Current Enewsletter

Vol 14, Number 9, Octoer 2024

Welcome to the Newsletter

Here we are. It’s been a few months since we had a very successful Draft Animal Power Field Days at the Orange County Farmer Museum. In case that sentence doesn’t add up or feels icky to you, yes I’m joking - only two weeks have passed as I sit here and write. The rest is true. Outstanding 2024 DAPFD!

I’ve been a bit short or absent of these welcomes the last few months. I apologize for the readers who enjoy my welcomes; I made this decision for the overall organization and not due to personal priorities. As I am entering the last year of my third director term, there is a distinct possibility that I will not be voted to chair the board for my last year. With this in mind, I am making a concerted effort these last few months to write you all some “wicked” heartfelt welcomes. Here goes.

As you know, a large group of DAPNet folks stepped up to the plate two months before this year's Field Days and with short notice pulled off reprogramming the event at a new location. The ability and dare I say, ease at which our volunteer run organization did this is to account for two things. One, the amazing groundwork that was laid by the event committee during the winter of 2023 and summer of 2024. The second is simple and true: the resilience of this nonprofit and our community is stronger than ever. The board of directors roster is deep and filled with talented, inspiring and driven individuals. We are backed by an amazing administrative team at Morning Ag Clip who makes our work possible in ways that the public can’t understand. Furthermore all volunteers, on the committees and at the event itself are devoted, professional, and valued endlessly. This organization often feels like much more than an organization, it feels like a family. I simply cannot stop thanking everyone involved in the 2024 Draft Animal Power Field Days.

A breezing overview of the field days is simply this; we had an astounding representation of animals and teamsters. The consolidation of knowledge by these practitioners echoed profoundly over the participants at the Orange County Farmers Museum. The evaluations sung songs of teaching teamsters providing attendees authentic and valuable experiences with working animals. Our minds left the museum grounds full of inspiration and our belly’s fed with great food. We dodged all the raindrops during our 6th annual benefit auction and the raffle drawing for the #7 McCormick mowing machine. From the top to bottom we shared kindness and compassion, learning together vertically among instructors and laterally between peers. The 2024 Draft Animal Power Field Days embodied what this non-profit organization was founded on; level playing field education. See a photo gallery from this year's Field Days below.

Très peu de temps après notre réunion annuelle, l'Association des Belges du Québec a organisé sa journée de labour. Nous avons eu la chance de recevoir des photos nous montrant notre nouveau logo sur notre merveilleuse directrice, Daphne Rose Courtes
Clarissa M. Palmer from Plymouth State University is looking for participation from DAPNet members. This work is part of her sabbatical documenting the history of working animals in the White Mountains and North Country of New Hampshire.
We have an announcement about a member's author debut with their book “Oxette”. Lea Patrice Fales lives in Michigan with her partner, Brian. In their pursuit of learning traditional craft skills, they were first introduced to draft animal power in 2019 at Tillers International’s Plow Day in Scotts, Michigan. The inspiration for Oxette came from Lea’s experience of training a young single heifer calf to become an ox.

Enjoy getting your monthly fill of DAPNet news and the great work our members are doing to support this culture. Thank you for reading!

John Smolinsky,
President of the Draft Animal Power Network

Pictures from the 2024 Draft Animal Power Field Days

Thank you to Carole Wiley for her beautiful photography

See More Photos Here

During our 2024 Annual Meeting, we were lucky to bring on four new Board of Directors!

Please welcome:

Cindy Nickerson (she/her), of Edgecomb, ME, was introduced to horses at a young age in 4-H and Pony Club, competing in eventing and combined driving for many years. She then discovered oxen in 2015, and now has her own team of milking shorthorn oxen living in Edgecomb, Maine. She's excited about draft animal education whether for young people or older people. She's involved with her local 4H group, recently helping the students make yokes for their calves. She's made connections with other ox-enthusiasts from Tiller's International in Michigan to The Lauresham Museum in Germany (and that was just in 2024.) She's all about hands-on learning and about helping folks find the right setup that works for them and their animals.

Ben Retberg (he/him), of Penobscot, ME. Ben grew up working with livestock on his family's small-scale diversified farm in Maine. A love of animals combined with a desire to steward land ecologically drew him to draft animal power, which led him to Sterling College. There, he was introduced to draft horses and oxen by Nick Hammond and Ivy Pagliari. He loved animals, and the nuance and pace of live power, so he left school to pursue it further. After apprenticing at North Branch Farm, a mixed power nursery in Maine, he returned to his family's farm with a team of Belgians. Now farming full-time, Ben works with the Belgians to harvest firewood, cultivate a small market garden, manage pasture, and make hay for the dairy. He is excited and humbled by the opportunity to work with the DAPNet crew to help spread the culture and craft, both through engaging more people with it and exploring ways of making draft power financially viable for small businesses.

Jeff Mutchler (he/him) of Easton, PA. Jeff lives on a 33 acre farm in Easton, PA with his wife Christine. In 2008 he purchased a team of Belgians to log with and has enjoyed the experience of working with draft animals around the farm ever since. His first trip to the Draft Animal Power Field Days was in 2022 and he loved the passion shared with people about working with draft animals. He looks forward to being part and supporting the success of this great program and invites you to join.

Emily Brown (she/her) of Boylston, NY. Emily is excited to join the Draft Animal Power Network Board of Directors this year! Emily has already been working alongside the DAPNet board of directors and has been instrumental in the planning, management, and execution of our organization's annual field days. She has worked this year as a coordinator for our forestry and woodlot intensives and she has been attending our weekly meetings for event planning. Emily grew up on her family's farm where they raised grass fed Herefords, it's here where her love for agriculture, animal husbandry, and the outdoors was fostered. Emily attended Paul Smith's College to study in their forestry department and found herself spending a lot of time down at the horse barn and gardens. After taking a course in draft horse management, with Teaching Teamster Bob, Emily became infatuated with working draft horses. She was hired-on to work as a paid barn hand, sleigh and wagon ride driver, and continued to learn more about utilizing draft animal power in farm and forest settings. Upon Bob retiring from the college, Emily was asked to work as an Assistant Barn Manager, alongside Sara Dougherty. Emily was a critical component in keeping the draft work on campus alive! Since graduating with her undergraduate degree, Emily has gone on to manage log yards, purchase a small homestead, and has been making handmade soap using the lard from her herd of Kunekune pigs. Emily has a background in horseback riding, draft animal forestry and farming, as well as woodlot management.

We also said goodbye to four Board of Directors whose terms were up. Thank you Erika Marczak, Sara Dougherty, Dave Gibaldi and Lara Weise for all of their hard work through the years.

Plow Days in Lingwick: Draft Horse
Teams Compete in Quebec

On October 5th, Lingwick, Quebec, hosted a 2024 Plow Day, organized by Mathieu Bouchard and Nicole Tebby. The event brought together teamsters from across the region, showcasing the skills of Percherons, Belgians, and Clydesdales in various competitions.

Horses trained for fieldwork, forestry, and show rings demonstrated their versatility as teamsters of all ages participated. The event highlighted both the expertise of experienced handlers and of younger participants.

Courtney Williams, a professional photographer who covers horse-related events across Canada and the U.S., was on-site to capture the action, providing high-quality images of the day’s competitions.

For updates on future events, visit the websites or Facebook pages of the Quebec Belgian Association, Quebec Clydesdale Association, and Quebec Percheron Association.

Oral History Project Opportunity

Clarissa M. Palmer from Plymouth State University is looking for participation from DAPNet members. Please read to see what she is looking for.

"I am working on a sabbatical project documenting the history of working animals in the White Mountains and North Country of New Hampshire (for my sabbatical but broader geographic regions are also being explored as a separate, longer-term project). I have saved a few postings from the Draft Animal-Power Network Facebook group but was hoping to also share the opportunity for members to share their stories with me through the newsletter or a FB post. I am sharing the project information below and am more than happy to answer any questions you might have."

Oral and Pictural History of the Working Animals of the White Mountains & North Country in New Hampshire.

I believe that you have important experiences to contribute to an oral history on this topic and would like to invite you to participate in this project.
Your participation would include:

an interview (audio or video recorded based on your choice),
a tour of the location/facility where you conduct your work with animals,
option to share artifacts/photos for display at museum,
option to speak at Working Animal series at museum.

This work is part of my sabbatical documenting the history of working animals in the White Mountains and North Country of New Hampshire. Animals have had significant impact on my life, and I currently work with companion animals, therapy animals, and farm animals. This work grants me daily interactions with animals, allowing me to experience the immense value these animals have to me and others.
Living in Thornton, NH, I have become more attuned to the history of how animals have shaped and developed this region.

I also fear that much of the work we do with animals goes unseen and undervalued. This project will serve to document the work we do with animals, the impact of this work on the region, the history of working with animals in this region, and preserve this history before it disappears.

Work from my sabbatical will be featured in exhibits at the Museum of the White Mountains on the campus of Plymouth State University, used to develop a speaker series, included on a website (www.historyofworkinganimals.com) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/historyofworkinganimals), and used in publications & presentations.

You will have final approval on the content you share during interviews and site visits.
If you are interested in talking more about this project or would like to schedule a time to meet, please contact me at clarissampalmer70@gmail.com or 401-575-8183 (text or call). Please also feel free to share this information with people you feel might be interested in participating.

Thank you for your time,
Clarissa M. Palmer
Professor of Education & Psychology
Plymouth State University
Plymouth, NH, 03285

DAPNet Member Publishes Children’s Book!

In Oxette, a small cow named Virginia has big dreams to work someday. She imagines the seasons of her life filled with plowing, haying, logging, and sleighing. Unfortunately, her feet are too long to actually work or play. Instead, she is always left out to pasture. Could making a new friend help her on the way?

The inspiration for Oxette came from Lea’s experience of training a young single heifer calf to become an ox. And this is a good place to make an important distinction. Traditionally, a single ox, or when plural, oxen, are typically trained as steers. They must wait until they are four years old and can demonstrate a well-rounded education to receive the title of ox or oxen.

Oxette expands on this traditional concept of role for a working bovine with a playful, sweet, and endearing term. The plot goes on to connect the reader to the reality of caring for a working bovine, highlighting the importance of keeping their cloven hooves maintained.

The release date for Oxette was thoughtfully chosen as October 12, 2024, which is also celebrated as National Farmer’s Day. The book is dedicated: “To every small farmer. Your work makes a difference.”

Lea Patrice Fales lives in Michigan with her partner, Brian. In their pursuit of learning traditional craft skills, they were first introduced to draft animal power in 2019 at Tillers International’s Plow Day in Scotts, Michigan. They are subscribers to Rural Heritage and Small Farmer’s Journal, and members of the Draft Animal Power Network and the Midwest Ox Drover’s Association. Oxette is Lea’s debut as an author and illustrator. She earned her MFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York.

Agriculture / Draft Animal Power / Cattle
Softcover, 11 x 8.5 inches, 32 pages
ISBN: 979-8-218-47478-2, $19.99 US
For more information, please visit www.pasturepinepress.com

Love Them Through It

Listen Here

Tune in to the newest episode of the DAPCast by clicking the link below or searching your favorite podcast directory for the Draft Animal Power Podcast. This time we spoke with Anna Knapp-Peck, who some will remember from Field Days. She was there with her little steer, Otis and single ox Sam. Anna fell in love with oxen as a high schooler on the Vermont-New York state line. She was involved in showing cattle in both states, and unlike some of her other high school hobbies, this one stuck! Anna’s made a life with oxen, and has lots of thoughts on harness and hitching (she uses single oxen with a three-pad collar harness system) as well as breeds, training methods, and family life. Don’t miss it.

Committee Updates

Events and Field Days
Events committee spent their meeting this month debriefing the FABULOUS Field Days we had (the feedback from teamsters and presenters was very good!) and thinking about whether we will plan to return to the same location next time we return to NY. That is a larger decision, however, which will be decided by the Board. We plan to facilitate some DAPChats this winter and help put on some small events, so stay tuned for that.
Finance and Fundraising
With the giving season upon us, our Finance and Fundraising team has wrapped up our deck, executive summary, and budget. We're now focused on grants and fundraising campaigns for 2025. If you're interested in supporting our organization and getting involved, we'd love to have you join our committee.
Education
EduComm is hard at work analyzing feedback from the table survey some of you may remember from 2024 DAPFD! There were lots of great ideas shared, from a booklet of practical tools, to a kids workshop with mini ponies, to a draft-powered forestry certification program… lots to think about!
Communication
Comm Comm welcomed a new committee member this month: Ben Retberg, who has gloriously agreed to coordinate the newsletter! We dropped a new podcast episode with Anna Knapp-Peck, one of our oxen presenters at Field Days, and worked on advertising with Draft Horse Journal and some DAPNet printed assets. This winter we look forward to crafting an advertising calendar and creating a trifold brochure!

Classifieds

Are you selling or in search of something draft-related? Harness, equipment, or even draft animals? Or maybe you’re offering a job position or apprenticeship?
Email your ad to dapnetinfo@gmail.com and we’ll put it in the next newsletter.

**FOR SALE:** Marius--Beautiful 5-1/2 month old Jersey/Devon/Brown Swiss cross bull calf. Weaned one month ago. Leads and is extremely friendly and tractable. Huge and strong--a good ox prospect? Both parents on sight, both excellent conformation, health and temperaments. Good home only, and home slaughter only, no homes that 'ship', please. $600. Contact: Liz Guenther 802 661-8589 or by email.

FOR SALE: Two Canadian Drafts, Max and Luckie. Papers and vet records available Luckie is the smaller fellow, all black. Max is taller and heavier with the white sock behind. I am willing to communicate with interested folks by email, phone or text. Liz Guenther, (802) 661-8589 or by email.

LOOKING FOR: My name is Cory Cronk and I am contacting you on the behalf the Cross Brook Hunting Club. We are in need of a team of horses to bring us in and out of our hunting site this year. We hunt the Siamese ponds wilderness in the Adirondacks, and we are looking to be brought in on November 2nd and brought out on November 10th. Feel free to reach out via email or cell. 518-657-1368. If you know anybody in the surrounding area that could help us out, please let us know!

Welcome to the DAPMap

This month we are looking at our new additions.
Turner Farm Inc- A diversified farm and event space with a focus on draft powered organic crop production. You can check Turner Farm here.
Hawthorn Farm- I teach introductory grooming, harnessing, and horse handling for people interested in farming and logging with horses. All ages welcome! You can reach Alexia at hawthornhealstheheart@gmail.com.
Iron Kettle Farm- percheron horses, forest raised meats. Contact Tom at ironkettlefarmnh@gmail.com.
McCarry's Clydesdales- We breed, train, show, and give carriage rides. We also so clinics on driving. I'm a professional farrier with 30 years experience. Contact Patrick at mccarryfarrier@gmail.com.
Notre Terre Paysanne Coop- family farm- fruit production, meat goat and veggie. Contact Mario at notreterrepaysanne@gmail.com.
Zach Odom Mule Logging- Select cut timber harvesting and timber management using draft animal power horses and mules. Contact Zach at zachary.odom85@gmail.com.