Help Us Fill the Hay Barn Before Winter

Every year, one of our biggest responsibilities is making sure the horses have enough hay to make it through another South Dakota winter. This year, that task has become much more challenging.

Our area is experiencing a severe drought, and many hay producers are reporting significantly lower yields. Some are unsure whether they'll even have enough hay to feed their own cattle, let alone have any available to sell. As supply has tightened, prices have climbed dramatically.

Last year, we paid approximately $100 per ton for round bales. This year, we're already seeing prices around $200 per ton—double what we budgeted.

Small square bales have also increased. We expect to need at least 800 bales, but we're fundraising for 1,000 to ensure we can take advantage of opportunities as hay becomes available. At current prices of $10 per bale, that's a $10,000 investment on its own.

In total, we'll need approximately:
🌾 180 tons of round bales
🌾 1,000 small square bales

Our goal is to have our winter hay delivered and safely stored before the first snow flies. Waiting until winter isn't just stressful—it can also mean paying even higher prices or struggling to find hay at all.

Our total hay goal for this season is $48,000.

We'll continue searching for the best prices, watching hay auctions, and working with local producers. If we find quality hay at a better price, we'll absolutely take advantage of it. But we need to have the funds ready when those opportunities arise because good hay doesn't stay available for long.

Every donation helps us fill another space in the hay barn and gives us one less thing to worry about when winter arrives.

Whether you can help purchase one bale, one ton, or simply share this campaign with others, you're helping ensure that nearly 60 rescued horses will have full hay nets all winter long.

Thank you for helping us prepare today so our horses never have to wonder where tomorrow's meal will come from. ❤️

2026-2027 Hay Fund

Let's keep the horses at Gentle Spirit Horses Rescue fed!

Team Members