Publisher's Post - December 2024

We have an update on the preparations being made for Larry Jollisant's wagon ride fundraiser trip to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in March 2025. As I mentioned in the last issue, Larry will be setting out from his home in Plantersville, Texas, and finishing severalweeks later in Bandera - 350 miles away.

Larry has been getting his eight-wheel Lindsey log wagon in shape and four big Belgian mules ready for the trip. The lead team is made up of two 4-yearolds that came out of Tennessee about six months ago, and the wheelers are 5-year-olds he bought at the Hoover ’s Mule Sale in Kentucky a few months earlier.

The wagon is mostly ready, but the mules still need a little work to become more traffic-safe, Larry says, but he's confident they'll be ready in time. He's still refining the exact path he’ll take but has most of the rest of the details well in hand. A support truck and trailer will follow the wagon, hauling feed, water and other supplies Larry will need during the monthlong trip.

To learn more about his trip or how you can support his mission to help St. Jude’s, visit www.cowboyslastride.org, where there will be links to the hospital's official website as well as opportunities for supporting the wagon trip itself.

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After my latest bout with COVID a couple monthsago, I have been working through some long COVID symptoms including fatique, muscle aches and what is known as “brain fog.” It’s nothing severe, and not worth writing about except that it has given me an opportunity to learn something about myself. Something of which I am not very proud.

I’ve always been impatient in traffic, silently cursing the people in front — or behind or alongside — of me who are not doing what I feel they should. I get especially irritated when a driver appears unsure of where they are going, or, worse, appears to change their mind at the last minute. “What is wrong with them?” I ask myself. I apparently never noticed that I am guilty of some of the same transgressions or have chosen to ignore the fact.

But now that my thoughts are less clear, for the moment, and my memory less sharp, I’ve been finding myself making driving mistakes more than usual. Nothing dangerous. Just something of a nuisance to the drivers, pedestrians and passengers with whom I share the road. A few days ago, as I exited my car parked on the street in front of the bank, I was surprised to see a car stopped just behind and to the left of me. I apparently opened the door of my car without looking in the rearview mirror, something I always do. With his window down, the other driver was able to make his displeasure plain: “What are you, stupid?” he asked rhetorically. “

Well, I don't know,” I wanted to answer. “Maybe.” But by then he was gone in a squeal of tires.

Suddenly, I was the person creating a hazard on the street and he was my prior, irritated, self. I am trying harder now to be more patient and understanding. with my fellows, maybe earning a little karma for when I become a true menace to those around me. °

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We are finishing up our coverage in this issue of equipment demonstrated at the 2024 Horse Progress Days in Gordonville, Penn. Years ago, I fit everything in one issue and still had room for other stories. Over the years, however, the number of equipment manufacturers showing their implements has grown significantly. A few years ago I started splitting the coverage between two issues. This year I spread it out over three.

If the list of vendors and manufacturers continues to grow, we may need to come up with yet another idea to serve our readers and provide the coverage the event deserves.

Next year’s event is in Clare, Mich., which is typically smaller and includes fewer demonstrated machines as the manufacturers are further away from the event, so I may not have to worry about it for another year.

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The gift-giving holidays are coming up and if you are looking for a useful and meaningful gift to give or receive, look over our bookstore pages in this issue. If you need to find that perfect something for that particular someone, it may be there. And if you need to help someone find that perfect gift for you, do what Ralphie does in “A Christmas Story” each year: open the issue to the page containing what you want and leave it strategically placed where that someone can find it. Just a couple suggestions. °

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I spent most of September at home, but got busy traveling more in October, as shown by some ofthe stories and photos in this issue. I visited the Old Iron Show in Eldon, Iowa, (page 80) the Cedar Creek Plow Day in Linden, Tenn., (page 24), the Boonville Plow Day in Boonville, Ind., (page 20), the Time of Harvest festival in Kinzers, Penn., the ABA Rendezvous in Hastings, Iowa, and the Missouri Draft Horse & Mule Association plow day near St. Joseph, Mo. Then, in the first weekend of November, I finally made it to the Cinder Ridge Farm Harvest Festival in Thurmond, N.C. I'll have reports on those last four events in the next issue. Most of these trips will end up as TV shows — some are on the schedule on page 105 of this issue.

All in all, it was a great month for meeting new people, visiting with old friends, and watching skilled teamsters work their horses, mules and donkeys. As Susan and I put this issue to bed, I am planning a trip to Decorah, Iowa, this coming Saturday to film a Tim Christopher logging and learning day where teamsters who may have lots of experience driving their horses, learn how to hook to and skid logs through the woods.

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Now that we are in December, I’m reminded how much I appreciate the US Postal Service, United Parcel Service, Federal Express and other couriers. The men and women handling our mail and packages work very hard under often trying circumstances to do their jobs. Like most everyone, I am not immune from making the occasional uncomplimentary remark when something goes awry. I don’t often do the opposite when everything goes well. It's mindboggling to me the amount of mail and packages that travel every day from one place to another. And, while we are usually unhappy about price increases, I continue to be impressed with the level of service we almost always receive for our money. It is a bargain.

I’ll wind up here with a message of gratitude to our subscribers, customers, viewers, followers, advertisers and other friends who join us in celebrating our rich rural heritage. When I count my blessings, you are all very near the top of the list. — jm