Draft Animal Series
Participants work with draft animals on The Berry Center’s farm and woodlands to gain fresh perspective on the history, care, and practical uses of mules and oxen on farms today.
"If the use of draft animals implies diversity, homegrown energy and fertility, appropriateness of scale, and a significant measure of built-in economic health on the farm, it also implies economic diversity and health in the local community."
—Wendell Berry, “Taking Draft Animals Seriously”
Introduction to Mule Teamster Skills: Working Draft Mules on the Farm and in the Woodlands
February 8-9 (workshop full, waitlist option)
Cost: $100
Limit 2 participants.
This two-day intensive workshop is designed to provide participants with the necessary skills to effectively work with a mule on a farm or in woodlands. Topics covered will include: mule behavior and body language, proper handling and grooming techniques, basic mule training commands, single mule driving principles, harnessing and hitching a mule to farming and logging equipment, and overall mule care and health management.
Whether you are new to working with mules or looking to enhance your existing skills, this workshop will equip you with the tools to successfully work with these intelligent and versatile animals on the farm.
This workshop is appropriate for anyone interested in gaining basic knowledge and understanding of driving draft mules. Horse and/or mule experience is helpful though not required.
Introduction to Draft Cattle Skills: Working Draft Cattle on the Farm and in the Woodlands
January 11-12
January 25-26 (workshop full; waitlist option)
Cost: $100
Limit 2 participants.
This two-day intensive workshop is designed for individuals interested in learning about the history, care, and practical uses of oxen in agriculture. Participants will explore topics such as selecting and training oxen for draft work, understanding oxen behavior and communication, yoking and hitching oxen to farming equipment, basic commands and techniques for working with oxen in the field and woodlands, and overall oxen care and management.
This workshop is appropriate for anyone interested in gaining basic knowledge and understanding of driving draft cattle. Cattle experience in general is helpful though not required. Whether you are fascinated by traditional farming methods or looking to incorporate oxen into your agricultural practices, this workshop will provide a solid foundation to start working effectively with these powerful and versatile animals.
Why harness the power of cattle? Using cattle for draft power is a good choice for small scale farming and forestry operations for several reasons:
In Kentucky (as elsewhere), many farms raise cattle, so they are ready at hand and familiar.
A mature ox (an adult castrated bull or female cow used as a draft animal) can handle heavy loads and tough tasks such as pulling wagons, tillage, or hauling logs—similar to anything a draft horse or mule might be asked to do.
Draft cattle are typically started as bottle-fed calves, creating a strong bond with their handler. This makes them particularly well-suited for children or someone with limited large animal experience to raise and train.
Certain cattle breeds perform better as oxen, and certain breeds are more heat tolerant than others.
Simple accommodations, such as a lean-to shed or a stall inside a barn, are adequate for their housing.
A pair of oxen are generally more affordable to purchase and maintain than horses or mules, and their feed and care requirements are quite simple.
To equip them for work, they require a simple wooden yoke which can be made on the farm using basic carpentry tools. A grab chain is attached to the yoke, which can then be connected to basically anything a draft horse or mule might be asked to pull.
Oxen are very well-suited for work over rough or steep terrain, such as forestry operations. They are very sure-footed and work at a relatively slow and even pace.
Harnessing the Power of Mules in Timber Operations
March 7-9
Cost: $150
Limit 4 participants. 2 spots remaining.
Prerequisite: Introduction to Mule Teamster Skills or permission of instructor
This three-day, hands-on introductory course is designed for individuals interested in learning how to effectively use chainsaws and draft mules for logging operations. Participants will learn essential skills: selecting and training mules for logging tasks, choosing and maintaining appropriate logging equipment, chainsaw safety and use, tree felling, understanding sustainable logging practices, safety protocols for working with mules in a logging environment, and techniques for efficiently harvesting and transporting timber using mules.
Whether you are a beginner looking to explore the world of draft mule logging or an experienced logger interested in incorporating mules into your operations, this course will provide you with the knowledge and hands-on experience needed to work effectively with draft mules on the home place or in the logging industry.
“If we can see that draft animals on the farm belonged to and led to a distinctive kind of farming, then we will have no trouble in seeing that the substitution of tractors for draft animals belonged to and led to farming of a radically different kind. … All this implies and has led to a highly centralized long-distance economy, a commensurate decline of local economies and communities and of the whole social structure of rural America. …By scaling down and simplifying our technology, we would truly be bringing our economy home, where it belongs. Instead of paying outside the community for large machines and fuel, we would be providing income locally to makers of equipment, producers of feed, farriers, breeders, and so on.”
—Wendell Berry, “Taking Draft Animals Seriously”