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Leesburg, Ohio | We have done it for several years a few years back, and here is what works:
1. Get a tarp designed for tarping round bales from Rainbow Tarp in Springfield Ohio, or one made the same way. They fold the edges of the tarp over and sew it back onto itself to make a long continuous tube/loop that runs all along the bottom edges of the tarp on the stack. They also furnish ratchet straps to tie the tarp down. When done, the bottom edges of the tarp will be about half way down the side of the bottom bales of the stack, so you have to order the right size tarp for the size of bales you have...does not have to be to the foot, but within 2-3 feet of the right width.
2. Lay a strap down on the ground across the first tier of the stack under the middle of the bales before you line them up. Make the stack three bales wide, then 2 on that, then 1 on the top.
3. Continue making the stack with more tiers, laying a ratchet strap down on the ground under at least every other tier.
4. Cover the stack with the tarp, and run rebar or pipe thru the loop sewn into the edges of the tarp.
5. Slit the tarp-edge loop at every ratchet strap location, and hook the ratchet strap to the rebar/pipe inside the loop, and tighten down the straps.
6. Pull the rope sew into the ends of the tarp tight down over the ends of the stack and secure to the rebar/pipe at the corners of the stack.
7. Re-tighten the straps after the stack settles in a day or two, and again in a few weeks.
The big deal here is not really the weight/thickness of the tarp, but holding it tight against the wind. Piling dirt on the edges won't cut it. Throwing ropes over it won't either. The entire length/surface of the tarp must be drum tight at all times, or the wind will shred it. You can use smooth wire and hi-tensile fence ratchet tighteners in lieu of ratchet straps under the bales on the ground.
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Educate me on hay tarps.
