I am desparate for straw. Nobody around here has any, with the exception of the compressed bales. Those are $15 each -outrageous! They try to tell me it is twIce the straw but it isnt. I REFUSE TO buy them, but I really need mulch! I scraped up some leaves, but still searching. Regular Bales are priced about $10, which is high also.

How many bales are in each load? It looks like you could have fit them all in a single load. I can easily haul 12-13 bales in my Ranger, without any problems at all. I've sketched it out and believe I could haul as many as 32 bales in it, although that would make be a wee bit nervous I think.

There was 10 bales on the first trip which is the picture on the left and 9 bales on the next one.

No way could I do 32 bales.....maybe I could push it to 15 if I only had to drive on a farm road but never on the 4 lane.

We just ordered 50 bales of straw at $5.50 each, delivered. They are about 35 - 40 miles from us. We were thinking that was high. But the reduction in weeding and improvement in growing conditions is well worth it.

Oh geeze Mark, I think a contest is in order! You didn't stack 'em right!! fill the bed then one straight down the middle and two flanking it hanging OVER the bed, then alternate the stack so they kind of lock together... and all that roof space you didn't utilize either lol!

Plus, I'd never hook steel straps to the outside of my painted surfaces and damage them, but considering you left that truck in a swamp for five months kind of says you aren't a "car guy" like me..:)

For perspective: here in NE IL, we're paying $6 for a 70 lb bale of dairy quality hay. I never buy straw, but I think it's about $3 a bale at the feed store.

At $7 a bale for mulch, I can't believe you're getting your money's worth in terms of increased yield. Why not "green mulch"-- let the weeds grow until they're 3-4 in high, then hoe them down and let them lie in place, if you insist you need mulch at all?

RE: stacking- 6 to a layer and 3 hi, interlocked as mentioned above, should fit comfortably & ride well. Three tie down straps - - maybe you have to rig up some better anchor points on the side rails.

Eric! I'll enter the contest as well. Bottom layer could be crosswise in the bed, or on edge depending on fender wells, then two rows of crosswise centered on the bottom layer, the third layer is stacked the same, fourth layer stacked lengthwise and then tied in two places with rope and a truckers hitch. Guaranteed to stay on in freeway conditions, but all dependent on truck suspension...

We either haul too much hay or have been doing it too long, the less loads we have to haul the better.