Current Enewsletter

Vol 15, Number 2, February 2025

 

Welcome to the Newsletter!

A moment in the Swedish Countryside

The large mid-day meal was still heavy in my gut while the breeze played on the strings of spruce overhead.  As I plodded down the lane and past the old mill race, I saw him sitting there alone. 
    “Hey Carl!”, I waved.
We had been in Sweden for days now and this was the first time I had been able to catch a moment like this.  The denouement had already begun.  A final farm tour and farewell party with our generous hosts remained but right then and there was a moment suspended from time.  
    “Hey man…” came his reply, allowing that I was interrupting something but was nonetheless welcome to sit and participate.  After a bit of small talk and laughs about the trip - the food, the horses, and equipment we’d seen - I finally got up the nerve to ask a “big” question.  
    “Carl, what do you think is the biggest thing we can do to help more people do what we do?”
And with slicing directness unfamiliar to a southern boy…
    “Get out there and DO IT!”, he rumbled back.
Surprised, I quickly agreed and went on to relate my hopes to teach and how DAPNet had so much potential.  He was supportive of course and encouraging.  I could however tell there was nothing much new to him.  The man had spent years contemplating such things.
No one spoke for a while.  The cook’s grill and the folding tables around us creaked in the breeze.  Then Carl gave me a warm smile.  
   “Well man, I better see about calling home”, he said standing up.
    “Hey Carl, thanks for making all this happen”, I replied.
    “You Bet!”, he said with a nod.  
At the time I was referring to the trip to Scandinavia he had helped organize.  In hindsight, I was speaking of so much more.
 
So to this month’s theme - Education.  From the Latin root “educare”; meaning “to nourish”.  How shall we nourish ourselves so we may be able to nourish others?  What does a DAPNet Education Program look like? As we begin to answer the who, what, when, and where of these questions; why we should engage in such work takes me back to my conversation with Carl.
We must take time to be together in the moment.  Listening as much, or more, than speaking.  And when the answer is as obvious as the summer day is long, we must state it plainly and directly.  So here it is plain and direct - Our craft, though necessary and resilient as ever, is also more vulnerable to loss than it ever has been.  Rick Thomas of the Berry Center in KY recently called DAPNet “our last best chance” to preserve draft animal livelihoods.  We are in that moment suspended; before the end and far from the beginning in the tale of draft animal power.  We may still sway the outcome and see what we know passed on to a capable new generation of teamsters.

Anyone who has cultivated a crop, tended a forest, bred livestock, or raised a family knows that nourishment is tough, tiring, and sometimes brutal work that tests your patience.  But - can we get out there and do it? Can we educate like the future of live power culture depends on it? Will our future generations also know such quiet moments in the countryside, or the city park, or wherever the breeze makes music on the trace chains?  
You Bet!
-Ian McAfe Snider, DAPNet Education Committee Chair
Brushy Fork of the New River
Ashe County, NC

Ian with daughter Fina Mae driving a team belonging to his Mentor Chad Miano. 

What we do

Our work is fueled by a deep love for the land and the animals that help us steward it. We're always thinking of how to expand what we offer the draft community to share this love and grow the culture of stewardship. We have a number of ideas in the pipeline regarding this, but we are proud to already offer several resources to help you find, connect with, or further your relationship to and knowledge of live power and the community around it. We offer a range of programs designed to educate, connect, and inspire:

  • DAPMap: A growing directory connecting global draft animal practitioners, businesses, and institutions. Be sure to join if you haven't already!

  • DAPChats: Roundtable discussions with experienced teamsters and industry professionals. Be sure to check the schedule for the next chat - or email us with the subject line "all DAPChats" to sign up for the whole series.

  • DAPCast: Our podcast exploring the intersection of sustainable land use and draft animal power. Stay tuned for the upcoming episode with guest Norm Macknair.

  • Monthly Newsletter: Bringing the latest news, events, and resources to our community. We welcome submissions from all of you - if you have something you'd like to read about, an event to highlight, or a classified to list, get in touch here.

  • DAP Field Days and Other Events: Hosting intensive workshops and hands-on learning opportunities for both beginners and seasoned practitioners.

  • Facebook Discussion Group: A vibrant community with over 8,000 members sharing advice, stories, and support.

  • Member List-Serve: Keeping our members connected and informed via Google Groups.

Have you had a chance to listen to the Draft Animal Power Podcast? Last year, we have published six different episodes with interviews of people working with draft animals in the USA and Germany! Find us on any podcast listening platform and subscribe to be the first to know of a new episode!

“Don’t Drive the Horse, Pull the Log”:
Lessons in Presence from Paul Chaperon

By Daphné Rose Courtès

I’ll start this story by introducing myself, as it sets the stage for talking about my mentor, Paul Chaperon.
My name is Daphné Rose Courtès. I was born in Paris 25 years ago, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve had horses by my side—though at first, they were only imaginary due to the practical limitations of my Parisian upbringing..
At eight years old, I was determined to ride any way I could. I knocked on every door in my grandmother’s village, hoping for a chance. It paid off. I got to train a donkey and even drive Friesian horses, thanks to a woman named Carmen Jezersky, who introduced me to the concept of a farm with horses.
A while later, after living in Montreal for years, I moved to Victoriaville to pursue a three-year program in organic fruit production. As part of this program, I needed to complete an internship—and that’s how I found myself stepping into the world of draft animal power.
At the time, I didn’t have a car, so I walked to my chosen internship site: Ferme Chapi. I didn’t fully grasp what I was getting into, but walking 50 kilometers to the farm felt like a pilgrimage—and, in many ways, it was. At the end of that two-day hike awaited a life-changing experience for me and my dog, Chaika.

The moment I arrived, they put me to work. It was chore time, so we had to milk the cows. I had never milked a cow, turned a wrench, stacked firewood, or done much of anything farm related. But I was thrown into it like clothes in a washing machine—except I didn’t feel sick or overwhelmed. It felt like a dance I was enjoying before I even knew the steps. 
The next day, I found myself on an enormous Belgian-Percheron cross gelding, Fred, heading into the woods for my first experience working with a horse.

And that’s when I met Paul Chaperon.
It took me a while to understand his impact on my life. I was still so Parisian—cautious, skeptical, and hesitant to trust men—that I didn’t immediately grasp the depth of his character. The difference between our accents in French (Quebecois and French from France) made it so hard for me to understand him AT ALL at the beginning but we made it work.
Paul Chaperon, the son of a horse farmer, has spent most—if not all—of his life working with horses alongside his wife, Françoise. Together, they run a dairy farm with about 30 cows and five draft horses. Their Belgian horses are essential to the farm, used for everything from logging their 450-acre property to collecting sap, plowing, harrowing, seeding, and cultivating the garden.

More than just a farm, their home is a place of warmth and community. They welcome family members, interns, and foster children, creating an environment rich in knowledge, generosity, and kindness. With many grandchildren—and even great-grandchildren—Paul and Françoise have built a life centered on sharing what they know and supporting those around them.

How Did Paul Change My Life?

This is a big question—one that answers itself more and more each day. I could also just say he became the father I needed.

A defining moment in our bond happened while we were logging with an energetic mare. I was riding her as she skidded a log out of the woods when she suddenly fell into the mud. I got stuck between her and a stump. As she thrashed, trying to get up, I was being crushed by the chain tied to the log.
Then, out of nowhere, Paul grabbed me with one arm and lifted me as if I weighed nothing (and I’m a solid 145 pounds). I’ll never forget the look on his face—serious, focused, yet calm and unwavering.
Two minutes later, he was laughing and, without hesitation, told me to get back on the mare.
“You both need it,” he said.
That moment shook me—not because I feared logging with horses, but because, for the first time, I felt truly safe. I had made a mistake, and he saved me. He didn’t comment on it, didn’t judge me for it—just gave me the opportunity to carry on as if nothing had happened. He treats humans and horses with the same deep respect.
Paul is tough but fair. He always has words of wisdom for those who ask—but offers silence when it’s needed.
“The best ears don’t speak,” he once told me.
Silence. This is a skill few possess, and even fewer master. Paul’s silence isn’t distant or cold; it’s the greatest gift he ever offered me. It gives space for reflection, for learning, for growth. When I make mistakes, I don’t get scolded. Instead, I get a simple question:
“Did you forget anything?” And then—silence. Time to process, to understand, to improve

Wisdom Beyond the Classroom

Paul has a spark in his eye that reveals his intelligence. I’m a graduate student at university, yet I find more depth in Paul’s reflections than in most academic settings. Not because he has all the answers to my problems, but because his thoughts are elegant, complex, yet beautifully simple. They offer solutions in a kind and humble way.
In a world where most of us are glued to screens, Paul isn’t. He doesn’t own a phone and only recently got a Facebook account—though I doubt he knows how to log in. He stays true to himself.
He is, to me, the most authentic human I have ever met. He doesn’t hide behind abstract ideas, nor does he compare himself to others. That authenticity shines through in his horsemanship.
The first time he handed me the lines, I asked nervously,
“How do I hold them? How do I ask him to go or stop?”
As if there were some strict rulebook to follow.
“With your hands,” he replied.
But what I really heard was: with your heart—your bare heart.
That moment didn’t fully sink in until later, but it reshaped the way I approach working with horses. I need to stop “driving” and just get the job done.

Paul once told me, “Don’t drive the horse, pull the log.” (or something like that)
He meant that I was too focused on controlling the horse, when instead, I should be focusing on the task at hand—working in harmony, trusting the process. That phrase stuck with me.
Later, he expanded on it in a conversation about trust.
“Nobody trusts their horses, their dogs, their neighbors anymore. It’s sad because the less you trust the other, the less they can be trusted. And it’s the same with tolerance. We don’t hear the footsteps of children in churches anymore—because we don’t tolerate their cries.”

Then, he looked at me with those intense blue eyes—the kind of look that says, let that thought marinate.

Paul doesn’t care about being the best teamster, having perfect technique, or adjusting things “the right way.” He just gets the job done, without seeking validation from others.
Horses are the only true witnesses to his life. The only true reflection of his horsemanship.
And how lucky am I to own and work with his former horse, Fred?
Paul Chaperon has shaped my life in ways I never imagined. Through him, I’ve learned patience, resilience, and the quiet power of simply being present—with horses, with people, and with myself. Skills I am still learning to master.

----
Daphné Rose Courtès is a horselogger based in Quebec - she also serves as co-Chair of the DAPNet Events and Field Days Committee, and Executive Committee Moderator. 


Orders for the 2024 Draft Animal Power Field Days Commemorative Book

Do the winter blues have you reminiscing about the warm days of September when we all gathered in New York for the 2024 Field Days? Do you long for a memento to page through, to help you get through the long, long months between field days? Fear not, we have just the thing!  24 pages of sheer field days beauty, with captions to help us all keep the teams and people clear in our minds for years to come!
$45.00 covers printing, and shipping and handling is $13.99. Find yours today in our web store. 

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.

  • Hay Year - Call for contributions!
    Have you been involved in haymaking in the past? Will you be harvesting hay this year? Do you have experience in hay management with draft animals or traditional hay storage? Would you like to share hay stories with us, experiences with harvesting equipment, be it scythes or mowers or even hay tedders or rakes?
    We are also looking for historical, ethnographic and archaeological information on hay management, be it photos, films or publications.
    Are you interested in becoming part of this unique networking project? Then contact us now! 

  • Employment Opportunity: North Country School and Camp Treetops Seeking Farming Fellow
    North Country School & Camp Treetops is seeking a full-time Farming Fellow to join our educational farm in the Adirondacks. Over the course of this year-long fellowship, you will immerse yourself in the daily tasks and seasonal cycles that sustain our campus farm—from starting seeds and growing crops to caring for livestock, managing rotational grazing, and working with horses. You’ll also help create a hands-on, place-based learning experience for nearly 300 campers and students, guiding them through barn chores and integrating them into the rhythms of farm life. This unique opportunity blends farming and education, offering a meaningful way to inspire the next generation to discover “the joy in meaningful work."
    Anyone interested is invited to apply, but young folks with a passion for working with horses are especially welcome as North Country School develops its horse program.
    For more details and to apply, visit: 

North Country School Farm Fellowship

  • Internship: North Country School and Camp Treetops Summer Farm Internship
    Interested in working with the North Country School but looking for something shorter term than the full fellowship? Check out their summer internship!

North Country School Farm Internship

  • Draft Animal Farming Needs Assessment Survey, Purdue University
    Dr. Moriah Bilenky of Purdue University is conducting a needs assessment survey of draft animal powered farmers for funding opportunities which would allow for many different collaborations among current and future draft animal powered farmers as well as those providing education formally or informally to those interested in draft animal power on small farms

Needs Assessment Survey

  • In Search Of 1-2 Riding Horses near Lake Placid, New York
    North Country School in NY is looking to add to our herd of 7 riding horses!
    We’re looking for one to two new horses (or mules!) that meet the following criteria:
    - between the ages of 6 and 12
    - 15.2 to 17.2 hands (barn height restriction)
    - ride and drive
    - western or English
    - beginner safe (must be able to pick up feet and stand comfortably while being handled by students)
    - preferably within 7-8 hours driving distance of Lake Placid, NY
    - price is flexible but around $7-8k would be ideal.
    Contact Toby if you have any leads, tharmon@northcountryschool.org
    or 607-435-8355 (text or call).

Events

Have a draft animal related event you’d like share with the DAPNet community? Fill out our Events Submission Form and our volunteers will add your event to our website calendar!

For more details on the following events and others, visit our website.

March 1st - 2nd: 2025 Mower Rendezvous. Held at Donn's Mower Shop, Northland Sheep Dairy, Marathon, NY. Hosted by Donn Hewes. Cost: $50

March 7th - 9th, 2025 - Harnessing the Power of Mules in Timber Operations. Held at The Berry Center Farm and Forest Institute, New Castle, KY. Taught by Rick Thomas. Cost: $150

March 12th - 14th: Spring Driving Clinic. Haste Draft Horses and Mules, Liberty, KY.

March 15th - 16th: Oxen Driving. Held at Tillers International, Scotts, MI. Taught by Rob Collins. Cost: $445

March 22nd - 23rd: 2025 Cultivator Rendezvous. Held at Donn's Mower Shop, Northland Sheep Dairy, Marathon, NY. Taught by Becky Frye and Michael Glos. Cost: $50

March 23rd, 7pm EST: DAPChat - Logging Story Time with Chad Miano and Guests (TBA). Online on Zoom. Free.

April 5th - 6th: Oxen Driving. Held at Tillers International, Scotts, MI. Cost: $445

April 5th - 6th: Initiatie Werken met trekpaard op cordeel, Halle Begium. Vraagprijs: 125€ pp. VOLZET

April 12th - 13th, 9am - 4pm both days: Hudson Valley Draft Horse Association Driving Class. Ulster County Fairgrounds, 249 Libertyville Road, New Paltz, NY. Members only (only $15 to join). Cost $75 for both days.

April 17th - 18th: Draft Horse Basics. Held at Tillers International, Scotts, MI. Cost: $410.

April 20th. 7pm EST. Story Time and Q & A on Working with Horses, featuring Ted Russell and the Green Mountain Draft Horse Association. Online (Zoom). Free.

April 26th - 27th. Oxen Basics 1. Sanborn Mills Farm, Loudon, NH. Taught by Ray Ramsey and Tyler Allen. Cost: $280.

April 26th - 27th. Beginner Horse Driving Clinic. Shelburne Farms, VT. Organized by Green Mountain Draft Horse Association. Cost: $145

Field Days Highlight: 2025 Field Days Art Contest

Calling all artists!
Do you love draft animals? Do you love art?! Do you love combining the two?  As we plan this year's Field Days Event at Sanborn Mills Farm in New Hampshire this fall, we would like to feature your artwork on our merchandise, advertisements, and posters. This is a chance to get your art on hundreds of t-shirts and promotional materials, plus the winner will receive free registration to the entire event, and merchandise with the selected art on it!

What we're looking for:

  • Screen print friendly and comfortable to wear (i.e. not a big color block of non breathing screen print)

  • Single color design that is easy to colorize

  • Will need to say "2025 Draft Animal-Power Field Days, Sanborn Mills Farm, Loudon, NH".

The deadline is April 23rd, 2025. All submissions should be sent to dapnetinfo@gmail.com.

Check out previous examples below:

Welcome to the DAPMap

Welcome to the DAPMap. This month we are looking at our Schools, Apprenticeships, & Training Services Tag

NEW - GLG Farm - Farming with Horses "an old skill for a better future". Good for people, good for horses, good for the planet. 4 programs to learn. The Essentials of horse-drawn farming. We use a team of Brabant, Suffolk Punch, a Team of Haflingers, An oxen. You can reach out to them here.

Hawthorn Farm- I teach introductory grooming, harnessing, and horse handling for people interested in farming and logging with horses. All ages are welcome! Contact them here.

Flying Plow Farm- Organic produce and pasture-raised meats. Horsepower is used for plowing, fieldwork, and cultivating our 15 acres of vegetable land. Reach out them here.

Brandywine Carriage Tours- We run a carriage business but also have a Clydesdale stallion Cooks Harley Rider standing at stud. Reach out them here.

Ox and Donkey School- Training for you as well as oxen and donkeys. Also interested in friendships and partnerships with others interested in draft animals near us. Please contact by letter or by leaving a voicemail.

Want to be featured on the map? Fill out the form today!

Committee Updates

Executive Committee
Excomm wants to thank the DAPNet community for a great membership drive.  We achieved and then passed our membership goal!  The programming that the DAPNet board of directors and volunteers work on all year is programming for and supported by our membership.  Of course, it’s not too late to join!  Head over to draftanimalpower.org to join up and join in!  

Events and Field Days Committee
Our committee has had a relatively calm month, even as we continue preparations for the 2025 Field Days at Sanborn Mills Farm. We’re also making progress on our Playbook, which will serve as a guideline for all future Field Days.
At our next meeting, we’ll focus on selecting key coordinator roles for the event. If you’ve served as a coordinator in the past or are interested in stepping into a role, keep an eye on your email for more details.
In addition, we’re actively working on the 2025 budget—a demanding but essential task.
On the programming front, we recently delivered our January DAPChat featuring Rich DuMond, who shared insights on shoeing horses for work. Looking ahead, we’re excited to host our February DAPChat on Sunday, February 23rd, featuring Vicki Schmidt on Large Animal Emergency Rescue.

Finance and Fundraising Committee
At this month’s meeting, the Finance and Fundraising Committee met with our esteemed bookkeeper to learn more about making budgets using classes in Quickbooks.  As our non-profit grows and our programming expands, it’s great to be able to work with an experienced and knowledgeable pro to help us keep our finances polished and to expand our capabilities as board members.   

Education Committee
We are excited that this month’s newsletter theme is Education.  The stories about mentorship are timely and essential to our work.  Our February meeting was one of our most productive yet.  Rick Thomas of the Berry Center in KY has brought some real insights as an ad hoc committee member and we thank him for his service.  We have also been supported by John Smolinsky, our Board President.  His direct involvement will increase the efficiency of our program development.  
Look for a draft of our program outline in the coming months and a full organizational vetting this Fall.

Communications Committee
Comm Comm has been busy this month updating our advertising rate system, working on a new podcast episode, putting together articles for the draft animal issue of The Natural Farmer (look for that this spring!), and finalizing our 2025 budget. Committee budgets are new for DAPNet this year and we are excited to take this further step in organizing our finances. We received a grant this year, with which Comm Comm will be purchasing equipment for the podcast as well as brand new outreach materials! This month there has also been a lot of conversation around our Facebook page, the Draft Animal Power Discussion Group. Erika, our main group administrator, has been seeing lots of people leaving – not because of DAPNet, but because of Facebook itself: the algorithms and policies of Meta seem to be getting less and less useful and fun. We are currently researching alternatives to Meta platforms. So far, Discord, Telegram, Bluesky, and rebooting a basic, old-fashioned forum are the contenders. We plan to offer a survey to our membership once we have a few good possibilities in mind.

Have an idea for content for the newsletter? Send it to us!

Looking for a previous edition of the newsletter? Click here!

Looking for the discussion forums from the previous website? Click here!