Author Topic: The runaway bale (Read 5122 times)

devonlad · « **on:** November 20, 2013, 06:23:12 pm »

here's an odd one- not sure yet whether its a blessing or a curse. took the dogs out for a spin a couple of hours ago and much to my surprise we have gained a bale of silage- smack in the middle of our gully at the bottom of the field where no vehicle could ever get. earlier this week the field opposite was cut and baled for silage, amazing at thi9s time of year but the autumn grass has been amazing. the field flattish at the top and then slopes increasingly down towards our hedge. 2 bales obviouslymade an escape and plummeted down the hill. one smashed the fence on their side but was stopped by a tree in the hedge. the other however smashed through their fence and then must have taken off as our fence on the other side of the hedge is untouched- though where there was once thick impenetrable hedge there is now a bale sized hole. the bale is immovable short of piece by piece- so all I can think l of is to try and salvage things by sealing it up and trying to resurrect it as silage and feeding it in situ later on. The contractor who I know is very apologetic and it's mine now. its got to stay cos there's no moving it. Any point in taping it up as it was only cut a couple of days ago- I have some really thick plastic sheeting but its clear- would that do or does it not only need to be air tight but also light tight ??
glad it missed my sheep of course but would have loved to see close on half a tonne of wet grass hurtling down the hill and flying through the air

shygirl · « **Reply #1 on:** November 20, 2013, 06:35:07 pm »

was it wrapped and is now ripped? if so most farm shops sell black baler tape ( we use if for hoses absesses) and it will patch it up, tho you may still get a mould spot, its better than leaving it open.

if its not wrapped - just netted - then im suprised it didnt unravell! i sure the wrap has to be tight to keep the air out. maybe you could clamp it - im not sure exactly how that is done, but i think its covered and sprinkled with something.

devonlad · « **Reply #2 on:** November 20, 2013, 06:56:27 pm »

no its netted and wrapped- its just that the wrap has had a bit of a battering on its journey- most of it is covered but there are sizable rips that would need sorting

shygirl · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2013, 07:28:35 pm »

just get the sticky black bale tape - thats what is for. it looks a bit like duct tape but cheaper.

lucky you, wish i had bales falling into my farm

stufe35 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 21, 2013, 03:50:34 pm »

People have been killed by run away round bales, it is a serious consideration on sloped fields

devonlad · « **Reply #5 on:** November 21, 2013, 04:14:58 pm »

you're dead right- no doubt if anyone had been in the way they wouldn't have lived. Having been out this afternoon to try and sort it am now firmly of the opinion that it is not a blessing in anyway. whilst still netted and partly wrapped it is bulging out all over and despite my best efforts it isn't really going to re wrap. also now I've seen it in daylight I've realised it will soon be sat right in the stream that is created every winter by rainfall. I can assume quite safely that it will be torn underneath where I cant get to- so will be sat in running water for months just rotting away in my field also the damage done to my hedge and the fence on the other side is pretty considerable. our land has always been wonderfully hidden from the footpath that runs along the other side of the hedge and now it feels we are open to the world. pretty annoyed- accidents happen of course but its still bloody annoying and there's nothing I can do about it- short of wheelbarrowing it piece by piece up an extremely steep incline - and I mean steep

stufe35 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 21, 2013, 05:04:01 pm »

Tell the owner to shift it and fix all the fencing. End of. It his problem not yours. This is not an accident it is an incident caused by their poor practice. They should bale across the slope not up and down it. If they have to bale up and down they should move to a safe place to release the bale.

What if grandma had been pushing grandson in pushchair along the footpath you mention ?

shygirl · « **Reply #7 on:** November 21, 2013, 05:18:14 pm »

Quote from: stufe35 on November 21, 2013, 05:04:01 pm

Tell the owner to shift it and fix all the fencing. End of. It his problem not yours. This is not an accident it is an incident caused by their poor practice. They should bale across the slope not up and down it. If they have to bale up and down they should move to a safe place to release the bale.

What if grandma had been pushing grandson in pushchair along the footpath you mention ?

i agree - if it was the other way round, im sure you would have to foot the bill. but saying that, when my neighbours tree fell on my fence, it was me fixing it

stufe35 · « **Reply #8 on:** November 21, 2013, 05:26:25 pm »

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ais4.pdf

See the end of page 2 and start of page 3.....baling on sloping ground.

The fact it was a contractor makes it all the worse....they should know better...especially in Devon, slopes aren't exactly uncommon there.

Sorry this kind of incompetence from people operating equipment worth 100s of thousands of pounds, but won't take time to get some simple cheap training makes my blood boil.

Paying to shift the bale and fix your fence won't make the slightest dent in his SFP cheque !

devonlad · « **Reply #9 on:** November 21, 2013, 05:45:44 pm »

I do agree- I mentioned a contractor in my original post who I know well and normally he would be doing the work. I rang him not because he was involved but because I assumed he'd know who was. he was hugely apologetic and did come out this morning to see if there was anything he could do- there isnt really. we're a bit stuffed.The two idiots have caused an extraordinary mess, not only in the field they were working but all up the road there is an unbelievable mess. That field has been cut and baled many times since we've lived here and it is tricky ground to say the least- these fools were baling and wrapping in the dark, presumably to avoid the rain, but it's not a field to work in the dark. I know if I was reading this post as an outsider I would be saying exactly the same as you 2- and I will read the link you sent stufe- thank-you
wait for it
BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's not that straightforward to get it out. Without a helicopter the only possible solution may be to try to attach long lengths of rope to it and haul it up our slope- which would mean removing my stock fence. I'm sure if I insisted they would have to try but the mess it would make of my field makes me shudder to think. I don't have enough land to have those cretins driving all over and churning it up. the fence feels even trickier in that my own fence is untouched remarkably as the bale must have flown it- there fence on the other side is completely smashed and the jointly owned hedge which is really overgrown native trees but lovely has had a few branches broken off. the impact on us is far greater than we could probably legally prove but we now feel vulnerable to the number of dogs that are walked on the other side and [previously would not have even known what was behind the thick hedge.
on the plus side I feel better after calling them idiots fools and cretins all in one post

stufe35 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 21, 2013, 05:54:40 pm »

Well I've enjoyed letting of steam too.....I bet if the bale happened to be worth £1000, they would have it out by now ?

Doubtless when they were carting the bales away on a trailer they carried an extra one on the front loader ....another dangerous and illegal act that we are subjected to by these morons every harvest so they can save a couple of pence........at the expense of our children's and our safety.

belgianblue · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2014, 04:22:24 pm »

making round baled silage on hills is an nightmare, once wrapped and placed back down onto the floor. only an little breeze can rock it and weighing in 250kg + it can end up anywhere.
the farmer still has this image where it last was, if he wrapped it. farmer will come and collect it, just don't be nasty about it.

devonlad · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2014, 08:53:51 pm »

Quote from: belgianblue on January 02, 2014, 04:22:24 pm

making round baled silage on hills is an nightmare, once wrapped and placed back down onto the floor. only an little breeze can rock it and weighing in 250kg + it can end up anywhere.
the farmer still has this image where it last was, if he wrapped it. farmer will come and collect it, just don't be nasty about it.

I agree its a nightmare job but also very dangerous hence the need for clearly defined guidance for baling on sloping ground. These 2 idiots ( sorry to be nasty but it feels appropriate) were notdarmers but ccontractors who broke rules and cut corners and caused a terrible mess. There willingness to put it right was so strong that they left a second bale that ran away rotting on a public footpath rotting and increasingly stinking for over a month until my friend moved it with his tractor on boxing day. I removed mine by hand an indescribably awful job on my steep land. On this occasion I'm happy to be nasty