[Eli]

Could you compost the animals and any thing else you can get and use it for fertilizer to grow soy beans? 40 bushels of beans from one acre is a lot of protein. And no social stigma. Just a thought. the bones don’t rot to fast but the rest is done in a few months. Good luck. Eli

[Eli]

I own 234 acres I rent 150 to a dairy around the corner 10 is in hay for the horses 2 is pasture the rest is buildings and woods. I make about 20 % of my income from rent. I used to farm 500 acres (owned and rented) and milk 200 cows. I sold them 4 years ago because I needed to up date manure storage, barn and milking parlor. We are in an inviornmentaly sensitive area (creek and high water table) and I didn’t want to borrow $800,000 and comit 20 years to a new mortgage. I wish I would have stayed with the original 40 cows but I was young and all I heard was get big or get out so I got big and then got out. I always tell my wife I will farm this land again only this time in doing it with horse’s. But I don’t want to milk cows I worked 18 years without a vacation I’m not doing that again. I read and read and have some ideas of what I want to do but it’s hard to give up my job. But if my Wife gets insurance at work I just may try something. Eli

[Eli]

Scarlet is a curly with Suffolk and quarter hoarse in her blood I think, my daughter knows a lot more than I do I will ask her and and post it later. As for the lines being short I didn’t plan on pulling anything I was just going to lead her around and ground drive her to get her used to the harness. I have proper lines just did more than I planed. The next day I put the head stall on and worked with her some more, she didn’t really like the blinders (first time with them) but did pretty good. The sled I was pulling is half of one I made it has a loop on it that we throw over the ball hitch on our Kawasaki mule or tractor so I just hooked the single tree to it. I plan on making a set of shafts and pole for it soon I can’t pull it in snow this way it would slide into the hoarse. I also love the time I spend with my daughter and the horses it is good for us booth. She is an awesome kid and her horsemanship skills far exceed mine. Eli

[Eli]

pictures of scarlet in harness from yesterday my daughter figured i should get a ride. The other is from this summer wile we wer breaking her to ride. i finally figured out how to post picture! Eli

[Eli]

Thank you for your replys. I am sure she is earning her money and it is good for her self esteem and confidence. We milked cows 20 years so the older kids always had all the work they wanted, but we sold them 4 years ago. So my daughter didn’t have the opportunity to make money milking cows. I am lucky to have some one to train my team without leaving the farm. Today when I got home she helped me put the harness on my horse and worked her in the arena for a wile. Good for me good for the horse and good for my little girl. Its all good. Eli

[Eli]

Love to hear the stories thanks Eli

[Eli]

Almost done with the arch I have to get some expanded metal for the floor and put some steps on. I went with a wood pole I need to build a steel neck yoke so I can put a pin through for logging and a hitch pin for pulling it behind thr truck or trailer. A friend of mine who has owned draft horses for 40+ years plans to come over this weekend and check it out. Then we are going to check out the woods I have 65 acres of woods mostly blackish and pretty wet. If it gets cold before it snows I think we will be in business. A logger was in there in 1988 (before i owned it) and took out any thing worth money I have been planting swamp white oak and maple but the deer get most of them. Eli

[Eli]

Picked up a set of harnesses I have to figure out this picture thing. So I can post pictures of the stuff I bought and built. We tried a harness on Tenake (our prego mare) and it looked great. She stood perfect for the colar and harness like she has done it before we were told she may have been harnessed 10+ years ago. Scarlet was all wet so we will put her harness on tomorrow. We broke Scarlet to ride and ground drive this spring and don’t expect to many problems. Eli

[Eli]

I’m am off to look at some harnesses 4 hour drive but it sounds like what I need all leathe three strap britchen Amish made. 24 inch collar my only concern is my horse has a 12inch wide neck haven’t had much luck finding a used this wide. Eli

[Eli]

Just make sure you have a hi temp alarm and a good sorce of parts or a backup. I do refrigeration work and see a lot of old or odd ball stuff that is hard to get parts for. But if you get a good efficient system that is installed properly it will run trouble free for years. My two cents. Eli

[Eli]

You have my sympathy. My best to you and your family.

[Eli]

I think I will fire up the chain saw Saturday and find a straight grained ash and haul them by my brother to saw for me. I have to admit its handy to have a brother with a saw mill. Untill he asks me to stack 2×12 ash planks. Actually I love working in the mill second only to working in the woods. Eli

[Eli]

Jen check your ground rod for your fencer it may be close to an underground water line even an old one no longer in use. I had to move a fencer a few years ago because of a voltage problem. A bad fencer can also put voltage back on the neutral wire. I milked cows for 20 years and we had a dozen waters and had to watch then all the time. No water no milk just a few thoughts. Eli

[Eli]

Very cool, I would love to do that. Thanks for the pics.

[Eli]

I am going to start looking for a used leather harness tonight my horse is a stocky American bashkir curly about 1300 lbs and 15 hands. I will have to measure her for a colar, so if anybody knows of one let me know. Thanks for the input Eli

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