Local hay donations taken to Panhandle

A semi-truck load of hay left Albany Friday headed to the Texas Panhandle to help farmers and ranchers who had wildfires devastate their land and destroy homes and outbuildings in most cases.

Organized by Goodnight Steak House inAlbany, the shipment of 32 large round bales of hay left for Canadian, Texas in the afternoon after volunteers loaded up the donations.

AccordingTreyDavis,whohelpedorganize the effort on behalf of the restaurant anditsowners,thelargestsingledonation was12balestaperingdowntosinglebales.

“Jason Harlow and Goodnight Steak Housepaidforthetranportation,andseveral local farmers and ranchers brought in donations,” Davis said. “We were able to complete a load just one day after it was posted.”

See Hay Donations, pg. 6A Davis also thanked Peyton Parsons and EZ Feeds of Albany for supplying the laborandequipmenttoload the bales.

“I know Jason wanted to do something to help those guys in the Panhandle,” he said. “We are just very thankful for the generous andquickresponsefromthe ag community here.”

Davis said that originally the load was destined for the Slade Ranch, but while in route word was received that they had received the haytheyneeded,sotheload was re-routed to Canadian.

Davis said that all types of donations are still needed.

“There is link on the Goodnight’sFacebookpage to take you to the Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association website,” he said. “They are managing a big relief effort if someone wants to help.”

The range fire has consumed welloveronemillion acres of grassland and was still only 15 percent controlled as of Tuesday.