Round bales anyone tried them ? I have a deal on a bunch.

There is a contractor right down the road with 35 round bales. Common field grass. He will deliver them and place them for free for 15 dollars each. I have real sandy soil and sheep that run on 3 acres. So I figured why not stock up, maybe he will do them all for $ 300.00. I really think he just wants them gone as they are 11/07 bales and he has moved them 2x for construction.

Good move or ?????

jpotts: As far as I know, no one has ever used those large round bales yet.

You'll be in uncharted waters.

For my money, I personally would stick with the regular size "square" bales of hay/grass/straw.

I see a lot of logistical problems dealing with a bale so large and tall.

But, it you're set on it, maybe just try 1 or 2 this year and go from there.

I also see a lot of logistical problem like 1000 lbs each. LOL to start. I had to ask. It seems I always go into uncharted waters. Kind of fun to figure it out. There are just no bales around as we have been in a drought. There should be some in a month since we started having rain again. When I said common field grass that is a mix of coastal, Johnson and oats normally around here.

I may just try a few unless he wants to deal. I can always use it for feed and mulch if it does not work out.

KentNC you are right about regular bales. They are perfect size and height. Maybe I will hunt some more.

As challenging as they will be to plant, they will likely 'slump' quite a bit (at least mine have- regular hay bales). Older bales of hay, once you get them processed and planted, are likely to grow great and very vigirous veggies! I'll never use straw again. The hay is cheaper, needs less fertilization, and grows MUCH bigger and stronger plants.

It might be smart, given such a large medium to keep wet, to wrap the sides in plastic, if you can, to retain moisture.

Good luck. Keep us apprised!

Suzan

I'd go ahead and pick up as many as I could handle for the sheep. Even though hay is going to be more plentiful this year, the prices will still be up due to the rise in fuel prices. You can always pick up some free pallets, unroll some of the hay and layer it tightly in your pallet frame to garden in. I am gardening this year in the compost from my last two seasons of bale gardening ammended with horse manure and sawdust from my barn. My tomatoes are loaded but haven't started to turn yet. Can't wait until they do. They are all free plants I got from the heirloom plant give away sposored by the local 4H and County Extension office.

the only problem I see with the big round bales is that is takes forever for them to compost they are rolled so tight. We had some three year old ones abandon on our farm that we rented and inside they were still hard as a rock. I had to hack them apart with an ax.

Well I am the proud owner of 16 of them. LOL I figured I would break one down and put into some 15 gallon containers I have. I just got some heirloom tomatoes for a fall crop so some will make there home there. I like to hedge my bets so some will see the soil.

A question maybe someone can answer. I saw where people testing the bales took their temperature. Now if i wanted to increase the microbial action would the bale be in jeopardy of catching on fire???? I am not a farmer but a gardener. LOL The sheep just eat what I do not want to mow and are very good gardeners.

I may buy some more and use them for shelters at 1000 lbs each. if a hurricane comes this way my sheep will have refuge. The question is not would but when on the coastline.

Cajuninkentckey your plants look great.


Jim

nope don't think they would catch on fire at all no matter how hot you could get them.

i wouldn't want johnson grass around my garden stuff. we had it in north texas .i see a lot of it around aransas pass and rockport . we also had to keep the cattle out of it unless they started eating it when it first came up ,or after it cured .do you have problems with the sheep getting into it ? sally

Thanks, I read somewhere where bales were catching on fire if baled too wet. I unrolled some. Real nice hay. I decided since I had a bunch of poly barrels cut in half with holes drilled as planters i did not use much I would fill them with hay. Started one yesterday 25 gallon size. I will do about 30 of them. I might have to do another 16 and have him place the bales on Sandy areas. I do not care if it has Johnson Grass in it. Anything germinating down back gets eaten. The only thing that stands grazing is Bahia and Bermuda cause it grows sideways not straight up.

Anyone know if a cap layer to stop moisture loss might be good ? I will post some pics later of the project.

if you are doing them in barrels I think the moisture will hold just fine. Bales in the open have to be watered frequently so don't put them too far from a water source.

If those big bales ever do catch fire you have to unroll them to put it out. BTDT when I was working at a rural FD years ago.