Friday, July 10, 2009

Tarping the hay



We bought a new 15x55 foot tarp to add on to last winter's old tarp, to cover the hay. The idea is to keep rain or snow off the top of the stacked hay, while leaving air able to circulate on the sides and between bales to prevent rot and mold.

First we unfolded the new tarp upside down and tied twine to all the grommets along both edges.



Then Don got on top the bales and stated pulling the tarp across the top. Last year's tarp is already in place across the leeward side of the bales. We'll tie most of the twine to the bottom bales.



The old tires along the bottom of the hay are perfect for anchoring the tarp. When a high wind starts whipping the tarp, the tires will "bounce" in the air just a bit to relieve the stress, but are heavy enough to not be completely lifted up over the bales. This means the tarp won't rip (as much) along the grommet points.



He paused to take some photos. Sometimes we forget what a beautiful spot we live in, and need a new perspective (such as twelve feet up) to remember.



(That's our house in the distance.)





Here's the hay viewed from our front porch, neatly tarped against all weather conditions for our area. We'll move about half this hay into our barn before winter, but for now - let it rain!

1 comment:

  1. Nice blog of hay tarps.
    Hay tarps constructed of vinyl are a more suitable option for hay that will be stored for any length of time. They can range anywhere from 10 oz to 40 oz giving them the weight and durability they need to withstand the elements for years of use.

    Thanks.
    jessimen

    ReplyDelete