Bagged Mini Bales Add Value To Wheat Crop

Bagged Mini Bales Add Value To Wheat Crop 28-2-8 from his wheat crop, so he came up with the idea of putting straw into 2-ft. dia. mini bales that he sells to home gardeners and other consumers, who use the straw for mulch and pet bedding. "The round bales are easy for consumers to handle, and they're wrapped in plastic so people don't mind putting them into a car or van," says Hubka, who markets the bales under the name "E-Z Roll Straw." He uses a large round baler to make the bales, adjusting it down to make the 24-in. in dia. bales. Once made, he cuts each bale in half by placing them on a wood frame one at a time. He ends up with two 2-ft. wide bales that each go into a clear plastic bag with a big 8 1/2 by 11 label. The bags are sealed by a wire twist tie. "It's a nice source of profit - I figure I net about $30 per acre after packaging costs," says Hubka. "Most consumers find it awkward to handle small square bales because of their shape and weight. The bales have to be shaken apart for use as mulch, and they make a mess in your vehicle. My mini round bales are much easier to move because you can simply roll them along without having to do any lifting. You just unroll the the bale to the depth of mulch desired, without having to shake the straw loose. Even small children can help roll it to wherever it's needed." The bales can also be shipped on pallets by stacking them flat end down, with four per layer, two layers high. "The ease of shipping these bales can possibly open some markets in areas where straw isn't a local commodity," he notes. He sells the bales for $4.99 apiece. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, George Hubka, 3691 Bristol Oaks, Dowling, Mich. 49050 (ph 269 721-3830).

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