Hay donations flood into south-central Kansas

Ranchers and farmers from around Kansas and beyond donated bales of hay to the ranchers in south-central Kansas who lost all hay and grass in this week’s wildfires.

The ranchers were feeding the hay Friday to cattle and livestock that survived the wildfires.

Chris Boyd, who lists his hometown as Medicine Lodge, posted on Facebook about the hay donations. The post had been shared more than 3,000 times by mid-day Friday.

Boyd’s post said he had received 446 calls from donors as of Thursday.

“I fielded calls from surrounding states and from areas all over Kansas,” he wrote.

“I had several people call, never ask a question, and state that their trucks were ‘loaded and on the road,’” he said.

A separate Facebook post from a repository group for the wildfire in Barber County instructed hay donations to be dropped off at the Farmers Cooperative on S. Central Avenue in Coldwater and at the Farmers Cooperative Equity Company in Medicine Lodge, 1447 NW River Rd.

The Kansas Livestock Association reported Friday that ranchers from around the region have donated enough hay for affected ranchers for the time being.

The Kansas Livestock Foundation, the KLA’s charitable arm, is seeking cash donations for fencing materials. The checks may be made out to: Kansas Livestock Foundation, with “Disaster relief” in the memo line, and sent to 6031 S.W. 37th, Topeka, KS 66614. Call the KLA at 785-273-5115 for recommendations on where to send relief supplies.

Contributing: Dan Voorhis of The Eagle

This story was originally published March 25, 2016 at 12:18 PM with the headline "Hay donations flood into south-central Kansas."