square bale

A square bale is a rectangular bundle of hay, straw, or other forage compressed and bound with twine or wire by a baling machine.

Despite the name, square bales are rectangular—typically about 14 by 18 by 36 inches and weighing 40 to 75 pounds.

Their manageable size makes them suited for hand-loading, unlike the larger round bales that require machinery: We stacked square bales in the barn loft all afternoon.