Unusuall question

I am going to be buying the family farm very soon, and since we/My wife are going to be boarding, and training horses, I need to make some modifications to the barn. One of the biggest things I am going to have to do is remove all of the loose hay/straw from the loft. This is not useable Hay/straw, since it has been up there like this since I was born (1971). I have been racking my brain on what the easiest way (other than a match) to get this out of the loft.

I think I have finally figured out the easiest way. I am going to rent/buy some sort of a Conveyor, so that I can pitch it on to there, and have it dump into either a spreader, or grain truck. Does anyone know where I can find such a Conveyor? The farm is located about 8 miles from Hutchinson in Silver Lake, so the closer the better. Thanks in advance.

Contact your local Co-op. They’ll be able to get you in touch with a hay-hauling crew that will have one.

any neighbors around you that would let you use a hay elevater? most farm neighbors are pretty accomadating

There are some around, but the problem is that the hay/straw is all loose, no bails I am going to need some sort of a belt type conveyour.

Only way we ever had of doing that was the old fashion way of pitchfork out the door. I have a Cousin in Hutch thats a contractor he may know someone, also an uncle in Cosmose he knows everyone.

That straw would still be of use for somebody–bedding over grass seed,garden, etc. Advertise it free for the taking and save your back!

–Whitey

Thirty-year old hay is mostly useless, except maybe for compost. Thirty-year old straw would still be perfectly good for livestock bedding, so long as it stayed dry over the years. If you have a lot of straw, hog or beef farmers would probably take it off your hands, as they always need bedding. Hay is tougher and bunches up when it gets dirty/wet, which is why it is not much good for livestock bedding.

Since this is loose hay that has been up in the barn for many years, is it possible there is a rail in the peak of the barn with a hay hook hanging on it? That is the way loose was put up years ago. It can be taken down the same way,…Thanks …Gene

You would think one of the neighbors would have a dual purpose elevator. We have one we can use for cob corn hay bales grain etc.

I am not sure what you are planing to bed stalls with but if that straw is clean and not dusty. You might just want to pile it in the corner and use it for bedding. We have raised and trained horses for over 30 years and bedding can be an expensive propesition.

Straw works extreamely well for beding foaling stalls.

Perfect!!!! This is why I asked the question here. If you can’t get an answer here, there is no answer. Thanks guys.