In My Library

[Lingodog13]

The Horse in the Furrow was written by George Ewart Evans. I also own it and am quite fond of it. My favorites include Sam Moore’s book, the Bowers books and videos(I don’t have the multiple hitch one, but the colt starting one is excellent), The Workhorse Handbook, Draft Horse Primer, Haying with Horses, and the Farming Press Videos First Steps to the Furrow, Harnessed to the Plow, and A Man for All Seasons.
Has anyone purchased “Teamwork: a horse farming year” that could review it for me?

[Iron Rose]

I just found a copy of the “Peoples Home Encyclopedia” Last copyright late 1800’s. Tells you everything that you need to know. From how to find the right wife(or husband ) to Doctoring your own stock, also a section on horse trading tricks. Lots of other information some outdated but a fun read.

[near horse]

Not a horse farming book but great for ideas in setting up your place to be independent, sustainable etc – a real sustainable “systems” type philosophy

1) Introduction to Permaculture

2) Gaia’s Garden

Very cool ideas regarding water conservation, collection …. well, you’ll see!

[Robert MoonShadow]

My selection (so far) =
1) ‘Keeping Livestock Happy’ – the USDA 1942 yearbook. (I’ve also got the 1923 & 1925 yearbooks) – a whole chapter on each animal (including horse/mule) and even dogs/cats. Perhaps outdated, but still lots of little nuggets in it.
2) ‘The Definitive Donkey’ – A textbook on the Modern Ass; by Betsy & Paul Hutchins >>> the founders of the American Donkey & Mule Society and the magazine The Breyer. This book, which they sent to me free, when I wrote from prison and asked them the price, IS as the name says: Definitive. Breeds, uses, training (including differences in donkey/mule/horse training), feeding, breeding; covering from miniatures to mammoth jackstock. A complete section on defining the colors, which are differently named from horses. This book also convinced me that “donkeys can do”…and that I can do, with a donkey. Even has a chapter on ‘flapjack races’ and other fun things to do. If you need to know about donkeys, it’s probably in here – and I’ll gladly loan it out.
3) “Donkeys for Development” by Peta Jones. The other book ADMS sent me free in prison – I was trying to learn about using donkeys for actual farm work; this book is written by Peta, who is a white woman in Zimbabwe (or whatever that country’s called this week), and S. Africa, who teaches humane & effective ways to use donkeys for farming & hauling… including a rural taxi service! Very pragmatic, as you might expect when dealing with the reality of farming in an impoverished nation: if it’s not VERY effective, they don’t have time to experiment with it. Case in point: when one donkey dies (or a goat) = it describes how to utilize the skin as a harness for the other donks. She also focuses on the reality that most of the farm work and the actual caretaking of the donkey falls upon the woman…and teaches them how…and WHY… to handle the animal humanely & safely. LOTS of insights that get you thinking on how to adapt or ‘make do’ with what you actually have on hand. {Even without duct tape! 😮
4) The Draft Horse Primer – hardcover edition.
5) 3 large boxes of ATTRA/NCAT publications about sustainable and organic agriculture. These are sent free (it’s independent of, but supported by, the USDA) – and can also be found online for free downloads, as well as a weekly newsletter/email.

[Gabe Ayers]

Rural Heritage Magazine is now selling the DVD series we had on the Rural Heritage Show on RFD-TV.

It is entitled: Restorative Forestry Techniques.

I think I may have posted this here before but things tend to fade into the past as they are bumped down the list by more recent post.

So if you are looking for a holiday gift for that house bound horseman, muleman or drover, this could be a good one.

If anyone does get this DVD please let us know what you think of it.

[Tim Harrigan]

One of my favorites is ‘Daylight in the Swamp’ by Robert Wells. Interesting and amusing history of logging across the Great Lakes Region in the mid- to late-1800’s. Things like ‘loggers smallpox’, the malady some would wake up with after a night drinking and if they came up short in a brawl, red pox on the chest from the victor standing on his chest with caulked boots. Stealing public timber by cutting ’round forties’, the forty acres they purchased and all the forties around it. One lumber baron and his big dog Ceasar, if the baron got into an argument, which he always did, he would command Ceasar “piss on him, piss all over him”, and Ceasar did. Great stuff.

[Author]

Posts