[PipKelpy]

We HAVE looked about buying a mower, baler (in our dreams) for doing our own hay, but we've NOWHERE dry to store them and aren't able mentally to maintain them (mechanic wise, we're thick!)

So, like many others we rely on big farmers to mow, bale etc when it's necessary. We do have a haybob that is under cover with topper (lean to though, nothing fancy!)

Previously, I've been thinking I'm going nuts, that it's something that I've missed, ie, when the haybob has been wuffling it all, a piece of plastic here and there (a stray carrier bag etc).

But, last year's haylage, so far EVERY bale has white plastic cut up in it, shredded in it. My only conclusion that the McHale Fusion when On chop, has been chopping the inner white plastic amongst my grass. Now, because I strip the bales I can pull all this out, but it takes time and is p*ssing me off, as you can imagine.

What's making it worse is that we were planning on selling some of the crop as we don't need it, but how can I? I'm liable surely? A horsey person wouldn't like her precious equine swigging down strips of plastic. I don't want my sheep or cattle doing it and it's my fodder!

Mum has said TELL the baler owner, but he's a nice old guy who is the only chap local who bales big and small folk and last year told me that he's packing up when this baler has paid for itself!

Agh!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SallyintNorth]

So frustrating!   

You do have to tell the chaps who moved, wooffled and baled for you, cos one of them has a malfunctioning machine and needs to know - otherwise it will happen again this year, and not just to you.  You can do it in a kindly way, I am sure.  (The contractors I know would want to know, and would probably offer you some money back if it's their machine which malfunctioned - but they may be unaware either that it happened at all or that your bales were affected.) 

You won't be able to sell the bales at full price, no, but if you would like the space back, you may get some interest if you explain the situation and say "make me a sensible offer".  Some horsey folks might jump at the chance of paying less for the sake of a bit of extra fiddling when filling hay nets.  (Some won't, as they are super busy, but some might.)

[stufe35]

Haymaking machinery does not generally  shed plastic it seems highly unlikely this was the source .   The plastic was almost certainly in your field and stirred up through it in the turning process.