[Sudanpan]

So, we cut and baled our hay for the first time this year - such excitement which has now turned to massive disappointment because the whole stack has been really badly contaminated by water 


We had stacked the bales on pallets to keep them off the ground, then covered with tarps. Unfortunately as it has been so wet for MONTHS all that has happened in the stack is that the water has infiltrated every nook and cranny and all the beales have been really badly damaged. We now have a huge harvest of the weirdest looking fungi but I'm not going to be making any muchroom soup with it anytime soon!


Anyhow - anyone got any ideas of what we can do with about 80 bales of soggy/mouldy/decaying hay?


Thanks
Tish

[pheonix]

wait til spring and burn it.

[Fleecewife]

Take the string off if it's polyprop, or leave it on if it's sisal, and compost the lot, turning once.  You will be able to get a good enough heat to kill off all the grass and weed seeds.  Then use it wherever you want to add humus but not too much fertility to your soil.  It would make an excellent mulch, but only after it has been hot composted for at least six months.
 
Very disappointing - but you'll have a better idea of how to store it for next year, and just how very dry it has to be before you stack it.  Don't give up 

[deepinthewoods]

i second composting. keep it wet and turn it regularly, use urine or manure as an activator to keep the temp up.

[Hermit]

I dont like tarps to cover hay as they cause the hay to sweat . It must have plenty of air round it . We invested in building a purpose built hay barn and have not had a spoilt bale since.

[bigchicken]

I have stacked bales outside but as well as pallets on the ground I put pallets on top to leave an air space and cut down on condensation, Hay we live and learn don't bale out better luck next year cheers.

[smiley bucket]

Burn it unless you are sure its weed free, otherwise you will end up with the area thick with docks or thistles or whatever. Composting will not generate enough heat to kill the weed seeds.  It's really annoying isn't it, all that waste, my haylage was the same this year, yuk, luckily an obliging neighbour bedded his coos on it.

[pheonix]

we bought our haylage in bulk this year for the first time instead of being delivered every week. about a third of our bales have been  hot and mouldy. it seems that some grass stalks were sharp enough to pierce the wrapping but we are also blaming rats for making nests underneath the bales.
its upsetting when we spent a grand on it to see it ruined.

[Sudanpan]

Thanks for the replies    looks like we will be doing a bit of burning in the spring......
There is an outfit down here called the Green Waste company so I might see if they would be interested in the mouldy hay
 

[MAK]

Should you wear a face mask when moving mouldy hay ? Just thinking that spores in the lungs ist nict gut.

[smiley bucket]

I suppose you should really, but apart from one old boy with emphasema (?sp) i've never seen anyone wearing one.  I'd have to carry one in my pocket, and the idea of putting on my face something that had been in my pocket sends shivers down my spine!!

[Marches Farmer]

Think a mask a good idea if the whole lot's mouldy - farmer's lung.  This snow is a good opportunity to find your rats' nests - they have a long, slender foot and will quickly run a channel through the snow about 10-12cm wide, generally starting at the edge of a barn or under a pallet.  That's the place to put your rat bait trap or, if it's a hole, just pour a teacupful down it, covering with a bit of wood or tile to stop hens or wild birds eating it.  The rats may take a while to eat it but they will, especially in this weather.