It is that time of year when hay growers have to start thinking about winter storage. While some growers have barns for storage, others have to use temporary storage buildings or hay tarps. This post will discuss temporary storage buildings. You can buy them from companies like Mytee Products.

A temporary storage building normally consists of a steel or aluminum frame covered by a custom-made poly tarp. Everything is held in place with a series of ropes and stakes. They come in a variety of sizes as well. The smallest are barely big enough to hold a small tractor while the largest can rival a small barn.

So, is a portable storage building right for your hay? Let us take a look at some of the things you have to consider.

Storage Capacity

The first consideration is storage capacity. How much do you need? If you are only storing a small amount of hay to feed your own animals during the winter, a temporary storage building may not be worth the time and expense. A small amount of hay can easily be covered with a set of hay tarps. You stake the tarps to the ground or hold them in place with used tires.

On the other hand, you might be storing enough hay to both feed your own animals and sell to other farmers in the area. A temporary storage building would offer you more capacity and easier access. You wouldn’t be puling stakes and peeling back tarps every time a customer wanted to buy more hay.

Your Budget

We will not lie. Cost is an important consideration for a lot of growers. If you are working on a limited budget, shopping around will quickly reveal that temporary storage buildings cost more than hay tarps. You have to weigh how much you have to spend against the profit you will make from your crop. Only you can decide if a temporary storage building is worth the cost.

Your Land

Next, consider your land. Where on your property will you store the hay? Let’s say you have plenty of wide-open spaces with few trees to worry about. You have plenty of room for a temporary storage building. You can locate it virtually anywhere on your property without issue.

Perhaps you are looking at a situation in which your space is limited. Maybe you only have a certain amount of land allocated for storage, very close to your house or another outbuilding. Hay tarps might be a better option for you.

Local Regulations

The final consideration applies more to smaller farming operations in suburban areas rather than rural farms. Nonetheless, you have to consider any local regulations that may impact your use of a temporary storage building. There are some jurisdictions in which permits are required. That may not be the case where you live.

Also note that a local permitting requirement is not necessarily a deal breaker. As long as you do not have to jump through hoops or pay excessively high fees to get a permit, it might be worth it.

In closing, one of the hidden benefits of temporary storage buildings is that you can use them for other things when you’re not storing hay. They make for great storage for some of your other equipment during the hot summer months. They’re great for protecting cars against the weather too. You could even use yours as an outdoor dining or entertainment space.

Is a temporary storage building right for your hay? Only you can decide that. Hopefully this post has given you some food for thought.