Hay Storage Small Squares
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Slowpoke Slim
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Wow.
Then tell her to either cough up the space in the arena, or cough up the money for a 3 sided or 4 sided hay barn. If she's really going to do this as a "business", and not just to "play horsey" until she gets the horse fantasy out of her system, then she needs to treat it like a business and set up her logistics properly. Seems like hay storage should be factored into the "business model" from the get go, not an afterthought.
Just my "grumpy 2 cents worth" I guess.
Part of the hay logistics is a change outside our control. Our usual hay supplier is getting a divorce that for some reason is causing production issues. They stored hay for free and we paid when they delivered.
The 750-1000 bucks I値l pay the new guy to store the hay won稚 break me. But if I can save it I壇 rather keep it.
The 750-1000 bucks I値l pay the new guy to store the hay won稚 break me. But if I can save it I壇 rather keep it.
quicksandfarmer
Veteran Member
Some thoughts:
Different parts of the country have different ideas about what a "small" bale is. Around here it's about 16x18x36 inches and weighs about 50 lbs. Each bale is 6 cubic feet, 1500 of them are 9,000 cubic feet, stacked 10' high that's 900 square feet, or a 30x30 area.
At 50 lbs each, 1500 bales is 75,000 lbs or 37.5 tons. If you had a loft rated at 40 lbs/sf you'd need a loft of 1875 sf, or 30x60. Conversely, to stack them 10' high your loft would have to be able to hold 80 lbs/sf. That's a lot to carry up to a loft.
When you're paying to have hay stored part of what you're paying for is the risk of spoilage. Even stacked on pallets and with plastic sheeting below the bottom layer of bales will usually get moldy for me.
The cheapest way to store hay is under a tarp, but I haven't had good luck with that, condensation forms under the tarp and drips on the hay.
The comment about wood shavings reminds me of an interesting technique I read of somewhere that stuck with me as a clever method. The author counted up his hay and shavings purchases for the year, and found that he bought one bag of shavings for every four bales of hay. At the start of hay season he bought a truckload of bags of wood shavings (at a truckload price) with a year's supply. He laid the bags out on the ground, and stacked four bales of hay on each bag of shavings. The bags kept the bales off the ground and dry. As the hay was used the shavings were exposed, at exactly the rate they were needed.
Different parts of the country have different ideas about what a "small" bale is. Around here it's about 16x18x36 inches and weighs about 50 lbs. Each bale is 6 cubic feet, 1500 of them are 9,000 cubic feet, stacked 10' high that's 900 square feet, or a 30x30 area.
At 50 lbs each, 1500 bales is 75,000 lbs or 37.5 tons. If you had a loft rated at 40 lbs/sf you'd need a loft of 1875 sf, or 30x60. Conversely, to stack them 10' high your loft would have to be able to hold 80 lbs/sf. That's a lot to carry up to a loft.
When you're paying to have hay stored part of what you're paying for is the risk of spoilage. Even stacked on pallets and with plastic sheeting below the bottom layer of bales will usually get moldy for me.
The cheapest way to store hay is under a tarp, but I haven't had good luck with that, condensation forms under the tarp and drips on the hay.
The comment about wood shavings reminds me of an interesting technique I read of somewhere that stuck with me as a clever method. The author counted up his hay and shavings purchases for the year, and found that he bought one bag of shavings for every four bales of hay. At the start of hay season he bought a truckload of bags of wood shavings (at a truckload price) with a year's supply. He laid the bags out on the ground, and stacked four bales of hay on each bag of shavings. The bags kept the bales off the ground and dry. As the hay was used the shavings were exposed, at exactly the rate they were needed.
StuartDK45SE
Silver Member
We do not put any hay in a loft. Currently we are using part of a barn we have that is 30x40 where my tractor and implements are stored. The space available there can hold about 350 bales. Rafters are at 10 feet. We could actually stack higher than the rafters if we wanted to. So maybe 400 in there.
Spoilage has (knock on wood) not been an issue for us. Store them on pallets and there is usually enough air flow under them to prevent mold. By storing them inside we eliminate a lot of the risk of mold.
Of course one of the other sides of paying the hay guy to store them is I do not have to pay for a larger building myself to store it.
In an ideal world I would have one building large enough to store all 1500 bales. That building would be separated from my other buildings by sufficient distance to reduce the risk of fire to the other buildings should the hay go up in flames.
In any event I am exploring the options and as usual the insight of people on this site is wonderful.
prof fate
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Consider a hoop house - covered in plastic lasts about 6 years, at elast 4. the frame lasts forever. might be able to get one used from a green house - most are closed/closing around here.
Some get old bill board 'tarps' - the signs they use on advertising bill boards, some are still paper but more and more a large tarps - way cheap and last nearly a decade i'm hearing.
Hoops can be pvc pipe or bent alum/steel tubing similar to chain link fence posts. Google some and you'll get tons of info.
Protect Your Investment: A Guide to Hay and Forage Covers | FarmTek Blog
Some get old bill board 'tarps' - the signs they use on advertising bill boards, some are still paper but more and more a large tarps - way cheap and last nearly a decade i'm hearing.
Hoops can be pvc pipe or bent alum/steel tubing similar to chain link fence posts. Google some and you'll get tons of info.
Protect Your Investment: A Guide to Hay and Forage Covers | FarmTek Blog
cat fever
Elite Member
If having horses is in your long term plans, then building a hay barn/shed should be a no brainer. Simple pole barn nothing fancy, it's just hay. :2cents:
This is what mine looked like. For 15 years had a dirt/tarp floor, added concrete last year.
This is what mine looked like. For 15 years had a dirt/tarp floor, added concrete last year.
Turbys_1700
Elite Member
We used a barn with a loft and feeding pen with 1" thick boards for slats when feeding beef cattle. This was when I was a lad in the 60's. Worked well. Later we upgraded to a round baler. Much less labor intensive.
If squares are mandatory I still like the loft with a feeder. You can get a hay elevator to help offload.
If squares are mandatory I still like the loft with a feeder. You can get a hay elevator to help offload.
CobyRupert
Super Member
The premium price is not only for the use of the sellers storage area, risk of spoilage, but it also may be that seller has to handle each bale 2 more times when he stores it there, and then un-stores it there, to bring it to you; rather than bringing it straight from the field.
We have a covered, dirt floor, area that's approx. 10' high (can squeeze a few more bales between the rafters), x 12' wide x 24' long (~2880 cu. ft.). We get about 400 square (kicker wagon) bales in it.
We set the bales on pallets, then soon learned that you want a sheet of plastic under the pallets to prevent moisture coming up from the ground.
We have a covered, dirt floor, area that's approx. 10' high (can squeeze a few more bales between the rafters), x 12' wide x 24' long (~2880 cu. ft.). We get about 400 square (kicker wagon) bales in it.
We set the bales on pallets, then soon learned that you want a sheet of plastic under the pallets to prevent moisture coming up from the ground.