well, don't call me stupid - just call me!!!! You know what it's like to hurry up and bale hay on the only half way decent day you got, right? Well, we've had showers every other day with high humidity on the days it doesn't rain. I've got another farmers equipment to use. The hay was cut 3 days before we baled it and was raked over at least twice. On the day we did all the work, it was hot and windy. Problem is some of the hay still had some green clumps in them that weren't all the way dry. The real heavy ones that we knew were wet, we stacked outside and threw a tarp over them and are feeding them out first. I laid in bed last night wondering when my barn is going to catch on fire from combustion. Anyone out there know what I can do to prevent a fire? Am I worrying too early? Today my neighbor said they used to throw salt on the bales if they were a little wet, to absorb the moisture. We have 1 more small field to bale and it's gonna rain on it again tonight. I have to get this equipment back to the farmer but if it rains on mine, it'll rain on his also. Anyone got experience with this problem of mine? It's very frustrating anticipating a good crop of hay and then it rains on it! THANKS for your patience!!

-- Pat Mikul (pmikul@pcpros.net), September 10, 2000

Answers

For the ones in the barn, stick a piece of re-bar way down in the bale and check for heat. The re-bar will be hot if the bale is hot. Check it often and use a many pieces of re-bar that you have. We always do this. The only thing else I know is bust them open and let them dry if you don't have too many. Uncover the ones outside on nice days to let the wind go thru. If they are too heavy and wet you can always use them for mulch on the garden! I hope they turn out ok.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), September 10, 2000.

Pat, the salt is a new one to me. Rebar would work for testing the heat, but if you don't have any, you can usually get your hand worked into the bale to feel the heat. You're right to worry about fire, and also the risk of molding. The first thing I'd do would be to spread the bales out. The really wet ones are the first priority, but any of the others could also be at risk. Also standing the bales on their sides so the ends of the stalks are pointing up seems to help.

When I write "spread the bales out" that's just what I mean. Think Hayhenge. If you don't have room to unstack the bales inside the barn, lug'em back out. If the rain coming isn't heavy, just go out and kick the bales off their edges, they won't absorb a light rain quite as badly. The really wet bales may need to be opened up. Perhaps using a few of the other bales or a length of snow fence for a wind break will help contain the loose hay.

Whatever you do, you're going to lose quality in the hay. But re-dried hay, while losing feed value, isn't nearly the risk to you (fire) or the animals (molds). I hope you can save your hay. Gerbil

-- Gerbil (ima_gerbil@hotmail.com), September 11, 2000.

Pat:

As a point of reference, how many bales are your talking about?

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), September 11, 2000.

We own a small log barn, so we're not talking alot of bales. My barn will hold about 300 and only have about half of that baled up right now. We got over 3" of rain last night and are to expect more tonight. Have no idea when we'll be able to get that last small field picked up!!!!

-- Pat (pmikul@pcpros.net), September 11, 2000.

Pat, start checking the insides for heat right away, salting (rock salt) between the bales will work for high moisture areas, like where I live, but will do nothing for wet hay. If you do have heat inside the bales, not only do you have a great chance of fire, but also of mold, and listerosis. Once again salt thrown on the hay as you stack it in the barn is only good for high humidity or perhaps hay that got dewed or lightly misted on while being unloaded. Good luck with this, and you will need to be extra careful in feeding this to your livestock this winter. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), September 11, 2000.

Pat:

This is what I would do, but our circumstances are no doubt different. 1) Restack the pile putting any bales to the side which feel overly heavy. 2) Loose stack, which means leaving a couple of inches of air space between each bale. 3) Stack the bales on their sides, which gives a bit more breathing space where the bales contact each other. You might even want to use some 2"x4"s between layers. You want to provide ventilation to reduce heat buildup.

On the heavy bales two options: Stack them as above outside on pallets and then cover with a tarp. Feed these bales out first. If you have a feedmill in your area which grinds hay bales, consider having them grounded up, adding perhaps cracked corn, cottonseed meal, mollases, salt and minerals at the same time to increase the feed value. Grinding will go a long way towards evening out the moisture.

With cows it doesn't make much difference, but before feeding out any bales to goats, horses or sheep, smell each bale flake as it is used. If it smells musty, you may not want to use it for these species.

Perhaps you can trade bales to a cattle farmer nearby on the order of two of your bales for one of his properly dried ones. I'd take that deal.

Also consult your local ag agent for their advice.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), September 11, 2000.

I was afraid someone was gonna suggest stacking them over again. UGH! It's hard enough to get help the first time thru, now my girls are just gonna love this! Why do we farm??? It sure isn't easy for us single moms!!!!!!! I'll see what I can do. I know you guys are right. There just isn't an easy answer to this one. But I suppose it's better to do the work AGAIN than to wait for a fire to happen. THANKS !!!!

-- Pat (pmikul@pcpros.net), September 11, 2000.

My heart goes out to you, Pat. I hauled and stacked about 100 bales under threat of rain tonight, until I lost the sunlight. Good luck to you, and I hope you don't end up losing most of it to molds.

-- Rachel (rldk@hotmail.com), September 11, 2000.

If bales do mold, simply sell them to gardeners looking for mulch. You can't get a really good price, but better than nothing.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), September 12, 2000.

well, we had to bale up that last small field today we had already had it raked up. Chance of rain again tonight. The hay was absolutely no good!! Terribly wet and slimy already. If I would have known that I would have left it on the field and not even rake it. OH well!!!! Have to dump it. Must have been at least 50 bales. Not much to some but about $75 worth if you have to buy it. Thanks for all your suggestions.

-- Pat (pmikul@pcpros.net), September 12, 2000.

I'm sorry Pat, I know that's allot of work and worry. How is the hay in the barn? Did any of it heat up? If you lived close to me I would buy the icky hay for my garden! I go buy 1 big round old bale at a time, 5 or 10 dollars, just for the garden. But remember, it's better to get all that hay off the field than just leave it there. That's why we give ours away, the grass is much more healthy cut and cleaned up, and we have no tractor yet. You could build a natural wall with the bales, I have always wanted to do that, around my garden with heavy old bales. And just poke holes and plant in the holes, your wall could be covered in flowers, or beans, or anything. You will find some use for them I know. Wish I had em'.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), September 13, 2000.

I think I heard that 135 degrees is the magic number. I was told that if you stick a long piece of rebar in the hole and leave it there for about 30 minutes and feel it right a way one could get a good idea on the temp with your hand. If you can keep you hand on the rebar for as long as you like, the hay is fine. If you can only hold on for about 30 seconds, I would start unstacking right a way. A dairy farmer down the road took a pipe, drilled many 1/4 inch holes along it, and welded a piece of round stock, grinding it to a point and threading a pipe cap on it so it could be driven. Then he slides a thermoter down the pipe after inserted into the hay. Wait for 30 minutes and take a reading.

-- Ed Holt (goat@sssnet.com), September 13, 2000.

Seems like a meat thermometer would be the ticket.

-- Dan Gwaltney (dizzydan@yahoo.com), September 14, 2000.

Dear Pat, I sure can sympathize with you. We have had a hard time her in nothern Wisconsin getting our hay made the past two years due to the rain as well. Some things we have found are: Do not cut if the forecast calls for rain in the next 3-4 days. Grass hay dries much quicker than clover or alfalfa. Do not rake the hay until you are ready to bale it. If the underside is wet, you can rake it early in the morning and again just before you bale. A crusher or a tedder is a very good investment and really helps with drying.(you can get used ones cheap) Do not keep baling if the dew is starting to settle. Some of the best hay we make is made in October, The fall days are great for drying since you don't have the problem of high humidity. I could go on and on since it has been an adventure for us as well. Keep your chin up and get that wet hay out of the barn!!

-- Judith Erdman (Erdman@mail.win.bright.net), September 16, 2000.

Hey Pat, where are you, I can't find 'garden' hay anywhere!

-- Dianne (yankeeterrier@hotmail.com), September 16, 2000.

Making hay sure can be a frustrating job. I cut and round bale about 50 acres of hay every year. I was very lucky dodging the showers this year. I've never tried it, but I've always thought of running extra cattle on the hay meadows during the spring and summer, and using the money they brought at sale to buy my hay for the rest of the herd. I suppose, like making hay, some years would work out better than others, depending on the price of cattle. In your favor, the price of corn will be very cheap this fall, use it to supplement your poor quality hay.

-- Rob Shipe (RShipe1046@aol.com), September 17, 2000.