Hay deliveries are ritualistic, done more or less the way they have always been done, no computers, special offerings, no corporate control or greed. I am supposed to inspect the hay and approve of it, agree to a fair price. Some farmers want me to taste it, but that is not necessary for me.

Then the farmer pulls out a pen or pencil, and a thin and small paper bad and scribbles out some numbers. They double check their numbers and then show it to me for verification. This is a tough year for the hay farmers, Nelson Green says he cut half as much as he did last year, but he makes sure to take care of his regular customers. Five dollars a square bale is a very fair price given the supply and demand this year, putting hay in the barn is one of the sweet rituals of my life, along with visits from the farrier and shearer.