Haul & Stack

Equipment used to haul and stack hay includes a 1947 John Deere “G” with an 8-bale grapple, a flat bed trailer pulled by a one-ton pick-up and a hay elevator in the large hay shed.

Pat Stice with 1947 John Deere The sets of 8-bales are grabbed by closing the tines on the grapple into the bales, lifting and driving to the trailer and placing each set in position. When we have about five or maybe six layers we rope it down and haul it in for removal. The trailer is parked special so the tractor can access it with minimal distance and directional difficulty. The JD “G” does not have power steering. The bale sets are placed on the hay stack for the human workers to place.

Stacking small-bale hay properly in a large stack is like putting together a giant puzzle. If it is done wrong it can cause the stack to fall over creating a mess and possibly endangering humans or structures. Corners on each layer have key bale locations and the pattern is changed to enhance the structure of the stack with each layer.

Stacking hay is hard work and one must be in shape, pace oneself and drink plenty of water. Eating properly to fuel the body is critical. We wear leather gloves, long-sleeved shirts, tough jeans and sometimes leather chaps. We wear hats to protect us from the sun, but also to enhance safety to keep sun out of our eyes. Working on a farm requires continual awareness of all persons and equipment. Thinking ahead and being in place on time prevents accidents and maximizes efficiency.