Description

Stories in this issue:

• Traffic Worthy: Vicki Schmidt provides advice on training a draft horse to be ready for “street” work.
• Resilience: Jenifer Morrissey reflects on the meaning of resilience in many forms: farm life, animal health, the forest and, ultimately, in our own lives.
• Work Horses in a Market Garden Part 1: Stephen Leslie provides a history of the horse, with emphasis on the draft horse and their use in the market garden.
• Overrun with Mules: Ronnie Hartment reports on Mule Day in Calvary, Ga., which has grown to host up to 90,000 visitors to see the mule and parade show, as well as an auction, antique tractors, bands, food, crafts and more.
• Blacksmithing Tongs: Blacksmith and farrier Pete Cecil writes about the various tongs of the trade from hand made to store bought.
• Bluebird Basics: Hazel Freeman covers nest boxes, locations, preditor and pest control. Includes a check list for how to begin putting up nest boxes
• Chicken & Asparagus: Bethany Caskey reports the tesults of a study on using a cover crop and chickens to help eliminate asparagus pests (insect) and weeds after harvest.
• A Testimonial to Oats:  Ralph Rice extols the virtues of planting oats for grazing and oat hay for feeding horses. He explains how, when, and why to grow as well as curing. He finds an unexpected use for his untied, loose base of oat hay as well.
• Fertility Management Part 2: Stephen Leslie discusses the efficient and safe operation of the ground-driven manure spreader, the prose and cons of spreading raw manure and more “reports from the field” from farmers who have found creative solutions for meeting the fertility demands of their land.
• Reflections: Preparation: Ralph Rice shares how he is learning to look ahead, plan and prepare — resulting in a more relaxed and less stressful life.
• The Cornish Roaster: A Turkey Alternative: Not needing the excess meat a turkey provides, Gall Damerow decided to experiment with Cornish Roasters. She raised three breeds and shares her discoveries.
• Synthetic Harness: Jenifer Morrissey and harness maker Abner Esh examines the many synthetic materials and in which parts of the harness they are utilized
• Morel Mushrooms: Bethany Caskey explores the morel mushroom: What they look like, where to find them, various varieties and, of course, how to cook them.
• Become a Beehive Host: Did you know you could host a beehive on your property? Pete Cecil explains how to arrange this with a beekeeper and the benefits it provides