1. A stack (as of hay) in the open air
2. A pile of material (as cordwood) split from short logs
Also known as stack or haystack; 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.
To pile in ricks, as of hay.