Bale Tarps

     Bale tarps are designed like a typical heavy duty poly tarp. A heavy duty poly tarp, by composition, should be able to stay outside for long periods of time and protect whatever materials it needs to protect, be it hay, an RV, woodpile, or a boat. When used properly, hay bale tarps should last for three to five years before replacement. As a result, hay bale tarps are an economical option for protecting hay. For example, instead of building a hay barn and paying yearly taxes and insurance on the building, bale tarps cost the same as the insurance and annual taxes paid and will cover the same amount of hay as a barn. Transportation, in addition, is another key point for using bale tarps, as a tarp can be applied immediately instead of transporting the hay to the barn.

     Bale tarps have all of the same properties as heavy duty silver poly tarps, only they’re applied in a specific manner. To protect any materials outside, heavy duty poly tarps are cut and abrasion resistant, UV resistant, waterproof, mildew resistant, and acid resistant. They should also be able to protect the object through rain, snow, and wind. For hay specifically, bale tarps are capable of doing all of this, as long as the hay is in the correct formation, otherwise moisture and bacteria will damage the hay at the top two layers and perhaps even deeper in the hay stack.

     A triangular formation is the correct shape for a hay stack, regardless of whether the individual bales have a radius or twelve or 72 inches. While a hay stack formation is typically in a 4-3-2-1, 3-2-1, or 2-2-1 form, the bale tarps used should have an additional four feet added to the edge to create an overlap and fully protect the hay. Aside from the formation, another important factor in properly protecting hay with bale tarps is the location, which should have a solid ground that slopes away from the stack. The ground itself should offer some drainage, and some options for this include elevated asphalt, gravel, rock, or two French drains adjacent to both sides of the hay stack.

     Once applied properly, bale tarps have a significant advantage over hay barns. In addition to the economical aspect, the transportation aspect includes not only not transporting the hay to a hay barn but also keeping it in place if the hay field is rotated with other crops. In this case, the bales of hay can be moved to the side, providing this is an acceptable location for drainage, and secured with a tarp.