Above: Rural Heritage December 23–January 24 Cover: David Lash of Lake, Mich., drives a team owned by Mike Jordan of Belington, W. Va., during the 2023 American Brabant Association Rendezvous at the Jordan farm.
Rural Heritage
is a bimonthly
journal in support of farming
and logging with draft horses,
mules, and oxen. The December23/January24
issue was mailed to subscribers on November 26,
2023. Below is this issue’s annotated Table of Contents, with a link to a full feature article to showcase the good reading delivered to your door every other month
when you
Subscribe to Rural Heritage.
If, in your reading, you run across
a drafty word you don't recognize,
consult our online
Draft Dictionary.
Table of Contents
Departments
Publishers Post
Joe discusses how he deals with comments on Rural Heritage social media posts, the effect of a pervasive drought on some of his video shoots and his upcoming travel plans.
J C Allen Archives
Vintage photos of rural life by renouned photographer JC Allen including photos of winning hogs, hogs in clover pasture, Percherons, and cultivating corn.
Selections from our extensive catalog of books and videos
on draft animal farming, logging, self-sufficient living
and much more.
Associations and Breeders Directory
(contacts for breed registries and regional draft clubs)
(frequently updated online)
(please tell ‘em you saw it in Rural Heritage)
Features
Charlie Pattison won the youth class with his father on the lines at the 2023 U.S. Plowing Contest
New Steps in Training
Ralph Rice describes how he restored an Athens treadmill to use in exercising and training his horses as well as to power equipment around the farm
Ralph Rice preparing the horse training “racetrack” with a disc.
Training Diversity on a Small Homestead − − − click on title to read this story in full.
Ralph Rice shares his idea to use pastureland to create a “work area” for training and using his horses. He also talks about continuing to adapt how he uses his acreage to suit his changing needs.
On Tyler Webb’s dairy farm, organic standards require reimagining fly control, like partnering with swallows. Photo by Joel Milos and courtesy USDA NRCS South Dakota. Used via CC-by-SA 2.0.
We Are All Needed
Jenifer Morrissey provides in-depth information on how people are dealing with the rapid changes in agriculture and making a difference, one person at a time. Farmers share how they have adapted their operations to deal with climate volatility, food insecurity and rural flight.
Bark Whistle
Jerry Hicks describes his grandfather’s lesson on how to make a bark whistle … and where the phrase “wet your whistle” comes from.
How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down ont he Farm...when the horses get under the hood?
Dick Courteau discusses the transition from real “horse” power on the farm to motor vehicles and the changes this brought to rural life.
2023 U.S. Plowing contest winners.
2023 U.S. Plowing Contest
Lynn Neal reports the results and sent pictures from the 2023 USA Plowing contest that took place in in Olympia, Kent.
Wood chips combined with wet manure created excellent compost.
HPD Equipment
Photos and prices of Mowers, Hay Equipment, Planting Equipment, Sprayers, Produce Equipment and Power Lift Unit Carts displayed at the 2023 Horse Progress Days.
Chipping Away at an Old Subject
Ralph Rice describes how a chance offer of extra manure from a friend led to the discovery that combining woodchips and wet manure to helped extend the amount of compost he had available.
Using Pack Animals
Dick Courteau describes how he has used donkeys, ponies and mules as pack animals to get work done around the farm.
Half the steps and twice the load. Dick Courteau leading Mexicali with Jill following.
2023 Suffolk Punch Gathering
Lavada Pidcock gives us a brief report and results of competion at the 2023 Suffolk Punch Gathering at the Foothills Equestiran Center in Taylorsville, N.C.
Russel Acuff of Thornhill, Tenn., won the 3-Horse Sulky Plow class his team of mules at the U.S. Plowing Contest
The Reading Room is updated with each new issue. If you wish to be notified by email
when new contents are posted, please
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