Kitchen Garden Forum

Notice there are square and round bales of straw plus some round ones in black plastic.

Can anyone explain why the difference.

Well the square and round ones are the same thing, just a different shape. The ones in the black plastic are normally Haylage….this is somewhere between hay and silage.

There was a time when hay was preferred and only fermented if it was too wet and put in a crush or later in black plastic(I have seen other colours), now it seems farmers prefer the haylage as I understand it's easier to store and manage on the farm.

As to the original question, round bales are used on flat fields and square ones on hills so the don't roll away............................well it could be......................I'll get my coat.

Oh Tigerburnie, you do make me smile…

Round here if weather permits we get the old fashioned thumpety thump as farmers make traditional small hay bales. They are easier to handle and lots of the farmers are past retiring age and sheep prefer proper hay to haylage. Plenty of black wrapped eggs of haylage too. There is a company that recycles the old wraps into picnic tables and boards for raised beds etc.

Not seen the old rectangles in Scotland apart from on the crofts in the Hebrides,we either get the round bales of straw or huge rectangles about 4 times the size of the old ones, silage is cut early up here, usually end of June/early July. In the islands the crofters get compensation to cut hay or haylage this time of year so the Corncrakes get a chance to breed.

I still get the small bales done, a lot easier for ‘Cook’ to move…

When we used to go to traction engine rallies when we lived in the midlands, they always had the small bales round the enclosure for seats, you'd keep falling off the big round ones..................................

Thank you all for your comments.

oldherbaceous wrote:I still get the small bales done, a lot easier for ‘Cook’ to move…

O.H. You are so thoughtful.

Farmers also like the little bales because they make them themselves without having to pay contractors.

And they can re-use the bale twine….

"And they can re-use the bale twine"

To hold their trouser up?

I told you, round bales on hills roll away look...................