Barns are such a convenient feature on the homestead. They can:

Keep hay dry
Protect animals from the weather
Contain pregnant/newborn livestock
Offer tool storage
Host a workshop
Provide protection for tractors and farm vehicles
Store milking, medical, and care supplies for livestock

Almost every homesteader dreams of a barn: whether they want one, long for a bigger one, or fantasize about building another one.

You can never have too big of a barn!

However, when it comes to storing hay, it’s commonly thought of the ONLY solution for keeping hay palatable.

If you’re one of the many who are barn-less, there are ways (several ways!) to keep your hay safe and dry!

How to Store Hay without a Barn

When it comes to storing hay, there are a few main points that you must hit:

Hay should not have an opportunity to become wet. Wet hay turns into molded hay.
Hay should never sit on the soil. Hay can wick up moisture, earth worms, fungi, and other bugs that will begin the natural process of decomposition.
Hay needs airflow. Otherwise, moisture that occurs could become trapped, resulting in (you guessed it!) mold.
Your bales must be stored away from animals. Livestock, pests, and birds can all contaminate the hay, causing potential disease outbreaks or… Mold.

A barn is not required.

It simply hits all of these points, and it hits them well.

All of these ideas cater mostly to square bales; some could be modified for round bales, but round bales are harder to transport and store.

Let’s go and think outside the box!

Using the Garage

If you have a garage built onto your home, there are few other places that would serve you as well for hay storage.

A garage is relatively dry, and generally has a concrete floor. This helps to prevent the decomposition or molding process.

Pests could be a potential problem, so you must stay on top of mice, rats, and insects; especially when they’re seeking refuge from the bitter cold.

Building a Palleted Hay System

If you don’t have a barn or garage, then you shouldn’t have too hard of a time locating a few pallets! Pallets can be stacked to raise the hay far enough off the ground, keeping them away from moisture or dirt.

Pallets are also built to hold up thousands of pounds, making it easy to store over a dozen square bales at a time correctly.

Once the bales are neatly and tightly stacked, they can be layered with tarps. With the tarps secured beneath the pallets, adequate airflow should be able to move up and around the bales.

This is a great system for someone who keeps a variety of stock, who may need to increase hay storage when necessary throughout the seasons.

Storing Hay In Totes

If you only keep a handful of small stock, such as rabbits, why not use convenient plastic totes?

Plastic totes can seal out pests and moisture, while being easily opened to refresh the air inside.

Plastic totes are also incredibly cheap. For the low price of $5, you can get a plastic tote with a locking lid that will get the job done.

If you have a higher budget, you can buy heavy duty totes with latches that are significantly larger.

However, I don’t see the need in paying more for stronger totes, when the smaller value totes can provide nearly as much space (or more) in bulk.

This may not be the most ideal situation for horse owners, but it is perfect for keeping rabbits’ hay dry and clean on the homestead.

You could even store these totes outside with a tarp covering them, to keep the sun’s rays from reaching the plastic.

Most totes will break down under sunlight, some within a single season. You must provide them with ultraviolet light protection.

Using Junked SUVs or Buses

How’s an old SUV or bus for thinking “outside of the box?”

If someone local has an old SUV that is beyond repair, you could potentially have a cheap micro “barn” on your hands. The same goes for an old bus, which you might locate at a junkyard.

While this might be a bit distasteful to some, a large SUV or bus that is not fit for repairs could be purchased for just $250 to $500; It could easily store 15+ bales (buses could store 5 times as much), making it ideal for someone who has a small homestead.

It also won’t require much prep work initially, but seats, carpets, and interior trim could all be stripped to provide additional room.