[Scyther]

Very good ideas have been given. If you will be working alone mostly, 10 acres of produce would be a tremendous work load in the peak of the season. Maybe crops that are one time planting/harvesting would work better in this case. Grain crops, as mentioned already but also dry beans, pop corn or the already brought up potatos and fall squash. Crops like dry beans and pop corn could be held and sold, hopefully retail over a longer time period without worrying about spoilage as with fresh produce. This could be helpful while breaking into a new market. Just a thought. You didn’t mention where your located? Finding equiptment for single horse use is easier to find in some areas. When I lived in Pa. if you talked to the people involved in selling horse equiptment and tell them what you need it could usually be rounded up fairly quickly. Again, just a thought. Good luck with farm. Keep at it and it’ll come around.

[Scyther]

We have three dogs at this time. Two Springer spaniels that do get some use hunting birds and double as what my wife calls the top farm hands. They don’t really do anything, just follow me around every place I go. Also a jack russel terrier, he’s a young guy, just over a year but does go after mice. He thinks a lot of himself, very brassy.

[Scyther]

I know this was just ”thinking out loud”, but thought I’d float it and see what others thought. I’m no expert at all, only foaled one mare in my life. There probably isn’t the density of practical horse farmers in different regions to do this in an effective way at this time. A similar situation is found in cattle. A different breed is introduced from Europe[usually], people rave about how practical and useful it is for a surtain climate or management situation. And that is because it was the only breed raised in that area for a long time and developed to meet those conditions. Here in the USA we are facinated with obscure and different breeds, so many want something different, or a quick fix, instead of working at developing what they have already into what they want or need. That’s how most breeds or stains came to be in the first place, at least the older ones. People bred what they had, the best to the best for what traits worked in that area. This is sliding into a more generalized topic than just horses so I’ll quit. I’m rehabing from a shoulder op. and have way to much time on my hands. The things you can think about when you have nothing else you can do. Any horse breed/breeding thoughts along this line would be interesting though. Thanks, sorry for ranting.

[Scyther]

Makes me think of the old Saturday Night Live skit with the punch line,” it’s better to look good, than to feel good”. Only the truth is in reality the opposite. In this case, it’s better to work good than to look good. Good luck.

[Scyther]

Some people see things in a linear way. Profit margins are tight, more money means more commodity to sell, more commodity[grain,vegetables,milk,etc.] means farming more ground, means faster, more powerful equiptment. You get the direction this is going. So the work horse has no place in this picture. Try to understand the concerns and fears of those that have a contrary view point and address those points with reasonable alternatives that include other means of power,i.e. horses. When you challenge or threaten someones ideas they often get defensive. Don’t butt heads with an either/or situation, show how animal power, or human or any other power source can be used in some situations to your advantage over traditional mechanical/motorized power sources. It’s much like working horses, use your head to set up a situation for success instead of confrontation. Just my thought on it for what it’s worth. Good luck.

[Scyther]

I’d be suprised if you find much loose change around here.:confused: Hopefully you’ll find other useful things here though.

[Scyther]

Thanks for those pic’s.

[Scyther]

Well put Carl. When I had felt the need to do that it made me think that a team of oxen, being driven from the side would work much better. I always had that thought in mind, If the horse or horses need to lunge and I slip, well ouch. If I needed to do that alot I’d consider skidding with cattle.

[Scyther]

Thanks for the info and efforts. After many years of being involved and even more in just keeping an eye on such things it appears to me that once products of any type, but especially food are commercialized saying whatever is needed to sell it comes on it’s heels. I’m not inclined to complain, when I don’t have an idea of what to do about it. So I’m much more an advocate to produce your own, buy from smaller scale producers that you know or are from close to home. If that won’t work for you for some reason don’t pay extra for a product with labeling that you either don’t believe or can’t verify to your satisfaction. That just makes you poorer and condones a system that is off kilter. Don’t be a puppet of any system. Sometimes our choices are not very good or are unclear, but at least make your choices with your eyes open. We live in a capitalist economy, how you spend your money will effect how things go. Vote with your purchases. Well that’s my take on it. Sorry if I got rambling and opinionated a bit. Everyone take care and be well.

[Scyther]

I hear what Oldkat is saying. If a person is both fortunate and forthsightful enough to have a good, general vision of the path they want to take in life, in this case agriculture, it’s a great thing. To start out while you only have yourself to lookout for and be able to focus your attention, energy and money on this endever will give you a good start. This seems to not happen very often and leads to most of us,” limping along”, to get things going. One thing I have observed is that many who are successful in establishing farms close to how they’d like them is that they are tenasious about it. They push and hang on through the up’s and downs and setbacks. It may not always work out, but this seems to be a continuing thread in people that make a go of it. There are prices to be payed for such determination too, but they tend to reach their goal, or at least an adjusted goal as time goes on. Sometimes these things are fluid, as many of you know. Goal might not have been a good word to use, as it’s the journey that’s the real “trip” of it all. Making it “home” is rewarding too though. Good luck to you young ones, live the dream, and make the dreams good ones.

[Scyther]

Excellent, and true points made here. The human/economic factor is the big sticking point. This is one of a couple reasons I’m not trying to farm for a living anymore. To do it “right”, by my way of thinking, I found near impossible to be profitable under the economic system we have in place. So I work “away” to produce money, and farm the way I think it should be done at home. I only produce for self sufficientcy, and in that venue the economics work just fine. I’d like to scale up some at some point to a part-time commercial operation if I can do it “right”, that being my way, but don’t know if that will really happen or not. So I think you can farm in a self contained, or nearly so, way. To do it and make money is a much more challenging undertaking though. It proved to be beyond my abilities anyway. Good luck to all who venture in that area.

[Scyther]

That’s an interesting looking thing. It seems to work for you. I use to use melted lard, painted heavy on the bottoms of the hooves to keep the snow from sticking during winter work. I would keep a soup size can with lard in it in the house and put it on the wood stove to melt down when I’d get up. After chores and breakfast it would be ready to paint on. It wasn’t full proof, but it did help keep their feet clear for a few hours in wet snow.

[Scyther]

Well said. Or written as the case may be.

[Scyther]

Stepping away from a job that seems to provide financial stability, if not real security is not easy. It’s tough to find a way to think of it as wise too. I’m speaking from my own situation, so can fully relate to the situation and feeling. Accept for those who have a trust fund, even a small one , safely to fall back on or to smooth over the rough spots, stepping out of a stable situation isn’t easy. This is not a knock on those with trust funds, I know a few such folks and I wouldn’t turn one down. True financial failure is a posibility and that’s a bit un-nerving. I see most who have done this have had it thrust apon them and it was sink or swim. I’m aproaching that place. Will have shoulder op. soon and be unable to do the work I’ve done for quite a few years after rehab. The job has really been losing ground lately, but letting go and trying something else has been hard to do. Now it’ll be a must do. This has showen me more clearly that a lot of what is thought to be “security”, is pretty thin really.” better to burn out, than to fade away”, as the Neil Young song goes. Be strong and confident all. Farmout:cool:

[Scyther]

Good luck in your new location. I hope you adapt well to the different climate and conditions. Should be an adventure.

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