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Jim Ostergard
ParticipantI second that nomination Jason. I also agree with the idea of a combination of using a section of DAP and a hard copy newsletter. Was up to Jason Irish’s getting Rusty fitted today and he was a long ago member. Doesn’t use the internet so it gave weight to the idea of hardcopy. I think also at fair, demos and such having a newsletter to hand out with a sign up sheet is useful.
I would be willing to noodle over the editing and pagination of a newsletter with some help. I don’t have any old newsletters to get some ideas from so if there are some copies of a couple somebody could mail that would be nice. i also think we need to look for some funds as J. suggested and also that we need to work in the political arena. If the mills can get loads of money for burning black gold we should have a good argument for the kind of work we do receiving something to keep it going. I know for myself if it were not for the social security paying the house rent I would really be hurting with horse logging. Great discussion and great ideas from everybody. I think John and Simon really hit it also. Loads of heavy horse info but often real dry spots when it comes to logging.
Best kind of a day to all…..JimParticipantI really like the idea based on the “Who’s doin’.” I think its empowering when one is working alone to hear about others, where they are, their markets and just the general day to day of doin’ it. Some sort of dove tail with this site would be essential in reaching some of the newer folks who want to get started with horse logging.
JimParticipantYou are very correct in your telling of the time it takes to get a newsletter out. I’ve done contract newsletter work and also put together (in the early days of desktop publishing) a newsletter for a very active bicycle coalition. It was very hard to get other folks to write stuff much do the pagination, get it to the printer and such. So with trepidation I might get my saw sore arm up to help out. I really agree with Tim that we need to inform land-owners as well as enlist the young guys and gals. Just today I got a query for an apprenticeship from someone who looks like a great prospect. But working for me at this time would be a starvation gig. I still have to jump on a skidder crew from time to time. And with the super wet ground and low prices and……..
But lets keep talking and see what come of it. With the response to this site from all the loggers I didn’t know were there we aught to be able to shake a few trees. Simon what is your perspective from over there?
JimParticipantWell, I’ve been away for a few days so missed this thread. Great ideas. I remember reading the newsletters years ago when I was still running a skidder show. When I started with horses there was a real void and certainly that has been superbly filled in this arena. During my years as a commercial fisherman I put some energy into various organizations promoting one thing or another for us as well as writing and publishing newsletters. Takes lots of time and energy and sometimes is disappointing. However for us in the logging business I think it would be a great thing to have an association for working and retired horse loggers sharing. Although I use the net all the time I sure still like to have a hard copy of info show up in the mail. Here is Maine I think John Plowden and I who are in touch sometimes weekly are the only two who share with each other and folks from away on a regular basis and it would be nice to get some more folks into the ring. Lets keep this dialog going at the very least we can pass stuff on to the younger folks coming in.
Well the sun is shinning and maybe in a week or so some of the woods will dry out enough to get back to work. A month off is a hard show.
Thanks to all for being here for the others.
Jimbojim in AppletonParticipantJohn Plowden, a superb horse logger in Stow, Maine is building some Scandinavian gear. He has a great log wagon/arch combination. John is on DAP.
ParticipantGeir, Nice wagon. Very helpful to see the “fifth wheel” attachment. I could do something like that with a bar across my 4 wheeled walking beam arch thus giving me some articulation on rough ground. Thanks for sharing.
JimParticipantJen,
I seem to never have quite the correct tension (what ever that is) with my hold backs and tugs. I was trained to keep things pretty snug especially on the arch where there is a good bit of weight being pulled. That said I keep the tugs as short as I can without Rusty hitting the shafts and get the hold backs as tight as I can. There usually seems to be a bit of slack but I’m guessing no more that 1 or 2 inches of play before they start to work.
Hope this is helpful.
JimParticipantJason,
I for one am happy you are able and have some success in bringing new folks into the fold. It is a great challenge to organize and carry through on a training course of the intensity and time of yours. Much like this wonderful website we need to pass on our skills to those who will follow. It is pretty hard for the individual horse logger to pass on those skills with poor economics and various state organizations looking at one (at least here in Maine). We are fortunate to have the Maine Organic Farmers and their Low Impact Forestry project which offers some good guidance for folks thinking of using draft animal power. This website offers us all an open forum and I am always learning something from the questions and responses of others.
Again good for you helping to pass it along.
Jim Ostergard. Appleton, MaineParticipantI agree with the Bachelorfarmer. I find that I get so drove up with other things I’m not in a good place to hook Rusty up and just drive him up the road. Its fine when we are in a wood lot each day but then there are sometimes fairly long periods where I’m off on a skidder crew or doing hand work or repairs or whatever and he just hangs out and gets slack. I don’t have farm chores but the idea of dragging his pasture is a good one I’ll start doing. Don’t much like pleasure driving either. Nice thread,
JimParticipantThanks so much for the introduction and sharing the website with us. Years ago Simon sent me the SJM catalogue and I have thought about building a loader such as shown. Wish our wood were as open as yours at least relative to using any sort of wagon. Welcome and keep sharing.
Jim O.May 7, 2009 at 3:25 pm in reply to: Log Arch – Includes Discussion of Different Designs and Uses #52079ParticipantWell, just to add to this great discussion. I have used the high platform arch and personally find it difficult to climb up on time and time again. Sort of like climbing up into the 540. I also thought the hitch point was way high for my horse. However, I have gotten really used to my walking beam. Its not that high off the ground but the walking beam allows it to climb most anything, even a 15″ boulder. From the discussion it would seem that when the slider is up with the butt off the ground they I have a real difference in the distance from that point to where the singletree is hooked up. Not sure from the discussion what that does in terms of efficiency. I do have an additional chain on a grab hook that leads from right behind the singletree hook-up and can grab the choker right at the log. My feeling is that this directs the pull better from the horse to the log. I would love to figure out how to hinge the back wheels for the yard bound twitch but for now Rusty (when we both are in tune) will back and fill that 4 wheeled arch four or five times to get into a tight spot. As others have said when we have a piece of gear we tend to make it work.
ParticipantI agree with Carl on saw size. I currently use a Sthil 361 with a 20″ bar as my most everyday say and also a Stihl 441 as my yard saw or when I’m working in big wood. Had to give up the much loved 044 because without the compression release it would sometimes try and take my arm right out of the socket on the start.
Take a saw course for sure, there is much to learn and directional felling will save you a lot of frustration and work especially when using animals to log.
Good luck.ParticipantOn that little scoot of mine I just have a piece of old chocker chain going around once. I put an eye bolt on top of the runner just in front of the bunk. It hangs loose enough so it slides back a foot or so. Don’t know it its on the pictures I posted. I use an out of shape hook to hook it up and when not in use just take a turn around the stake.
ParticipantCarl is correct in using a chain. On my scoot I have one on each side and it is amazing how only one on a fairly steep grade slows it down. Cheap and easy.
ParticipantI have one that Linda took and I will have to mess with it a bit in iPhoto but will give it a try real soon. If I can’t I will try and take the camera with me tomorrow and show it with a load of brush. What a gale of wind (NW 30-40) here today. No day for felling or burning
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