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I know both Midwest Leather (UT) and Samson Harness (MN) sell logging harness w/ removable brichen and have the brichen available by itself. Give ’em a call and see what they say. Both have been very helpful in the past.

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There’s never a silly question here – so ask away. Lots to know and learn along with various opinions too but this is the place to come to ask, listen, and learn. Welcome and glad you’re here.

[near horse]

Composting is considered the “legal and desirable means” in many states. I picked up a video form the recyclers who were at NEAPFD last time I went – think it was from Cornell. Tried it with my quarter horse nad amazing at how fast all soft tissue was gone.

Brad – what’s a concrete trash block?

[near horse]

We’ve had 2 GR crosses (with Pyranees) – great dogs but both developed osteosarcoma (bone cancer). Fiona at age 7 yrs and her brother Chumley right now at age 11-12 yrs.

[near horse]

@Rod44 35801 wrote:

Robert – I would say good standard sized donkeys should be able to pull the mower with a 5 foot bar. All day long in heavy alfalfa??

Usually, in my case, the operator gives out before the team really does. 8>0

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@Countymouse 35761 wrote:

Thanks Geoff, did you happen to see it in action? I like the s-tines for sure, but wonder how effective the crumblers/basket harrow are. Any opinions on these?

Actually, I did see it demonstrated but it was in some nice ground that had already been worked up. Seemed to do a nice job but you know that good soil structure/moisture makes most tillage practices “gravy”. These folks operated a HD market garden operation out of Walla Walla. Let me see if I can find their names and perhaps you could contact them for a first hand account of the good and the bad.

Also, I have at least one picture but I can’t seem to clear my picture “cache” here on DAP and I’ve maxed out my useage. Ant thoughts there?

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61F on Tues; 85F Fri; 90’s Sat; Upper 90’s from Sun – Wed; BUT – we can’t get that hot that fast w/o the threat of thundershowers. So lets roll the dice and put some hay down!

[near horse]

Andy – there is a guy near Mader’s farm in Halfway, OR who built and will build a single horse version of that machine (~3 or 4 ft wide with rollers in front and rear). The front roller/tongue setup works like a 5th wheel. Looked pretty neat but can’t say I kknow who makes the one in the picture.

BTW – nice pics, Rod. Thank you for sharing them.

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I’ll admit I was stupid enough to take the bait on this one but agree with mitch’s comment …. Not sure that you have to bleed out to be dead. I’m thinking of destroying brain function that destroys the ability to perceive pain/trauma etc. The same can’t be said of the heart.

Anyone planning to put down their horse with a spear when the time comes? Just wondering. 😮

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Can you prove you’re getting a spear to the heart every time? You also mentioned lungs as a target (if I read it right) and destruction of lung tissue is nowhere near a quick nor humane death. And as good as you might be, your hand speed is no match for the speed of a fired projectile. A well placed cinder block to the skull would work too but it’s the “well placing” that concerns me. So start with the most rapid/effective method and then work from there IF, as Carl mentioned, it doesn’t work out as planned.

To add some credibility to my experience – I’ve also killed animals by various means due to circumstance. From a doe with a broken back on the highway I killed with a tire iron to one of our own goats that I had to kill with a sledge hammer – not pretty, fast nor very efficient but necessary. As a student I helped out on a project looking at how quickly various traps (conibear etc) killed beavers and muskrat using physiological signals from implants to determine time of death …. Worked on the kill floor at the meat lab facility at the university, euthanized probably 100 dogs/cats working at an animal hospital —- so this isn’t some squeamish response to killing of animals. It’s from the perspective of someone who’s had plenty of blood on his hands.

Also – Who’s going to fund a study of the effectiveness of a spear in killing a raccoon? The humane trapping study from the 1980’s was considered borderline back then. Now it would be unthinkable. But there have been studies of putting down horses etc and a bullet is found to be the quickest which translates into most humane.

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Sorry but it’s been shown over and over that a bullet is the most humane and effective way to dispatch animals (at least most mammals). Carl has the right technique – live trap them, move the trap to a safe location and shoot them. I can’t support using a spear as a primary choice with better choices available.

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I don’t know where you’d rent a tractor around here. Might contract a neighbor to do the work with his tractor but most around here aren’t real keen on renting/loaning their equipment to others – too expensive to repair if there’s a “problem”.

And I will reiterate – inexpensive tractors are inexpensive for a reason. If you are willing to spend more of your time “bending wrenches” and looking for parts – great. But usually we’re looking for something to save time not take up more of it. So be aware that an old tractor can be less valuable than first anticipated.

I am not opposed to mixed power and in fact embrace it myself but I fell into the inexpensive tractor trap 2X – never again. It did help me some but it’s greatest contribution was to my blood pressure – went up 20 points.

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Nice! Welcome to the site. It sounds like you’ve got some experience to offer already.

[near horse]

My question is regarding your agreement with your neighbor. If you are renting ground from him, what say does he have in how you farm it? In most cases, you are considered the operator – he, the owner. If you are paying cash rent, then his only concern is whether or not you make payment. IMO – he’s listening to too much jabber from his friends at the coffee shop/bar who chide him about your farming practices. We have plenty of “barstool farmers” here too – they rarely get dirty.

So, as I think others have said, go with what YOU REALLY feel called to do and not what someone else THINKS you should do. One added note – if you’re looking at a tractor that costs less than a power forecart costs, plan on spending even LESS time with your remaining team and more quality time with that tractor – it will eat your wallet and your time. Good luck with your decision but decide what’s best for you/your situation and goals, not someone else’s..

Sorry – I reread your post and see you do shares with your neighbor. How is that setup? He gets 1/3 and you 2/3 of the crop? Of the receipts? Who does the work etc …. ? If your landlord keeps giving you grief, I’d try for a cash rental agreement to quiet him down.

[near horse]

Mitch – I busted the frame on my 224T in a similar way – but had twine build up and keep wrapping until ….. Those knotter frames are ~$180 each but pretty nice. Not sure you can get the old one piece frames anymore. They also have a nut on the bottom of the worm gear on each knotter, makes it a little easier to adjust the twine disk opening. The exploded view on the JD site should show the new frame.

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