Howdy from eastern Massachusetts!

[416Jonny]

Hello there folks!

Name’s Jonathan Birkett (friends call me Jonny B.) and I’m out here in Norwood, MA for school!

A little about me, I grew up in Shelburne, Vermont. Most of my family is from Ferrisburgh, most of them not too far away from the family farm. The farm has been there since 1803.

Was in a Sergeant in the Marines from ’03-’07, worked as a handyman in North Carolina (my adopted state) for six months, then came back home for six months.

During that time home I worked for Erik Andrus at Good Companion Bakery, lending a hand expanding the place, tending animals, fixing equipment, learning a much faster and easier way to hang sheetrock (thanks Erik!), building random things, making a go at restoring a ’52 JD model B I traded a 7mm Remington Magnum for, baking, doing a little field work, felling a few trees with a double bit axe whose head I could never seem to stop from working off the handle after more than fifteen minutes and slaughtering and butchering.

Well, after living in mostly agricultural regions I’m finally living in a city type area. It’s starting to wear on my nerves, but that’s another thread for another day.

I’m going to school at UTI for auto/diesel/industrial technology. Seems like I’m heading in the opposite direction of the things I love, but I’ve learned so much here that I know I can bring to the table. I believe there can be a lot of technology that can be utilized in draft animal power. Just because we are using an “older” form of power, doesn’t mean that we have to relegate ourselves to the stone age. Or that the means we use to accomplish the integration of technology in draft power needs to be fueled by petroleum or electricity (two form of power I am equally skeptical, electricity perhaps more so. You mean these things stop working because of invisible corrosion inside of a battery?). We already have relative motion, we’re all set!

Well, at any rate, I hope I can bring something to the forum for everybody. Of course, over here (anytime I give a direction, assume the base point is in Addison county, Vermont. Shoot a reverse asimuth, walk 62 paces, spin yourself in a circle and then you’ll be as lost as I am) there isn’t a farm for miles that I’ve seen. So if I ask a seemly stupid question, please bear with me as I have no immediate visual reference. I’ve already asked my landlord and she won’t let me keep farm equipment on the premises. Kind of a bummer, thought I saw a decent gang of harrows off in a ditch on 95……

Anyway, hope you’ll enjoy my company!

Jonny B.

[Carl Russell]

Welcome JonnyB..
Looking forward to your participation!! Hopefully we can find that point where old power and effective power meet! Carl

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