Removing Strings & Bale Management

First tie a big string to your scissors so you don't
loose them in the hay.
At least that was the theory, mine are out in the
field somewhere,
good thing they are safety scissors...
(dull ends, only half as dangerous
to misstepping animals)

Cut the string and hold it in one hand, try and
get as many of the strings as possible
(less work).
I like to go in a bit of a spiral so I can keep
the strings I have loose and I can free up
more to cut.

Pull & Voilà!
Your bale strings should all
come off together in an easy
to tie bundle

 It's important to remove the strings with horses because they can get caught in them (especially as the bale gets eaten & the string are loose). Also they get wrapped in machinery used in the field. Plastic twine degrades very slowly, if you can use, or have your hay guy use, natural twine it's much better (less likely to hurt animals & it degrades).

It's easier to remove the tight strings right away, rather then being too busy to do it for 2 weeks then going around after the bales are rain soaked and the animals have been eating them.


Of course, if you remove the strings you're going to loose more hay to being trampled on then if you'd left the strings on. So it's a judgement call.

To tip over the bale, pick a nice spot about 1/2' from the top and push, HARD. If you can get a rocking motion going it's easier, but usually if you can't push it hard enough to get it over the first go you probably need a second person. Pushing down hill is easier then up.