Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

market-farming - Re: Green manures in the growing season

market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Market Farming

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: Grandad <grandad AT grandadsfarm.com>
  • To: market farming <market-farming AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Green manures in the growing season
  • Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2000 10:20:12 -0600


> I'd like to do it without the tractor, been
> considering draft horses,

When I was a kid I remember an old guy that drove a team of
horses pulling a wagon load of vegetables through the
neighborhoods stopping to sell them as he went. Wouldn't that be
a crowd catcher? But seriously, the problem with draft horses
is that the amount of acreage needed to keep the horses in shape
and trained far exceeds what most of us could maintain. I would
love to have a nice team of halflingers to take care of some of
the draft needs here but since you need to work a team at a
minimum of twice weekly to keep them trained I would be spending
more time training the horses than gardening.
I have talked to many Amish farmers about this and that is the
consensus. Even on their farms of 40 to 80 acres they end up
working hitches of 6 and 8 horses, not because they need that
much draft power but because they need to work the horses to
keep them in training and condition. They say that it is a
battle to keep a team in condition. You have to work them to
keep them in shape so that you can work them.
So I have decided to pursue draft goats. I have these excess
buck kids that can be whethered and put to work pulling a garden
cart.
--
>From mailto:grandad AT grandadsfarm.com and
the Home of Grandad's Farm Magazine
in the beautiful suburbs of Columbia, Missouri
http://www.grandadsfarm.com/




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page