Small square hay bales, typically 2x2x4 feet and weighing 50-100 pounds, are compacted bundles of dried grasses or legumes for livestock feed. Bound with twine, they're easily transported by wagon or hand. Noteworthy: Ideal for storage in lofts; damp bales can ignite spontaneously, posing fire hazards.
Golden straws poke from the bundled stack, rough and prickly underfoot, their earthy scent mingling with faint dust motes swirling in the breeze. Shadows pool between the tightly tied bales, hiding nooks where mice skitter unseen. Sun-bleached tips sway gently, whispering of harvested fields now barren.