Draft Animal Conformation

A Veterinarian’s Viewpoint. by Barbara Corson Of all the many tools that have shaped human cultures, harnessing* systems for domestic animals are among the most important. (*Note: Some people differentiate between harness and yokes, but in this article, harness is used in the sense of capturing or transmitting power, as one would “harness the energy… Continue reading Draft Animal Conformation

Draft Animals in the Past, Present and Future

Virtual Conference 8-9 May 2021. “Draft Animals in the Past, Present and Future” was piloted by AIMA President, Claus Kropp, now taking up the challenge of a world-wide effort to bring together draft animals users. The congress was virtual, and hosted by Lauresham Laboratory for Experimental Archaeology at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Kloster… Continue reading Draft Animals in the Past, Present and Future

The Vallus, a 2000-year-old Gallo-Roman Harvesting Machine

Malagne, the Archeoparc of Rochefort, in Belgium (between Brussels and Luxemburg city), is an interpretation centre for rural Gallo-Roman civilization especially designed to highlight an important villa active in the early centuries of the Christian era in Northern Gaul. Malagne’s special mission is heritage protection, scientific research and mediation of this listed site and archaeological… Continue reading The Vallus, a 2000-year-old Gallo-Roman Harvesting Machine

Harvesting with a cart: Pliny’s vallus and Palladius’ vehiculum

An on-going saga in agricultural innovation. How can you harvest with a cart pushed backwards? This idea proposed by farmers in northern Gaul is original and unparalleled in the Roman era: it suffices to combine two implements, a cart (vehiculum) and a hand tool for cutting or stripping-off. The idea seems simple enough, but the… Continue reading Harvesting with a cart: Pliny’s vallus and Palladius’ vehiculum

Blinders (Blinkers), Location, Polling, and Cattle Breeds

– A conversation with Bob Powell, Barbara Corson and Ed Schultz. This was taken at Whinnyfold, Cruden, Aberdeenshire, Scotland in 1895.  It shows Mr Alex Davidson ‘plowing’ with his oxen in harness being driven like horses. He’s actually using a ‘drill’ or ridge plow towards either planting potatoes or sowing turnip seed. The latter is done… Continue reading Blinders (Blinkers), Location, Polling, and Cattle Breeds

French Surjougs – a photo essay

There are many names for this charming complement to cattle draft – surjoug or soubrejoug (both ‘overyoke’), clocher (bell spire), chapelle (chapel) typical of the Pyrenees regions, especially in the central French highlands and foothills, as well as in the Garonne River valleys, right into the 1940s (Hautes-Pyrénées, Gers, Haute-Garonne, Tarn-et-Garonne, Ariège). Hewn out from… Continue reading French Surjougs – a photo essay

Mount Vernon Mules at Work

– A Photo Essay. Mount Vernon, First American President George Washington’s historic home at Mount Vernon, Virginia, includes a 4-acre working farm. Washington used Mount Vernon as a laboratory for testing and implementing progressive farming practices and the Pioneer Farm represents the more than 3,000 acres he cultivated during the second half of the 18th century.… Continue reading Mount Vernon Mules at Work