Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Marshmallows

This year we are trying something new with the round bales. We are wrapping them in plastic. This makes the round bales "haylage" instead of regular hay. Translation=candy for cows. They love it.
The buddies think that the bales look like huge marshmallows. When you are wrapping them like this the hay doesn't need to dry out in the field before bailing. You simply cut, bale and wrap. One day and you're done. Nice when rain is coming.
Also no need to move from point A to point B and cover with tarps. It is already weather proof as is. (this is a rake for those of you whom may not know what Crystal was talking about)
This is the buddies favorite part. We watched for a few minutes when S exclaimed, " Mommy! Daddy is backing up! He is getting ready for a DROP!" It made me chuckle, because it sounded so dramatic and military.

10 comments:

CrystalW said...

Ha, ha, ha, Shannon! Rake, rack, whatever! I agree with the buddies. They do look like giant marshmallows.

Rockin' it up said...

so fun! I bet the buddies are gonna love working with Daddy :).

Shannon said...

Leigh, where are you today?

Nancy M. said...

They do kinda look like giant marshmallows! I wondered if there was a difference in hay when it was wrapped and not wrapped. Candy for cows sounds really cool!

Shannon said...

Nancy, it is similar to silage which is pickled corn. It is cut green and stored in a pit where it ripens. This is hay cut when it is green and immediately wrapped, where it turns into haylage, or pickled hay. Normally you would never bale wet hay, because it will rot inside or could spontaneously combust. We have, on occasion, had to unwrap a round bale because it was smoking.

Anonymous said...

Leigh is in the air to Africa. She made it on the flight today! She was so excited.
Mom

Fantastagirl said...

I'm guessing that would be interesting - seeing a smoking bale...

and I have to agree with the kids - looks like a giant marshmallows to me!

Cliff said...

The wrapping is new one for me. I'm wondering how you move them without punching holes?
On the tractor washing photo, a before and after photo of the person who did the washing would be funny if it goes like it does for me. Everything washed off of the tractors ends up on me.

Shannon said...

Cliff... bale huggers.

Elizabeth said...

I'm such a farm idiot (meaning I know next to nothing!), and I liked hearing about why the bales are wrapped. And also about the smoking ones. Interesting!