Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Apollo and Zeus


These boys belong to the Farm Institute and we are lucky enough to work with them this season. They are still pretty young but are proving to be handy to have around. In an ideal world, Slip Away Farm would be a completely animal-powered operation some day, so it is nice for us to gain some experience as oxen teamsters. I've always dreamed of using horses on my farm, but oxen might just win me over.

Both oxen act like teenagers who want to be treated as adults but who just can't quite control themselves all the time. Thats Apollo on the left. He is generally pretty sweet and easy going and eager to please. Zeus, on the other hand, is obstinate as they come, slightly lazy and often overly dramatic. If he gets it in his head to act up, poor Apollo-- who wants nothing but to do what we humans ask of him-- gets dragged along by Zeus' bad manners. They are quite the pair.

Pulling flats to the field

Christian, the oxen, and the tine harrow

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