Unloading round bales by myself as usual
Ingenuity is a VERY useful trait to have!
The four leggeds had munched their way through the vast majority of the last bale of alfalfa so today meant another resupply trip. A little after 1pm I left and picked up my 3 bales from my regular supplier and was home around 2. After a little bit in the house I got out and setup. The first thing was to pound a 4 foot stake 3 feet into the ground at an angle AWAY from the trailer and bales.
Next is to take the ratchet strap that held the bales down to the trailer and lasoo it around the rear bale. The ratchet end is then put on the pole and tightened down. It is important to make sure the strap is at the top of the bale on the side away from the stake, this ensures that the bale will tip nice and easily.
Then it is the tip. I jsut pull the truck forward a little bit and the bale plunks off the back of the trailer. It is nice and easy compared to alternative ways I have done which involved LOTS more physical work.
The bale ends up just off the end of the trailer. It is easy to remove the strap and then the bale is rolled out of the way so that I can back the trailer up again so it is closer to the stake.
The second bale gets hooked up to the stake with the lasoo and then tightened down. Roll the truck forward and the bale tips over onto the trailer. I disconnect the strap and then spin the bale and roll it off the trailer.
The blaes get rolled onto pallets to keep them up off the ground for air flow and to keep them from molding. The tarp ends up on them and then pallets get stacked around the bales to keep the marouding deer from decimating them before the sheep get them.
About the least physically involved means I have devised of getting these bales off the trailer. It is fairly quick and I have the supplies readily at hand. Since I have no tractor this is the best thing that I chave come up with so far.
I seriously need some generous benefactor to hook me up with a tractor, this manual labor shit is getting a bit old when it is EVERYTHING I do.
But whatever, I persist and continue on.
Check out my blog @flemingfarm
Fleming Family Farm
FLEMING FAMILY FARM, LLC
Sustainable & Organic Methods | Heirloom Produce
All images are original works of Fleming Family Farm unless otherwise notated and credited.
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Hi! I was always wondering how the bales could be loaded off.
I am not a farmer, but I love the counryside. While walking over the fields, I always asked myself how this is done. I thought they might be quite heavy.
Good to have learned something. Thank you
MOST people have a tractor to deal with the round bales. The things weigh between 500 and 900 lbs each so moving one alone is a bit daunting. They roll well enough on their sides but from their ends they are beasts to move. This is just the method I have figured out to be able to handle them given my lack of tractor.
Wow, this is heavy, moving them alone seems quite impossible to me. So this method you have developed is even more amazing!!! Thank you so much for this insight!
Have a wonderful weekend and a great day!!!!
haha I thought I was going to see pictures of you being superman