Hay storage. Freaking out a bit.

[PapaverFollis]

I learned about it happening reading the Saddle Club books many years ago!

Then I was talking to my parents about this hay being delivered and my Dad was worrying about it as he's an ex-firefighter do has obviously seen it first hand! Which set me off worrying.

It's being collected now! Going to be a late night I think.

 

[PapaverFollis]

It's here! It's very nice hay to my eye. He didn't knock the gatepost over! 11 bales put to bed so far....

 

[ester]

phew well done!
I'd have been a stressy mess too

 

[Trouper]

Long hot soak with something alcoholic seems the order of the day - whenever that day ends!!

 

[PapaverFollis]

21 in. Barn full! More than we thought to go in the field shelter/pole barn then. Crunchie break!

 

[PapaverFollis]

Done! 8 in the pole barn, 1 on the indoor yard.

Absolutely knackered. ?

 

[Cortez]

Done! 8 in the pole barn, 1 on the indoor yard.

Absolutely knackered. ?

Gin, bath, and bask in the contemplation of the riches of having a sufficiency of Enough Hay. There is nothing quite so satisfying as a full hay barn

 

[PapaverFollis]

Gin, bath, and bask in the contemplation of the riches of having a sufficiency of Enough Hay. There is nothing quite so satisfying as a full hay barn

Cheese sandwich and a cookie! No alcohol in the house. I was not prepared for this. ? But very very pleased. The hay is really good I think. And the delivery chap was nice... Brilliant driver to get that wagon on here. Just useless at communicating!

 

[PapaverFollis]

 

[Chappie]

Can't beat that full house o hay feeling! ?

 

[hobo]

10 out of 10 for your stacking away of hay PF. You would cry if you saw my OH's stacking. And stop worrying about them heating up you have loads of air and by putting them that way up any unlikely heat would escape and it looks like it is past being fresh green and is well made.

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

Look at all those happy bales waiting patiently to be munched ?

 

[PapaverFollis]

The ones in the pole barn are a little squished in and I put tarps on top for tonight... going to make the tarps into a more tent-like cover tomorrow. Tonight it was chuck on and chuck some rocks on top! But it certainly looks well made to me so it should be ok.

Jeez. That was mad. And it's a stupid amount of hay! If that doesn't last me a whole year I'll be surprised.

 

[MrsMozartleto]

Cor that looks nice lass ? Very well done the pair of you.

I now have hay envy! Am wondering if I have enough pallets and tarpaulin to get a delivery to the field. I want that lovely satisfied feeling of having it all in < stamps foot >. Off to see if D2 has left me any pallets...

 

[Tiddlypom]

Jeez. That was mad. And it's a stupid amount of hay! If that doesn't last me a whole year I'll be surprised.

Good work!

I know where to come if I run out this year - our yield was 25% down so I will need to buy some in.

How many rounds would fit in a 510? How much fuel for the Shogun for the round trip to the top end of the country, erm...?

 

[Red-1]

I am amazed that 2 people could move that by hand! hats off to you!!!

 

[PapaverFollis]

I am amazed that 2 people could move that by hand! hats off to you!!!

? The logic went "we know we can move one, therefore we can move 30"

 

[Bernster]

Wow good work there you must be knackered.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Good work!

I know where to come if I run out this year - our yield was 25% down so I will need to buy some in.

How many rounds would fit in a 510? How much fuel for the Shogun for the round trip to the top end of the country, erm...?

Lots of fuel is the answer! Probably a 10 hour drive? ? one way.

I think we had a decent growing year up here and decent hay weather around Inverness. We had ok hay weather here but it's never going to be completely dry and you've got to catch the right weather window. One of the reasons we decided to import from further south and got so much. We only really wanted 20 bales but could only really get reasonable haulage for 30. But it will save us having to get emergency local hay next summer.

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

My brain is just living it's best life worrying about it all. And now it's having an even better time because it's no longer "the morning" and it was supposed to be coming in "the morning"... I think I'm going to be sitting in a darkened room by this evening.

Just been reading your thread with interest OP. I am moving house next week and having my horses at home for the first time ever. I'm panicking about everything horsey at the moment. Your thread has given me strength that Im not the only neurotic one, although combustible hay is now added to my list of things to worry about. I haven't even got round to buying any hay yet. I'm already having sleepless nights about transporting the horses, electric fences, field injuries, broken fences, farrier not turning up etc.etc. Why does our brain do this too us???? Thinking of you and hoping your hay turns up ok, you get it in storage ok and it doesn't combust.

 

[honetpot]

If its round bale and its been out on the field the risk of heating is small, and the shape means there are going to be gaps for ventilation, and the bales are not packed as tight as squares. This year we had the luxury of a telehandler as it was taken straight off the field to our shed, so its stacked two high, getting it off is going to be fun.
I bought some cow hay this spring, it had been sat out in the field and the outside was sodden black. Once you peeled off the outer coat, about 2inchs which dried out in to a crust in our open barn, the hay was actually really good. They were 5ft bales, and they were a devil to move.
https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/silage-straw-hay-price-tracker.85/page-599

 

[PapaverFollis]

Just been reading your thread with interest OP. I am moving house next week and having my horses at home for the first time ever. I'm panicking about everything horsey at the moment. Your thread has given me strength that Im not the only neurotic one, although combustible hay is now added to my list of things to worry about. I haven't even got round to buying any hay yet. I'm already having sleepless nights about transporting the horses, electric fences, field injuries, broken fences, farrier not turning up etc.etc. Why does our brain do this too us???? Thinking of you and hoping your hay turns up ok, you get it in storage ok and it doesn't combust.

We moved the horses home in November when we bought this property. It is just one long list of worries (and money to spend to alleviate those worries) to start with! Then you put them in the field and have a cup of tea watching your horses out of your kitchen window and it's 100% the best thing that you've ever done. You'll be fine. One thing at a time if you can. We didn't get everything beautifully sorted for the horses before we moved. We focused on creating one safe field area that they could be while we sorted other things.

 

[Reacher]

I remember your old livery stress threads - you must be very pleased with your setup (and hay store)

 

[PapaverFollis]

I remember your old livery stress threads - you must be very pleased with your setup (and hay store)

Still plenty to stress about but I'm much better off away from livery yards! Safer for everyone. ? A barn full of nice hay that I can use as much or little of as I like without receiving judgement is a very nice thing.

 

[holeymoley]

Crikey well done! I moved 2 rounds today with the help of another two ladies and we were skooshed! ?

 

[myheartinahoofbeat]

We moved the horses home in November when we bought this property. It is just one long list of worries (and money to spend to alleviate those worries) to start with! Then you put them in the field and have a cup of tea watching your horses out of your kitchen window and it's 100% the best thing that you've ever done. You'll be fine. One thing at a time if you can. We didn't get everything beautifully sorted for the horses before we moved. We focused on creating one safe field area that they could be while we sorted other things.

Yes, I bet watching them out the window makes it all worth while. I can't wait for that cup of tea. That's assuming there hasn't been a disaster transporting them. Chaotic thinking has gone into over drive!!!. I'm sure you have to live somewhere for about a year anyway to get the hang of what effect the seasons have on the land, grass, drainage etc. One thing at a time is really good advice because the whole picture is just so daunting

 

[PapaverFollis]

Hmm. A few of the bales feel a bit warm and slightly sweaty in the very middle of their tops... is this normal? Just normal heat and moisture escape? Baled 4 weeks ago so just still cycling? Have got the barn doors open for an hour or so twice a day (while horses are penned for feeding, grooming, riding.)

Going to commandeer the leccy fence ground spike to see how hot the centre of a couple are.

 

[Tiddlypom]

IIRC your bales are well spaced and only a single layer tall, not stacked up high? Even if there is a bit of heating, that should not be a problem. It‘s big barns stacked full and high with hay that can be iffy.

Keep it all as well ventilated as you can, and use the proddy stick to check it, but I can’t see it being a problem.

 

[PapaverFollis]

Yes to all those things, don't think we're at fire risk... proddy stick in middle of barn bale to check it now. Just surprised to be feeling any heat at all and hoping that doesn't mean it's bad hay after all, it looks so nice. ? but maybe a bit of warmth and sweat is normal.

 

[HashRouge]

I can't help with advice, but I just wanted to drop in and say that the night after I read this thread (when it was first posted) I then had the most stressful, complicated dream about my hay catching fire and all my stables burning down. Was not a restful night!