In late April, fires raged across the Oklahoma landscape, devastating farming communities.
And as The New York Times reports, relief bales of hay began arriving before the flames were even quenched. The hay is a much-needed respite for farmers and ranchers in the Sooner State, with the cylindrical bales serving as a way to feed cattle who have found themselves in a charred and bleak landscape.
The donated bales have come, in a slow but steady flow, from Kansas, Texas, Michigan and other parts of Oklahoma. The delivery system seems to spring up every time there’s a terrible fire on the High Plains, with the goodwill powered by social media and word of mouth.
Last year, after Kansas saw the worst fires in state history, truckloads of hay seemed to arrive just after the trucks of the first responders.
Michael Kelsey of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association explained to the Times, “If we can feed the cows enough to maintain [their weight], we’re in good shape.”