System and method for packaging bales of hay and an improved wrapping apparatus

An apparatus for wrapping sheets of material around compressed bales of hay, comprising:

• a frame;
• a hollow conduit fixedly mounted to the frame, the conduit defining a passage through which hay bales are extruded along a feed axis, the conduit having four prong means for maintaining the compressed nature of the bales at a discharge end thereof provided on four sides of the hay bales, with individual prongs tapering in both thickness and width from a first end at the discharge end of the conduit to a second end downstream of the conduit discharge end;
• a wheel rotatably mounted to the frame to rotate about the feed axis;
• drive means for rotating the wheel;
• at least one spool shaft mounted to the wheel for supporting a spool of material;
• and
• the wheel dispensing a sheet of material from the spool as the wheel rotates around the feed axis to wrap the sheet of material around the hay bales as the hay bales are extruded through the conduit.