Made a mistake stacking my hay

[Equuisize]

I believe I posted this on another thread, recently.

The cotton sheets were recommended, to us this year, by a large hay supplier up the road

from us.

They said cotton sheet allow moisture, should there be any, to dissipate out the top where tarps will trap moisture to the hay.

You can always rock salt each layer before you stack it, if you have concerns.

(not this year - no way would I restack 100 bales of hay)

For 25 years I had my hay delivered and stacked by my old hay broker, till we moved till the end of the known world......it was always stacked twine side down, stack loosely and never had

a mold problem, with orchard grass/alfalfa mix.

 

[Thinking small]

Cute stable boy

I am going to put that on my Xmas list.

LOL.. is there a shop one can get one of these? i usually do the hay myself

Anyways, i stack my hay in the manner that best suits my short self.. in other words the easiest way for me to lift and cut...

 

[Katiean]

I have a shed with a wood floor. I stack my hay ( when I have room) string side down. I never get any mold from it. The ones that get stacked on the side is only because I run out of room and they won't fit string side down. Good Luck.

 

[ruffian]

Stacking the hay on tires will prevent any mold on the bottom layers unless your barn floods deeper than the tires. I used them for years until we built our loft, never had any mold or ruined bales at all. Plus they are easier to move around than pallets, and don't break suddenly underfoot.

 

[JennyB]

This is the first year for me keeping my horses at home in over 10 years, and years ago when we had horses at home, we only bought 10 bales at a time.

Well, I didnt want to run out of good hay, so im putting up 100 bales for my two horses for the year. I bought half timothy, and half alfalfa. My hay guy had a field that was supposed to be a mix, but said it came up mostly timothy. Finding good hay around here is hard, a lot of people just bale whatever grass and weeds grow. The hay man I got my hay from seeds and fertilizes his fields, and cuts before the hay gets too mature. Since his hay is the nicest within about 2 hours of me, it also sells out fast. I actually missed out on his previous cutting of alfalfa (second cut) because it sold out in 2 days. This time, I was on the ball, and we got our hay right away. The alfalfa had been baled for 4 days before I picked it up, and the timothy only 2 days. Obviously, its not "cured" yet.

I have my hay in a house trailer that is used for storage. Its completely dry inside, no rodents or anything. I put tarps down, then pallets, then stacked my hay, stacking each layer the opposite direction. I just realized though, I stacked it wrong. I have the "twine side" facing up, instead of the cut side. Im worried that my hay is going to mold now.

Ugh, I dont look forward to restacking 100 bales of hay. I know thats nothing for you guys, but im allergic to hay, a self admitted "weakling", and its so hard to find a babysitter so I can stack hay.

So, if there are any newbies out there, dont make my mistake, make sure you stack your hay right so you dont have to do twice the work!

Anyone have any hay storage tips?

We stack our hay cut side down for 2 reasons. First is that is the way bale wagons are designed to pick up hay and the other is it does help some for mold. BUT with that said there is NO way you can get away from mold with bottom bales! I would not be afraid to leave your hay twine side down.

 

If you are afraid of mold because of wet hay you can salt each layer as you stack it. Why do you feel that your hay wasn't cured before you picked it up??

 

Your mixed hay depending on if the farmer was using a conditioner on his swather, the weather, if he fluffed it or turned it would be cured within 3-4 days and the timothy being lighter would dry even faster. It's the time it lays in the field to dry it properly and that would depend on the heat and wind....and the conditioner on the swather. I am guessing he had one, but many older swathers didn't..which means a longer period of time down on the field. The conditioner bends the hay as is goes through which allows it to cure faster.

 

I have tried every bottom surface and have NOT been able to keep bottom bales from molding when your looking at huge stacks of 20-40+ tons. My Dad had a good friend and they both worked at the same Cement company. This friend developed a formula in the cement that he gauranteed would NOT develope mold no matter the size of the stacks. He had it in his huge barn for quite a few years and NEVER had any moldy bales. I went there many times and saw the cement and the bales on the bottom...no mold! He then died and his secret was lost as far as I know....I have never been able to afford to completely cement a barn floor, but I could check with the Cement company if someone is interested in this process? Not sure they even have the formula, but I will ask!

 

Anyway good luck with your hay. I am sure with everyones comments on here you will come up with a desire to really re-stack it or just leave it!

 

Blessings,

Jenny

 

[ruffian]

"BUT with that said there is NO way you can get away from mold with bottom bales"

- yes you can - using tires. The water cannot wick up through the tires like it can through pallets, and they don't "sweat" to make mold. I've never ever had bales stacked on tires mold.

Plus they don't break when you step on them like pallets, and are a heck of a lot easier to move around.

 

[mydaddysjag]

Ruffian, my plan was to use used tires (saw you post about them before) and I had plenty of friends who said they had tires for me, but when it came time that I needed them, I got the run around. I had to pick my hay up before he sold out, so ended up using pallets this year. Now Im going to start collecting tires so I dont have the same issue next year. I love the idea that I cant put my foot through one, and that as they are emptied, they can be stored outside, freeing up room inside the storage area.