[dominiquer60]

New England Ox Supply is closing, but still will sell inventory until they are out.

[dominiquer60]

Sounds like a great show Jay! On a separate note. I hope in Cummington, that we can capture you on video singing your improved version of “Last Trip Home.”

[dominiquer60]

He was a great man, not just because he was such a well disciplined teamster of both equines and bovines, and not because he was an award winning steward of a forest. He was great because he chose to share his skills and knowledge, to help keep this working animal culture alive and continuing on farms and in forests throughout the land. Thank you Les for sharing, and thank you for inspiring so many, Rest in Peace, we’ll all make sure the chores get done.

[dominiquer60]

They may not be in your price range, but Cross Roads Cultivators in York County, PA sells New McCormick-Deering style cultivators for ~$1,800 (95% newly cast/made parts), a rebuild for ~$1,250, or will recondition your own for ~$600 to $800 depending on the condition.

Erika

[dominiquer60]

This is exciting Donn, there is so much to learn. A few days is a good start, and not everyone has a year to devote to an internship. This is a nice happy medium with a couple of great teamsters. Thank you for offering this, I will be sure to send folks your way as the subject of where to learn these skills comes up.

[dominiquer60]

I read an interesting conversation on facebook about draft crosses and there were some good points. Such as if you want a Suffolk cross. There are not a lot so it is best to leave Suffolk mares to making purebreds and use your other breed of preference to cross with a Suffolk Stud. You should also take into consideration the cost of buying a sound breeding mare and the cost of the stud fees. It may be more cost effective to buy a mare of one breed vs another, it depends on where you live and what is available around you.

[dominiquer60]

I have an old Halfie collar, maybe a 19″, I can check. I also have some sweat pads if you need one. I will be heading your way hopefully within a month. Let me know if you are interested.
Erika

[dominiquer60]

I don’t own either unit in a horse drawn model.

I watched the mulch layer demos at the 2012 HPD. I looked at how easy they seemed to pull and the quality of the bed that they made. If I won the lottery I would want an EZ Trail mulch layer, it has double disk bed formers that seem to form a bed with an easier pull and the slightly raised clean beds looked the best to me.

I would like a horse drawn transplanter someday, but at the moment I don’t have a crew to be able to use one. Instead I rely on a used Rainflo water wheel and a tractor. I can push the wheels as far as part as possible and wet dibble all my beds 36″ apart. I can then go behind the tractor (that I can shut off and it whoas well) and plant behind it, if I am lucky I can rope a neighbor or 2 into helping me plant.

This is how I do it for now with my mixed power.

To be clear there are 4 things that I use a tractor for, we have 2 tractors, a 50Hp Massey with 4 wheel drive and a loader, a ’49 9.5 Hp AC G with creep gear.
1. The loader, we will have a tractor with a bucket until we can’t get fuel for one anymore.
2. Transplanting, using the tractor allows me to do this job alone with the equipment that I have on hand.
3. Seeding using the AC G is almost pleasurable if it were not for the exhaust. I can slowly drive in straight rows that are easy for the horses to follow.
4. Minimal amount of filed work. Mainly the Massey with the larger double gang disk (I could us it with all 6 horses, but that is out of my league), or the G with a couple pieces of single equipment (spring tooth, 5′ cultipacker, chain harrow).

If I use the G for field work I am either trying to make the best of a spare half hour or racing against the weather. Thankfully it weighs less than any of our draft animals. With animals living 3/4 mile from the market garden, it is nice to have a quick alternative for small amounts of “G” field work. If I have a 18′ x 150′ patch to seed down and a spare minute to do it in, it just doesn’t make sense to go get and animal when I can have it done in no time with the same amount of fuel it would take me to drive to the horse barn and back.

[dominiquer60]

The gooseneck makes the trailer longer and heavier. The gooseneck offers more room for stuff and some find them easier to drive and back up. It is a matter of personal preference.

[dominiquer60]

If you want to move a pair and some equipment, you may want a 16′ stock trailer. A bumper pull can be tongue heavy. I would be more comfortable using a 3/4T with a full sized pair of oxen, but the 150 may work for a couple of years until you need something for a larger pair.

[dominiquer60]

Watching the Gibbs go, all I can think is that it would have a lot of side draft. Maybe not but a possibility.

Erika

[dominiquer60]

I see that there is one offered at this auction. I don’t know what it will go for, but this auctioneer tends to attract a lot of collectors. Maybe it will go for a decent price since it is not really and antique. http://www.jacquierauctions.com/141018/index.htm

Erika

[dominiquer60]

This is great Ed. I shared it with some of my neighbors here and it made one of theme cry. It is a real tribute to using working animals yesterday, today and into the future.

Good work everyone involved and thanks for making such a great video to share with the world.

Erika

[dominiquer60]

I finally have some pictures of this harness. We love the quality, we just don’t have a need or room for this style harness.

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[dominiquer60]

I totally agree with Donn that the animals need to be broke to lead well already.

I walk 4 abreast at times. I don’t do this on a regular basis, but we get through it just fine. I walk with the more lower on the totem pole/timid horses to the outside otherwise they lag hard and are at risk of getting away easy. I also carry a stick, twig, or dressage whip with me and anyone a little too eager gets it shaken at them. I rarely ever use the whip, it is just there to remind them that they still need to mind their manners, if I do use the whip, it is just a light tap on the chest or forelegs to get them to slow to my speed. If the animals are all broke to gee and haw it is easy to make turns by putting the whip in front of the inside horses and asking for the turn with voice command.

I sometimes walk 3 or 4 while riding one too. It depends on the conditions. This spring was very sloppy and I had to get the herd up to the hill and I knew it would be easier for me to ride than slip and fall while walking 4.

That is what works for me, good luck and be patient. Maybe start with some of the herd and add on as they get good at it.

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