in the front, about 180 bales. Each time you start a new rank, the second layer single n/s bale alternates to the other side. When I stack the wagon (most of the time), I also alternate the four e/w bales knots up and down, two of each on diagonal, and alternate those on the next layer, seems to keep the stack straighter. Nothing worse than a loose stack.

In our barn, roof ridge runs n/s, bales are stacked on edge (both edges have cut stems exposed, so no differentiating here), bales run e/w perpendicular to roof ridge. Layer first cutting across the whole floor, then second on top of that and then third, etc. Load the barn from the south, feed from the north end. When feeding, you have access to all cuttings of hay without digging and can mix it, or feed best off the top. Grandpa always thought bales on edge had a chance to dry even in the mow- at times with really damp second or third, I have stacked it on top of straw bales to draw the moisture out. That and air blown across the top does help.
 
You, sir, are have a PhD in hay making. I have never heard about using the knot sides to advantage. But I think your
method of stacking is probably standard practice for most who do a lot of hay if they know what they are doing.
 


Maybe other people have smoother fields with fewer slopes than I do, but on an open wagon with only a dashboard on the rear, we had to stack on the flat or risk the whole thing shifting and falling off. Since going to the Bale Basket I don't have to worry about that anymore.

As far as in the barn, we don't put wet hay away in the first place. And it's all stacked flat. The air is only going to really get to the top couple layers anyway. Depending on hay to "dry in the barn" is just asking for a fire.
 
(quoted from post at 05:48:14 05/25/17) We always understood that stacking cut side up was better because curing bales heat, hot air rises, and that would carry the moisture up out of the "tubes" more easily.
I know a few who stack the bottom row on edge. I figured it was to keep strings from rotting back when they had sisal. Figured they just did it that way cuz that's all they new. I never pay much attention to it and always stack flat and straight up if floor is flat. I have noticed that the cut edge molds when exposed to air so I try to keep it pointed in.
 
We stacked our first row of bales on barn floor on edge. If we put them flat on floor the mice would cut the twine on most of bottom row.
 
They sure won't put too many bales on that wagon. We don't have that many wagons to waste with so few bales.
 
i nearly always stack on edge in the barn , to aid thurogh curing . if you leave hay on wagons for a time to await a buyer ect.. edge stakin on wagons is justifiable ,but , that would be a challenge to hold a load ON rollin HILLY hay fields on my FARMs,.
 
My wagons are 8 feet wide or a little wider. This leads to being able to put two bales crosswise, and one lenghtwise across the wagon. I stack in groups of 5 bales, each layer different than previous one, with lengthwise bale on center, one side or other. Makes for a pretty stable load. Usually 5th layer is 4 bales, crosswise to lock in those below. Maybe one across in center if I do a 6th layer. Each wagon can get 5 stacks, but last few bales can be a challenge if you want to stand on the deck! NEVER on edge, all bales flat. If hay is wet enough that I would be concerned about drying in the mow, it stays in the windrow until it is safe. Have 5 wagons, and a pole barn big enough to slide all 5 in loaded, so I can mow at my own time. Meanwhile the loads are dry and safe in polebarn. I suppose some drying can take place on wagons, but I never take that into account. Wife and I are only ones left on farm, all the help has moved on to lifes of their own, so I get to stack the wagons - the teenage job, and she drives the tractor.
 
Lots of good info here, I have never intentionally stacked on edge, that said, my stacker apparently is built to do it right? When the occassional stack off the bale wagon actually stands they are all on edge. I guess those engineers at New Holland knew something i did not. very interesting. Now if someone could figure out the magic to make my old stacker always leave the stack in the upright position that would be great.
 
I stack flat on the wagon like RayP and alternate the pattern on each layer. Lots of slope in my fields. On edge in the barn but I never thought cut edge up or down mattered.
 
This guy filled this whole flat bed on edge..I argued with him about doing this but I try not to tell the buyer how to load their trailer, truck, or other.. He was hauling this from nebraska to New mexico.. emailed me couple days later to tell me the load shifted forward on him and he had to stop and restack..this was back when I sold alfalfa.. I believe there was 700 on this trailer..
a160963.jpg
 
What if the field was round as many irrigated fields?? North south could get busy switching around . Help we used to have would need a compass .
 
(quoted from post at 12:55:32 05/25/17) By putting cut side down it allowed air between the bales to lessen heating.
The cut side is waffered and allows breathing room.
Do you really think that when you stack a few that the "wafering" will be of any actual use? It'll be as flat as the twine side.
 
Stack some 2X4 boards first with the 2 inch side down and then the 4 inch side down and see which one is the most stable,same principle.I've handled a whole lot of small bales over the years and can't see any good reason to stack bales on the side,its harder to do and the bales don't fit together as tightly.
 

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