Abstract: A press for forming large cylindrical bales includes a forward bale chamber for forming a bale core during the time a full sized bale located in a main bale chamber is being tied and discharged. A set of belts are mounted on a vertically shiftable roller so as to form a loop that delimits a rear portion of the forward chamber and a rear portion of the main chamber when the roller is in a lowered position and which is moved out of the way to permit a formed bale core to move from the forward chamber into the main chamber when the roller is in a raised position. In one embodiment a conveyor delimits the bottom of the forward chamber and cooperates with a first pickup to feed crop material to the forward chamber. A second pickup is arranged for delivering crop material directly into the main chamber. In a variant to the first embodiment a longer conveyor is used and the second pickup is omitted. The first pickup and longer conveyor cooperate to deliver crop material to the main chamber.