(La Porte County, IN) - Some LaPorte County farmers have returned from the Texas panhandle after delivering close to 200 bales of donated hay to wildfire-stricken cattle ranchers.
Brett Kessler, who raises beef, sheep, and hay along with corn and soybeans, said seeing the destruction and hardship on the faces of cattle ranchers weighed heavily on his heart.
It also did his heart some good, though, knowing he had helped in some way.
“When you get to talk to the producers and tell them, 'Hey, you’re not alone, we’re thinking about you,' it goes a long way,” he said.
Kessler was in a convoy of four semis pulling trailers containing anywhere from 38 to 48 bales of hay. The other trucks were driven by Adam Stoner, Blake Johnson, and Carson Barrickman, who are also farmers in La Porte County.
The bales of hay from several farmers were brought to the La Porte County Fairgrounds and loaded into the trucks, which left late Saturday night. It took them about 18 hours to reach Pampa, which is near Amarillo, to have their trailers unloaded.
“A lot of burned-up fence. A lot of burned-up structures. It was kind of surreal to come over a ridge to see black as far as the eye can see,” Kessler said.
Reports indicate more than one million acres in Texas and over 30,000 acres in Oklahoma have been burned since late February in what’s been the largest wildfire in Texas history. An estimated 15,000 head of cattle have also perished as a result.
According to published reports, about 90 percent of the fire is now contained.
“We did not see any active fire lines where we were at,” Kessler said.
The hay is needed for farmers to feed their cattle since what they eat on the ground is now mostly charred, and it could be several months before new sprouts emerging from the soil reach maturity. Despite the dry conditions, Kessler said he saw a little regrowth of the vegetation already while he was there.
“You can see signs of life coming back. They really could use some moisture to help get that going. Right now, they don’t have that,” he said.
