# storing square bales



## scots7882

New here.....Great forum, full of great information.

I am looking to store square bales in one of our barns. I would like to sell these square bales at some point. The barn floor is dirt. I was wondering what I should do before storing the square bales in the barn. Should I put pallets down and store the hay on top. Should I put gravel down and store hay on the gravel. Is Storing hay on the dirt a possibility or would that be a mistake? any other low cost possibilities?

thanks in advance


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## LaneFarms

On our older barn we have a layer of old hay on the floor to protect hay from sand. On our newest barn I layer plastic sheeting in the bottom of the barn and stacked hay directly on top. With the plastic you can't let water get on the plastic because it can run the whole length of the barn.


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## ARD Farm

I keep resale squares in my truss arch (Clearspan) on pallets. It has an engineered, built to grade sand floor. I lay down wood pallets, though those nice and expensive extruded 4x4 shipping flats work well too. I usually get about 4 years from the pallets and then it's time to replace. The old ones get roasted. Wood pallets are pretty easy to get free, if you look. The plastic ones aren't.

I'm adverse to a layer of hay or straw as the sacrificial layer on the bottom as it harbors vernim like rats, mice and groundhogs plus, it attracts and holds moisture so it's all junk (bottom layer).

I stack my squares, first layer cut end vertical and interlock all the additional layers.

I keep my rounds on pallets too (in the same building), stacked 'eye to the sky', 3 high. If you store rounds 'eye to the side', they assume an oval shape and take up more room plus I sell a number of rounds and a round, round is more saleable than an oval round....lol

As a rule, I don't tarp the top layer. In my experience, tarps collect moisture underneath. The top layer will bleach a bit on the ourtside but thats it. I keep everything inside, hay, hay tools, tractors and myself (in the house)...lol


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## slowzuki

We put down poly sheeting then pallets. Space the first layer of hay to let air move. Lose very little. Last owner put down sacrificial layer of hay on dirt and left it in the barn year to year. Worked but I don't like that, smelly molding hay tends to degrade first layer of good hay.


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## ARD Farm

I've finally cured one of my customers of that habit (putting new hay on a layer of old hay.

Myself, I can't see the poly sheeting under the pallets but then I have really good drainage, it's red sand built up 4 feet inside to maintain grade.

I'd think the poly sheeting would cause a vapor barrier between the orgainc floor and the sheet and get nasty underneath.


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## slowzuki

That is exactly correct, stops the pallets from rotting out and becoming a nasty mess. Also if roof leaks there is room for water to go vs spread on the plastic.



ARD Farm said:


> I'd think the poly sheeting would cause a vapor barrier between the orgainc floor and the sheet and get nasty underneath.


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## scots7882

thank you guys for the useful information. I have some pallets stacked away I will put them down with plastic sheeting underneath


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