New book on Draft Farming

[near horse]

I just saw that there’s a new book titled “The New Horse-Powered Farm: Tools and Systems for the Small-Scale, Sustainable Market Grower” by Stephen Leslie to be released on Mar 19. Sounds like Stephen may have worked with Nordells.

Can check out some of it at Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/New-Horse-Powered-Farm-Small-Scale-Sustainable/dp/1603584161/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1362526827&sr=1-3&keywords=stephen+leslie

[dominiquer60]

Stephen has worked with quite a few DAPNet folks to write his book, and he will be presenting at our Draft Animal-Power Field Days this coming September 28 and 29.

[near horse]

Great – I recognized his name from the draft community somewhere.

[Anonymous]

he writes for the small farmer journal, I too am looking forward to the read.

Jared

[Jeroen]

Thanks for posting, I ordered one! Might be a valuable book, because it seems he makes a very practical connection between the farming and the use of horses. I look forward to add some knowledge, never enough!

[Billy Anderson]

I ordered this book a couple of weeks back and it arrived at beginning of this week. Hardly put it down. couldn’t have come along at a better time. We have Just bought a place with few acres and are looking forward to living the dream. This book will be invaluable help in answering many questions.

[Eli]

I also have the book it is Awsome. I can’t stop reading it. I have it about 1/2 read and some read twice.    Eli

[Michel Boulay]

Got it this week also, looking forward to read it. All kinds of info in there. GREAT!

Mike

[Jeroen]

Ordered the book as a birthday present for my wife. Tip: don’t order it in spring time, you’ll lose a hand (she can’t put down the book) during spring work and you can’t change all your methods overnight. It’s great!

[Stephen Leslie]

Stephen Leslie here, author of “The New Horse=Powered Farm”. I have not visited the Forum in quite awhile and was happy to find this thread addressing my book. Thanks to everyone for gracious words about it. I feel the strengths of this book are rooted in three facts:
1) I have been making my living as a farmer for 21 years
2) I have been working with horses for 19 years
3) (most important) I called on the help of a whole community of teamster farmers to assist me in putting together as complete as possible a picture of current tools and best practices for farming with horses. I am very grateful and enthusiastic about this book because it does contain many amazing and useful contributions from a host of experienced teamsters—farmers and loggers. Foremost among them are Eric and Anne Nordell, who offered me not only written contributions, but tremendous support, editing and technical advice throughout the time I was working on this project.
And those of you who are familiar with Chelsea Green Publishing know of their long term dedication toward getting good tools into the hands of folks who are working for a saner, healthier future for our society and planet.
Although the book does include a general introduction to getting started with horses and the many possible applications of live horse power to the small farm, the core content is devoted to market gardening with horses. This is because, in the first instance it is what I primarily do with my horses—we manage a 4 acre CSA market garden with 4 Fjords (and lots of human muscle, too!). Secondarily, it seems to me, that many of the new and young farmers just starting out are drawn towards market gardening as central to the local/sustainable food movement and as a relatively lucrative way to make a living farming.
It was these folks that I wanted to reach and provide impulse to—they are a great hope for a restorative and regenerative agriculture to help heal Mother Earth.

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[near horse]

Working on Volume 2 yet?

[Stephen Leslie]

Yes! More in-depth focus on working horses in the market garden. Teach to learn—learn to teach—all the research and networking is improving my horsemanship and farming—tho leaving me a little sleep deprived.

[simon lenihan]

Excellent read, will appeal to anyone working drafts / ponies.
simon lenihan. http://www.celtichorselogging.com

[daniel grover]

as someone who is just beginning to farm vegetables with horses, I’m finding the book invaluable. i don’t know of any other resources that do what this book does. thanks for writing it..

[Brad Johnson]

I have finally finished the book. It really is an excellent resource for those working with horses , and I really appreciate all the work that Stephen and the the folks at Chelsea put in to make it happen. Nice work!!
-Brad

[Author]

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