Description

Stories in this issue: 

• A View from Holmes County: A reflectin on the author’s drive from her home in Ohio to the Arcola, Ill., event.
• The Journey to HPD: The perspective of teamster Lynne Howe demonstrating at Horse Progress Days … from packing the draft horses and equipment to the demonstrations themselves
• Horse Progress Days Field Demonstrations: Photos and captions of all the equipment, including the name, manufacturer, model numbers and prices. Categories: Spreaders, Plows, Tillage Imiplements, Produce Equipment, Sprayers, Haymaking equipment, Miscellaneous equipment
• Blacksmith Basics: Bethany Caskey provides history of blacksmithing, as well as profile of a modern blacksmith. A list of resources and tools of the trade.
• Weed Eater: Bethany Caskey helps us learn how goats can take care of weeds in no time, elminating the need for machines and chemicals.
• Safe Mushrooming: Gail Damerow discusses two good, focused books that help identify wild mushrooms … also instructions for making “spore prints.”
• The Versatile Spring-Tooth Harrow: Horse-power expert Stephen Leslie gives us a thorough lesson on the harrow — from history to harrow types, to uses and techniques.
• Anatomy of a Farm Fire: Vicki Schmidt addresses what happens when a farm fire starts. Whether you are on a local water supply or rural water supply, the process is complicated
• HPD Seminar: Supplemental Grazing Ivan Gingerish presents his methods for grazing his 67 foraging animals.
• HPD Seminar: Forage Quality Dave Fisher presents advice, and numbers, on the most desirable makeup of forage for cattle
• HPD Seminar: Beekeeping Dan Wright, bee instructor for the Illinois Department of Agriculture, coveres everything from buying to harvetstin honey. Also, advice on the pests that may invade your hives.
• HPD Seminar: Preparing a Horse for Sale Chad Cole discusses the internal health (diet, supplements, deworming( and external (grooming) necessary to put your horse in the best condition.
• HPD Seminar: Harness & Collar Fitting Equipping draft horses with a proper fitting collar is essential. Milt Yoder demonstrates how best to do this, as well as how to adjust harness correctly.
• HPD Seminar: Horse Chiropractic Marissa Greenslade explains equine chiropractics by discusing the many syptoms a horse may present and how problems are diagnosed.
• HPD Seminar: Stallion Reproduction Dr. Lisa Eller, DVM, discusses, in technical detail, breeding soundness, gertility, AI methods and semen evaluation.
• HPD Seminar: Steps to Avoid Orchard Failure David Schlabach, author of “Backyard Fruit Production,” talks about 10 steps to fruit production, including ground preparation, pollination, pests, disease prevention, pruning and more.
• HPD Seminar: International Meeting Six countries were represented, including two attendees from South Sudan who were in the U.S. to make documentary movies on farming and draft animal power to take home and educate farmers.