Horse logging

[Daren]

Sorry if this has be fully covered and I missed it (I searched the archive and didn't really find what I needed). I am growing interested in logging some timber I have that I think a horse or mule would be the ticket. It is steep droughts, with great trees at the bottom and of course trees at the top that if left alone for a few years will improve. The ones in the bottom had to shoot straight up to get their share of light. You know how it works, they don't expend energy branching, so they should make great logs. I don't have alot of this ground (10 acres) but it is all hardwood, walnut and oak mostly, some hickory. I was walking around it last fall squirrel hunting and got thinking about taking some trees out next winter. The timber is surrounded by tilled farmland that is family owned, but a road is within 1/8 mile. I guess I just need to find out a little more about low impact logging, because I don't want to remove trees that aren't ready to get other ones out. Where can I find more information about this subject?

[Tom]

Daren,

If it were me, I would run to my County Forester and explain what I wanted to do.  You will probably get all the help you want and then some.

[Robert R]

As a horse logger, albeit a beginner, I would recommend looking into any nearby Amish communities to hire it out.  I think Horselogger on this forum is in Illinos, isn't he.  I guarantee you, there are folks close who will take the job.  Keep you eye out and put out feelers where ever you can, local feed store and maybe any horsepulls at state or county fairs.  Someone will turn up.  I, personally, commend you on looking for horse logging.  It isn't the norm, but I support anything that gets the job done without burning any fossil fuels that aren't absolutely necessary.  Just because we can get something done lickety split with a piece of monster machinery doesn't mean we should.  Wish I was closer--I'd help in a flash if I could.

[Daren]

Both good ideas, I guess I could go see the Amish. I am very close, within 5 miles., there are horses and buggies all over. I have watched them bail hay with a horse drawn bailer, it had a gas engine to run the machine itself, but horses pulled it and pulled the rack wagons. I was just thinking about learning as much as I could about it and trying a little myself. A buddy has 4 mules that stomp that ground anyway (he hunts with them). Plus my Grampa would really get a kick out of the whole deal, he still remembers using horse for work, and still has some rigging.

[Robert R]

If the Amish your way are anything like the Amish mine, they would enjoy teaching you as much as you want.  They seem to be very interested in helping folks who are interested in what they do but can be very different and distanced to those they perceive as just looking at an oddity.  I bought my horses from the Amish and take them back and work in exchange for education every chance I get.  You might even consider cutting and limbing the trees yourself and then just hiring them to skid them out for you.  As a rule, they are willing to work a lot harder and a lot cheaper than most of the nonAmish folks I know and are quite pleasant to be around. 

[UNCLEBUCK]

I watched a tv show this morning on rfd tv all about Halflinger draft horses and one other breed and it looked very simple and fun but I would guess that buying a horse that is familiar in the woods would be the most important . If you get it figured out let us know how it goes ok. I have amish 25 miles east of me and they got a big skid steer ? Surely it couldnt be theirs  , maybe they drive it at night or having tracks justifies it like steel wheels they often use on their machinery

[Robert R]

There are several Amish communities, the one near me is one, where it is common for them to own equipment.  They don't operate--they hire that out but that way they know it is available when they need it.  There are a couple of families in the community near me that have cars parked in their barns in case of emergency--can get one of the neighbors to drive and don't have to worry about wear and tear on the neighbors vehicles.  A skid steer though.  Kind of a specialized piece of equipment.  It wouldn't surprise me if they are renting a parking place for it but it certainly isn't out of the question that they own it.

[Doc]

We have Mennonites around here (a splinter of Amish as I understand it), and they own powered equipment, cars, tractors....etc. They are kind of different to try to talk to, but they will work exceptionally hard if asked. One community in Tennessee owns a baked goods store that is very popular......excellent stuff, and all the makings come from the farms.

I wonder if any of them do any horse logging? Might be something to inquire about.

Doc

[Patty]

Horselogger is from Illinois. You might want to send him a PM to see if he is near your location.