09/26/2025
As we prep for another Montana winter, I can’t help but look back on the years I spent in Washington. Winters there meant endless stacking of small square bales—load after load, trying to keep the barn stocked and the horses fed. It was good hay, even “export quality,” but it came at a cost: time, money, and plenty of sore muscles.
Here in Montana, the approach is different. Large round bales are the only practical option. They’re not the same pretty, high-dollar hay I was used to in Washington, but they’re efficient, affordable, and keep feed in front of the horses all winter long. Out here, survival and practicality outweigh perfection.
I don’t miss the endless stacks of squares one bit. Montana winters demand a different rhythm, and I’ve learned to embrace the convenience of rolling in a bale, knowing my horses have what they need to make it through the season.