Northern Minnesota Draft Horse Association Field Day 2023

by Elena Householder of Cokato, MN

September 27, 2023

Dear Mr. Miller,

We all agreed that we needed to write and thank you again, and to let you know that we may be a little closer to actually working our horses.

For the past few years we had seen posters for the Northern Minnesota Draft Horse Association’s Field Day event, but it was always too far away for us to make it. But this year, while putting up feed at the mill, a bright blue poster on the counter caught my eye. It was the Field Day poster. Location: Forest City, MN. Forest City?! Less than an hour’s drive from us! Hallelujah!

So on September 25, we ‘played hookey’ from all the harvesting and summer projects we’re still trying to finish, drove up there, and spent the day. It was like seeing an article from Small Farmer’s Journal come to life. Teams everywhere – mostly Percherons, Belgians, Shires, but also Spotted Draft, and some smaller horses – a team of Haflingers, some miniature horses and a pair of Brown Swiss oxen. Plowing, discing, and harrowing going on in one field. Potato digging and corn binding going on in other places. 4-6 teams with wagons going around, giving rides. And all so quiet – no engines roaring.

Soon after checking in we struck up a conversation with a teamster from further North, who collects and restores old horse drawn equipment. “Yes,” said another teamster with a smile, joining in, “it’s great when the Field Days are at his farm, the rest of us only have to bring our horses, he has all the implements.”

“So you restore old horse-drawn equipment? Do you by any chance know of Lynn Miller and Small Farmer’s Journal?” we asked.

With a big smile he replied “Oh yes, I think I have every issue from the first to the current one. Back when they used to do their auction I went out to it several times and that’s where a lot of what I have came from.”

“So you’ve met Lynn Miller then? Is he as much of a character in real life as he seems to be in print?”

With another smile and a twinkle in his eye: “Oh, no – much more so in real life! He’s really great, and so is what he’s done with his books and Small Farmer’s Journal.”

Things just kept getting better. We found out that you didn’t have to be a teamster to join the Northern Minnesota Draft Horse Association, you didn’t even have to own horses, so we became members. One of the events that day was a harnessing demonstration, which all three of us agreed we wanted to see. So we went over to a trailer where four big, dark Percherons were tied, one not yet harnessed. Their owner went through his routine of harnessing, explaining what he was doing, answering questions, and also asking questions of the audience. And, Mr. Miller, this is where I really have to thank you, because having read your books and articles on harness in recent Small Farmer’s Journals I actually had at least some knowledge of what was going on. And when he asked, “Now when horses are working, are they pulling or pushing?” I was able to confidently give the correct answer, “Pushing!” I think that, combined with the fact that we were right up in the front row watching intently, caught his attention, because when he got done he came over and talked with us more. Turns out his farm is only about 30 miles from ours. And when he heard that we had two older Icelandic horses we’re interested in training to harness and drive he offered, “When you start working with them, if you have any questions, give me a call, I’d be happy to help.”

A little later we walked out to the field where he was discing. He had stopped for a few minutes to answer questions, and seeing us there watching, waved for us to come up close.

“I can tell you’ve got the draft horse bug. Now, I just want to make sure you really get it hard, so you see my 4-abreast here? You are going to climb up on that disc and drive them, just a little ways. Would you like to?”

Would I like to? Oh boy oh boy! I climbed on with a mix of delight and terror (‘I sure hope I don’t cause a wreck here!’) and he showed me how to hold the lines. “Alright, now you need to say ‘team’ so they’re listening to you and then ‘get up!’”

When I gave the commands the horses immediately knew it was someone different and very wisely hesitated until he repeated it. And then, away we went – smoothly, quietly, the disc sliding through the ground as those four big horses walked steadily. A little way and then “Alright, now pull in the lines just a little and say ‘whoa.’” Again, the horses hesitated a moment until he repeated the command.

“That’s all I can let you do now or I’ll have everyone wanting rides, but stop by my truck later and I’ll give you folks my address and number.”

We went over to his truck towards the end of the day, as he was unharnessing. Another person, who had donkeys and was interested in driving them, was hanging around and he was explaining what he was doing, and allowing her to help a little. When he saw us he asked, “Want to help with my other two horses here?” He went through his routine for unharnessing with me, and I gained a lot of appreciation for, one, how good, calm and well behaved his horses were, and two, the size of our horses! I could just barely reach some of the buckles and snaps! When we got done he gave us his card and told us, “I’m big on safety and one of the strongest things I can say to you as beginners is, don’t go messing around with used harness. Mine’s 30 years old and still in great shape, but that’s because I got it new and have taken good care of it. If you go out and buy used that hasn’t been maintained it could break and cause a wreck. It’s just not worth the risk. So, when you think you’re ready for a set of harness for your ponies, give me a call and I’ll put you in town with an Amish harness maker I know. He can take some measurements off your horses and make you a set of custom harness for them. That way, you’ll know you have high quality harness that fits well.”

This was really great since one of our big questions had been where and how to get good harness sized for our horses.

“And again, if you have any questions or need help, don’t hesitate to call.”

We drove home, excited, tired, and happy, with new connections to people working with draft horses in our area. When we got back I went out to the barn to check on everyone. The horses were out in the pasture grazing. I told them, “Well ponies, we might be putting you to work some time!” They looked a little nervous, but didn’t stop eating.

Again, we really have to thank you, Mr. Miller. Without all the information and inspiration from your books and Small Farmer’s Journal we would never have gotten so much out of the event, if we had gone at all.

Since I’ve rambled on this long and still have a page and a half blank, I guess I’ll give a quick report on how things are here. We had a very cold, very snowy winter, then a fairly wet spring that had us scrambling to get the garden in. Then another hot, dry summer of drought. Now in September we are finally getting some more rain. The garden has done pretty well despite the drought, and we had one big success this season – at last, after years of trying, we really did well with watermelons. Instead of, “Oh look, one plant survived and actually produced a tiny little fruit!” (finally harvested before a freeze when it was obvious it wouldn’t get bigger) – we had sprawling vines, with several fruits per hill. Some of the fruits big enough to startle me when I went out there. “What is that huge round thing in the melon patch!?” And we were amazed at how juicy they were, even with the drought.

Our animals are mostly well. We had a rat invasion in the barn this winter, and they killed all the guineas we had gotten last year. So we spent a lot of time this summer tearing up floor in the new ‘poultry section’ and the barn office/ feed room, and digging out several inches of dirt so the cats could get under there, then putting the floors back. (We’re not the only ones, several people we talked to also had bad rat problems this year.) Now with cats on patrol inside and outside the barn and in the hay loft that problem seems to be resolving. Despite all the chaos the chickens and ducks have been laying quite well. We also have nearly finished fencing another small pasture, just have to hang some gates. So things are going fairly well here.

We hope all is well with you out at Singing Horse Ranch, and especially that you were safe from all the terrible wildfires.

Once more, a big thank you from all three of us!

The Householders – Steve, Fiammetta and Elena

November 21, 2023

Dear Mr. Miller,

Here are the photos, finally! We are including as much information as we have – we didn’t get the names of some of the people. We were hoping to meet with the Secretary of the Northern Minnesota Draft Horse Association and her husband to try and identify who’s in all the pictures, but they are in the middle of a busy harvest season. If we are still able to meet with them before December we will send the rest of the names. But we wanted to be sure the photos would get to you in good time.

And also, thank you, thank you, thank you, for the back issues and especially for the note on Volume 18 No. 1!! They arrived yesterday evening, and we had a great time sitting around and reading! (We actually were a little late for chores, because we all got lost in articles, but fortunately the animals were pretty forgiving.)

We were so sorry to read of all the trouble and damage the elk and wolves are causing at your ranch. We’re hoping and praying that things will get better and that you can find good solutions to the problems with wildlife. The watch tower and guard dogs sound like great ideas! One thing we often say when dealing with things here is, “We’ll figure something out!” (It’s become a bit of a family joke.) And we usually do figure something out, or at least, as we also sometimes say, “We keep muddling along somehow!”

A little more about the Northern Minnesota Draft Horse Association: It was formed in 1979, then in 1991 became incorporated with unlimited boundaries. So although still called the Northern Minnesota Draft Horse Association, there are members from all over the state, and even a few from neighboring states, too. The Field Day event is held on the fourth Saturday of September, usually at the farm of a member with enough acreage. We haven’t heard yet where it will be next year, but if it’s not too far we will definitely try to go again!

Thank you again!

The Householders

November 25, 2023

Dear Mr. Miller,

Yesterday we were able to meet with the Secretary of the Northern Minnesota Draft Horse Association, Violet Pramann, and her husband Bill. They went through our photos and were able to identify almost everyone.

Mr. and Mrs. Pramann also told us where the Field Day will be held next year. It will be at Don Copa’s farm in Little Falls, MN. And he is the person we talked to at this Field Day, who collects horse drawn equipment and went to the Small Farmer’s Journal auctions! We will definitely try to make it to the 2024 Field Day!

The Pramanns also told us that the turnout for this Field Day was a bit lower than usual, because many people thought it would get rained out. Even so, there were about 40 draft horses there. And the weather actually was about perfect – one light shower around mid-day and then clearing, with mild temperatures.

One delightful thing we noticed was, even though it was late in the season, there were lots of swallows and martins flying and circling overhead. The birds knew a good place to be! And with no engines roaring, we could easily hear them twittering and chirping.

The Householders

P.S. This letter was interrupted right at the end, as I jumped up to rescue our ground driving “lines” (actually just rope). One of the cats got into the room and decided they looked like a good toy. At least she didn’t knock over the buckets of corn and beans to be saved for seed – or the stack of Small Farmer’s Journals on the desk!