[john plowden]

Beta lines work really well in cold weather – very flexible and durable – even when they get wet or muddy – you can maintain a good grip – kinda hard with leather – especially when wearing gloves or mitts – I switched several years ago and won’t use anything else in the woods – Leather is nice when it’s dry -I don’t know off hand how long mine are but I can hold the lines with extra from about three feet behind the evener –
John

[john plowden]

I have a small Norwood – or I should say my brother-in-law and I own one – all manual, saws a 20″ x 16’6″ log – We find it really useful- I live to work the horses in the woods but don’t mind taking a break to saw wood for a week when the weather brings me out – Yes slabs and sawdust add up – the slabs burn in the stove and the sawdust makes great bedding –
Often working a firewood job you come across a few logs that make good lumber but don’t make a truck load – they’ll end up on our mill – I’ve also found that once people know you have a mill they want you to saw something for them -sometimes they even want you to cut the trees down as well –
I will say that you get what you pay for – and hydraulics would be welcome after rolling on,turning and stacking all day –
John

[john plowden]

look carefully at any piece of wood to make sure the grain runs paralell the entire length – the strongest poles are riven (split) and then planed and scraped smooth – cross grain signifigantly weakens a tongue – it is well worth the extra cost – over here hornbeam works well right off the stump –
john

[john plowden]

Jean – email me the details if you would – jplowden@fairpoint.net –
John

[john plowden]

George – I have a 7 -fully rebuilt , bushings, guards, knife,ledgers, pitman bushings -complete with pole, evener and paint – If you are interested email me for details –
John

[john plowden]

Don – I restored a 12a two years ago – I’ll have to look but bought new canvasses from some one in Penn. or Ohio – since have lost the bookmark file on my computer –
John

[john plowden]

I have several jobs for the fall winter and have had apprentices as well – like Rick says, insurance can be a problem – There are ways to make it happen – and our craft needs to be passed on – Feel free to contact me to discuss the options – John

[john plowden]

Out all the time – exept really nasty weather – exercise logging – fed hay by the bale- John

[john plowden]

Two questions – Is the bed chain in really good condition – and have you thought about using “Trex” decking for the bed? It won’t ever rot – Try B.W. Macnair for parts –
John

[john plowden]

Sway yes – at times making contact with a horse – not swinging wildly to and fro –

[john plowden]

Tongue slap is hard to eliminate even with a D – If you have the choker hitched high and several inches in front of the axle the weight of the logs will balance out – the horses get used to the tongue sway/slap on smaller obstacles – work slowly over the bigger ones and have the horses sidestep -easing a wheel up and over – The axle angle is important -too much and the tongue is heavy – to little and it will lift when loaded –
John

[john plowden]

I highly recommend a book by Pat Coleby “Natural Horse Care” I know Small Farmers Journal carries her goat and sheep book so they probably have the horse one. She covers all this and in an easy to understand manner
C.P.

[john plowden]

Our mare was showing signs of epsm and that was why we looked into feeding changes. Starting with eliminating all the molasses and corn and adding oil. I used sunflower oil which is expensive then started to use flax seeds which soaked with the alfalfa cubes soften up. Both of our horses seemed healthier and happier with these subtle changes. I would like to read a little more about sunflower seeds- apparently even the shell can be good for them. The kelp seems to really make them happy and they will lick it out of your hand.

[john plowden]

again tonight this is Mrs. J.P. – I should really join myself
We feed hay of course- with a scoop of crimped oats with some alfalfa cubes soaked with flax seeds and a handful of kelp once a day- thats it
when they are working the oats are usually doubled with a second feeding
The hay is divided between a.m. and p.m.
I have heard that whole sunflower seeds are also a good way to supply oil besides whole flax seeds. I need to look into that more myself but have fed a few- our horses ate the whole sunflower heads growing in their pasture just before I was going to pick them so clearly it’s o.k. to eat
In summer with green grass we will fore go the alfalfa
C.P.

[john plowden]

This is actually Mrs. J.P. but- I have read that with adequate amounts of copper in the diet- worms cannot thrive. Kelp is the best supplement providing both vitamins and minerals along with a salt lick the horse should get a balance.
D.E. is a great maintenance for worms but an infestation has gone too far for D.E to rid them- Black walnut hull can be toxic but small amounts are not. It’s always best to err on the cautious side. Google both black walnut hull and wormwood and see what comes up. Also garlic is a great way to keep worms away. I have found that an infestation is best treated with the big guns- then prevention from then on where proper copper is essential.
C.P.

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