www .horseprogressdays.com

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www.horseprogressdays.com
The 15th Annual • Mt. Hope, Ohio • July 4th & 5th • 2008
Something for Everyone
Table of Contents
Welcome.............................................................................. 1
Mission Statement................................................................ 2
Coordinators & Contacts....................................................... 3
National Board of Directors.................................................. 4
Schedule of Events................................................................ 5
Lodging & Accommodations................................................ 7
Shuttle Service Availability.................................................... 8
Tour Information................................................................. 10
Let’s Get Started, Krist King................................................. 23
Seminar Overviews............................................................ 33
Ralph Rice, Ohio Author Farmer & Horseman.................... 51
RX Acres & Historic Prophetstown...................................... 63
How We Used to Farm....................................................... 75
Inside Pioneer Equipment................................................... 81
Topeka Auction & Marketing,
Topeka Livestock Auction & Bale Enterprises...................... 97
Ontario Couple, Horse Powered Dream........................... 109
D.A. Hochstetler & Sons................................................... 127
Growing & Marketing Produce......................................... 149
The Holland Guys............................................................ 169
Advertiser Index............................................................... 194
Advertisers by Category.................................................... 197
The 15th Annual • Mt. Hope, Ohio • July 4th & 5th • 2008
Your Official Welcome to Horse Progress Days 2010
in Topeka, Indiana, USA
Horse Progress Days welcomes you to the 17th annual event to
be held at the home of the largest Draft Horse public auction in the
world, the Topeka Livestock Auction. In this part of the world, most
of the farmers use horsepower almost every day. In addition to the
many horse powered farms in this area you can find everything
that goes with it, lots of it made right here. Things like farm
equipment, horse collars, harness, feed, and farrier products
all can be found here.
Something for Everyone
The purpose of Horse Progress Days is to display a complete lineup
of horse drawn equipment and various hitching techniques and
provide many educational clinics and seminars.
As usual, many different breeds of horses will be represented,
including mules, ponies, and oxen. See them in action
demonstrating plowing equipment, pulling tillage equipment
and produce equipment, logging, haymaking, and such.
You will want to take in the various seminars and clinics offered.
These will include horse training, collar and harness fitting, and
chiropractic treatments for horses. You won’t want to miss the
grazing clinic which will have presenters from organic and
conventional dairy farms. There will also be a produce growing
seminar. And let’s not forget the children! For them, there will be
a petting zoo and swing sets to play on and enjoy; truly,
something for everyone.
www.horseprogressdays.com • 1
You will want to allow plenty of time for your visit to northern
Indiana this Fourth of July weekend. You might want to arrive early
enough to take the tour on Thursday, July 1. On the tour you will get
to see horse farms, harness shops, buggy shops, steel fabrication, a
small town feed mill, as well as make a stop at a local produce
auction to see it in action! Included in the $75 charge for the tour
will be a delicious Amish cooked noontime meal.
As you drive around the countryside, please remember, you are
sharing the roads with slow moving, horse drawn, vehicles.
Slow down, drive safely, and come again.
Lynn Miller Middlebury, IN
Member, Horse Progress Days Board of Directors
Horse Progress Days
Mission Statement
To encourage and promote
the combination of animal power
and the latest equipment innovations
in an effort to support
sustainable small scale farming
and land stewardship.
To show draft animal power
is possible, practical and profitable.
Coordinators & Contacts
General Coordinator
Alvin Schrock
11227 CR 20
Middlebury, IN 46540
574-825-5769
Horses/Teamsters
Devon O. Miller
4740N 450W
Shipshewana, IN 46565
260-768-8229
General Equipment
Maynard Miller
Shipshe Farm Supply
2380N 925W
260-768-7271
Logging
Daniel Miller
6685W 200S
Topeka, IN 46571
260-768-3120 ext. 1
Produce Equipment
Marvin Hostetler
M&L Produce Supply
3200W 300S
LaGrange, IN 46761
260-463-9920
Breed Presentation
Steve Jones
5280S 500W
Topeka, IN 46571
Vendors
Mervin P. Miller
Miller’s Repair Shop
0830W 300S
260-499-3318
Food
Lavern D. Miller
8765W 200S
Topeka, IN 46571
260-768-7698
The 2010 Horse Progress Days will be held on the grounds of the
Topeka Livestock Auction
601 East Lake Street
Topeka, IN 46571
Admission
Admission to the 2010 Horse Progress Days in Topeka
will be $10.00 per day. Children 12 and under are free
when attending with an adult. Free parking is available.
Future Locations for Horse Progress Days
2011 Pennsylvania
2012 Michigan
2013 Illinois
2014 Ohio
2015 Southern Indiana
2016 Northern Indiana
Continue to watch our website for more
information about these upcoming events,
as well as, more detailed information on
our upcoming 2010 event in Topeka, Indiana
as it becomes available. Visit us online at:
Welcome one and all to the 2010 Horse Progress Days.
It is the hope of the Board of Directors of this great event that lots of
learning and exchange of information will take place that will help
you plan for the future.
We extend a word of thanks to Neil Hostetler and Daniel Wengerd for all
the years of faithful planning they brought to these events and we welcome
our new members, Eldon Shrock of Illinios, and Leon Wengerd of Ohio.
Please enjoy yourself as you participate in the 17th consecutive annual
Horse Progress Days. Please maintain a safe distance from horses and
equipment. The safety of horses, teamsters, and spectators is of utmost
concern to all of us.
National Board of Directors
President
Nick Graber
8528 N. 900 E.
Odon, IN 47562
812-636-7733
Vice President
Rich Hotovey
11645 Bald Hill Street
Jones, MI 49061
269-244-5345
Board Members
Eldon Shrock
297 N CR 000E
Arthur, IL 61911
217-543-3031
Secretary
Dale K. Stoltzfus
1006 Log Cabin Road
Leola, PA 17540
800-465-4156
Cell: 717-940-4412
Email: [email protected]
Treasurer
Leon Wengerd
16875 Jericho Rd.
Dalton, Ohio 44618
330-857-6340
Lynn Miller
13812 CR 22
Middlebury, IN 46540
574-535-3064
Horse Progress Days 2010 Schedule of Events
Thursday July 1
2010 Horse Progress Days Tour
8:00am Pick up at Topeka Sale Barn,
(See tour information on page 10)
Friday July 1st & Saturday July 2nd
Field Demonstrations Both Days,
9:00am:
Manure Spreaders, Plows,
Tillage Equipment.
11:00am: Produce Equipment
1:15pm: Haymaking
Check out the seminars and presenters found in this Program
Guide and choose the ones you want to attend on Friday
and Saturday.
You will need at least two days to take everything in.
In addition to the seminars outlined for you in this guide,
there will be seminars on growing produce, there will be
hands on driving of horses for those so inclined, a seminar
on fitting collars and harness, and hitching and unhitching
of multiple hitches.
There will be sheep herding demonstrations, wood
carving demonstrations, and a petting zoo for the children.
Plan to come early each day and stay ‘til the end!
Horse Progress Days 2010 Schedule of Events
Friday July 2
Saturday July 3
Outside arena
7:45 Bull whip demo
Outside arena
7:45 Bull whip demo
8:00 Horse pull
11:30 -1:00 Hands on driving
8:00 Pony pull
11:30-1:00 Hands on driving
2:45 Auctioneering contest
(unlicensed only) 4:00 Gary Yoder’s
Arabian hitch
5:00pm Auction
4:30 Breed presentation
by Steve Jones
5:30 Gary Yoder’s Arabian hitch
6:00 Breed presentation
by Steve Jones
Round Pen
10:00 Horse training by Kathy Zahm
12:00 Horse Chiropractic Marissa Greenslade Round Pen
10:00 Horse training
by Rick Wheat
12:00 Chiropractic
by Marissa Greenslade
2:00 Horse training
by Rick Wheat
2:00 Horse training
by Kathy Zahm
Horse Arena (inside the barn) 10:00 Grazing seminar
by Farmer panel
Horse Arena (inside the barn)
9:00 Produce seminar
by Robert Byler
12:30 Harness and collar fitting by Sam Schrock 10:30 Benefits of a treadmill
by Ammon Weaver and
Dr. Jerry Sellons
1:30 Benefits of a treadmill by Ammon Weaver and Dr. Jerry Sellons
2:45 Produce seminar
by Robert Byler
1:00 Grazing seminar
by Farmer panel
2:30 Harness and Collar
fitting by Sam Schrock
www.horseprogressdays.com •
• 66
See Hotel Advertisements on Pages 50, 69, 79, 107, and 145
Shuttle Services Available July 2 and 3, 2010
Crossroad Tours Inc. Will Be Providing Bus Service
From Shipshewana to Topeka.
Those wishing to participate in
Horse Progress Days 2010 in Topeka, IN will have the privilege of
riding in a comfortable hourly shuttle bus leaving Shipshewana from
various locations, including hotels,
the Town Center, and Davis Mercantile parking. This service will be
provided all day, before, during, and after the event, shuttles will be
running continuously. For the bargain price of $5.00 per day, riders
can ride any time throughout the day. Those arriving and parking in
Topeka can ride to Shipshewana, and those staying and living near
Shipshewana can ride to Topeka. There is no limit to the number
of rides each person can take each day for the $5.00 charge. Avoid
parking hassles in Topeka, ride the shuttle to the front entrance to
Horse Progress Days! You can purchase your tickets in advance by
calling 260-768-7549 or 260 768-7547 or you can reach the bus
company through their blog at www.crossroadtours.blogspot.com
or e-mail them at [email protected] Call for more
details about pickup and drop off locations. Buy your tickets today.
2010 Horse Progress Days Tour Schedule
Thursday July 1st,
8:00am Pick up at Topeka Sale Barn,
site of the 2010 Horse Progress Days
And then on to:
Miller’s Feed Service
D.A. Hochstetler and Sons
Clearspring Produce Auction
Crystal Valley Harness
Noon meal at Yoder’s
Home Style Banquets
(and see the Percheron horses)
Miller Carriage
Melvin Yoder & Sons Belgian Farm
4:30 pm (approximately)
Return to Horse Progress Days site,
Topeka Sale Barn
(See tour stops described on pages 10-16)
The cost of the tour
is $75 per person
To make a reservation,
call Loretta Sumpter:
Crossroads Tours
PO Box 263
305 E. Main St.
260-768-7549
fax 260-768-7547
2010 Tour Stops at a Glance
Miller’s Feed Service, the first stop on today’s tour, was begun in
1940 by current owner Alvin Miller’s grandfather. This was a good
time to start a business since World War II was just over and the
end of the Great Depression was at hand. Alvin bought the business from his parents on January 1, 1977. The summer of 1995 was
spent building a brand new mill across the road from the old one.
The new mill started operations in November of 1995. This business
is family run. Two of the Miller sons work here. In June of 2009, a
new warehouse was built. Miller Feeds manufactures what it sells
to both wholesale and retail customers. Some of the farmers in the
neighborhood still bring their own grain to the mill to be made into
livestock feed, maybe one or two will stop in today. Most of the
feeds produced here are for dairy animals and horses, but there is
also some deer feed made as well as a few other specialty feeds.
Enjoy your time here, and don’t be afraid to ask some questions.
D. A. Hochstetler and Sons Topeka, Indiana
Another stop on our tour today is the D. A. Hochstetler Shop just 3.5
miles north of the village of Topeka, site of this year’s Horse Progress
Days. This is probably the oldest on farm equipment manufacturing
business in the country. (See article on page 127) Today this company concentrates mainly on machine work and steel fabrication. They
manufacture a lot of parts for horse drawn farm equipment, including steel wire spoke wheels. You will be able to see how this is done
and you will be able to see other projects in the works. The folks at
Hochstetlers are looking forward to your visit. They promise to welcome and accommodate you to the best of their ability, and hope
that you stay awhile in the beautiful country of Northern Indiana.
Clearspring Produce Auction LaGrange, Indiana
For sure, a community is blessed to have living in its midst, middleaged men with experience in life and thoughts for its future. It was
just such a group who began to ask themselves in the late 1990s
“Isn’t there something besides trailer factories for the younger
generation to do as an occupation?” At the time approximately 85%
of the working men in LaGrange County, Indiana were trailer factory
workers. In 1999 this group called a meeting to see how much interest there might be in starting a produce auction. That evening there
was a Grower Advisory Board established and given the
responsibility of getting it going. Harvey Bontrager, Harley Miller,
William Schmucker,
Ernest Lehman, and
Perry Miller were
voted onto the committee. They gleaned
a lot of good ideas
from the already
established Farmer’s
Produce Auction in
Mount Hope, Ohio.
In the year 2000, was
born the Clearspring
produce Auction, a stop on today’s tour. There were lots of growing
pains that first year, including about half of the growers fizzling out!
Every year since, though, the volume of produce sold through the
auction has increased and now there are about 100 faithful growers
supporting it with one or more items. It is the goal of the Grower’s
Advisory Board to make sure there is always a full line of quality
produce at the auction. The auction in 2009 was open for business
on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Due to high volumes, a Monday opening is being considered for 2010. Regular starting times are
10:00 am, Monday starting times will be 12:00. At this auction you
can buy one item off of the retail table, or a tractor trailer load of
bins, whatever you need. Tractor trailer trucks are greeted with
enthusiasm, especially in the melon and pumpkin seasons. The
auction is located 3 miles east and 5 miles north of Horse Progress
Days 2010 in Topeka. We hope you enjoy your tour.
Crystal Valley Harness Shop
The folks at Crystal Valley Harness Shop greet you with “Good Day”
and hope you enjoy your visit with them. This shop, located between the towns of Shipshewana and Middlebury, was established
in 1997 in a 200 square foot building and has now grown into a
2,400 square foot building. Making harness, they say, is their number one concern; customer satisfaction is their number one goal.
They make and stock a full line of Bio-thane harness and parts, as
well as nylon and leather halters. Single and team harness for mini
horses, driving horses, and draft horses is made here. You can buy it
plain, or fancy with spots and 3 strap breeching. You will see back
pads in fur and vinyl, blankets, ropes, horse care products, WBZ
Feed Additives, and much more. The folks at Crystal Valley Harness
hope you will enjoy your experience at Horse Progress Days 2010.
They are located at 1415 N 1150 W, Middlebury, IN 46540 and can
be reached at 574-642-1274
Henry and Carolyn Yoder Shipshewana Lunch Hosts
Those participating in the Horse Progress Days tour 2010 are in for
a real treat (literally and figuratively) as they partake of their noon
meal. Henry and Carolyn Yoder, parents of Kristine (m. Daryl Bontrager), Loraine (m. Al Lehman), Myron (m. Doreen Schlabach), and
Carl, not yet married, and grandparents to 6 lively grandchildren
will be host and hostess. This pair has been feeding guests on their
farm since becoming licensed to do so in 1999. They serve 2 - 3
busloads per week with 40-50 people per load. The farm consists
of about 60 acres of farmland. Henry also builds pony wagons for
a wagon shop in Shipshewana. They’ve been on this farm, raising
Percheron horses for 20 years.
Henry is a part of the 7 boys and five girls, distinctly Yoder, Bill
Yoder line. He stands apart from the rest of his family a bit in two
ways; first, his wife Carolyn says “he is the best looking one of the
bunch”, and while the rest of the clan who are raising Draft Horses
are raising Belgians, he raises Percherons. He keeps 2-3 brood
mares and likes to raise and train young stock. Percheron breeders
know the name of the Percheron stallion Lakeshore Lorenzo. Henry
stood this stallion for a time on his farm after buying him out of the
discard pen at the Topeka Sale. He currently has 5 two year olds by
the horse. Lorenzo lived to be 22 years old. This spring the world
champion Percheron mare, Kerwin’s Emma, had a filly by the old
horse. The Yoder farm has been the nest and resting place and place
of labor for wife Carolyn all of her life, except for three years. This
is the home place of her parents Orley S. and Mary Miller and her 6
brothers and 4 sisters.
One gets the sense when talking to Henry that the vast variety of
guests to sit at the Yoder table over the years has brought a great
sense of satisfaction. Some of the guests who show up need
interpreters with them to communicate. Others, like the Ortman
Clinic from Canistoga South Dakota morph into a gathering of 650
people served at the local Antique Building in Shipshewana. This
chiropractic clinic, made up of about 25 doctors has many clients
in the northern Indiana area, and chose a Yoder meal to convey
their gratitude to them. The most rewarding and enlightening group
to eat at the farm, Henry says, came from New York City some time
ago. A group of African American children from the heart of the
city enrolled in a program in which they could earn points for a trip
outside the city by doing community work, like painting mailboxes,
raking leaves, and handing out food to homeless people. This group
came to Kendallville, Indiana to do additional community service
and somehow ended up on the Yoder farm for a meal. Henry says
he was a bit skeptical about hosting this group of inner city children
aged 8-18, but remembers the group as “probably the most rewarding and interesting group ever hosted”. Please enjoy your time with
the Yoders and be sure to thank them for their hard work!
Miller Carriage Company Shipshewana, Indiana
John and Dorothy Miller, their family of 5 boys aged from 7-15 years
of age, and their employees at Miller Carriage Company welcome
you to their shop today. This shop employs 6-7 people throughout
the year. Manufacturing buggy and carriage parts and selling them
on the wholesale market is their specialty. Also, they want you to
know that they can repair any style of buggy, carriage, or cart you
would like them to. The shop was owned by Dorothy’s parents, Melvin and Lydia Miller from 1971 on. Father and Grandfather Melvin
passed away in 1995 and John and Dorothy bought the business in
1999. This carriage company ships parts all over the US and Canada, and has even sent orders as far away as Mexico, Puerto Rico,
and Australia. Be sure to pick up a 2009 catalog before you leave.
The Melvin and Polly Ann Yoder Farm
The Yoder farming compound 10 miles northeast of Topeka is another stop on the tour today. The farm is located on 200 North
between Rd. 5 and Rd. 9. Melvin and Polly Ann Yoder live here as
well as three of their married sons and those sons’ families. Son
Larry, his wife Susan, and their family, milk 60 registered and
highgrade Holsteins here. They raise all of their replacement stock
on this 75 acre farm, and they rent another 100 acres from adjoining farms. All of the farming is done with registered Belgians. 6 and
8 horse teams are used with the rope and pulley system to plow and
work the ground. 20 brood mares, two stallions and lots of young
stock are always on hand, 12 to 14 foals are born on the farm every
spring. This farm has been raising and selling quality breeding stock
and well broke teams for 40 years. In 2008 son Ernie bought a
registered Morgan stallion. There are now 10 Morgan brood mares
and some young stock on the farm. The family likes these “black
beauties” for buggy horses. They will be glad to show you around.
Miller Carriage Company
Miller Carriage Company
John Miller
3035 N 850W
Shipshewana, Indiana 46565
260-768-4553
Photo by Greg Horvath
Krist King will get things cracking bright and early at the 2010 Horse Progress Days
in Topeka. Krist describes himself as a self taugh whipmaker and once held the
record for cracking the longest whip according to The Guiness Book of Records.
Let’s Get Started!
You’ve heard of “starting with a bang.” We all know what it means
and all of the planners of Horse Progress Days over the years have
done just that; started the days of Friday and Saturday off with a
bang. But it was always in a figurative way, never literally, at least
not until this year of 2010 in Topeka!
It turns out that Maynard Miller of Shipshe Farm Supply, one of the
local organizers of 2010 Horse Progress Days, came across a colorful character named Krist King in the summer of 2009 at a big
shindig at the Shipshewana Sale Barn, site of gargantuan flea markets and craft shows. Krist (who happens to be a brother-in-law of
Dale Stoltzfus, HPD secretary) was demonstrating how to crack his
bull whips for a crowd of interested onlookers. Maynard and the rest
of the planning crew thought these demonstrations would be an interesting addition to Horse Progress Days. What better place on the
schedule to put it than at the very beginning of the day!
Krist says he was always interested in and intrigued by braiding. As
a young boy he remembers braiding feed bag strings, but he never
knew anything more than braiding three strings until he came across
and elderly cowboy in Nevada. Krist was cowboying at the time,
something he spent a fair amount of his young life doing. He and
his wife Muriel and their two kids Kate and Casey lived on working
ranches in places like Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, Washington state,
and Florida before coming home to settle in his home area of Archbold, Ohio. The western culture Krist soaked up in those years never
left his hide, and his whipmaking enterprise keeps him very much
connected to it, as well as the couple of horses he presently keeps
around his place in West Unity, Ohio, not to mention his ten gallon
hat, snap button shirts, blue jeans, and the red kerchief around his
neck. The years spent moving from ranch to ranch in those years,
Krist says, helped him to make many new friends and acquaintances
who in turn became some of his customers for whips, and passed
his name on to others.
Krist describes himself as a self taught whipmaker. Reading a few
books on making knots and braiding helped him along, as did taking apart and putting back together a few whips others had made.
After that, it was just a matter of doing. Right now he has a backlog
of 6-8 weeks worth of orders which he works at in the wee hours of
the morning and in the evening after he gets home from his job with
a local farm fertilizer and propane supply company. Braiding, he
says, is therapeutically relaxing after a day at work.
Photo by Greg Horvath
To make a bull whip, which is Krist’s specialty, one needs to know a
bit about mathematics and proper balancing; how to start out with
5/8th inches of whip at the butt end and then reduce it to a fraction of that at the tip. Krist’s whips are shot loaded; he buys shotgun
pellets by the bag to braid into his whips to make them properly
balanced. He takes pride in the fact that most of the whips he makes
are actually used by present day cowboys, and says he gets a lot
more personal satisfaction from seeing one of his whips pictured in
a cowboy magazine hanging on a saddle, than seeing one hanging
on a wall as a display. Most of his whips are made with nylon parachute chord which takes very little lifetime care, takes on various
weather conditions without deteriorating, and costs less. He also
makes whips from regular leather, kangaroo hide, and buck
skin, which is deer hide. The majority of the whips he makes he sells
wholesale.
You need to understand; the sound of the crack of a whip actually
comes about as a result of a sonic boom, or “breaking the sound
barrier.” This means that the energy applied to the butt end of the
whip by the proper arm and shoulder action and a flick of a wrist
sets in motion a “rolling out” of the whip so that the popper on the
end is actually breaking the sound barrier when it leaves off the loud
crack. In the case of Krist’s bullwhips the sound is very loud, like
setting off a cherry bomb or M-80, or the crack of a rifle.
Now hear this; from 1992- 2007 our whip cracking cowboy held
the world record for cracking the longest whip. This fact can actually
be corroborated by checking out a Guinness Book of World Records
from that period. The whip was 184.6 feet long.
Check out the seminars and presenters found in this Program Guide and choose
the ones you want to attend on Friday and Saturday. You will need at least two days
to take everything in.
In addition to the seminars outlined for you in this guide, there will be seminars
on growing produce, there will be hands on driving of horses for those so inclined,
a seminar on fitting collars and harness, and hitching and unhitching of multiple
hitches. There will be sheep herding demonstrations, wood carving demonstrations,
and a petting zoo for the children. Plan to come early each day and stay ‘til the end!
Cathy Zahm, Michelle Amor & Marissa Greenslade
Three ladies with Family & Friend connections will bring
together lots of good information for the Round Pen.
Cathy Zahm of Huntington, Indian has a long history with animals,
having grown up on a dairy farm. Her interests in horses grew
from more than 20 years of participation in horse shows and 4-H
competitions. She has shown Quarter Horses and Paint Horses and
has competed in dressage, eventing, and halter competitions, but
her training career has focused on the largest of our equine
companions; Draft Horses. Ms. Zahm’s success in starting and
training horses naturally led her to begin teaching her techniques
to others. The proof of her success and well established reputation
can be heard when auctioneers at Draft horse auctions brag that a
horse entering the ring is “broke by Cathy Zahm.” Look for Cathy
and her training seminars at Horse Progress Days this summer
in Topeka.
Equine Dental Seminar
Michelle Amor is also from Huntington, Indiana and she is a niece
of Cathy Zahm by way of her mother Nancy Armor, Cathy’s sister.
Michelle has been working as an equine dentist for 5 years. She
attended Stautzberger College in Toledo, Ohio for a Veterinary
Technician Degree and then went on to the American Equine Dental
School in Purcellville, VA for more training. She then did an
internship with Equine Dentist Tim Cherry at different race tracks
in Indiana, Illinios, Kentucky, and Florida before coming back to
Huntington to establish a practice of her own. Her work has
included a number of Draft horse show hitches; The Ames Percheron
hitch from Jordon, MN, the Priefert Percherons from Mt. Pleasant,
TX, Hocking Valley Percherons from Logan, Ohio, Larry Honsberger
Percherons of Elmore, Ohio, Rocky Ridge Clydesdales from Odessa,
MO, Owl Creek Clydesdales, Fredericktown, Ohio and Lyle and
Janet Hansberger of Ohio. As you can see her clientele has led her
to working with heavy horses. Michelle enjoys trail riding, working horses with her Aunt Cathy, and spending time with family and
friends. Be sure to make time for her seminar and learn the
importance of healthy teeth in the mouth of your horse.
Equine Therapy Seminar
Marissa Greenslade and Michelle Amor were
roommates in college. Marissa says she can’t
remember her life without animals! Her earliest memories include a barn not far from the
back door of her home, still a part of her life to
this day. The enjoyment she felt when she was
showing and driving horses led her to know
that she would have a profession which would
include these majestic animals, which she
loved. Following her graduation from Clyde High School in Ohio,
Marissa attended Firelands Campus of Bowling Green University for
one year, then transferred to Stautzenberger College where she met
Michelle Amor. She later transferred on to Columbus State so that
she could work more closely with large animals. This move brought
with it the opportunity to work with Hocking Valley Percherons.
After graduating with an Associates Degree in Veterinary technology,
she developed a keen interest in Equine Therapy and attended the
Helen J. Woods Equine Studies Institute in British Columbia, Canada
to obtain a certificate as an Equine Therapist. Her observations of the
improvements in equine movement and performance as a result of
therapy and massage led Marissa to initially dedicate herself to
improving the physiological condition of horses. She and her
customers have found her treatments to be beneficial to animals of
all kinds. Her success in her work is reflected in the large number of
repeat customers who appreciate the service she provides. Marissa
welcomes you to her seminar and hopes to answer any questions
you might have.
Intensive Grazing Seminar/Clinic
Panel of Local Farmers: 10am Friday & 1pm Saturday
Perry Lehman, his wife Lena, and their 6 boys live and work on a
173 acre farm with 114 tillable acres southwest of Shipshewana.
They have been living and farming here since 1986. They milk 6065 head of Fresian cows and have been selling organic milk since
2006. They try to keep 45-50 acres of the farm in pasture, 30 acres
in corn, and the rest in hay.
Jerry Lehman and his wife Loretta, live on the farm Jerry grew up
on. Jerry has been a farmer all his life, having taken over the farm
from his parents. Jerry’s parents help around the farm, as do he and
Loretta’s 5 children, aged 2-11 years old. The operation consists of
152 acres with 100 tillable and a 35-40 head herd of Holstein dairy
cows. They raise all their own replacements for the dairy herd. On
the farm ground, they raise 30 acres of corn and 10 acres of sorghum; the rest of the tillable land is in hay and pasture. Jerry practices a lot of double cropping, making balage with his extra forages.
He sells conventional milk and practices biological farming.
Howard and Juanita Yoder, live northwest of Shipshewana. They
raise pastured beef and Howard teaches at the local Amish school
during the school term. This farm is made up of 120 acres supporting 35 head of brood cows and fattening 25 beefers for the local
butcher shop.
Melvin and Rachel Helmuth, and their 8 children run a dairy farm
near Nappanee. They started direct marketing pastured poultry, Joel
Salatin style, in 1999. They are direct marketing 700-900 dressed
chickens per year.
A word about intensive grazing
Managing pastures has been a challenge for many years. Here in
Northern Indiana, more farmers are going to growing grass to feed
their animals as a more natural, healthy, and cost effective way.
Intensive grazing measures include moving electric fences every
day. When livestock is allowed to move on to new patches of pasture every day, the old patch is given time to recover after being harvested by the animals. The livestock grazing in the pastures spreads
its manure there, resulting in harvesting and fertilizing in one rotation. This is proven to be better for the land and for the animals.
The panel of farmers with us for this seminar/clinic brings with them
a wealth of knowledge on grazing, leavened with experience. Be
sure to bring your pasture questions with you, and ask them.
Ammon Weaver of Athens Treadmills Seminar
For about three years now, Ammon Weaver has been coming to
Horse Progress Days to demonstrate and sell his highly engineered
means of alternative power; horse powered tread mills. This year in
Topeka, Ammon will be doing seminars related to the tread mills.
He will discuss the uses and benefits of horse tread mill power, how
much power can actually be expected from a tread mill, and how to
use that power to maximum efficiency. He will also talk about and
demonstrate animals mounting and dismounting the tread mill. A
veterinarian will be on hand to talk about the health benefits for the
draft animal powering a tread mill, and give tips on recognizing and
avoiding over-exertion. Be sure to take advantage of this unique opportunity to listen to and interact with a gifted engineer with unique
and practical ideas.
Harness and Collar Fitting Seminar by Sam Schrock
Sam Schrock of Schrock’s Harness Shop will be presenting a seminar on fitting of harness and collars on Draft Horses. This is always
a popular subject at HPD, and very important. Since horses cannot
tell us when something hurts, or just doesn’t feel right, we have to
pay attention to other signals they send, always hoping that at the
end of the day, when we remove the collars and harness from our
horses, we are not jolted by sore spots that have developed from
careless and improperly fitted harness.
Sam says the harness business has been in his memory for as long
as he can remember anything. His grandfather, Jacob Raber, bought
the business in the early 60’s and called it Raber’s Harness Shop.
Sam grew up on a farm, but that little shop across the road always
fascinated him. As a youngster he spent a lot of time watching his
grandfather work. Some of the people who stopped in at the shop
were customers and some were visitors. The visitors came to visit
with Grandfather and tell jokes. Young Sam liked to listen to the
customers and visitors both, it was so interesting. As Grandfather
got up into his 80’s, he needed help now and then, and Sam was
the one. As an older teenager and for the three years he worked in
the factory, Sam helped his Grandpa when he could. It was while
Sam worked at the factory that his Grandfather passed away. The
last words from Grandfather Jacob to young Sam were to tell him
where the keys to the shop were kept. The shop equipment was sold
off at a public auction, but Sam told his father what to buy. When
he reached his 21st birthday, he bought the things his Dad had
bought at the auction and slowly started his own business. A couple
of years later he married Loretta Mast. He quit his factory job and
has been full time in the harness shop now for 13 years. The goal of
Schrock’s Harness Shop is to make a harness that looks good, wears
good, and is of good quality.
Shrock’s Harness Shop
All parts made in our own shop.
Bio, Nylon & Leather
Harness Parts & Accessories
Samuel P. Shrock
8370W 300S
Topeka, Indiana 46571
260-593-2713 ext 1
Come See Us At
Horse Progress Days
Ralph Rice
Ohio Author, Farmer, Horseman
By Karen Kirsch
“I was bitten by the working horse bug at a young age,” says
Ralph Rice of northeastern Ohio. He kept a team of draft ponies
from 1966 until 1986 when he finally got his first draft horse and
admits, “I still like a good team of ponies, but would much rather
work draft horses.”
Ralph’s
work hard, but they lead a good life and
are cared for like family members. “My horses are my partners.
We farm this farm together,” he says. Since 1992 he has worked
73 acres with draft teams, but even before he and his wife Connie
moved to their current home he’d used horses in a large-scale
garden and for logging, hay rides and parades. He can’t imagine
life without the heavies.
His goal is for the farm to totally support his family. In addition to
crops he raises Percheron horses, Dexter cattle, Kahtadin sheep and
crossbred Chester White/Landrace sows, but for now his outside
job is still a necessity. Ralph’s goal is well within reach. While he
practices traditional farming as learned from his ancestors, his
progressive thinking and mechanical innovations illustrate that
horse farming is not something limited to the Amish community.
“Horses, or any draft animal power to me is the key to making
agriculture profitable to the small farmer. They are sustainable.”
His horses plow, disc, level the fields and clear rocks. They log 33
acres of woodlot and haul firewood and maple sap to the sugar
house. As if this weren’t enough, he says, “They please me by just
driving them around.”
Some unusual equipment like the soil surgeon keeps Ralph and his
horses in shape. “It (soil surgeon) has flat pans with cutters underneath that groom the soil. The horses rest while I pick up the rocks
and we all get plenty of exercise that way.”
He and a friend are also building a horse-drawn power cart to
supply the PTO and hydraulic power. “I’ll then be able to spread
manure, pick corn, round bale hay and who knows what else with
my horses,” he explains.
Not surprisingly Ralph encounters cynics who argue that using a
power cart is no different from using a fossil-fueled tractor. “I beg to
differ,” he says and backs up his argument with facts: His 30 hp cart
motor uses far less fuel than a tractor. It only supplies the turning
action of the PTO. The horses supply the traction. The hydraulic
system is supplied from a deep cell battery charged while the
engine is running.
Friendly beasts of the barnyard at the Rice farm.
Other arguments for farming with horses are indisputable.
“Keeping them (horses) is easily justified as long as the animals
get used and used often, he says. Good, well-broke, seasoned horses
can do a lot of work and do not slow a farmer down. We can get on
the fields earlier in the season and work longer into the autumn as
well without the compaction issues that larger equipment makes.”
But perhaps the most compelling reason Ralph Rice chooses to
work with horses rather than tractors is their temperament.
“A horse has personality, just like people do.” he says. “When you
find one or two that click with you, working horses is a sheer joy.
A good horse will do whatever it can to please…just because you
asked them.”
Like so many, Ralph’s biggest challenge is working around his
off-farm job, but fortunately his schedule is flexible. He credits
not only his mentoring grandparents, but also other horsemen
including the Amish community which he says has taken him under
their wings and taught him a lot about farming and its related
equipment. “My many Amish friends are a constant resource,”
he says gratefully.
“My love for horses is a divine gift. Horses are not the challenge or a
drawback. They are the positive influence for me. My ultimate goal
is to farm
with them
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www.silverrunfarm.com
advertising design
brochures
websites
catalogs
October 12, 2009,
in Northwest Indiana; one crop is coming out (corn), another going
in (wheat). Two days ago the area had four inches of rain. When he
answers the phone and responds to the standard question of “How
are you?” Dris says “Wet and tired.” His answer to a few words of
sympathy offered him go like this; “Oh well, if it was perfect,
everybody would do it.”
Dris Abraham, Chief Operating Officer at Historic Prophetstown
in Battle Ground Indiana and owner of RX Acres Belgians in
Brookston, Indiana (about ten miles apart) grew up on the edge of
Holmes County, Ohio; Amish country. His very first “horse job”
was with Alvin S. Miller, Ohio logger, saw mill operator, and horse
trader. Henry V. Raber of Sharp Turn Lumber Baltic, Ohio is also a
good friend and mentor. Dris comes from a dairying family which at
one point in his life led to jobs hauling milk and livestock. He was
a game warden in his home state of Ohio for a time. He says that it
was Eli Yutzy (El-Mar Belgians) who really got him interested in the
RX Acres &
Historic
Prophetstown
Dris Abraham and Melissa Brown - Teamwork
By Dale K. Stoltzfus
Belgian breed. This is eventually what brought him back to work as
the farmer, at Hale Farm, a farm museum in Bath, Ohio. He worked
there for two years before coming to Historic Prophetstown in Indiana. While the operations of RX Acres and Historic Prophetstown
are separate, to Dris Abraham and Melissa Brown, fellow team
members, they seem as one.
The 18 acres that make up RX Acres in Brookston is where this
hard working pair runs the Belgian breeding operation, where the
16 Belgian broodmares are bred and have their foals, and where the
useful and popular artificial insemination
clinics are held. This is where the
Belgian stallions CJ Miles (full
brother to CJ Irvin), BJ Tandem
(by Dana’s Master Justin and
out of BJ Kelli), and Rymar
Full Nelson (a Remlap Chip
son out of Orndorff’s Lynzee
Debut) stand, and they will
be joined next breeding
season by the Clydesdale
stallion Armageddon’s Lord
Lazarus owned by
Steve Jones of Topeka, Indiana.
The broodmares also do all the
work at Prophetstown, ten miles away.
Dris and Melissa offer three AI breeding clinics a year at RX Acres.
There is a limit of 6 students per class. The classes include actual
hands on collecting of semen from the stallions and insemination of
the mares. Every student will have collected a stallion and
inseminated a mare before they leave the farm. This makes the
class practical and worthwhile.
Historic Prophetstown in Battle Ground, Indiana is made up of
250 acres leased from the state of Indiana. 60 acres are in crops and
20 in pasture. In 2002 when the museum was established, the only
building on it was the farm house. All the other buildings have been
built since then, with methods and designs in use prior to World
War II. The farm demonstrates methods of farming in existence at
a time when horses provided the power for America’s farms. The
crops grown on Historic Prophetstown land are alfalfa hay, wheat,
oats, and corn. The hay, wheat, and oats seed comes from Beck’s
Seeds, an Indiana family operation, but the corn is Ried’s yellow
dent, open pollinated. 2009 is the seventh season for growing the
open pollinated corn. Dris admits it is a challenge to grow, but feels
that the end result is better, since the stalks retain their sugar better
and longer than hybrids. The corn, planted at 18,000 population,
yields great big ears with better food value for the livestock. Another
advantage is that seed can be saved from one year for planting the
next. This keeps down the costs of production.
There are usually about 5 Milking Shorthorn cows, 7-8 hogs, a ram,
a few ewes, and a few lambs on the farm, and, of course, several
horses. The farm enjoys a healthy trade in sales of fresh beef, pork,
and lamb, thanks to Butler’s Butcher Shop which is nearby and
handles the processing of the animals grown on the farm for meat.
One of the hallmarks of this operation is its attempts at raising
superior animals through careful breeding programs. This approach
has led to some success in the show ring. AI is used to breed the
cows. There have been two All-American wins with two different
bull calves, one of which was reserve champion at the big World
Dairy Expo in Madison, WI. The 40 hen flock of chickens is Plymouth Barred Rock, and they do their part to improve the economic
well being of the operation by laying nice, big, brown eggs to sell.
Dris and Melissa and their cadre of volunteers offer clinics at the
farm as well as at the home place. The farm is where students come
to learn to work with Draft Horses. Three clinics are offered per
year. These clinics consist of hands on caring for and driving Belgian
Draft Horses. Serious efforts are made to help the students learn
good and practical farming methods. There are two beginner courses offered each year and one advanced. There are plans to possibly
add a forage clinic next year, due to demand. In the past ten years,
Dris figures, he has interacted with over 400 students. One of them,
a neighbor to the northwest of the farm who took the very first clinic
offered at Historic Prophetstown, now runs a complete CSA farm.
A photo of our first run with the I&J
Ground Driven forecart pulling a New
Idea #7 one row corn picker and small
hopper wagon in Open Pollinated Corn,
Reids Yellow Dent, population 18,000 ppa.
He produces milk, cheese, butter,
eggs, pork, raises sheep for wool,
and farms with Suffolk horses.
One of the biggest benefits of
offering the clinics is the interaction that comes as a result, says
Dris. Students stay in touch and
become friends for life, and they
often become volunteers at the
farm. They come from all walks
of life, from a tattoo artist to a
veterinarian and everything in
between, and flying in the face of
old stereotypes that say this is all
man’s work, over half of them are
women. There are many women
who take the breeding clinics
at the Brookston place too. Dris
credits the diminutive 120 lb.
Melissa for demonstrating to all
comers that horse work can be
handled by either sex.
It’s when he begins to talk about his success at connecting young
people with horse farming that Dris starts to get really warmed up.
He feels privileged to be able to help young people consider an
alternative to the high dollar, fast paced life beckoning to them
wherever they look, and tries to impress on them what he has
learned from his own work and from observing his Amish farming
neighbors as he was growing up. Good things, including a good
and economically sound livelihood can be had when one conforms
one’s will to the will of the land, and the animals it sustains. A slow
and steady pace, augmented with a healthy dose of patience in tune
with the seasons of the year is essential to horse farming. In
addition to the clinics offered at Historic Prophetstown and at
home in Brookston, Dris and Melissa teach classes on Draft Horse
management and reproduction at nearby Ivy Tech State College, a
community college, and Historic Prophetstown collaborates with
Purdue University extension service, helping to educate young
people. Students come to the farm to participate in clinics and
end up joining the Draft Horse family, many of them for life! It is
encouraging to consider that there is once again, in the halls of
academia, an acknowledgement that there is a practically sized
farm that supports the worth of heavy horses. In fact, Dris says,
Purdue University is very close to establishing a credit course
(not an elective) in Draft Horse farming.
Melissa Brown, Dris acknowledges, is vital to this operation.
She changes the concept of who can handle a heavy horse. As an
Animal Science graduate of Purdue University herself, she is key to
the University/Historic Prophetstown connection. Her plan when
she graduated from Purdue, she says, was to join the Budweiser
Clydesdales, but Dris had a better offer so she stayed.
There you have it; the team of Brown and Abraham, doing their
part for the Draft Horse Industry; are you doing yours?
How We Used To Farm
By Mervin Yoder
Howdy, my name is Merv Yoder. I’m just your typical fellow who,
like so many others grew up on a farm; milking, haying, hoeing
weeds, husking corn, threshing, shredding corn stalks, etc, and
counting the days ‘til I would be of age and get away from this kind
of environment. Now, here I am, 50 years old, married, father to
two grown daughters and grandfather to 7 GRANDCHILDREN! I
got away from that growing up environment, for sure, by working at
installing fences for Quality Fencing for 25 years now. I never really
had any hobbies, like hunting or fishing and so on, but in the back
of my mind I always kept thinking about how we used to farm. Out
on those new fence rows I was installing I kept seeing old equipment lined up for auction as the new generations took over the farm
and replaced the old with new and updated. I finally bought an old
John Deere tractor and soon after that an old threshing machine. I
bought some wheat shocks from a neighbor, took them home, and
put them through my threshing machine. Now I had me a hobby!
Some of my friends who had the same interest showed up to help
with the threshing and our neighbors that showed up kept saying
things like “I wish our children could see this.” That comment
triggered the start of “Old Fashioned Farming Day.” 2004 was
the first year and 400 people showed up.
After that first event, we formed a committee and planned to hold
an annual event on our farm the last Saturday in July. Fortunately, I
have been blessed to find and purchase many old tools and pieces
of equipment that we demonstrate every year. In 2009 we built a
barn so we could pull up hay using grapple forks, slings, etc. Our
vision is to preserve and use this old equipment to the benefit of
future generations, so that they can also see and enjoy “how we
used to farm.”
Inside Pioneer Equipment
Dalton, Ohio
by Chet Kendell
While it has been the privilege of this writer to visit a variety of
manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the
United States, I had never toured an Amish facility. And while I
have farmed with horses, have never personally used any of the
equipment that Pioneer produces. As I gathered information for
this article my wife and I as well as our two youngest children were
guests in the home of Wayne and Mary Wengerd, parents of 12
children and owners of Pioneer Equipment.
Most people in the draft horse industry will likely recognize the
name of Pioneer Equipment either through their large network of
distributors or their widely distributed catalogs. They are present at
most major draft horse events, always there with a good selection of
inventory and with a number of fascinating new product
innovations. They are considered one of the leaders in the industry.
As a company, in the midst of a recessed economy, they continue to
thrive; and this is especially noteworthy as they do it without a
computer, a web site, or the internet, something our business
schools would say is impossible. Even their telephone and fax
machine are off site, obscurely placed in a grove of trees out by
the road. That said they are very progressive in their approach to
manufacturing and have just recently implemented the Toyota Motor
Company model of Lean Manufacturing with remarkable success.
In doing so they have significantly reduced in-process inventory,
opened up additional floor space and improved product delivery
lead time.
Conscientious about their footprint, they recycle almost everything;
even the heat from the three generators which supply power for the
factory is captured and circulated through the floors in winter. They
have a history of being remarkable innovators. At the present they
have at least a half-dozen new products in various stages of development, but rather than my just telling about those innovations,
I suggest the reader visit their booth or see their distributors and
observe them in person. The point I would make is that by anyone’s
standard, English, Amish or otherwise, this is a most incredible
company. They do so many things so well it is almost intimidating
to one who has owned and operated their own company. What was
the inspiration behind their history of success and the source of their
core business competency?
We arrived at their home in the early evening, were graciously
received and had a delightful dinner with their family. After dinner our Claire went for a walk with their girls and Lewis left with
the boys to work with the horses. Later, we sat around the dinner
table, visiting and singing with the family from their hymnal. It was
a memorable evening with an amazing family. We retired and
morning came quickly, about 5:00 a.m. As my wife and I lay in bed
we could hear the echo of alarm clocks going off in their respective
rooms throughout the house…all were turned off, that is, all except
one which appeared not to have an owner. I turned to my dear
wife and asked, ‘should I go turn off Lewis’ alarm’? Our son Lewis,
age 13, was asleep somewhere upstairs. You see, Lewis has the gift
of deep sleep and without encouragement could sleep through the
resurrection morning. My wife with motherly insight replied, ‘No,
it’s probably not Lewis as he didn’t bring his alarm clock’. So, we
listened. Soon enough we heard the tread of feet that had obviously
made the same trip before, down the hall to turn off the alarm. I
breathed a sigh of relief; it wasn’t Lewis after all, and there was at
least an indication that the Wengerd family might be a regular
family too, sharing with us similar challenges.
A business that does well over time is never better than the
people in it and I wanted to know more about the people at
Pioneer. Wayne stated that all 30 employees at Pioneer Equipment
are important; each and every one is due his credit in the success
of the company. Nine of them are the family of Wayne and Mary.
Esther, the only daughter working in the plant, is the office manager
and the usual initial contact person for the company. She is
conversational, a pleasure to visit with, witty, and not about to let
the boys in the family rule entirely. Her brother Daniel is the
General Manager, Leon handles the Sales and Marketing, John helps
in the Research and Development, Ferman is the equipment to horse
interface specialist. Ada’s husband James is the assembly supervisor
and Joseph handles shipping and receiving. Eddie does the painting
and Milan works in production. All, however, work together as
needed throughout the plant. Ada, Barbara, and Neva work in their
respective homes and Steven works on Wayne’s brother’s certified
Organic dairy farm. For that matter all the boys have worked at one
time or another on horse farms in the immediate area. Wayne feels
that it is essential to have real, hands on experience in farming with
horses to understand the design needs and the demands placed on
the equipment they build.
As we toured the plant, Wayne and I visited casually together, the
highlights of that conversation I’ll share. We talked about family
dynamics in a business setting. I asked, “Do you think you expect
more from your children than from other employees?” After thinking
for a minute he answered, “Well, they certainly think so”. Having
grown up working in a family business myself, I noted that such is
not uncommon in almost all family businesses. Most entrepreneurs
project the demands they place on themselves, as a natural extension, onto expectations for their children.
We talked about other draft horse equipment manufacturers and the
competition in this unique industry. Wayne stated that he did indeed
have competitors but his competitors were also some of his dearest
friends. They and their families have often stayed in his home, he in
theirs and have toured each other’s facilities. For some reason, I just
can’t imagine this happening in the conventional farm equipment
industry, with John Deere, Case and New Holland. If I understand
Wayne Wengerd correctly, his competitive spirit is not directed as
one-upmanship toward others but inwardly at improving his own,
and the company’s ability to serve their customers and business
partners.
I asked Wayne how he felt about English who deliberately drop the
word ‘Amish’ in certain places, at certain times; using it falsely to
infer a connection that doesn’t exist? He answered with another
question for me, “Do you mean where they place the word ‘Amish’
in big letters at the top of the label and ‘Country’ in little letters in
the bottom of the label?” Apparently he understood better than I
did. But rather than dwelling on the injustices done by the unethical practices of others, typical of the Amish I know, he went on
to describe in a positive way how the Amish in their community
are moving forward, working cooperatively, helping each other to
develop, label and market authentic Amish products to a support a
customer base who are looking for the same.
Like any father, Wayne talked about his other children, those not
employed at Pioneer, and the joy he takes in their accomplishments
as well. What about your wife, I asked, how does she influence the
company? Wayne thought for just a moment and asked in return;
“Did you notice our home, the cleanliness, order and organization
of it…“My wife did”, I responded….“Yes, and that too while
raising twelve children.” Wayne went on: “The influence of my wife
is everywhere present throughout all we do. Much of the success of
the company is a result of her values, as well as the discipline and
Christian ethics she teaches our children. The cleanliness, attention
to detail and work ethic in the factory are her influence. My wife is
my best business partner. In my opinion, we are all better men with
our wives with us, both in what we say and do. For example,
whenever I have major business dealings, with bankers or creditors,
I take my wife with me. Our spouses may know the business
marginally, but they know us. They are a stabilizing factor in our
lives and when I have to travel, if I can’t take my wife with me I
almost never will go.” There is a great deal in that statement that
we men could all learn about recognizing the influence of our
wives; they often being less seen but more felt in the success of
our lives and our various endeavors.
As I observed closely, it became my opinion that the intrinsic values
which guide Pioneer Equipment and form their core competency are
reflected well in their Mission Statement:
To honor God, build strong relationships
and practice faithful stewardship.
To help people develop in a safe,
Christian environment.
To maintain a strong commitment to quality
and the pursuit of excellence
throughout the organization.
To be the leader in new horse-drawn
equipment innovations.
Looking to the future, Pioneer Equipment is presently in the process
of succession planning. I asked Wayne if he foresees the day when
Pioneer Equipment would be a publicly traded company. The answer was an assured “No, while we do like to make a profit, and a
company won’t last long with out it, our primary motive is to be an
asset to the community, to our customers, employees and business
partners in the present and for generations to come.
On our way home we had fun reflecting on our visit. The consensus
was that our family so enjoyed the company of the Wengerds that
we wished we had more time to spend with them. We appreciated
their Christian kindness and fun loving excitement for life. We hope
we can return their kindness, that they can visit us in turn one day.
The one thing we know for sure is the next time we are at a sale,
show or field day we will be looking for them, to renew friendships
and see what new innovations they have to contribute to the horsedrawn equipment industry.
Manufacturers of Quality farm Equipment Since 1978.
The Pioneer
Training Cart
This highly adjustable, durable cart
will be available in 2010. See the
prototype on display during the sale.
• Walking Plows
• Sulky Plows
• Gang Plows
• Sleds & Stone Boats
• Motorized PTO Carts
• Forecarts
The New Pioneer Training Cart
• 1/2 Ton to 15 Ton Wagon Gears
• Wagon Beds - Many Sizes & Styles
• Spring & Spike Tooth Harrows
• Steel Wheels
• Neckyokes & Eveners
• Many Parts & Accessories
Call to find a dealer near you, or to request our FREE catalog
featuring the complete line of quality Pioneer Equipment.
888.857.6340
SHROCK FARM SUPPLY
ANIMAL HEALTH PRODUCTS • FARM SUPPLIES
Horse & Cattle Fountains • Round Hay Saver Feeders for
Horses & Cattle • Farm Gates • Calf Hutches • Poly Water
Tanks • Muck Boots • Work Shoes • Fence Supplies • Dairy
Supplies • Fly Control Products
YOUR ONE STOP FARM SUPPLY SHOP!
RAYMOND SHROCK, OWNER
25652 STATE ROAD 119 • GOSHEN, INDIANA 46562
219-862-4154
Topeka Auction and Marketing, Inc,
(doing business as)
Topeka Livestock Auction
and Bale Enterprises
Site of the 2010 Horse Progress Days
601 E. Lake Street Topeka, Indiana 46571
For Draft Horse People within hundreds of miles of the north central village of Topeka, Indiana, two times a year are very important;
spring and fall. It’s been this way for the last 34 years.
The Topeka Sale barn was officially established as a livestock
auction in 1933. There have been only seven different owners in 76
years. It was in 1976 that the seeds were planted that would lead to
the harvest of Draft Horses going through these barns these many
years. That was the year Ezra Yoder decided to try a Draft Horse
Sale at his farm not far from the Topeka Sale Barn. His auctioneer
was Junior Martin who had purchased the sale barn in 1974. The
success of the sale was not lost on Junior and he encouraged Ezra
to try it again next year. Ezra replied that his farm was kind of an
inconvenient place to hold a sale of this kind and proposed that
the sale barn might work better. If Junior would provide the place,
Ezra would find the horses. The first Draft Horse sale at the sale barn
was held in the cattle sale ring (beef arena). This was not a good
place to sell horses, so a tent was put up the next year. By the third
year, the new horse arena had been built with loads of bleachers to
accommodate buyers and lookers. Over the years additional buildings have been constructed to make the sale even better. It is only
fitting that Horse Progress Days be held at a location like this, one
that has been such a force in the Draft Horse Industry for all these
years.
The late 70’s, when the Draft Horse sales began at Topeka, were
good times for the industry. Demand for horses was high. Most of
the Amish in the area were farming, using horses, and the PMU lines
had expanded from the western plains of Canada into the US as far
south as northern Indiana. Buyers from points north, south, east,
and west were forming the habit of “going to Topeka”. Lavern Yoder,
son of Ezra, the man who cared for the sale for so many years,
started farming at the home place the same year that first sale was
held in 1976 (his son Larry is the fourth generation to farm there).
He remembers his Dad traveling all over the place and spending
lots of time gathering horses for the sale. In the early days, he says,
the horses came long haired and shaggy, not smooth and fit like
they come now. Sale staff spent a lot of time getting them clipped
up and presentable. A sale report in a local newspaper reported in
1979 that 300 head of horses were sold as far away as Alaska, New
York, Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, and that the top mare sold
for $7,000.00. This was quite a price in those days, and is still very
respectable. The article estimated the crowd to be about 5,000 at
that sale, the first one held in the newly built horse arena. The high
selling mare at $7,000.00 was consigned by Ezra Yoder, but Lavern
told me when we sat down to visit at the Buckeye fall sale in Ohio
(he bought me lunch) that she was really his mare. Ezra eventually
had to give up his responsibilities for the sale and his son Lavern
stepped up to the plate. He is still there, batting away.
There are many stories that could be told about buying trips Ezra
and others made for the Topeka sale. For many years, and continuing to this day, there has been a group of Japanese buyers showing up at the sale and buying a lot of horses. (59 head at the 2009
fall sale) These groups have been made up of various individuals
over the years. Lavern remembers a trip his Dad made to the Cedar
Rapids and Waverly horse sales in Iowa, coming back with 18 head.
That time he got stood up by the Japanese buyers, so he took them
to Topeka and “got along alright.” In the early to mid 80’s the markets were strong and the Yoders had no problem getting money from
the banks if they got carried away with buying at a sale. Sometimes
they had to pay as high as 20% interest, but a call to the banker on
Monday morning with “hey, I got a problem” brought the response
“come on down, how much do you need?” Typical numbers of
horses to be sold in three days spring and fall through the Topeka
Sale Barn are 900-1,000 in the spring and 1,000-1,400 in the fall.
This is a tribute to Ezra Yoder, his son Lavern, Orva Miller and Ernie
Miller, and to Devon Bontrager who is presently working with
Lavern to manage the sale, along with many, many, others who
could be named here.
Fast forward now to 1994 and Bob and Shirley Bale come onto the
scene. They found out that Junior Martin and Lester Moser were
ready to sell through Bob’s brother-in-law who is a veterinarian
and his son now has a practice headquartered in a building across
the street from the sale barn. The Bales live about an hour north
of Topeka in Schoolcraft, Michigan. You might think that they got
into ownership and management of a sale barn through a natural
progression of career choices, but you would only be partly right,
mostly wrong. Bob’s background, while being of a farming nature,
given the fact that he lived in farming country and was surrounded
by farming family members and friends, was actually in education. He did help Tink Brown from the Allegen, Michigan area with
public sales, actually doing some auctioneering, during the years
that his main occupation was as a biology teacher in the Portage
Public High School. In addition to teaching biology he spent time in
the system as a librarian and media consultant. He spent 34 years in
public schools before “retiring” (not the right word), actually,
embarking on a second career as sale barn owner and manager.
Mrs. Bale, Shirley, came along to Topeka after having trained and
worked as a graphic artist. In her third year as a student at Western
Michigan University in Kalamazoo she was offered a job in graphic
arts. She discontinued her studies, took the job, and worked in
graphics for 14 years. In her three years of college education she
majored in home economics, never knowing she would eventually
reach back to her training as a young lady in college to run a
successful food services operation that is officially known
as Bale Enterprises LLC.
Horse Progress Days 2010 attendees will have the opportunity to
become a part of the privileged group who over the years have
partaken of a meal in the Topeka Livestock Restaurant or grabbed
a sandwich or piece of delicious roasted chicken in the horse sale
barn. The restaurant will be serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Diners will have the choice of menu or buffet meals. The breakfast
buffet features eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, french toast, fruit,
and cereal. Lunch and dinner feature things like baked chicken,
fried fish, shrimp, sometimes her famous meatloaf, mashed potatoes,
peas, corn, and for dessert, among other things, delicious bread
pudding. Additional offerings of food will be strategically scattered around the grounds of the Topeka Sale Barn, but every visitor,
vendor, manufacturer, participating in the 2010 Horse Progress Days
should have the privilege of eating at least one or two meals provided by Shirley and her competent crew.
The contribution that the Topeka Draft Horse Sale has made to the
local draft Horse economy is difficult, if not impossible, to measure.
Northern Indiana for quite a long time now has been a magnet to
those seeking good animals to work or play with. Many private sales
take place between the big sales at the sale barn. The sale itself is
firmly established in the industry, having taken its place alongside
Indianapolis, Columbus, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, and Waverly, Mt.
Hope and having outlived many of the others. Horse Progress Days
appreciates the hospitality of Bob and Shirley Bale in hosting the
event in 2010.
James and Bill Hochstetler, Topeka Seed and Stove
and Horse Progress Days 2010
You might like to know a bit about the owners of the land HPD
will be using for the 2010 field demonstrations. They are James
and Bill Hochstetler. James’s son Jim does the farming and helps
to run Topeka Seed and Stove, the farm supply store owned by the
brothers. They have graciously agreed to rent about 20 acres of
good Indiana farm land for use by Horse Progress Days 2010 for
demonstrating equipment.
Omer Hochstetler, father of present day owners of the land we’ll
be using began showing his interest in fields and farmland back in
1937 when he began spreading something called marl on lands
around the Topeka area. He had just moved from Illinois to Indiana.
He and his brother shoveled the marl from the edges of Emma Lake,
loaded it onto trucks and shoveled it from the backs of the trucks
into a 55 gallon barrel mounted over a spinner run by an old axle.
Marl, by the way, is a naturally occurring deposit of soil consisting
of clay and calcium that crumbles easily and can be used on soils
deficient in lime. Son James says that his father Omer was heard
to say when he first moved to Indiana from Illinois, that he should
have moved to LaGrange County where the farming was better. This
situation is no longer the case, since Elkhart, says James, caught up
to LaGrange back in the 1960’s. Corn yields in those days in Elkhart
County were about 40 bushels per acre, and there wasn’t enough
corn to feed all the livestock, so Omer bought a truck and started
hauling shelled corn in from Illinois to a local Amish owned feed
mill. He also hauled coal in from Ohio. Omer stayed active in the
fertilizer, grain, and coal hauling business for a number of years. In
1965 he passed away at the young age of 53 and his sons James and
Bill and their mother continued operations. From the mid 60’s into
the 80’s the business was heavily involved in buying, selling, and
storing large quantities of grain and shipping it by truck and
rail. By the early 80’s things in the grain business were changing to
the point that competition was making it difficult to turn a profit.
A store called Topeka Feed and Seed, across from the Topeka
Livestock Auction, came up for sale. The Hochstetlers bought it
and it eventually became Topeka Seed and Stove. Today the store
specializes in selling farm supplies and wood and coal stoves. They
are especially well prepared to set up the outdoor wood stoves that
have become popular throughout the country in recent years with
their high efficiency conversion of castoff wood into home heating
comfort. They keep a large inventory of stoves on hand with good
displays at all times. (See their ad on page 62.)
What a privilege for Horse Progress Days to use farmland owned
by this family with deep roots in the Topeka farming community.
It is very important that we show our respect for this land and it’s
owners by keeping it clean.
Please be sure to put any trash you may accumulate in a trash
receptacle, no exceptions!!
TOPEKA NEW HOLLAND
7350W 700S — P. O. Box 499 — Topeka, IN 46571
260-593-2345 – FAX 260-593-2619
http://www.topekanewholland.com
The Courtyard By Marriott In Goshen Indiana welcomes
Horse Progress Days! Amish Countries Premier Hotel is
only 17 miles from downtown Topeka!
Courtyard by Marriott 1930 Lincolway E. Goshen Indiana, 46526.
(Across the street from Menards) Let us know you’re with the
Horse Progress Days and get 25% off your room!
Call Us Today and book your room…
Dial 574-534-3133 and dial 0 when you get the auto attendant…
we are waiting for your call!
Directions below from Topeka:
1. Head west on W Lake St toward S Babcock Ave. (0.4 mi)
2. Continue onto W 700 S (5.6 mi)
3. Continue onto Co Rd 40 (6.5 mi)
4. Turn right at US-33 N - Destination will be on the right (2.0 mi)
Shipshe Farm Supply
Maynard & Esther Miller
2380 N 925 W — Shipshewanna, IN 46565
Phone: 260-768-7271 • Fax 260-768-7366
Our cultimulcher is the
ultimate machine for
leveling, weed control
and seedbed preparation.
It will really bust up clods
on ground that was
worked in adverse
conditions. It’s available
in 3’, 4’, and 5’ sections
to make whatever size
cultimulcher you need.
We Manufacture:
• Shoeing Stocks
• Training Sleds
• Mangers
• Horse Stalls
Visit our display at Horse Progress Days
and also at our store located just 1-1/4
miles west of Shipshewana to CR 925 South, 400’ on right.
Visit Our Display at the Horse Progress Days.
Northern Indiana Dealer For:
Pioneer • White Horse • I&J • Pequea Equipment
Mfg. of Shoeing Stocks • Cultimulchers • Training Sleds • Mangers
Ontario, Canada Couple
Making Good on a Horse Powered Dream
Something in the summer 2009 issue of the Canadian Belgian
Banner caught my eye. First of all, I was captured by an ad that
appeared on page 31, and then there was more information in the
back of the publication under the title of “Back to the Future
Farming Practices”, along with more pictures. One sentence in the
article in the back jumped out at me; “We have spent the last 5
years attending Horse Progress Days throughout the Northern U.S.
purchasing the equipment we required, and observing the different
methods of hooking and driving multiple hitches.” This story about
Kim and Jean Hadwen of Belleville, Ontario, Canada was
worth exploring.
We have all become accustomed to the fact of horse farming in
Amish communities in various parts of North America, having
grown up with it. The gift of Amish farm machinery, first of all to
the community itself, and then to the rest of us, is something not to
be taken lightly. This enterprising couple, outside of the Amish
communities, is taking a serious stab at horse farming.
Kim Hadwen has a strong farming background; Jean grew up off of
the farm, but became a strong part of this team at a very young age.
When he was 9 years old, Kim lost his father to a fatal accident and
moved to town with his mother and siblings. In spite of his move
to town, farming was never far from his mind. Kim and Jean met in
high school and have not been parted since. Their story is an interesting one. They joined forces at the ages of 16 and began making
investments in their future together long before they were married
at the still tender ages of 19 and 18. At 16 years old when Kim was
first able to drive, he got a part time job on a dairy farm, and as soon
as these two had a little bit of money between them, they began
buying animals. They bought some quarter horses and some Holstein dairy cattle. When they were married they began farming on a
rented farm in Orillia, Ontario where they lived for about six years
and milked 50-60 cows, before buying and moving to the place in
Belleville, Ontario where they have now lived for 25 years. They
raised their two children there and are happy to be grandparents to
three wonderful grandchildren, with one more on the way.
The Hadwen’s farming operation consists of 700 acres of owned
land. Up until 2003, they milked about 80 cows, and this was no
run of the mill dairy! The rolling herd average was around 30,00032,000 pounds of milk per cow per year. When it came to milk
production, they “pulled out all the stops”. They milked three times
per day, just to keep their high producing cows comfortable, and for
some time they were the highest producing herd in the county. They
fed a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) and did their best to make sure their
cows ate the highest quality feeds they could find. Their method of
feeding TMR differed from that of their neighbors down the road.
Here’s how...the cows did the total mixing with their noses; read on!
Before the feeding began, a piece of clothesline that had been
strung down the row in front of the cows was electrified to keep
them away from their supper until all was properly prepared. The
cows stood back and watched as the first layer, corn silage, was put
down from a motorized feed cart. Next, a layer of corn grain was
added, then a layer of concentrate. The last layer on top was
haylage. When the pile of feed was all in place, the clothesline
was de-electrified and raised. The cows would then burrow through
the pile of feed to get to the corn, and in the process would “totally
mix” the ration with their noses. There was no need for investment
in a $30,000 TMR mixer, and the inevitable maintenance and
replacement costs connected to it.
Five years ago when they sold their dairy herd, the Hadwens turned
their milk house into a store to sell Black Angus Beef, home raised
pork, freshly dressed chickens, and farm fresh eggs. The beef is
processed from animals that are fed no hormones and no antibiotics. The pork is from “weaner” pigs purchased at about 30 pounds
and fed to about 200 pounds. The eggs come from a flock of 100
Shaver Red laying hens, and the dressed chicken comes from a flock
of 150 White Rock meat birds. The farm puts through two flocks
of meat chickens per year. All of the processing of the animals is
done in a provincially inspected meat plant. The meat chickens are
pre sold. Customers pay a $10 deposit on each bird. The balance
is charged at $3.25 per pound dressed weight when the chickens
are picked up, ready to eat or put in the freezer. Kim said he could
probably sell up to 3,000 chickens per year if he had the quotas to
do so. You see, in an effort to control the amount of milk, chicken
meat, eggs and turkey produced in Canada, the government requires
that farmers purchase quotas. These quotas cap the production from
each farm. The cost of the quotas for milk at this time, for example,
is $30,000 per cow. Hence, it would cost $900,000 in quotas to
put a 30 cow herd into production. This program is, of course, very
effective in controlling production amounts and keeping farm prices
steady, but it is frustrating for an operation like the Hadwen’s when
they know that they could sell a lot more to meet the growing
demand for locally grown, good, healthy, meat.
In keeping with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, the Hadwens’
Merryville Farm will begin offering a come-to-the-farm-pick-yourown community vegetable garden next year. People living in the
town of Belleville (population 36,000) and other nearby towns will
be able to come to the farm as their schedules allow, pick their
produce, and pay on the honor system. The plan is to raise sweet
corn, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and lettuce, all with the horses
and without the use of herbicides and pesticides. The plan should
work since the farm is located on a busy road and the current customer base has been established over a period of 7 years by word of
mouth with no advertising.
Now for the part that connects Merryville Farm
to Horse Progress Days.
Kim remembers his dad having draft horses when the family was
still on the farm. This memory, no doubt, heavily influenced the
decision 25 years ago to get into the Draft Horse business. This is
when the move from Orillio to Belleville took place. Merryville
Belgians got a very strong start in the Belgian business by buying
out Sinc Nesbitt who bred under the prefix of Nesbitt’s Misty River.
A horse from the Nesbitt breeding program campaigned by the
Chapmans of southern Alabama named Nesbitt’s Misty River Ben
is very well known to Belgian Breeders. He is the maternal grandsire to Green Meade Bess, many times All American Belgian mare
for Don Patterson of Waynesburg, Pa. One of the mares that came
with the bunch Kim bought from Sinc was sired by Smithside Justin,
a horse bred in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania by the Smith Brothers.
This mare lived to the ripe old age of 23 and had a foal every year.
Today she has sons scattered all over Canada from east to west
and two in the U.S., one in Ohio and one in Illinois. Up until last
year, the farm was supporting as many as 60 head of Draft Horses.
That number has now been reduced to 29. Today the three mares
purchased from Stoney Lake Belgians, run by Randy and Nancy
Robertson and owned by Darrell Drain, are the only mares on the
farm. The rest are geldings. In the past the farm has had a presence
in the show ring, mostly in line classes. The plan for the future is to
participate in more plowing matches and pulling competitions.
This plan should work well for a farm that works geldings.
Part of the mission statement for Horse Progress Days says that the
event exists to show that horse farming is “possible, practical, and
profitable.” Kim and Jean are in the process of proving it so.
BEGINNER’S HORSEMANSHIP SCHOOL
BEGINNER’S HORSEMANSHIP SCHOOLS WILL AGAIN BE
OFFERED ON THE FARM IN WALNUT CREEK, OHIO, IN 2009
May 18-21 • June 8-11 • July 6-9 • July 20-23
Learn from the ground up; measuring your horse
for a collar, proper harnessing and harness adjusting,
handling lines, driving singles and teams. Watch and learn to
start young horses (every school includes hitching a two year old
for the first time), visit neighboring horse powered farms and
drive hitches in the field. We do tandem hitching with one set
of lines. You will practice with horses in the morning, and visit
places of interest in the afternoon, after a good home cooked
noon meal prepared by Mrs. Yoder herself!
Alvin Yoder • 5232 State Route 515 • Millersburg, Ohio 44654
(330) 893-2562 (message number)
The front four waiting for the back four.
It took 5 years of regular attendance at HPD, watching, asking
questions, and learning, before they took the plunge. This past
summer was the first time Kim tried to actually do some serious
farming with the horses. He uses the rope and pulley system he saw
working so well at Horse Progress Days. Most of the horse farming
equipment he purchased was bought at Horse Progress Days, at a
discount, slightly used. Some of the 700 acres of land on the
Merryville Farm has been rented out, but enough has been kept
to farm with the horses. This past summer, Kim set himself and the
horses up for some tests. First, he had to find a way to hook eight
head by himself. This he accomplished by welding together a set
of steel tubing. There are two posts to each set, on top of which is
welded a piece of steel tubing about 20’ long running parallel to the
ground. The posts on the two sets of steel are dug into the ground,
keeping the two sets about 18’ apart. Kim strings a rope across the
front to tether the front four horses to after they have been
harnessed. He then strings a rope behind the front 4 to tether the
back four to after they have been harnessed. This keeps all eight in
place while he puts the rope and pulley system on, and the lines.
He drives the front four horses with two lines running back to his
hands. The two horses on the left side of the tongue have lines and
check lines running to the left side of their bits, and the two on the
Driving the back four into position.
right side have the same arrangement to the right hand side of their
bits. The back four horses, then, have the same arrangement, but he
ties those lines onto the cart within easy reach so that he can use
them to encourage a tighter turn to the left or right. With this arrangement, each of the eight horses has a driving line going to only
one side of their bits. The other sides of each horse’s bit are tied
back to the hames of the horse beside it. Kim says that it doesn’t
take long for the whole team to learn gee and haw to the point that
Hooking the eight with the rope and pulley system.
little extra pulling on the lines is needed. Kim uses a four horse yoke
on the front and back teams and likes how it keeps them together.
He saw this demonstrated at Horse Progress Days by the Pioneer
Company and purchased the yokes there. When things go well, he
can have the eight ready to go in 45 minutes.
Eight tandem Belgians negotiate a tight turn.
The tests Kim set up for his horses were to see how long it would
take to plant crops of oats and corn using horses compared to his
tractors. He planted 12 acres of oats in 4 hours using a 21 run
Case/International drill with a packer behind it. The same job took
3 hours with his 60 horsepower tractor. He planted 8 acres of no till
corn with a four row planter in 4 hours with the eight horses. In the
past he would have used his 105 horsepower tractor for this job.
He says he had to rest the horses a bit on the corn planter, but the
results of the tests pleased him well enough to solidify his plans to
sell all of his tractors this winter and any equipment he can’t use
with the horses, and do all his farming next year with horses. He
will keep his skid steer loader for loading the manure spreader. He
uses four abreast to haul manure with his Gateway motorized forecart hooked to his New Holland PTO manure spreader. This is the
place, he says, to work in a new or young horse. There is nothing
like a good load of manure and a slight uphill grade to teach new
recruits how to fit into a hitch. He will be buying a 75 horsepower
forecart to supplement the 20 horsepower Gateway unit he has been
using. The plan is to pick it up at the 2010 Horse Progress Days
in Topeka, Indiana in keeping with past practices of buying at a
discount after the piece has been ever so slightly used.
Add twice a year on the farm driving and hitching seminars,
hosting plowing matches, farming, running the store, caring for
the livestock and chickens, and you have the formula for a busy
life. Compared to the stress of trying to keep an eighty cow top
producing herd of dairy cows healthy and milked three times a
day, the stress level at Merryville Farms is way down. Good news,
indeed!
Planting corn with a four row planter and eight geldings.
Planting oats with the tandem eight on a 21 run drill and culti-packer behind.
4285 S. 500W. • Topeka, Indiana 46571
Hubbard Feeds • Farm Supplies
Bag & Bulk Delivery Service
VM# 260-593-9136
Hawpatch Engine Repair
We work on most brands of tillers,
farm & lawn equipment.
Lawn Mowers • Tractors • Skid Loaders
Tillers • Trimmers • Chain Saws
We Sharpen Chains & We Fix Flats
2525 S 050 W • LaGrange, In 46761
260-463-4328
HOWE RESTAURANT
Breakfast Served All Day • Daily Specials
Homemade Pizza & Subs - Delivery up to 12 miles
Open Monday - Sunday 6am - 10pm
St. Rd. 9 & 120 • Howe, Indiana 46746
260-562-3132
D.A. Hochstetler and Sons, Topeka, Indiana
First major manufacturer of exclusively horse drawn farm
equipment in the age of petroleum, and tour stop
2010 HPD tour.
By Ivan Hochstetler
Dan Hochstetler, my Dad, started the business as Hochstetler’s
Buggy Shop in the spring of 1950, making this year of 2010 our
60th anniversary. I was 7 years old at the time, second in a line of 6
children, 4 boys and 2 girls. My younger brother Albert is the youngest in the family. He and I are partners in the business today. Our
parents, Dad at 92 and Mom at 91, are still with us, living alone in
their home and pretty much able to care for themselves. February of
2010 will be their 69th anniversary. They are blessed with a lot of
company, which they thoroughly enjoy. We thank the good Lord for
all of this and want to direct to Him honor and glory.
As for Horse Progress Days, we have been very little involved, but
we do very much appreciate all the effort that has been put into it
by the Board of Directors and local planners throughout the years
in making it the great success it has become. It’s amazing to me to
consider all that has been developed strictly for horse farming.
I guess one of the reasons we haven’t affiliated more with Horse
Progress Days is because all we have in the implement line is our
farm wagon gear. We do have a real good horse drawn implement
parts business with lots of dealers across the states and a few
in Canada.
A little bit about how Dad got started in 1950
Dad’s uncle, about a mile down the road, had a 16’ x 24’ building
he wanted to get rid of, so Dad moved it to the farm. Dad added
10’ to it making it 16’ x 34’ before he started using it. He started out
repairing buggy wheels. Soon after starting, he purchased the stock
of an old blacksmith shop in Emmatown, about three miles away. In
this purchase he got a few shop tools, but the main thing he got was
a 150 pound anvil. We still have that anvil in our shop. The shop
also got its first engine lathe with this purchase, a 16” swing, line
shaft driven. This was our one and only lathe until 1976.
Dad soon started buying some used implements and fixing them
up to resell. Also, in 1952 Seagley’s Equipment in Topeka had some
knocked down, brand new Case and New Idea horse drawn sickle
bar mowers and about 10 New Idea side delivery rakes they wanted
to get rid of since the majority of their customers were switching to
tractor equipment. He bought them and was glad for them. In the
fall of 1952 he built a 34’ x 56’ 2 story hip roof building, which
gave the shop a lot more room. By then Dad was buying used open
buggies and putting new tops on them. In 1954 he decided to build
complete new buggies. He didn’t build many the first few years
since not very many people could afford brand new buggies in those
years. Also in 1954 we started selling Grove wagon gears.
In the late 1950’s Dad started making a few parts for the old John
Deere Syracuse sulky plows. These were the plows most commonly
used in the area at that time and John Deere was not making new
parts for them anymore. Since we were making parts for the John
Deere plows, we decided to make our own completely new plow,
mostly using these same parts. This was started in 1960 and for quite
a few years we made from 100-120 plows a year. The Grove wagon
gears we had been selling were being built with a 5’ track. The
Grove company eventually widened them to 6’ which was much
too wide for standard corn rows, so we started making our own
wagons with a 5’ track, which we are still doing today.
The buggy wheel repairing business continued along with all the
other endeavors of the shop. In 1972 we had the privilege of buying a West Hydraulic Cold Tire Setter (cold shrinker). This made the
wheel business much more efficient. We no longer had to heat the
steel tires in the forge to put them on the wheels and we no longer
had to cool them in water. We would lay the wheel in the West
Shrinker and lay the tire on it and turn the shrinker on. In a minute
or two the steel tire would be shrunk onto the wooden wheel, cold.
Some weeks in the summer when it was dry we would do as many
as 100-120 wheels a week. In the early years our wheel work was
done by semi-retired men, but in later years we had to hire young
men to do the job. In time, we decided to quit the wheel business
and in 1991 sold it to John Earl Schwartz (Schwartz Wheel and Clip
Company) in Nappanee, Indiana. As far as I know the business today is being operated by one of his sons.
In the early 70’s and 80’s the shop did a lot of carriage restoration work on all kinds of carriages, including Amish buggies. We
were kept very busy and employed as many as 26 people. It wasn’t
always smooth sailing; Dad wanted to slow down and this put a lot
more of a load on us boys. We decided that some way, some day,
something had to change. To make a long story short, one day things
sort of came to a head and we decided to get out of the carriage
business. In August of 1984 the last buggy rolled out the door. The
roster of employees went from 26 to 13. As you might imagine, this
was quite a change, but we soon got used to it.
In 1974, we did something new by replacing our old line shaft
operation with hydraulic power. Soon after, people heard what we
had done and came to find out more about it. We stepped in and
started installing hydraulic systems in all kinds of shops. I, along
with a few employees, did this work with little or no competition
for about 30 years, and then about 6-8 years ago a few others in the
area started up. It turns out there were no family members willing to
step into this part of our business, so we decided to get out and help
those who were getting in by turning our customers over to them.
Use of hydraulics in the area has dropped some because of the use
of generators for power.
In 1983 we started making our own steel wagon wheels. This has
been a good business for us. In 1983 the plow business was sold to
Joe’s Repair Shop in Apple Creek, Ohio.
In dropping so many things, you could wonder, “what do we have
left?” Well, we have always been busy doing all types of machining
work and steel fabrication. And we do some high quality stampings,
but since November of 2008 when the economy took a dip, we’ve
not been running full force. We do thank the good Lord for what we
have; blessings untold. In closing, we would like to thank everyone we
have had the privilege of doing business with over the past 60 years of
operation. We look forward to continuing to be of service, and we will
strive, with the help of our dear Lord and Savior, to do our best.
May His will be done, and may God bless each and every one.
HAWPATCH BICYCLE
SALES & SERVICE
• 21 Speed Raleigh 3-Wheeler
• Custom Built
• Rides like Regular Bike
• 26” Wheels
• Chrome Fenders
• Standard Front Brake
• Optional Rear Disc Brake
• Call for Prices or Nearest Dealer
Sherman Miller
260-499-3136-1
0485 W 200S • LaGrange, IN 46761
Quality
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& Show Carts
5690 TR 606
Fredericksburg, Ohio 44627
330.695.2119
All New For 2010!
The New CHOP-RITE...
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and requires no extra motor and no second trip across the field.
The ultimate in performance and convenience! Be sure to stop
by our booth at the 2010 Horse Progress Days in Topeka, IN.
We look forward to talking with you there!
Miller Machine Shop LLC
Duane R. Miller
2028 Beech Rd. Nappanee
212-696-6527
NATURAL WELLNESS SOLUTIONS
“Serving you since 1992”
Free Health Reviews Available
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Ask for a FREE Catalog
• 6,000 Plus Products From Over
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2180 N. Shipshewana, IN 46565 •
800-860-8486
MID-OHIO DRAFT HORSE SALE
Steve Mullet, President
P.O. Box 82 • Mt Hope, Ohio 44660
SPRING - March 9-13, 2010
FALL - October 5-9, 2010
Auction Barn - 330-674-6188 • Fax 330-674-3748
www.mthopeauction.com
Located in the Heart
of Horse Drawn Farm Country
M and M Sheet Metal
Melvin L. Hershberger
8765 W. - 700 S.
Topeka, IN 46571
Custom Welding and Sheet Metal Fabrication
4 & 8 Hole Rollaway Laying Nests*
Rollaway Chicken Nests • Duct Work
Stainless Steel/Copper Range Hoods
*We can ship unassembled by UPS
Terry & Deb Pierce
46228 Hackberry Road
Oakland, Iowa 51560
toll free: 877-248-9169
cell: 402-980-0715
to everyone who bought horses and/or
equipment from us this year. We appreciate
your business and wish you the best of luck
with your purchases.
Registered Belgians –of all ages– FOR SALE
Steel Draft Horse Shoeing Stocks,
Wagons, Hitch Rails, Stall Fronts,
Breaking Sleds And Torsion Axle Forecarts
DHJ photo
Ad Design ©The Draft Horse Journal
GATEWAY MFG.
Manufacturer & Distributor
Two Wheel PTO Cart
20 to 38 HP Kohler Engine,
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Also available with sliding
axle, HD reduction clutch,
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Four Wheel PTO Unit
50 to 100 HP Kubota or
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hydraulics, hydraulic
brakes, rear wheel steering,
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standard, Optional 1000 or
Both 1000 & 540 RPM
Feeder Wagons
Designed for horses and
cattle, available in lengths
from 12’ to 24’.
GATEWAY MFG. • 7836 E. Colonville Rd. • Clare, Michigan 48617
989-386-4198
T-Road Belgians
Orla W. Yoder & Sons
59705 - 675W
Topeka, IN 46571
Home of Orndorff ’s Captain Rocket
Stop in for a visit, we are only 2 miles
from Horse Progress Days
VM. 260-768-8160
Chupp Auctions & Real Estate LLC
1605 N SR 5 • Shipshewana, IN 46565
“We Specialize In Your Auction”
Lyle Chupp
#A408800826
Dale Chupp
#A419800630
574-536-8005
• Real Estate
• Horse Auctions
• Farm Auctions
• Antiques
• Estates
• Household
Chupp Bros. Wholesale
Devon Chupp • 260-499-0525
Distributors of: Harness Hardware, Scoop Shovels,
Horse Tack, Lawn & Garden, Wheel Barrows & More!
For a Catalog Contact Devon Chupp • 260-499-0525
David & Atlee • 167 Kentucky Ave. • Punxsatawney, PA 15767 • 814.653.9695
Growing and Marketing Produce
in Horse Farming Communities
By Lavern Miller
Driving through Northern Indiana on a beautiful early Summer day
you may come upon a lovely scene; a pair of Draft Horses pulling
a transplanter through rows of black plastic, walking slowly. The
team is probably driven by a man, possibly the father, and one of
the seats on the transplanter might be occupied by a woman, maybe
the mother, the other seat by one of the children. Or, depending on
the age of the family’s children, you might be looking at a group of
brothers and sisters working together. They are transplanting a crop
that was started in a bed, pulled out, and brought to the field to be
replanted. The plants will be cared for so that they can grow and
thrive and bear a harvest worthy of this family farming effort.
Driving past that same field a few weeks later, you might see a horse
hitched to a one horse cultivator going back and forth between the
rows. There might be a young boy leading the horse while the father
handles the cultivator. Or, you might see a team of horses pulling a
two row cultivator. If it is an I&J model cultivator, the middle
section will be taken out to make it wide enough to straddle the
plastic in the rows.
Cultivating every week is a good practice for weed control. Why do
it with horses? Why not get an average size tractor and be free of the
hassle of feeding, grooming, and hitching a pair of horses every day?
For someone who likes horses, caring for them is not a hassle, but a
privilege. Working with horses throughout the four seasons; fall and
winter manure hauling, spring plowing and working the ground
with the cultimulcher, and planting, summer cultivating and hauling
produce to the auction, all with the same team of horses. The bond
that is established between man and beast is hard to describe with
words. A team of horses, for example, when plowing will always
know their place and will always try to fill it. It must be quite a
privilege for a child to be born and raised and grow up in a horse
farming community.
There are many ways to market produce.
There is the wholesale auction where you concentrate on volume.
There is wholesale direct marketing where you supply a farmer’s
market stand, restaurant, grocery store, etc. There is the option, if
you are in the right location, for a roadside stand where display is
very important. And there is the possibility of a pick-your-own
operation where customers come to the farm and harvest your
crop for you and pay you for it. In any and all of these types of
marketing, consistency, quality, cleanliness, and dependability
are very important.
One of the first, if not the first, produce auctions to be established in
recent years was the one in Leola, PA. Not too long after, Mt Hope,
Ohio started one, and now there are 70 or more established in the
horse farming communities of the US. Clearspring Produce Auction
in Topeka, Indiana was begun in 2000 (see story with tour schedule).
So, we hope you can join us this July in Topeka for Horse Progress
Days 2010, a time when lots of horse activities will be seen as you
drive around the countryside. Be sure to take in the produce
equipment demonstrations at HPD, and as you do, visualize your
family engaged in such an endeavor, each with his or her special job
to do; driving the team or transplanting young and thriving plants
with tender loving care, and then caring for the crop as it grows
to maturity.
American Cream Draft Horse Assn.
193 Crossover Rd. • Bennington, VT 05201 • 802-447-7612
www.acdha.org • Come see us at Horse Progress Days
MANUFACTURERS OF:
All Leather Irish, Split Leather Irish, All Purpose
Collars, Heavy Pulling Collars, Field, Show & Buggy Collars,
Adjustable Collars, Clock, Mirror & Mini Collars
Check-out our Fine Driving G-Collar
Coblentz Collar L.T.D.
Draft Horse Blankets with Leg Straps
3348 US Route 62
in Red, Burgandy, Green or Blue
Millersburg,Ohio 44654
Phone: 330-893-3858
Please call or write for a free catalog.
Fax: 330-893-1166
Visa & Mastercard Accepted
★Pony wagon gears
★Minnie pony gears
★1 ton gear
★3 ton gears
★4 ton gears
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★Heavy duty draft forcarts
★Haﬂinger forcarts
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★Field & produce sprayers
★Produce planters
★Plastic layers
★Fertilizer spreaders
★Norwesco sprayer tanks
Est. 1956
E-Z TRAIL
9575 Salt Creek Road
Fredericksburg, OH 44627
See us for all your horse drawn needs!
Be sure to check out our new items, harrows etc. during the field demos.
Manufacturers of
Express Wagons & Pony Wagons
Easy Entry Pony Carts
Laundry Carts
Runner Sleds • Steel Fabrication
Jacob S. Miller, Owner
32801 County Road 12
Millersburg, Ohio 44654
(Coshocton County)
Hours: Monday - Friday 8-5, Saturday 8-12
V.M. 740.622.1109
Yo-Home Farm
Byron Seeds • Plow Harrows • Whip Sockets
Cup Holders • Line Holders • Tool Boxes
Jacob L. & Mary Esther Yoder
5894 T.R. 606 Fredericksburg, Ohio 44627
330-695-2261
Wholesome Food. Wholesome Values.
A Co-op Dedicated to Sustainable Agriculture
For more information contact Green Field Farms
5515 County Road 229 • Fredericksburg, Ohio 44627
330.695.2462 • Fax 866.281.8052
7058 E. Lincoln Way, Wooster, Ohio 44691
Phone: 330-262-6111 Fax: 330-262-1822
Carlton K. Steiner, Pres. Craig Forrer, Service Mgr.
Quality Hay Is Our Trademark
Serving the Farm Community Since 1949
We Salute the North American
Farmer With Horse and Mule Power
The Holland Guys
Let’s suppose you were a young man in your twenties and you
wished to travel to a distant place to meet horse farmers who were
successfully practicing a way of farming that had existed in your
country 100 years ago. You would want to work alongside these
farmers as they went about gathering their crops, hopefully being
given the opportunity to drive their horses in wagons and various
types of farm machinery. Indeed, let’s say you were from a western
European country like, maybe the Netherlands. Further, you would
be aware, of course, that the most logical place in the world to
follow through with this idea would be in the Amish communities
of the eastern United States. Those with whom you discussed the
plan would tell you that these people are mostly closed to outsiders,
and that you would meet with resistance should you try to follow
through. You might give up on the idea.
Ties Ruigrok (left) and Jelmer Albada visiting Log Cabin Horse Farm in PA.
Ties Ruigrok of Vorden, Netherlands and Jelmer Albada of Sondel,
Friesland, The Netherlands are just such as described in the previous
paragraph. These two young men, each with a background in dairy
and produce farming in their native country, and fellow students
at the Warmonderhof Organic Agricultural School in Dronten,
Netherlands would like to tell you about their experience in the
summer of 2009 when they came to the USA and stayed for three
months, working on horse powered farms in four different
communities east of the Mississippi River. They wanted to
“experience working on horse farms where it is taken for granted.”
It all started with a man from South Carolina named Tommy
Flowers, breeder and user of the Brabant breed of Draft Horses.
Tommy is a long time supporter of Horse Progress Days. Its purpose
is to give the manufacturers of modern horse drawn farm machinery
a place to demonstrate their various makes and models of equipment, all with horses. Tommy Flowers and his Brabant work horses
have attended every event since 1999. In 2006 Tommy lost his long
time working stallion, Rocky. He decided the best way to find a new
stallion was to make a trip to Belgium, the native country of the
modern day Belgian horse in the US. In Belgium, he would look for
a stallion that might fill the void left by his loss of Rocky. He did buy
another horse and in the process found himself in the Netherlands.
Here he attended an informal plowing day and met and became a
friend of Jelmer Albada. Jelmer asked a lot of questions about Horse
Progress Days and Tommy, having the long involvement that he has
had, was able to answer. Beyond that, their conversations cultivated
in Jelmer an interest to possibly, some day, attend the event. In the
winter of 2008 Ties introduced to Jelmer the idea of traveling to
the US to attend Horse Progress Days and then stay on for several
months working on horse farms. They did, it worked, and the plan
has now been fulfilled.
Tommy Flowers is the catalyst around which these two agricultural
students’ plan took shape. Several months before Jelmer and Ties
were to arrive, Tommy called some of his friends from Horse
Progress Days and, after giving some background on the plan, asked
if they would be willing to help these two find places to stay and
work on horse powered farms. In Southern Indiana, the place where
Horse Progress Days 2009 was held, he contacted Nick Graber. In
Northern Indiana, several hundred miles away, he contacted Lynn
Miller. In Ohio he contacted Leon Wengerd, and in Pennsylvania
Dale Stoltzfus and Henry King. All of these individuals are involved
in some way with Horse Progress Days and have a long history with
the event. All of them willingly agreed to help.
Jelmer Albada driving horses in Daviess County, Indiana
The first place the young agricultural students stayed and worked
was Tommy Flowers’ farm in Blackville, South Carolina. In
temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit they helped Tommy put up
hay, binder sweet corn stalks, repair some plows, cultivate with the
horses, and do some repairs around the farm. When Tommy got to
Horse Progress Days he told his friends “these guys know how to
work, they made me tired, whew!” The guys from Holland
demonstrated their Dutch, cold climate approach to work in the
southern hot climate of the USA. After spending about three weeks
with Tommy and his great wife and family, they made the ten hour
trip to Horse Progress Days in Southern Indiana. Arriving there they
were excited to see for the first time large numbers of horses working modern horse drawn equipment in fields or lounging in meadows, a scene often repeated on their trip.
Jelmer and Ties check out a Miller’s Repair cultivator at Horse Progress Days 2009
in Daviess County, Indiana
Both Jelmer and Ties agree that Tommy was a terrific host for them
at Horse Progress Days. They appreciated his habit of going up to
people and saying “Have you met the Dutch fellows?” Then he
would point them out and introduce them. Horse Progress Days is
where they met large numbers of horse farmers from various parts of
the US and beyond. Jelmer says that it was gratifying to him to come
from Europe, where these farming practices stopped after the second
World War, to a place where they flourish, and he was very impressed with what he saw and what he experienced on the farms he
worked on later. Ties was very impressed with all the innovations he
saw in horse farming equipment at Horse Progress Days, particularly
the new ground drive power take off forecart which was demonstrated hooked to and powering a seven foot wide haybine
Ties Ruigrok, Dutch horse farmer visiting with Amish horse farmers in Davies County
cutting alfalfa. It was brought by I&J Manufacturing, in collaboration
with Ammon Weaver of Liberty, Kentucky who calls his company
Athens Equipment. The proliferation of the various kinds and models
of forecarts, plows, cultivators, produce and haying equipment, and
the innovations on display, they say, impressed them very much.
They appreciated the way the event was organized and the fact that
almost all the equipment demonstrated was new instead of antique,
and felt privileged to be a part of the biggest gathering in the world
focused on the demonstration of modern animal traction farm
equipment. Jelmer and Ties have also attended Pferde Starke Tage in
Germany where there are 18,000-20,000 attendees and up to 300
Draft Horses. These two events might be called counterparts to one
another, but the European has a heavier focus on entertaining and
contests with Draft Horses, while the US event has a stronger focus
on working equipment with Draft Horses.
Another high point for the guys from Holland, as they were called
so often, was the international meeting they took part in on Friday
evening at Horse Progress Days. The idea for this meeting came to
the Board of Directors several years ago from Wayne Wengerd of
Pioneer Equipment. It is a time when the Board of Directors, along
with the local planners and interested manufacturers, come
together for a brief time of introduction and visitation with
international guests. At this meeting Ties and Jelmer met other
international guests from such places as Uganda, Mali, Morocco,
Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, from Australia, Great Britain,
Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland. They heard Bob
Okello of Uganda, Africa talk about his work of building plows
and equipment for farmers in his native country, and how some of
his knowledge and inspiration came from his time spent at Horse
Progress Days in 2007 in Illinois. They, along with the many other
visitors to HPD 2009, were privileged to see a plow manufactured
in Uganda by Bob Okello which he had taken apart and put in his
luggage and brought to HPD to be demonstrated in the field behind
a team of oxen brought to the event by an organization based in
Kalamazoo, Michigan called Tillers International. They were
encouraged when they considered the strength of the Amish
communities to carry out such an event, hosting people from all
over the US and around the world. It was impossible, they said, to
keep up their journals to include all the people they met and
impressions made from Horse Progress Days, because of the sheer
size of the event. And so, Horse Progress Days, coming relatively
near the beginning of their stay in America, with its many vendors,
seminars, demonstrations, and the opportunity to observe and ask
questions, provided them with a place from which to prepare for
the rest of their time here. In fact, Ties provides a very good metaphor for the relationship of Horse Progress Days to their time spent
later on horse powered farms when he says, “at Horse Progress
Days we baked a pie, and we kept eating from it for the rest of
our time here.”
When Horse Progress Days ended, Ties and Jelmer stayed on in
Southern Indiana for about 2 1/2 weeks, working on horse powered
farms. They helped with haying, threshing, combining oats,
harvesting tomatoes and peppers, and they attended a Produce
Auction at a place called Dinky’s Auction Barn. They stayed in a
cabin in the woods provided by their host Nick Graber, President
of the Horse Progress Days Board of Directors. They were impressed
with the operation of Nick’s company, Graber Steel Fabrication
and the many wood working shops they saw in the area. They
thoroughly enjoyed their time there learning to know the Graber
family and other people in the community.
From Southern Indiana they traveled in their borrowed pickup truck
to the horse farming communities of Northern Indiana, a five hour
trip. In this area comprised of LaGrange and Elkhart counties, they
were hosted and their schedule was coordinated by Lynn Miller,
member of Horse Progress Days Board of Directors and one of the
key people involved in planning for the 2010 event. They stayed in
the basement of Lynn’s parents’ house, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Miller.
They visited the shop of Mervin Miller, another key person in planning for 2010 HPD, and other shops in the area. Since the time they
spent in Northern Indiana corresponded with a time in the fields
when weed populations were making their best efforts to overtake
intentionally planted crops, they had the privilege of using riding
cultivators behind teams of horses. They valued the opportunity of
being engaged in this type of work, since both of their interests are
primarily in organic farming and mechanical weed control is a big
part of this type of farming. In Northern Indiana Ties and Jelmer
observed many small acreage farms with skilled practitioners
making a living for themselves and their families. The farmers of
the locale were milking cows and growing produce surrounded by,
and with the help of, their families, a very encouraging situation.
In the village of Shipshewana, Indiana they visited a place called
Mennohof. This is a place commissioned to tell visitors the stories
and histories of the Amish and Mennonite Christian faiths in North
America. Their visit to this interpretive center and later on in their
trip to a similar one in Ohio called Behalt, helped them better
understand their hosts in the USA. After two weeks in this part of the
world they moved on east about 270 miles, a five hour trip, to the
Holmes/Wayne County areas of Ohio, home of the largest Amish
community in the world.
The destination of Ties and Jelmer in Ohio was the Pioneer
Equipment Company of Wayne and Mary Wengerd and family.
Their son Leon provided them an itinerary of places to stay and
work and did a fine job managing their time. This required some
necessary changes of schedules and keeping in touch with farmers.
They were quite impressed with the size of the Pioneer Company,
its management style of Lean Manufacturing, the long line of
equipment manufactured, and the fact that one son, John, works
full time in research and development for the company. On one
hand, Pioneer Equipment is the leader in the manufacture of
motorized power take-off forecarts in North America and, for that
matter, the world. They call the line of forecart models they offer
the Liberty Line. The forecarts are equipped with many useful and
innovative designs like; hydraulic steering, a hydraulically operated
tongue stabilizer that makes the piece of equipment and the forecart
it is attached to operate as one from the forward tip of the tongue to
the back wheels on the piece of equipment, a unique design on the
tongue with springs attached to keep weight off of the horse’s necks.
These forecarts are available with comfortable cushioned seats for
the driver. On the other hand, this company’s basic two wheeled
forecart is easily the most sought after and used on Draft Horse
operations in North America and around the world for simple tasks
on the farm. Pioneer Equipment with its 30 some employees makes
several models of plows, spring and spike tooth harrows, wagon
running gears and many various types of wagons for use with
horses. Ties and Jelmer observed that the company does very high
quality work. The family of Wayne and Mary Wengerd includes
8 sons and 4 daughters, most of who work in the shop.
In Ohio, Ties and Jelmer had more contact with organic farming
than anywhere else. This contact came primarily through well
known author and publisher David Kline and his family. David is
author of two widely read books; Great Possesions; an Amish
Farmer’s Journal, and Scratching the Woodchuck. He is also the publisher of Farming magazine and he was instrumental, along
with Wayne Wengerd and others, in setting up the organic farm processing and marketing cooperative called Greenfield Farms, a model
for showing how to grow and market locally grown food. David’s
Ties Ruigrok driving mules in Lancaster County, PA
daughters and their husbands operate organic dairy farms where
Ties and Jelmer were able to work. Here they had discussions about
horse farming compared to today’s conventional farming with
tractors, which included the fact that the initial investment in a
modern horse farming operation is so much less than that of
conventional tractor farming and while this does not guarantee a
profit, it does, along with top management practices and keeping
operating costs down, greatly enhance the possibility of a profit. In
Ohio, they visited the produce auction in Mount Hope which has
a section reserved for organically grown produce. They also visited
other shops in the area including EZ Trail and Master Equipment. In
Ohio, a lot of the work they did behind horses was in hay making.
After 3 weeks there they moved east 345 miles, a 6-1/2 hour trip,
to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Jelmer and Ties’ time in the east was made up of two weeks in
Lancaster County with a week in New York State sandwiched in
between. Dale Stoltzfus, secretary of Horse Progress Days and
advertising coordinator, was their contact in Pennsylvania. He and
Henry King of White Horse Machine made sure there was plenty
of work.
Their time in PA began on a Monday morning working in an Amish
Cheese factory owned by a man named John King. The next day
was spent making hay with mules on a neighboring farm, and on
Wednesday they traveled to New York City with Mr. King as he went
to Manhattan’s Greenmarket to sell his cheese. Their intent was to
make a connection with a farmer they were acquainted with from
their native country of the Netherlands who operates a Community
Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in New York State, not far from the
city. The connection didn’t occur, so they came back to Lancaster.
They did some additional work on horse farms as they made plans
to go to New York City again the following week to follow up on a
contact they had made on the first trip the week before with people
from a farm called Hawthorn Valley Farm, a Bio-dynamic/organic
farm engaged in the growing of produce and milking a herd of
cows. This time they were able to make connections with their
acquaintance from Netherlands, Jeanpaul Courtens of Roxbury
Farms who has been in the US for many years and owns and operates the CSA farm with 1,100-1,200 members in New York City.
Both of these farms are located in the beautiful Hudson Valley
of New York State. Mr. Courtens is a graduate of the same school
Jelmer and Ties graduated from in the Netherlands. They spent time
working on both of these farms, side by side with employees and
apprentices.
Coming back to the horse farms of Lancaster County, they eagerly
readjusted to working with their new found Amish friends putting
up tobacco, filling silo, and making hay. These young men made
the most of every opportunity they had to interact with those with
whom they shared their lives, including Sundays in church. Seven
Sundays they went to church in the homes of the Amish where the
singing and preaching was in German, which they could mostly
understand. Sometimes they walked to church and sometimes they
rode in the buggy behind the horse. They also attended an Amish/
Mennonite church in South Carolina, a conservative Mennonite
church in Ohio, and a Lancaster Conference Mennonite church in
Pennsylvania. On their last Sunday evening in PA they went to a
young people’s gathering, called a singing. This gathering
began with 4 improvised volleyball courts where teenaged Amish
youngsters competed with one another in friendly games. After
the volleyball games the young people gathered inside for a time
of singing, some songs were sung in German and some in English,
and after that there was an extended time of socializing. In Pennsylvania, they stayed in a guest cottage on the farm of Dale Stoltzfus
part of the time and in a quaint cottage on the farm of Henry King
of White Horse Machine the rest of the time. White Horse Machine
is the company that manufactures the innovative hydraulic plows
demonstrated every year at Horse Progress Days. These plows are
very unique since they utilize the wheels going around to build
up hydraulic pressure which is used to raise and lower the plow,
change the draft on the point of the plow, and provide pressure on
the moldboard of the plow to push it back into the ground if it hits
a rock or other obstruction. This company makes several models
of plows and forecarts as well as yokes and eveners and some
tillage equipment.
Everywhere these two Holland guys went to work and live, their
hosts were reluctant to see them leave. Why? You might reach the
conclusion that their hosts were captured by the offer of cheap
labor they experienced, and you would be partly right. They do
know how to work and made themselves an asset to the places
where they spent their time. But something bigger than just work
was a part of their hosts’ reluctance to see them go. Ties and Jelmer
offered friendship to everyone they met. They absorbed and enjoyed
the American culture they experienced, asking many questions
with sincere interest and no judgment, and for the most part they
experienced the same from the American friends they made. In their
contacts with manufacturers of modern horse drawn equipment
through Horse Progress Days and elsewhere, they made an
interesting observation about the manner in which business is
conducted; the larger and more successful manufacturers, they
learned, use a philosophy of establishing relationships and
friendships around their manufacturing endeavors, realizing that
good things will follow.
Many of the farmers and manufacturers Jelmer and Ties met and
worked with on this trip to the US were Amish. In spite of being told
before their trip that the Amish would be closed to them and would
resist their offers of help, they found the opposite to be true when
they approached their hosts with a sincere respect for their ways,
culture, and faith. In fact, interestingly, they found that they share
some of the same values inherent in Amish culture and ways of
farming, horses being the one most obvious, since both Ties and
Jelmer worked with horse farming in the Netherlands before their
trip to the US. While in the US Jelmer and Ties wore their wooden
work shoes to work in, as they do at home. Like the Amish with
their distinctive clothing, this made them stand apart, as efforts
to maintain a native culture will sometimes do. Sometimes
conversations initiated with questions about their shoes and
themselves resulted in learning for them or their questioners, and
sometimes the conversations led to a wise and witty response,
like when Ties was asked by an Amish man why he wears wooden
shoes when he is in America and he responded by asking the man
“if you ever come to the Netherlands, will you wear your suspenders there?” The idea of being happy with whom you are, and happy
with where you come from, our young Netherlands friends observe,
is a mutually shared value between them and their Amish friends.
To see horse farming practices that have, to a large extent, ceased
to exist in their native country, practiced on such a large scale as to
be taken for granted was gratifying for them and gives them courage
to continue to pursue somewhat comparable practices as their own
lives unfold, realizing there is a very practical side to horse farming.
A final observation from Ties and Jelmer is that anyone with any
interest at all in modern horse farming practices will find the annual
Horse Progress Days to be a very inspiring and valuable resource,
one not to be missed.
Jelmer and Ties wish to thank Mr. Tommy Flowers and his family of
Blackville, South Carolina for their friendship, and especially Tommy for taking the time to contact his friends from Horse Progress
Days who have now become their friends, and all the people who
shared with them their time and provided places for them to stay.
They say “Thank You” for the many horse farm work experiences
they had on their trip to the US in the summer of 2009.
SOLAR PANELS • WIND TURBINES • BATTERIES
BATTERY PACKS • INVERTERS • BATTERY DIRECT (12V.)
BATTERY DIRECT WELL (WATER) PUMPS
SECURITY SYSTEMS • 12V & 24V FRIDGES-FREEZERS
24 HR SERVICE
Sales – Service - Installation
WHOLESALE- RETAIL
DEALER INQUIRIES WELCOME
DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN GET A 30% REFUND
(FEDERAL TAX CREDIT) ON YOUR SOLAR SYSTEM ?
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS LLC
7584 W 950 N
NAPPANEE, IN 46550
PH 574-646-2150
Advertiser Index
ADM Alliance Nutrition................. 21
AJ’s Furniture................................ 105
Alpha Building Center.................... 21
American Cream DHA................. 151
American Haflinger Registry......... 144
Ana-Tech Animal Health................ 22
Athens Treadmills........................... 40
Basic Farm & Home Supply............ 49
BatteryTech,LLC.............................. 44
Beginner’s Horsemanship............. 114
Belgian Hill Farm.......................... 135
Best Westen, Goshen...................... 79
Blue Ribbon Kettle Korn................. 79
Cathy Zahm.................................... 33
Center Feeds................................... 27
Chop’s Weld Shop.......................... 18
Chupp Auctions & Real Estate....... 138
ClasSee Vinyl Window.................... 27
Clearspring Welding....................... 17
Clinton Harness Shop..................... 56
Coblentz Collar, Ltd...................... 165
Community Chiropractic................ 20
Conklin.......................................... 19
County Line Cabinetry.................... 26
Country Lane Bakery...................... 19
Countryroad Banquets.................... 20
Countryroad Fabric & Gifts............. 42
Courtyard by Marriot, Goshen...... 107
Creekside Bookstore....................... 43
Creekside Log Buildings............... 159
Cross Road Tours.............................. 8
Crystal Bend Mfg............................ 17
Crystal Valley Harness Shop........... 14
Curveside Wood Products.............. 46
Custom Coach Company................ 48
Custom Steel Designs..................... 45
D&M Sales..................................... 47
D.L. Schwartz................................. 32
Das Dutchman Essenhaus............... 78
Der Ruhe Blatz Motel..................... 50
DesEck Welding............................. 50
Diamond Shelters........................... 48
Dr. Weldy’s Associates, Inc............. 31
Doc Hammill............................... 146
Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park....... 94
Dutchmaid Woodworking.............. 72
Dutchman Log Furniture................. 46
E&R Seed........................................ 74
E&S Sales........................................ 78
E-Z Freeze...................................... 95
E-Z Spreader................................. 104
E-Z Trail........................................ 166
Eastside Enterprises, LLC............... 122
Eastside Vinyl.................................. 46
Emma Cafe & Catering Inc.............. 29
Emma Warehouse........................... 29
Emmatown Fabric & Gifts............... 93
Esch Manufacturing...................... 180
F&N Woodworking...................... 184
Family Fun Swing Sets.................. 104
Farbig Farm................................... 120
Farm Boy Equipment.................... 134
Farm Credit Services..................... 124
Farmers State Bank......................... 77
Fillmore Equipment, Inc............... 126
Forest Hill Manufacturing............. 140
Forest Manufacturing.................... 138
Four Woods-Custom Canvas......... 137
Freedom Steel Works.................... 142
Frontier Equipment....................... 123
G&R Sales.................................... 141
Gateway Mfg................................ 136
Golden Skillet............................... 123
Graber Manufacturing.................. 125
Green Field Farms........................ 168
H-M Lektronic................................ 29
Hampton Inn, Goshen.................. 145
Hawpatch Bicycle........................ 131
Hawpatch Engine Repair.............. 122
Heartland Directory...................... 125
Heartland Fabrics, LLC................. 148
Heartland Mattress, LLC................. 44
Historic Prophetstown.................... 66
Honeyville Feed............................. 71
Horseman’s Pride - WBZ................ 59
Howe Restaurant.......................... 123
Hubbard......................................... 73
I&J Mfg........................................... 70
Innovative Heating & Energy........ 125
IVA Manufacturing....................... 139
J&S Auctions................................... 95
Joe’s Machinery............................ 103
King Animal Care Clinic................. 95
Kuhn’s Equipment......................... 143
Kuntry Lumber & Farm Supply...... 147
Kuntry Time Furniture & Matress... 121
L&R Footwear................................. 96
LaGrange CCVB............................ 6,9
LaGrange Veterinary Clinic........... 145
Lakestreet Enterprises, LLC............ 141
Lancaster Spreader....................... 135
Laura’s Country Store & Bakery..... 156
Lehman’s Variety Store.................. 153
Let’s Talk Taxes................................ 61
Lowe & Young, INC...................... 168
Lynn Bowen, DDS........................ 156
M&L Structures............................... 96
M&L Supplies................................. 91
M and M Sheet Metal................... 134
Marissa J. Greenslade, RVT............. 36
Mascot Sharpening & Sales........... 154
Michelle Amor, RVT, EQDT............ 36
Mid-Ohio Draft Horse Sale........... 133
Mid-River Sales.............................. 47
Midway Trailer Sales..................... 176
Midwest Leather........................... 155
Milan Center Feed & Grain............. 77
Millcreek Equipment.................... 167
Miller Brothers’ Logging................. 34
Miller Carriage Company............... 16
Miller Feed................................... 119
Miller Machine Shop.................... 132
Miller’s Coleman & Variety........... 137
Miller’s Feed Service..................... 121
Miller’s Harness............................ 157
Miller’s Repair Shop..................... 177
Millwood Machinery.................... 157
Memory Lane Auction Service........ 96
Menno-Hof................................... 200
Mullet’s Machinery & Parts........... 160
My Draft Horse Superstore........... 158
Natural Wellness Solutions........... 133
NEAnimal Power Field Days......... 162
New Paris Tent Rentals.................. 119
Noavel Headstall............................ 32
Nolt’s Produce Supplies................ 165
Northern Indiana Axle Co............. 161
Northern Nutrition........................ 164
Nu-Trail Wagons.......................... 159
Nutra-Glo....................................... 58
Oak Grove Carriage..................... 132
Old Fashion Farming Day............... 76
Organic Valley.............................. 158
Owl Craft Toys.............................. 132
P&W Creations............................. 155
Pasture Perfect.............................. 163
Peach Lane Harness Shop............. 164
Pequea Planters............................ 167
Percheron Horse Assoc................. 186
Pioneer Equipment, Inc.................. 88
Quality Aluminum Products......... 152
Quality Floor................................ 156
Raber Patio Enclosures.................. 190
Ray’s Repair & Sales..................... 189
Rural Heritage.............................. 200
S&S Heating................................. 192
Sanderson Well Drilling................ 189
Scheetz Design, llc......................... 54
Schrock’s Marine............................ 43
Shady Lane Welding....................... 93
Sharp Turn Lumber....................... 106
Shipshe Farm Supply.................... 108
Shipshewana Harness & Supplies. 191
Shipshewana Trading Place........... 199
Shrock Farm Supply........................ 91
Shrocks’s Harness Shop.................. 41
Silver Run Farm............................ 106
Small Farmer’s Journal....................BC
Solar Energy Systems.................... 193
Spector’s Dry Goods Store.............. 71
StarAg, LLC..................................... 90
Stoney Creek Sales......................... 17
Stoney Hill Nylon........................... 56
Stori Enterprises.............................. 43
Sunrise Metal Shop......................... 59
Sunset Equipment........................... 56
Super 8, Goshen............................. 69
T-Road Belgians............................ 137
T-Road Collar Shop......................... 57
The Blue Gate Marketplace.......... 188
The Budget..................................... 79
The Canvas Shop.......................... 157
The Draft Horse Journal................. IFC
The Evener Shop........................... 191
The People’s Exchange.................... 21
Tillers International....................... 194
Topeka New Holland................... 105
Topeka Pharmacy........................... 55
Topeka Seed & Stove...................... 62
Town & Country Hardware............. 55
Townline Seed Supply.................. 189
Trail Farm Supply............................ 92
Valley Harness Shop....................... 57
Walter Hill Harness........................ 60
Wana Cabinets & Furniture............ 30
Wana Wheels, LLC......................... 60
White Horse Machine.................. 174
Wholesale Lumber......................... 57
Wingard’s Sales.............................. 28
Yo-Home Farm............................. 167
Yoder & Son Fencing, LLC.............. 80
Yoder & Sons Repair....................... 61
Yoder Department Store................ 112
Yoder Hackney Farm...................... 89
Yoder’s Harness Shop...................... 31
Yoder’s Red Barn Shoppes............... 71
Yoder’s Homestyle Cooking............ 14
Advertiser
By Category
Alternative Power
BatteryTech,LLC.............................. 44
H-M Lektronic................................ 29
Innovative Heating & Energy........ 125
Solar Energy Systems.................... 193
Wingard’s Sales.............................. 28
Breeders
Farbig Farm................................... 120
Silver Run Farm............................ 106
T-Road Belgians............................ 137
Yoder Hackney Farm...................... 89
Breed Association
American Cream DHA................. 151
American Haflinger Registry......... 144
Percheron Horse Assoc................. 186
Buildings & Building Supplies
Alpha Building Center.................... 21
ClasSee Vinyl Window.................... 27
Creekside Log Buildings............... 159
Custom Steel Designs..................... 45
D&M Sales..................................... 47
Diamond Shelters........................... 48
Eastside Vinyl.................................. 46
Emma WareHouse.......................... 29
Graber Manufacturing.................. 125
M&L Structures............................... 96
M&L Supplies................................. 91
Raber Patio Enclosures.................. 190
StarAg, LLC..................................... 90
Equine/Animal Services
Beginner’s Horsemanship............. 114
Cathy Zahm.................................... 33
D.L. Schwartz................................. 32
Dr. Weldy’s Associates, Inc............. 31
Doc Hammill............................... 146
King Animal Care Clinic................. 95
LaGrange Veterinary Clinic........... 145
Marissa J. Greenslade, RVT............. 36
Michelle Amor, RVT, EQDT............ 36
Noavel Headstall............................ 32
Equipment Dealers
Belgian Hill Farm.......................... 135
Fillmore Equipment, Inc............... 126
Frontier Equipment....................... 123
G&R Sales.................................... 141
Hawpatch Bicycle........................ 131
Joe’s Machinery............................ 103
Kuhn’s Equipment......................... 143
Lowe & Young, INC...................... 168
Midway Trailer Sales..................... 176
Millcreek Equipment.................... 167
Shipshe Farm Supply.................... 108
Topeka New Holland................... 105
Fabric Shops
Countryroad Fabric & Gifts............. 42
Emmatown Fabric & Gifts............... 93
Four Woods-Custom Canvas......... 137
Heartland Fabrics, LLC................. 148
Stoney Creek Sales......................... 17
The Canvas Shop.......................... 157
Fabrication
Clearspring Welding....................... 17
Chop’s Weld Shop.......................... 18
Freedom Steel Works.................... 142
M and M Sheet Metal................... 134
Miller Machine Shop.................... 132
Miller’s Repair Shop..................... 177
Millwood Machinery.................... 157
Northern Indiana Axle Co............. 161
Ray’s Repair & Sales..................... 189
Sunrise Metal Shop......................... 59
Farming Co-Ops
Green Field Farms........................ 168
Organic Valley.............................. 158
Seed, Feed & Nutrition
ADM Alliance Nutrition................. 21
Ana-Tech Animal Health................ 22
Center Feeds................................... 27
Conklin.......................................... 19
E&R Seed........................................ 74
E&S Sales........................................ 78
Honeyville Feed............................. 71
Horseman’s Pride - WBZ................ 59
Hubbard......................................... 73
Milan Center Feed & Grain............. 77
Miller Feed................................... 119
Miller’s Feed Service..................... 121
Nolt’s Produce Supplies................ 165
Northern Nutrition........................ 164
Nutra-Glo....................................... 58
Pasture Perfect.............................. 163
Shrock Farm Supply........................ 91
Topeka Seed & Stove...................... 62
Townline Seed Supply.................. 189
General Store
Basic Farm & Home Supply............ 49
Lehman’s Variety Store.................. 153
Miller’s Coleman & Variety........... 137
Shipshewana TradingPlace............ 201
Spector’s Dry Goods Store.............. 71
The Blue Gate Marketplace.......... 188
Topeka Pharmacy........................... 55
Town & Country Hardware............. 55
Yo-Home Farm............................. 167
Yoder Department Store................ 112
Yoder’s Red Barn Shoppes............... 71
Harness & Tack
Clinton Harness Shop..................... 56
Coblentz Collar, Ltd...................... 165
Crystal Valley Harness Shop........... 14
Eastside Enterprises, LLC............... 122
Lakestreet Enterprises, LLC............ 141
Mid-River Sales.............................. 47
Midwest Leather........................... 155
Miller’s Harness............................ 157
My Draft Horse Superstore........... 158
Peach Lane Harness Shop............. 164
Shipshewana Harness & Supplies. 191
Shrocks’s Harness Shop.................. 41
T-Road Collar Shop......................... 57
Valley Harness Shop....................... 57
Walter Hill Harness........................ 60
Yoder’s Harness Shop...................... 31
Hotels
Best Western, Goshen..................... 79
Courtyard by Marriot, Goshen...... 107
Der Ruhe Blatz Motel..................... 50
Hampton Inn, Goshen.................. 145
Super 8, Goshen............................. 69
Logging & Lumber
Kuntry Lumber & Farm Supply...... 147
Miller Brothers’ Logging................. 34
Sharp Turn Lumber....................... 106
Wholesale Lumber......................... 57
Manufacturers
Athens Treadmills........................... 40
Crystal Bend Mfg............................ 17
Custom Coach Company................ 48
E-Z Spreader................................. 104
E-Z Trail........................................ 166
Esch Manufacturing...................... 180
Farm Boy Equipment.................... 134
Forest Hill Manufacturing............. 140
Forest Manufacturing.................... 138
Gateway Mfg................................ 136
I&J Mfg........................................... 70
IVA Manufacturing....................... 139
Lancaster Spreader....................... 135
Mascot Sharpening & Sales........... 154
Manufacturers (continued)
Miller Carriage Company............... 16
Mullet’s Machinery & Parts........... 160
Nu-Trail Wagons.......................... 159
Oak Grove Carriage..................... 132
Pequea Planters............................ 167
Pioneer Equipment, Inc.................. 88
Quality Aluminum Products......... 152
The Evener Shop........................... 191
Wana Wheels, LLC......................... 60
White Horse Machine.................. 174
Woodworking/Furniture
AJ’s Furniture................................ 105
County Line Cabinetry.................... 26
Curveside Wood Products.............. 46
Dutchmaid Woodworking.............. 72
Dutchman Log Furniture................. 46
F&N Woodworking...................... 184
Family Fun Swing Sets.................. 104
Heartland Mattress, LLC................. 44
Time Furniture & Mattress............. 121
Wana Cabinets & Furniture............ 30
Publications
Heartland Directory...................... 125
Rural Heritage.............................. 202
Small Farmer’s Journal....................BC
The Budget..................................... 79
The Draft Horse Journal................. IFC
The People’s Exchange.................... 21
Other Events/Places of Interest
Cross Road Tours............................ 10
Dutch Creek Farm Animal Park....... 94
Historic Prophetstown.................... 66
Menno-Hof................................... 200
Mid-Ohio Draft Horse Sale........... 133
NEAnimal Power Field Days......... 162
Old Fashion Farming Day............... 76
Repair Shops
Hawpatch Engine Repair.............. 122
Schrock’s Marine............................ 43
Yoder & Sons Repair....................... 61
Restuarants
Country Lane Bakery...................... 19
Countryroad Banquets.................... 20
Das Dutchman Essenhaus............... 78
Emma Cafe & Catering Inc.............. 29
Golden Skillet............................... 123
Howe Restaurant.......................... 123
Laura’s Country Store & Bakery..... 156
Yoder’s Homestyle Cooking............ 14
Stalls, Gates, & Fence
DesEck Welding............................. 50
P&W Creations............................. 155
Shady Lane Welding....................... 93
Stori Enterprises.............................. 43
Sunset Equipment........................... 56
Trail Farm Supply............................ 92
Yoder & Son Fencing, LLC.............. 80
Other Supporters
Blue Ribbon Kettle Korn................. 79
Chupp Auctions & Real Estate....... 138
Community Chiropractic................ 20
Creekside Bookstore....................... 43
E-Z Freeze...................................... 95
Farm Credit Services..................... 124
Farmers State Bank......................... 77
J&S Auctions................................... 95
L&R Footwear................................. 96
LaGrange CCVB............................ 6,9
Let’s Talk Taxes................................ 61
Lynn Bowen, DDS........................ 156
Memory Lane Auction Service........ 96
Natural Wellness Solutions........... 133
New Paris Tent Rentals.................. 119
Owl Craft Toys.............................. 132
Quality Floor................................ 156
S&S Heating................................. 192
Sanderson Well Drilling................ 189
Scheetz Design, llc......................... 54
Tillers International....................... 194
Menno-Hof, Shipshewana, Indiana
A story rather than a museum.
Step Inside Menno-Hof and begin a journey with Mennonites and
Amish as their age-old story unfolds. From Swiss courtyard to medieval
dungeon, travel on the amazing journey of Amish and Mennonites. Explore
a surprising collection of interactive and hands on exhibits and displays
among the more than 24 unique areas. Menno-Hof is an epic story of triumph and tragedy told by those who lived it.
Travel with us through 500 years of the Amish/Mennonite story. MennoHof’s multi-image presentations, historical environments, and colorful
displays take you on a fascinating journey inside the world of Amish and
Mennonites. Experience the destructive power of a tornado and the constructive powers of Mennonite and Amish crews whose commitment to
serving others plunges them into cleanup efforts following storms, fires and
floods. Plus a new interactive Amish room offering a mirror into Amish life
and a hands-on experience of simplicity and spirituality of the Amish.
Located on SR 5 (Across the street from the flea market.)
Shipshewana, Indiana 46565 • 260-768-4117 • www.mennohof.org
Small Farmer’s Journal
International Agrarian Quarterly. The Horsefarmer’s Touchstone
Your satisfaction is guaranteed or your money back.
Small Farmer’s Journal
P.O. Box 1627, Sisters, Oregon 97759
phone 800-876-2893
$37/yr., 4 issues (U.S. funds)
Canada add $20 post/yr
other countries add $40 post/yr
www.smallfarmersjournal.com

www .horseprogressdays.com

Transcription

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