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  • From: Clansgian AT wmconnect.com
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Tractors was: A homestead plan
  • Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:38:44 EDT


> >Let me start this by saying I am a gear head, I like machinery.

Let me start by saying that I detest machinery and would gladly live in a
world without it. Now one must'nt take either Don's nor my comment to the
point of 'ad absurdum'. I drive a truck and use a can opener ... and I'm
sure
Don isn't shopping for an automatic nose-wiping machine (see how I'm
keeping this nice).

> >Draft animals may be romantic and all that but to properly use
> them with out injuring takes more training on the part of the teamster than
> the team.
>

Essentially this is true, but far more people are injured by tractors than
horses and far worse injuries. None the less much of draft animal work in
not intuitive to us children of the mechanical world. It DOES take a bit of
training and knowledge.

Much of the mechanized vs hand or draft discussion centers on our
orientation. One is not good and the other bad, each has its good points and
each
its limitations.

For example. This year's over abundant rain has given a great advantage to
the ragweed, ironweed, horse nettle, and smartweed in the 7 acre pasture
here in the back. One morning and a tractor and bush hog would be the end of
it. Much of it is pretty steep but a small, well suited tractor with wide
wheel base could do it fine.

On the other hand every morning as a ritual I have taken my short scythe
and gone to pasture just at sunup and cut for half a hour for the past three
weeks. It'll wake you up in the morning. About the time the sun is making
itself felt and the cool dew turning to mist from the weeds, I'm ready to
head back to tea and get on with the usual day. As an aspiring codger of 56,
it's keeping my blood pressure down, weight down, and gives me about as
cheery a disposition as I am capable of.

Another week or two and the summer weeds in this pasture area will all have
fallen. 'RoundUp hath slain its thousands, but James hath slain his tens
of thousands." I will be missing the routine when I'm done and looking
around to other areas that could use 'hogging'.

We, says I, are overly machine oriented. If machines are one's thing, then
I'd go for it heart and soul. But the notion that the machine way is
sooooooo much easier is due to you lack of imagination and an unjustifiable
faith in the mechanical. There are other ways to accomplish the same thing.

James




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