Note from JWR:

An unusually dry summer has created a hay shortage in much of the western US that is bordering on “severe.” In our area, just plain grass hay is fetching $250 per ton in the field. I’ve noticed that the local classified ad paper is chock full of ads for inexpensive horses. We are blessed to have some good pastures here at the Rawles Ranch, but we still need to supplement for winter feed–for when we have snow on the ground. With hay prices like these, our beloved saddle horse Money Pit is starting to live up to his name.