[Robert MoonShadow]

Rod; Is the reason for the two ‘receiver’ tubes for adjusting the height of the shafts/pole or just the top for that & the bottom for your removable wheel? How much ground clearance does it have?
I really like this cart…

*adds to birthday wishlist*

[Robert MoonShadow]

For what its worth; I think that perhaps ‘Manes’ did what I did… as a newbie, I read your postings, and I thought pretty much the same thing = that you hitched a pretty ‘raw’ horse up to an old timer & went at it… but having read your other postings {I’m referring to plowboy & J-L, here}, that didn’t seem consistant. So I reread the postings here, and I understood you better. I’d misunderstood what you’d said, or just read it in a different light & that made a lot of difference. If you look at the postings, they could be intrepreted either way. What had initially made me wonder if I was reading it right, was Carl’s comments about the “pre-work” he does (harnessing, leading them around, etc.) & I realized that you two just must not have mentioned that part. I’m not sure, but it seems that if someone was to take a horse that hadn’t the basics done, slapped a harness on it & hitched it & a trained horse together to a wagon, that things could get very interesting. More interesting than this newcomer would want to face. 😮

[Robert MoonShadow]

Erik – I will have a wagon… after I get established a bit more – need 2 donkeys & I’ve got to get this one trained before I’ll take on another one (unless I stumble onto a well-trained, but rediculously cheap donkey/small mule/pony). But I’ll also use them & the wagon for delivering free produce to the local domestic violence shelter… and use Dragon on his own ’til then –> ‘cuz kids + donkey = oh, ’bout a bazillion smiles, giggles & laughter!! I’d like to find one of those old enclosed delivery wagons they had “back when”… please keep posting on how that works out for you, eh?

[Robert MoonShadow]

Geoff ~ Actually, I’ve got a donkey (standard) jack – not a mule. So far, only one. I plan on using him to clear the land (when I buy it, it’ll be bare, probably pretty brushy), haul some firewood out of the woods, pull a single-row (walk-behind) cultivator, a cart (probably an atv dump cart pulled behing the forecart), moving up to larger equipment when I find a suitable teammate 8″ walk-behind plow; manure spreader, small mower, etc. I’m hoping to eventually find one of those ‘stationary’ hay-balers that makes the square/rectangular bales. So I’m trying to deside whether to build the 3-wheeled design in Miller’s ‘Workhorse Handbook, or a lighter version of the walking beam. I want something that’s versatile, can be used in the woods for firewood logs and/or stovelength on a cart, and still hook up to harrows, etc. I forget who it was that mentioned that the crazy wheel can tip you in the woods on stumps/ruts/potholes. I want to lighten up the tongue/shaft weight as much as possible, especially working with one donkey. I’ll pm you the landlord’s fax number… and thanks for your help. I’m going to try to make it to the SFJ auction in April, if I can. And you?

[Robert MoonShadow]

I know that this is an old thread, but the matters here, I feel, are important. As a market-gardener, I sell produce at the farmers’ market – and I can’t compete with the grocery stores in either price or consistancy of appearance, although I DO beat them out on flavor. I don’t use petroleum-based pesticides/fertilizers, etc. so my product often has blemishes. But I’m not really selling a product – or at least not JUST a product. I’m selling a relationship. I think with the syrup & the breads, it is – or can be – the same. As mentioned by Roy, the process is often what’s appealing to the customer of our types of products…
As goodcompanion mentioned, it can be hard to get someone to stick around long enough to hear the message of the bread (or any product such as ours) & what differentiates it from the mainstream offerings. I intend to use my animals, in part, to deliver my weekly CSA baskets to my client-subscribers. Definite attention-grabber, ayuh? It also will give me the opportunity to segue into how I farm w/ animals – and why. And if the local news people (who are always looking for human-interest stories) “just happen” to receive a call about this guy delivering food, etc….

I posted this here, to revive this thread in the hopes that others here might have ideas on promoting services/products using the animals as marketing tools.

[Robert MoonShadow]

Jennifer, LStone, Chestnutmare (and all the others who participated in this fight); I wish to thank you all sincerely, for standing up when it mattered most, and fight this battle against bad lawmaking. Although I live clean across the country fron you, when you stand up for the rights & freedoms of responsible animal owners in your state, it affects us all. Your determination in not quietly accepting the manuevers of ‘the powers that be’ fills me with respect & admiration. Once again, NH people have stood their ground.
Thank you.
~ Robert ~

[Robert MoonShadow]

I think this coyote went on to work for the government… probably the Dept. of Education – or perhaps just running a mega-bank.

[Robert MoonShadow]

In my case, it’d have been a good deal even if the bottle was empty. {Or so would say the ex-girlfriend}

[Robert MoonShadow]

Ms. Carla Skinder; You bet that I, as a concerned horse enthusiast, want to help the horse communtiy: so, can I help you pack?

[Robert MoonShadow]

Hey!! It could happen.
And probably did.

[Robert MoonShadow]

Manes: 10 seconds & you’re done with it. Word to the wise, though: get the non-flexible tip; I got the flexible tip type, thinking it’d be less uncomfortable & less prone to puncture anything, but w/ a very upset & indignant goat to wrangle w/ one hand… well, “She just don’t wanna go, Keptin!!” 😮

*Note to Self –> Build that @#%%^& stanchion, already!!* 😡

[Robert MoonShadow]

Jim & Geoff ~ Do either of you happen to have plans drawn up for these? I wonder if it’s much heavier than, say, the design in LRM’s “Work Horse Handbook”? I’m trying to come up with the most adaptable/multi-purpose design for a forecart, but one light enough for using w/ a single donkey. I’m discovering that most appropriately sized (donkey-sized) equipment seems to fall in between Haflinget/Fjord & minis. I talked to a guy who had a Pioneer ‘Haflinger’-sized forecart he used on his donkey, but he claimed it was just oversized enough to be a bit awkward & heavy enough to considerably reduce the payload. I don’t know how accurate his observance was, because I haven’t had any other opinions to cross-reference it with. I’m sorry if I’m pestering you all here or seem to be picking your brain = I am –> but that’s what you get for being smarter than me!! 😀
{And thank you for sharing your knowledge!}

[Robert MoonShadow]

Thanks, Amanda… that’s an interesting device.

[Robert MoonShadow]

What is it? And what’s it look like? Please.

[Robert MoonShadow]

That’s a fine looking horse, Dave. Photos turned out just fine. If you learn to drive all 3 hitched unicorn, that’ll be quite the sight!

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