Description

Stories in this issue:

• Western Minnesota Steam Thresher’s Reunion: This annual show features primarily steam engines: steam engine tractors, industrial steam engines, and small hit-and-miss steam engines.
•  A Seed Story – (Turkey Red Wheat) Part Two: Charlie Tenneson continues his quest for the perfect Turkey Red Wheat. In this article he recounts his test plots using historic seeds and modern strains, gives some history on the historic seeds, and shares his taste testing (unfortunately, without the taste) with us. He also shares his plan – to produce for market, flour from this wonderful heritage grain.
• Three Pad Collars (for donkeys, mules and horses): Charlie Tennessen’s DIY article on how to make your own three-pad collar (originating from a design used in Switzerland during WWII). Instructions to make the wooden hames, pads, hardware, and finally, the harness. All custom fit to your animal and made at home.
• Changing Lives – Preventing Harness Injuries: Learn about Master Harness Maker, Terry Davis from the UK. Although a well known craftsman, he prides himself on his work teaching about humane harnessing systems for donkeys in developing countries. He explains the challenges and successes along with information about his report on how to make changes for the betterment of the animals and owners.
• Get Ready for Spring!  Tips for getting idle Draft Horses back into Action: Tips for Getting Idle Draft Horses Back into Action Stephen Leslie hands down some valuable tips on horse health care, spring training your draft horse, inspecting harness, and maintaining your equipment.
• Mulching Alliums: Anne and Eric Nordell explain how mulching with cover crops of rye and oats improves their allium crops. Some excellent pictures of the process in their fields accompany this story.
• Hoss and Howie – a new ox Team at Centennial Farm: Philip Henderson gives us a little history of the American Milking Devon in the United States as well as the history of oxen at Centennial Farm in California. Then we meet three-year-olds Hoss and Howie and learn about their breeders in Colorado.
• Mechanical Means of Preventing a Wreck (with your draft animal team): Safety is of utmost importance, especially when driving amidst the public. Dave Feltenberger lays out a plan on how to make sure your harness, hames, lines, tongues, yokes, chains and all of your harness hardware are secured. draft horses, harnessing horses, horse safety.
• An Orchard of His Own: Jenifer Morrissey’s great-great-grandfather’s diary entries are used for a wonderful account of his orchard purchase, agricultural adventures and daily life in early 1900’s Oregon.
• Bioelectromagnetics: Veterinarian Roxanne Rygiewicz explains the science and application of a device to promote healing (and more) for you and your animals. Exciting prospects for our animals’ health following injury, surgery or illness by increasing blood flow and therefore, increasing the oxygen to healing tissues.
• Rural Bookshelf – Art of Working Horses: Two new books, The Age of the Horse: An Equine Journey Through Human History and Barney the Lopsided Mule are both reviewed.
• A Load of Logs – Horselogging in Wisconsin: Stunning photographs from a logging adventure with Gerald Schmidt and his Belgians.