[fatappy]

I did do a search, but I couldn't find anything... sorry if I missed a previous post....

The farm I buy my hay/ straw from is going to start putting their straw in the large squares only, they'll be roughly 900#, and roughly 4'x4'x6'.

I don't have a tractor/forklift/skidsteer. All I have is a 42" riding lawn mower and a small SUV with no hitch on it.

Is there anyway I will be able to get it off the truck when they come to deliver? At this point moving it seems like a pipe dream... but if I could just get it somewhere on the property I would be tickled.

Can anyone one offer tips/ tricks to get the straw off her truck (ford 250) and onto my ground?! And if anyone has ever successfully moved these by manpower, please let me know that too!

thanks!

[tangledweb]

Getting them off should not be that hard. If you park slightly uphill and they have a smooth truck bed one strong or two normal adults should be able to push it out.

Or loop a chain around it, hook the other end to a tree and drive the truck away.

Moving it is going to be harder though. If your property is flat and you have something on your SUV to hook a chain too you could drag it and not lose much. Otherwise breaking it open and handling flakes like you would small bales is probably your only option.

[rmh_rider]

what tangledweb said. You can also hook to a sturdy post if no tree is handy, and the other end around the hay bale, then drive away in the truck and the bale comes out.

Then if you want to move it around the property, maybe this is the time to buy a draft horse. That way you could hitch up the draft and have the draft pull it any where you want.

[airhorse]

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a tractor

Having switched to large squares for hay, I would never go back.

[tangledweb]

Sounds like a good excuse to buy a tractor

Days that end in Y are a good excuse to buy a tractor

[clanter]

we were able to put down two 48inch sq pallets then back over those; hook a secured rope around the 1000# sq bale then drive off.... bale would pull out and fall the pallets

Wrap the bale around its midsection with another rope then cut the bales twine... then fed the hay in sections .... one bale would feed nine head for eight days

[equinekingdom]

random question....do large square bales flake off like small squares do?

[Simkie]

random question....do large square bales flake off like small squares do?

Yup! IME, one flake off of a big bale is roughly = to 4 flakes of a small bale.

[equinekingdom]

I have never seen large square bales for sale anywhere in NC - is it a mainly western thing? anyone in the east see giant square bales anywhere?

[judybigredpony]

They are more and more popular here in MD PA DE NJ VA IL especially in straw....

[fatappy]

If I hook the bale to a tree and have her drive off, is it not going to damage her tailgate? I don't want to bend her hinges or anything.

[JB]

We roll 1000lb+ round bales off our truck, across the tailgate. Just don't let it sit on the tailgate for long

[BEARCAT]

Or take the tailgate off. I unload mine by running a chain to a tree (and driving up) also - works like a charm if you're not too picky about where they end up