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Mandy's Story
We moved to an acerage when I was 11. My sister and I wanted a horse so our parents helped us start our "horse fund" (varied money-making projects such as raising wiener pigs and bottle calves to market weight). I spent a lot of time fiddling around with the sulky harness pieces that the previous owners had discarded, trying to decide how it went together and dreaming about having a horse to ride and drive. After having pigs for 2 yrs and finding out we absolutely hated them, we decied to get bottle calves to increase our fund.
Those calves were pressed into service. I figured that since they had four legs, they could wear the harness and work as well as being broke to ride. Now, I happily spent my time working with calves. We eventually sold them for beef and bought some more. The 3rd year, Rae and I could have bought a horse but by that time we had learned that we also needed the money to feed them and maintain them throughout the year. So, off to the auction to get more calves. THIS is when I clued in to the fact that I loved working with cows.
I had halter broke and trained 6 calves before we found out about oxen, from an article in Countryside magazine, that they weren't a special breed, simply a steer trained to work. Soon, I started Bronco, training to be an ox. When he was a yearling, we started harrowing the garden with him and he would lay down in protest all the time, so I'd fight and fight with him. I ended up selling him for beef, figuring I had spoiled him, and a year later I finally found a book in the library about oxen. I learned oxen shouldn't do field work until they are two, perferably three. Big Whoops!
We ended up not having calves for 4 years ( day old Holsteins sold over $300 and beef calves even higher). Then, Grandpa and Aunty Rebecca gave me my Mack for bottle feeding 4 calves for them. He's been such an answer to prayer as well as making my dreams a reality. Three years later, Mack hauls our round hay bales, water for livestock, logs for firewood, family and friends, in short he is our family tractor. I also ride him and have recently broke him to drive - out of necessity, since Mack walks so fast I have to jog to keep up while he works.
God has given us the horsepower we asked for, although in a much different form then I expected. I love oxen and will always have cattle aroud me.
Mandy