Description

Stories in this issue:

• The Bozeman Trail: Jenifer Morrissey, after studying diaries and much research, compares the 1866 and 2001 Bozeman Trail rides. The first with a mission to deliver mining equipment and the second to honor all that traveled this trail in its short life.
• Weeds: Friend or Foe?: What is a weed and how do we deal with it when we have them. Jenifer Morrissey looks into this question by extenisively researching a number of farmers’ methods and finding out their tactics including chemical, cultural, preventative, mechanical and biological control.
• For the Love of a Farm: Ralph Rice talks about his farm and the many changes he and his wife have made to improve it during their 30 years on its land. Changes involved improvements to it as well as changes to the land, the buildings, the focus and to be able age there.
• Life-Changing Improvements: Lem Montero of Tillers International writes about farming with draft animal power in developing countries and their mission to improve farming for the people who live there.
• Idaho Hay Day: Through wonderful photographs you can visit the AJ and Kortnee Woolstenhulme farm in Idaho and see all their horse drawn haying equipment used to mow, rake and stack hay. The highlight is an overshot stacker in action.
• Squirrel Dumplings: Jerry Hicks tells a story of his college days when he was the designated cook for he and his roommates…and a “freeloader”. He had an ingenious way of getting rid of him.
• The Snake Beneath the Seat: Dick Courteau writes a story about his bull riding days traveling the West, the characters he met, the competitions he entered, and some lessons he learned…the hard way.
• Harvest Season: Chiara Dowell records a day on her farm when they hired a crew to butcher their two steers. She extols their skills, especially at using every morsel of the animal. She contemplates the benefits of rural living and consuming locally.
• Re-Learning Farming: A student in the Wendell Berry Farming Program at Clayton Spencer, writes about learning to use draft animal power. He discusses his experience on a CSA farm and how he might farm his own land with his new skills. His conclusion “…there’s no one way.”
• Boonville Plow Day: Sheila O’Risky sent us wonderful photographs of this annual event (over 50) showcasing a combination of steam and plow day. It is held twice each year in Boonville, Indiana.
• Veteran Memories: Marty Gordon describes how the 2022 American Mule and Bluegrass Festival paid special tribute to veteran J.B. Stubblefield