How to Put Up Hay Without Baling It

Store hay for your homestead in a basic stack rather than baling it.

Hay can be loosely stored in stacks rather than in bales. While most farmers cut and bale their hay mechanically; traditionalists may desire to cut their hay with scythes and store it in loose stacks. If you have a small homestead or plot, you can store your hay in stacks rather than purchasing expensive baling equipment. A simple frame made from framing boards and a pallet can be constructed to keep the hay off the ground in the form of a stack.

Things You'll Need

• 4 boards, 2-by-2-inch, 96 inches long
• Rope
• Utility knife
• Pallet
• Hay
• Tarp
• 4 rocks

Instructions

1. Stand the four boards upright and form a teepee-like structure by joining the top ends together and spreading the bottom ends out like legs. The top ends should intersect approximately 6 inches down from the end.

2. Wrap rope around the top ends of the boards where they intersect to lash them together. Keep the rope tight as you wrap it around the joints. Tie the rope off in a double knot and cut off the excess with a utility knife.

3. Place a pallet on the ground where you plan to locate the stack support structure. Lift up the bound-together boards and slide the bottom ends into the four corners of the pallet where there is an opening between boards in the pallet.

4. Lift up the pallet along the boards so that it is12 to 18 inches off the ground. Spread the boards apart so hey hold the pallet up by the friction between the 2-by-2-inch leg boards and the opening in the pallet between boards.

5. Lash around each leg board and corner of the pallet to secure each corner of the pallet to one of the legs. Cut off the excess rope with a utility knife.

6. Lay hay loosely on top of the pallet and continue stacking up. Build up the stack so that it is the approximate size of the pallet up to the top ends of the leg boards.

7. Cover the stacked hay with a tarp. Weigh down each corner of the tarp with a rock. Alternatively, you can tie down the tarp with rope.

Tips & Warnings

• Stack the hay in layers that are crosshatched to provide more stability for the structure.

• Wear work gloves.

References

• NCAT: How Can I make and Store Loose Hay
• One Scythe Revolution: Haystacks

Resources

• Scythe Connection: Loose Ways of Making Leafy Loose Hay