How to do it?

[Rod]

End of the year time and farm books. As usual the overweight costs in the fuel, equipment, and maintance catagories dominate the farm operating expense. We have two nice working steers and are busy with projects making sleds and other low tech accessories but wonder how practically employ them so as to make a significant impact on the machine cost factors.
I am so used to working with trucks and tractors and have setup the farm around their use that it seems a meaningful switch to animal power although it holds the promise of reduced cost is hard to get a handle on or envision in real day top day terms.
My guess is that others on this board have struggled with the same issue and I know some have overcome the mental and physical obstacles of making the switch. The Oxen are nice and fun to have but they are here for work first and would appreciate some discussion about how others have or have struggled with how to make that happen.

[Plowboy]

As you work around your place take note of the chores you do and maybe you will figure out what chores your steers can help with. I think it would be more of a challenge using steers because of the walking factor and the fact that most oxen are slow but powerfull. Horses fit in on our farm easily mowing, raking, moving round bales, skidding logs, plowing, discing,dragging, binding and hauling corn, working in the market garden cultivating,hilling, and harvesting. In order to do a vast amount of these jobs you too will be walking in the soft dirt with oxen. It may be a healthy choice for you if you figure in all the extra excercise you’ll be getting. Good luck and I hope you are able to incorporate your animals into your program. The more you use them the sharper they get.

[Author]

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