rick

A large and carefully built heap of loose hay or straw. Traditionally, it was thatched on top to keep out the rain.

Until the late 1940s free-standing ricks were the universal method of storing hay or straw, and the method is still used on some small farms. Considerable skill is required to achieve a regular shape and to thatch the rick effectively. The introduction of baling machinery made the rick obsolete, and thatch has been largely replaced by plastic sheeting.