Livestock Production with Horse Power
Doubletree Farm, established in 2008, is owned and operated by Samantha Thrasher-Soodak and Paul Soodak. Sam and Paul’s objective is to grow healthy, sustainable food with horse-power. They are developing a self sufficient farm cycle out of feeding the animals, fertilizing the soil with animal products and rotation of pastures and pigpens, and feeding themselves as completely as possible from the farm’s yield. They have three draft horses, a sow with piglets and a Jersey milk cow. In 2011, the Soodaks had a serious barn fire, but it was insured and they are in the process of rebuilding. Neighbors have been very helpful in dealing with this huge loss.
At the start of the farm walk, two of the draft horses, Salt and Babe, were hitched to a wagon. Attendees climbed aboard and went first to the field where the horses cultivate row crops, then to one of the fields where hay is cultivated for distribution through shares (a percentage of the crop). Participants disembarked to watch a demonstration of the horses working. Sam and Paul hooked the horses to a refurbished late 50’s sickle-bar mower and proceeded to demonstrate how to cut, harvest and put up hay with a rake and a gas-powered yet horse-pulled baler. Albert Roberts of Pine Stump Farms in Omak offered a short side description of the baler and how it works, as well as the sickle bar cutters and how its knives are sharpened and replaced.
Doubletree farmers explained how livestock power reduces fossil fuel use and offers a more natural approach to farming. As seen at Doubletree, there are some obstacles and challenges to livestock and draft horse farming but, with willingness to persevere and hard work, this alternative method of farming is achievable and sustainable.
Farm Walk booklet: HERE