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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

O.T. Stacking Square Bales

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Kelly Campbell

10-05-2005 13:47:16

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Hey all,

My wife and I have had an on going debate as to the best method of stacking square bales. I prefer to stack them on thier side as I belive its better on the bale and takes up less space. My wife however instist that they must be stacked on the same way that they would come out of the bale shoot. Any comments or thoughts?

Thanks

Kelly Campbell

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lightninboy

10-19-2005 18:39:36

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

We've stacked a lot of Farmhand accumulator 8-pack bales with a Farmhand Bale Hand fork. I set the bottom layer on edge by hand. I stack an inside pyramid by hand so the whole stack is pyramid-shaped. Can go about 13 layers high if the loader will reach.

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kyhayman

10-07-2005 17:21:16

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

On the wagon and trailer, flat, strings down for stability. In the barn, on edge, cut side up for air flow and to reduce twine 'stretch'. (actually it isnt stretch at all, hay will lose moisture down to about 12% here. If it goes in at 18% its the 6% storage shrink that makes the twine loose)

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jossette

10-07-2005 15:58:46

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

If you have a rope pulley system in your old barn, see if you can get a 10 bale pickup sling. Where they drop, is how they are stacked. Nice and loose and the same through out. No hard work involved, you just need a neighbor to pull the rope with a pickup truck. It is all going to be gone by spring, so dont worry about broken or missed stacked bales.. No elevator and no sweat...

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wolfman

10-06-2005 16:51:23

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

On edge cut side down. They cure out better as heat rises & enters the stems. Plus stack is much more firm. Outside stacks, flat with cut side in.

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BEN in KS

10-06-2005 15:56:22

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

We always stacked on side on trailer--cut side up. The exposed stem ends gripped the next layer better and the bales would slide around less when going over rough ground. Then stack the first layer on ground the same way to protect the twine or wire. Next layers flat and alternating. I"d do it however the wife wanted, seeing how she"s out helping you!!

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Kelly Campbell

10-07-2005 05:57:41

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to BEN in KS, 10-06-2005 15:56:22

well to say the least I never expected to see quite the turn out in responses. My preference is to stack with the cut side down but when my wife is out helping I typically let her stack it however she wants (espically sence she is the one in the loft and i'm on the ground!) In the end to me its something that's really not worth getting in a long draged out argument about, I'm just happy that my wife helps put up the hay.

Thanks all for the responses

Kelly

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sammy the RED

10-06-2005 14:08:49

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

Makes ya wonder why most stack cut side up, but when they haul 'em, they lay 'em flat ?

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Our Farmer

10-06-2005 06:06:42

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

I stack mine first course on cut edge to protect the strings, and the rest flat but in an alternating bond so they hold together. Two north/south, next two east/west and so on. Works good for me as far as holding stack shape.

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Leroy

10-06-2005 04:59:50

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

Every year since we got a baler about 55 till we quit baleing in 81 everything was stacked flat, string down, and in barn, a lot easier to stack and also easier to walk on for the next layer to put in or remove

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Phil Munson NY

10-05-2005 19:32:45

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

If you had a modern NH super 77 baler you could both have your way; the bales come out of the chamber on their side. :) best, Phil

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Phil Munson NY

10-05-2005 19:31:07

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

If you had a modern NH super 77 baler you could both have your way; the bales come out of the chamber on their side. :) best, Phil

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ejr -IA.

10-05-2005 19:23:09

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

Cut edge down

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Ks-farmer

10-05-2005 19:14:56

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

I lay them with the strings on the sides on the ground first, to keep the stings good because of mice and rain. Then I stack with with the strings down to gain room. One drawback is that the stack doesn't always stay very square.

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newter haven

10-05-2005 18:42:42

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

ALWAYS stack on edge in the barn. If there is any moisture to be dispelled, it will leave much quicker than flat and the bales will retain their shape. If your hay is that damp that it needs salt, you may have a barn burning instead of salty hay. There's a fine line there as far as salting hay. Please don't leave hay stacked on wagons for any period of time (unless it's bone dry) it will get a fine white mold between the bales and will look like road dust. Trust me, I've seen all this bull!@#$. Good luck!!

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IH1466

10-06-2005 18:37:32

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to newter haven, 10-05-2005 18:42:42

I have noticed leaving stacked on the wagon seems to mold easier. One reason may be that it stacked flat but I also believe the stack gets settled tighter as it is pulled over the field and road. The bumps in the field and road contribute to that. The bottom line is hay needs air circulation when it goes through a sweat. On edge helps the moisture exit the bale. Leaving gaps in the stack and salt can help also. Nothing will help hay with to much moister. Mold and even fire is the result. My rule of thumb is if the hay is realy nice and I am worried of mold I stack on edge. If it is plenty dry I stack flat as it is easer for me to stack and walk on. There is no wrong or right just what you believes works best.

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James2

10-06-2005 08:53:57

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to newter haven, 10-05-2005 18:42:42

We always stacked on the edge for the same reason, better drying. If you stack to the roof in layers it is not as easy to walk on. Dad always insisted that the cut side be down for easier walking, at least if he was going to be in the mow.

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Michael Soldan

10-05-2005 18:21:08

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

Kelly , If my wife would come up in the barn to help stack bales ,I'd be so darn happy she could stand them on their ends if she wanted to. I stack flat and if there is questionable moisture I salt freely. Cattle love salted hay. I was feeding out of two stacks, one salted and one not. When I went down the cattle were all at one end of the feeder pushing and shoving..the end where the salted hay was...Mike in Exeter Ontario

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WyoDave

10-05-2005 14:17:24

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

As far as space goes they take up the same regardless of how they're stacked. Bales maintain their shape better stacked on edge. Also bales stacked outdoors shed water much better when on edge. There is a reason why automatic bale wagons stack bales on edge.
David

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Sid

10-05-2005 19:03:32

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to WyoDave, 10-05-2005 14:17:24

"Also bales stacked outdoors shed water much better when on edge." Gotta question you on this one. How can the edge of the bale shed more water than a bale laying flat? This claim needs some explaning.

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BobMo

10-05-2005 19:29:44

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Sid, 10-05-2005 19:03:32

Sid, lets face it, bales don't shed water hay barns do. I don't care how you stack them. After a 2 inch rain weight will be the same regardless of how they were stacked based on equal exposure.
Some of the things are the equivalent of an "old wives tale".

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WyoDave

10-06-2005 08:21:00

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to BobMo, 10-05-2005 19:29:44

Guys I think maybe we're just talking about different regions here. I come from Wyoming and almost all hay is stacked outdoors. I have 3500 tons of it stacked outside right now. We don't tarp it and it'll all be sold by 20 ton truck loads to all regions of the United States and sometimes other countries. I'm here to tell you that hay stacked on edge will look better in the spring than hay layed flat. Secondly all 100,000+ bales of ours are stacked by a balewagon and they all stand on edge. In fact I'll go grab some pictures later so you can see what I mean. I'm not saying your wrong, but haying varies from region to region and that is how it is done here.
David

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WyoDave

10-06-2005 08:20:34

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to BobMo, 10-05-2005 19:29:44

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BobMo

10-05-2005 17:58:36

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to WyoDave, 10-05-2005 14:17:24

Thats strange my bale wagon don't. Maybe there is something wrong with it.
Aside from that I stack mine flat because thats the way my accumulator and bale forks work so to keep from handling them I go with it.
I also know other large hay dealers who bale over 100,000 bales a year (hay & straw) and all stack flat. In the end I suppose its a matter of choice and depends on wether you want a neat looking barn or not.....

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RickB

10-05-2005 14:02:08

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Kelly Campbell, 10-05-2005 13:47:16

Bales stacked flat compress from weight of bales above and strings loosen. Bales stacked on edge compress from the weight of bales above and strings tighten. One bale takes up the same number of cubic inches either way.

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Peter B.

10-05-2005 18:23:45

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to RickB, 10-05-2005 14:02:08

As a kid, on the farm, long, long a go, we stacked hay and straw, string or wire side down, in the barn, or under cover. For stacks, outside, first layer down, was on its side. Reasion, to keep the twine or wire from rotting or rusting through.As the winter progressed, it really did not make much difference, as the string or wire was just about shot, anyway.

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730 virgil

10-05-2005 19:08:24

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Re: O.T. Stacking Square Bales in reply to Peter B., 10-05-2005 18:23:45

i was always told first layer on edge . that way mice won't eat the strings on first layer . every layer after that flat

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