- Location
- Fife
From harvest I’ll be storing 1200ish round bales of barley straw outside on concrete. What’s the best/most economical way of weather proofing them?
Round Bale Straw Outside
- Thread starter unlacedgecko
- Start date
Skintagain
Member
- Location
- Perched on the Pennines
Pyramid sheeted
Or pork pie sheeted then layer of bales Muck etc on top of sheet to hold it
Might be worse on concrete than hard core where water lies/pools
- Location
- Fife
Any ideas on cost of sheets and size required etc?
Skintagain
Member
- Location
- Perched on the Pennines
No sorry. We have used silage sheet pork pie. Always fancied those fancy ones for pyramid stacks though they look good.
We have given up and try to get them under cover as it’s rough where we are And it’s dangerous taking sheet off or it’s flapping around when you have used some. Row some up in singles now and use them pre Christmas.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
How much space have you got? If enough, lay them out in rows with the ends butting up to each other, but with a gap between the rows. Most of the rain will just shed off then, with no more than an inch or so getting damp on the top.
If you don’t have the space then the cheapest way is to stack them up and stick a black silage sheet over them, weighted well with whatever’s handy. You will obviously have the cost of a sheet (& disposal) as well as the fun job of uncovering it in the winter.
- Location
- N.Lincs
We used one of these for 4 or 5 years - seem expensive when you buy them but they do last well.
Need the sheet before you build the stack though (the ropes that hold it on go under the bales.
Single rows butted up end to end give the least waste if you don't want to cover them.
I find I get a lot more waste on bales stacked in a pyramid especially the bottom layer wether they are stacked on concrete or in a field. I now stack most of mine in lines two wide next to tracks so I can get to them all year, you get very little waste and they don’t get full of rats. I would leave them unsheated I find the weather helps them develop a slight crust on the outside which stops the straw blowing everywhere and collapsing when you remove the net over the straw blower to load it up.
- Location
- North of Perth
Store all our outside.use silage sheet.sure we use 12m x 36m.put 3 bales high can style .roll the plastic out along them how ever bales long.allowed 1m overhang each end then cut.find the edge throw the rest over the back.have about 3/4 of the plastic covering the bale then put another bale on top to trap it, so there 4 high.come out 6 rows of 4 high until the last.after the 3rd row high pull the sheet over the stack.sheet comes over the front and steps down.allowing you to trap it with a 4th bale round ways so rain runs of.then just roll some on top of the stack to weight it down.
May seem a bit mental but it traps the plastic an keeps it tight.never have issue with wind .
May seem a bit mental but it traps the plastic an keeps it tight.never have issue with wind .
M-J-G
Member
Can you work with 6ft bales?
Less waste if you can.
Just put them in single rows
Less waste if you can.
Just put them in single rows
the best way is to build a shed over them, the most economical way is to leave them single in lines if you have room, if you have a choice have the bale lines going north/south then both sides will dry in between the rain.
we used to stack them in a triangle 4 high 4 wide, spread the sheet out first and put it so one side was under the bales as you stack them then pull it over when finished, we put net and tyres on but it was still a bitch to keep the sheet on in the wind and it always seemed to be raining and windy when you need some bales,
we have also wrapped them with two layers of wrap but it works out expensive if you have to pay someone to do it
Built a shed in the end should have done it before, worked so well we built another LOL
depends really how expensive straw is in your area, with how the price is these days around here I think a shed pays off but if your in a cheap straw area or don't have to buy it in then some waste is not a big problem
- Location
- North of Perth
This might help a bit.
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
Tube line or a shed.
How much money is sitting on top of the tarp? I can only see 5 bales on top of the silage sheet but I’m guessing there maybe more? If those bales weigh 250kg each then at
£50 tonne = £62.50
£100 tonne = £125
Of wasted straw or wasted money
Nearly
Member
- Location
- North of York
An extra round of net and lay them out in long lines a foot apart.
- Location
- North of Perth
Yeah there's more.not as much waste as your thinking.those bales have been up there a year.first inch or 2 might no be great but the rest is fine.put all those through the bedder anyway or use them for bedding down the court once its been emptied
Chae1
Member
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
Phone for best price
Do you get a better price if you phone!?
You always get a fair price but we can calculate freight at the same time plus it’s really good to talk with your customers I find just banging out email quotes a bit bland as you don’t get to convey what the product is and does.
Chae1
Member
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
I've already got 1. I've done a good bit of advertising for you on here posting pictures of it!
Skintagain
Member
- Location
- Perched on the Pennines
A shed is the best answer. The situation may not be right for everyone though.
But money is cheap atm. Straw special in FG 100'x50x20' iirc is 20k 2 loads of concrete and a team to erect it if you already have the yard for stacking - all done for 30k. That will house 1200 bales nicely. At £12 per bale you have an asset of £14400 worth covering up. £2-3k per year of wasted straw, time, sheeting etc will pay the shed back over 10-15 years and you have an asset at the end of it to keep using, not a pile of knackered sheets.
If your situation isn't right get one of the sheets above or long lines if using before the new year.
But money is cheap atm. Straw special in FG 100'x50x20' iirc is 20k 2 loads of concrete and a team to erect it if you already have the yard for stacking - all done for 30k. That will house 1200 bales nicely. At £12 per bale you have an asset of £14400 worth covering up. £2-3k per year of wasted straw, time, sheeting etc will pay the shed back over 10-15 years and you have an asset at the end of it to keep using, not a pile of knackered sheets.
If your situation isn't right get one of the sheets above or long lines if using before the new year.