When I first moved to the country with my sheep and donkeys, I usually started feeding hay in October, before the big winter storms and freeze came. This year, we just began feeding hay this week, almost two months later than before.

Climate change has made everything topsy-turvy, including growing and baling hay. In some Southern and Southwestern states, the first cut hay is $15 per square bale; it’s about $7-$8 a bale here as a rule.

So far, we’ve escaped fires and drought. But I keep an eye on the weather now more than before.

I believe that animals, especially farm animals, reflect the nature of the people who own them. To donkeys and sheep, food and shelter are everything, and after living with us for a while, the animals here know there is enough food, and they will get it on time, twice a day.

We have evolved into the Peaceable Kingdom, a role model for human beings.

So we’re into hay now, and we smiled when we saw the donkeys and sheep eating out of the same feeder. When they first got together, there was a lot of head butting and jocking for the best position, especially between the donkeys and the older sheep.

Now they all gather around the biggest ground feeder and eat side by side. They know there will be enough, they know it will be good and clean, and they know there is still a chance to graze on some grass and brush, even though there’s not much nutrition in it anymore.

It’s a good thing to see.