Oyyyy. Challenges, challenges.
We use ag bags (basically long white plastic tubes – Farmer will cringe at this simplistic definition) to store haylage and corn silage.
We’ve been very fortunate to finally be out in the fields making hay.
Yesterday we were filling one of these bags – 12’ X 300’. You can link here for another blog I did when we were filling the ag bags with corn silage – that will show you how this works. https://www.afarmwife.com/www.afarmwife.com//2013/09/its-in-bag-repost-from-2010-this-is.html?rq=ag%20bag
A good portion of the day was used filling this bag.
On one trip back to the bag someone noticed a small hole – about the size of the bottom of a Gatorade bottle – so says Son# 2. He and one of the guys went to the shop to get special tape to take care of the hole.
When they were walking back towards the bag they could see the hole had grown about 2 feet. They then turned around and went in search for a piece of ag bag to patch it.
On their return the bag had started to split. Then it went like a zip line. Split all the way to where we were loading it – about 120 feet. The torn section flipped all the way over to the opposite side leaving nothing but a mountain of haylage in all its glory.
Son #2 and Grandson #2 made a clean cut where the tear started so the bag wouldn’t split the opposite way.
Well, that worked great – for a minute. Then the bag started to split on top going the opposite way starting at the point of the initial split. They became Ninja warriors and jumped on top of the bag and ran back a few feet to cut it again. You know jump off the top holding a knife in one hand slicing the side of the ag bag.
Success.
Now, what do you do with all that naked haylage?
You have to figure out how to store it.
We called the great people we get our bags from and they brought over a different kind of bagger than what we own. With this one you can dump a whole load right into the hopper or feeder – whatever you want to call it. (I need to take a moment to ask for forgiveness for all the wrong wordage I am using. Farmer is probably shuddering right about now if he even takes the time to read this.)
With the JCB and a loader the feed was scooped back up, fed into the bagger and taken care of. It took several hours to finish.
We can look at this in a couple of different ways.
1. Several hours were wasted having to do the same job twice. And, we are so far behind. Just one more set back.
or
2. Well, wasn’t that fun. Something new and different!
We are choosing #2. It’s kind of funny how it all happened. And, “crap” happens.
We’re grateful we had the nice day to make hay and the ability to fix the problem.
And, Son #2 and Grandson #2 got to get their “Ninja” on.
The naked haylage after the bag ripped.
The new bag.
