Things You'll Need
- Heavy work gloves
- 2 hay hooks
Instructions
Master the mechanics of lifting and moving hay bales before doing any heavy lifting. Some people pull or lift bales short distances by grabbing the baling wire or string, but doing so risks breaking bales. Instead grab the bale at each end with hay hooks that sink deeply into the hay. Steady the weight of the bale against your pelvis with your arms and upper body. Bend your knees and lift with your legs to avoid straining your back. You can also efficiently drag a hay bale across the ground using a single hay hook.
Prepare suitable hay storage. Store hay in a well-ventilated shed or barn, primarily to protect it from rain. Well-cured, protected hay will last a long time. Cover your haystack with a tied-down waterproof tarp if no permanent protection is available. Stack hay on pallets or old tires to keep it off the ground.
Establish a bale-stacking pattern for stability. Simplest is laying down all the hay bales on the first (bottom) layer lengthwise then stacking the next layer perpendicular to them, or along their width. Follow with another lengthwise layer of bales, then another laid on their width.
Stack bales on their sides̵2;cut or stem side down, so baling string or wire is on the side rather than the top and bottom of the stacked bale̵2;to allow moisture to escape. It will wick out through stems from inside the bale to the outside air. Stack bales tight, but not too tight. Leave an inch or two between them. Bales that can breathe (and slowly dry) generate less heat during the curing process and are less likely to catch fire from spontaneous combustion. Proper curing also preserves hay quality. You want hay inside each bale to remain sweet and green.
Move a hay bale from storage to the feeding area with a two-wheel bale cart, which looks and functions much like an appliance dolly. A wheelbarrow works, too, though it̵7;s harder to wrestle the bale into place and balance it, or use a small wagon behind a garden tractor.