[blue80]

I like the “donation” aspect I think that answers my questions.

Another offshoot to getting the private wealth distributed in the local community is another term popular as carbon credits. My brother just told me he is talking with local entities in S. Ontario about their purchasing carbon credits on his property, a forested plantation on a river. These are not government carbon credits, rather just using the term to encourage people to support local responsible green space. They are working out legalities to make things tax deductible, but so far, local town business people like lawyers, accountants, and doctors he has spoken with are feeling mighty green and environmentally warm fuzzy feeling with the ability to get a tax deductible donation which they will be able to see “grow” right next door… I guess some of these people voiced their frustrations that “they didn’t have logical tax deductible donations to make in their local community.” Wow, what you (and the Dutch) are doing seems like an untapped market!

Not sure if Wyoming cowboys will buy a shade tree on our farm, but we’ll definitely be thinking about options about getting some easterners help out:)

Kevin

[blue80]

Thanks Carl,

I’d also be interested in the work that has been done on the litigous side of a project like this, that being,
When an “item” is “purchased” is there an agreement written up that funds will be allocated to a certain project?
What “rights” does the donater/purchaser have towards land use etc. in the future.

I guess I am looking at such an auction as a great option for community to come together setting and working towards common goals. But say the person clearing the land for walking paths get hit by a bus and they never get established, how are possibilities like this being problem solved before they occur?
And sometimes there are bad apples around, who donate money and get upset that their (unreasonable) expectations weren’t met. What are methods to circumvent a problem such as this.

I like the landscape auction idea, for I have goals and dreams I can’t afford to complete; some due to time, some money, some intellect/ability….

Kevin

[blue80]

Sure hope that you all will shortly have some more demand and well paying work. It looks like lumber prices are going through the roof again….

Kevin

[blue80]

A couple younger ranchers around here have “lost” an entire seasons productivity to switch to September calving. One of these operations has 300 cows. I find this interesting; I had the same questions with regards to feed/weather/market etc. I guess a lot has to do with the size of a two year old bull, and the show calf market….
Also, if one has grazing permits you don’t want calves dropping on the mountain.

Another rancher told me he was switching half the herd so he would diversify for both markets…

Im just watching and learning; seems again like yet another distorted supply and demand scenario, when a black angus is worth more at a sale than a red angus….

In S. Indiana, fall calving was the norm, they told me because of the temperate winters and low worm counts on pasture in the winter…

Wow, and all this from some Troyer auction info!:confused:

Kevin

[blue80]

just a thought I’ve been having, are there not a couple/few different buffers that should be evaluated, possibly being;

1/ commencing a load, particularly a heavy load under low traction conditions or where there may be some suction type forces on the implement or wagon. ie. the redneck side of me loves to pull people’s cars out of the ditch, especially when someone else has already tried to do so with big fancy tired 4wd and a chain, the tow vehicle on icy surface. I like to back right up to their bumper (and watch their eyes get real big, their nuckles go white, rev the motor a few times for good measure;)) and then hammerdown the throttle, with a nice nylon strap; and slingshot that car right up onto the road without damage.:D So my question is, would a spring/nylon accessory in the trace help “hard starts” with large logs, stuck wagon etc. or would the draft power and buffer absorb the power before the load gets moving and discourage the draft power from continuing through the pull? I will have to check out some of the past data to try to answer my own next question, “how much more draft is needed to commence work on non wheeled vehicles than to do it continuosly.” And I figure it depends on the work being performed, traction, slope conditions etc….

2/”normal” working loads which has been mostly discussed on this thread,

3/emergency/unseen spikes in draft due to obstacles, equipment failures etc. which I gather tends to be the consensus for practical use of preloaded springs.

Not to mean these different buffers should all be solved for every situation, however I believe evaluating each separately will help me understand the effective load conditions both on the equipment and draftpower thereby being a better “tuned teamster” That is, in tune with all the forces at work. What I am trying to say is that although I don’t understand all the physics, this thread will be one I will reread as time goes on and enable me to better understand how to work effectively and show the most care for the animals in the process.
Thanks to all doing such great work on this!

Kevin

[blue80]

Don’t know if it’s been mentioned, I haven’t seen it, but I came across “draught springs” on http://www.carthorsemachinery.com they are available in different tensions for different work; again as mentioned the springs are mainly listed for sudden shock absorption I believe.

Kevin

[blue80]

Thought it’d be a good time to post this pic courtesy of Ray Steele. Looks like this single is making some adjustments to get/keep the load moving too!

[blue80]

Erik:

I agree, letting the horse learn on their own is an excellent method, I have had best success with water “hazards” by initially leading the horse on foot, however usually on solid footing, as they may lunge forward if they start to sink and fear overtakes them…
It seems they are more forgiving to enter the hazard when my feet get soaked first…;)

BTW, I’d love some further info. on northern climate rice cultivation. We have a portion of some very heavy expansive soil acreage I think may be worth running a trial on….

Kevin

[blue80]

sent you an email,

Kevin

[blue80]

My wife once found me vacuuming on a jobsite. If she sees me featherdusting the horses, I have a feeling I’ll have a spotless house and get nothing done!:D
Actually I take a little pride in helping clean the house…. Remember, just “a little”

For desentitizing, I most like the boat bumpers tied to them while they are walking around grazing. In my small mind it gives me an excuse to keep the boat!

Kevin

[blue80]

Never done it with oxen, but coming up on an angle to a fence works great, when you are ready for the natural turn before hitting the fence, give your stimulus/command and in no time they will be following the instructions in the open…

Kevin

[blue80]

We have a 1/2 worn out Kobelco ed150 trackhoe, which I think means we’ve got it half paid off….:confused:With a hydraulic thumb, d3 dozer package and 36 inch bucket I think it would/will make a pretty versatile logging accessory. We made a 16ft. boom for it to set house trusses, and the 2pc. boom was made so we can attach a skid steer quick attach plate to it at a later date; forks, post hole auger, stump grinder etc. We purchased it basically because coordinating an excavator on our projects was not allowing us to control construction schedules, and our new farm had 30 yrs of neglect to dig away whenever we had a break in our work schedule. Basically the trackhoe runs “support” for our construction labor only company, hr. meter says 1500 hrs. of support in the last 3 years. We provide better service coming on site, and staying for the duration, instead of packing up and remobilizing. Of course then we need a dump truck and 20 ton tag and the accompanying FET/ CDL /Health Heavy truck tax/ DOT regs etc. etc.
Don’t know if we’ll keep it long term or not, will see how long my wife will do the paperwork; just learning and watching through our first “large equipment purchase” but am thinking some construction/excavation side work, some draft horse logging support, and mounding loose hay put up with the horses may be justification to pay it off and keep it. I put an ad out locally “owner operated trackhoe/dozer/dump and draft horse logging services” maybe something will come up to get us started…..
I am not a logger-yet- but think that making landings, loading and creating roads/decks and using the dump with 20ton trailer to haul out logs would make a good combo, again as aforementioned, the payment really hurts when the machine isn’t being used. Gets to feel like you go to work to feed the yellow monster. In production markets we’ve worked in around the country, owning a machine would be counterproductive, but my goals include sleeping in my own bed at night; being vertically integrated so that we can do more local work consistently has been forefront in the business plan; if you call it that:eek:
In the meantime, the machine is a great tax writeoff; I abide by the saying, “pay to Caesar what is Caesar’s” but if Caesar gives you the opportunity for a writeoff, TAKE IT!

[blue80]

It’s been 40’s for the past week, took the ladies out 3 times this week, a few hrs. worth of decent hard work each time, split between disc then a lot of ground driving past and around a lot of bogeymen. A solid sweat each time, makin’ that spring coat shine!
I can see/feel some real positive changes already; and the mares are looking great too!;)

[blue80]

I agree with George, and the round pen methods which work outstandingly. Can also put a rope under the tail like a britchen then cross it over the withers and bring it through the loop onthe halter. Pull a small amount of pressure on the halter lead, if the horse doesn’t move keep the pressure on, and pull a small amount of pressure to the rope britchen. Immediately if/as soon as the horse comes forward, release the halter pressure and start walking. The lack of pressure on the halter is a “reward” for the horse.
Like George says, keep something to casually bonk the horse on the head if they surge ahead of you.
Bribing them with sweet feed:D to come ahead also works excellent

[blue80]

Geoff: We’re south of Billings 70 miles, in Lovell, Wy. These are the only “real” horses we have….

Thougth I’d get to know them today so trimmed Matildas feet, a couple months overdue. Next brought out the collars, and Maude saw me coming with them and made a run for it, but I had them in the round pen:p Matilda acted like the harness was the scary monster, took awhile to sack her out then harness her.

Ground drove each separately for 10 minutes, then ground drove both together for 10 minutes. “feelin their grain” would aptly describe them, they hadn’t been harnessed or worked in I think at least 6 months, and only a couple times in the past year….
Hooked them up to a full length telephone pole so the butt end would plow some dirt for a couple trips back and forth across the 80 acre length, but figured that if they were going to keep high stepping, might as well get some work done.
So hitched to the 7 ft. single disc I scored from the same place we got the mares, and a few hours (many stops in between) they had settled into a great pace and rhythm.
Really impressed with them so far, wondering what they are saying about me…

Biggest issue to date will be to safely get them “unbonded” They really like eachother… I guess I’ll post updates in the member diaries with pics from now on…

Kevin

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