Rural Heritage Reading Room

Horse powered farmer Stephen Leslie walks through the process of developing a business plan.  From capital and production costs to land cost, crop choice, budget, taxes, labor, insurance and more.  There are many resources listed to help you in developing your own plan.

This ghost town was once a stop on Southern Pacific Railroad’s route west.  Water wells, copper mining, and the Butterfield mail route all flourished there when Jenifer Morrissey’s great-great-grandparents purchased land in 1914.  She has included some wonderful vintage photos to enhance the essay.

Jerry Hicks tells a wonderful story about tapping maples when he was 16 with the help of his Pappaw and Mammaw.  You can almost taste the syrup while you are reading.

Leroy Keim is 71 years young and farms with a single horse.  Read how he modified its harness to make it easier for him to be able to put it on in pieces.  He also tells us of his stable management method to perfect the manure composting process on his farmland.

Jenifer Morrissey shares Richard Augeri’s love for ponies and their role on his Vermont farm.  He uses four grade ponies and one Shetland stallion to bring in hay, plow and log his woods.  Richard has adapted many horsepowered implements to fit these small draft animals.

Restorative forestry was taught, practiced and demonstrated at the Biological Woodsmen’s Week at Berea College in Kentucky.  Teams of horses along with teamsters and timber cutters teamed up removing the “worst first” trees from the college’s acreage.

Katrina Julian discusses the need for diversification and new income streams to keep a family farm profitable.  Along with their dairy, horse logging, writing and photography, she and her family now sell their beef directly to consumers.  Read about the entire process from breeding to the grocery store shelf.

Karen Kirsch reports on the sixth annual Donkey Welfare Symposium for both professionals and enthusiasts.  Some topics discussed were:  the state of donkeys in developing countries, hoof lesions, ophthalmology, tropical diseases, some history, racing mules, riding donkeys, wild donkey sanctuary and BLM management of wild donkeys.  So much was covered in three short days.

Ralph Rice introduces (or reintroduces) us to this old lumber industry tool and explains its many uses today, whether old or shiny new. He also tells us how he made his own tool in his shop, modifying an old axe head.

A photo essay of the 14th annual US Horse and Mule Plowing Contest in Olympia, Kentucky.  Competition classes included walking plow, two horse sulky plow, three horse sulky plow, antique plow and novice class.

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