|
hot water
<br />hild growing up in
<br />1 south. I have
<br />:s of numerous
<br />iat we did as a
<br />oily that, at the
<br />re routine. Today,
<br />modern society
<br />insider our actions
<br />at strange. In fact,
<br />Pven be classified
<br />right barbaric by
<br />°nt generation.
<br />lays were usually
<br />:her day for farm -
<br />involved milking
<br />, working the
<br />,ing the chores and
<br />her things you do
<br />ily farm. Back at
<br />e, however. Satur-
<br />include some
<br />activities that
<br />✓ere not performed
<br />days during the
<br />activities involved
<br />the women of the
<br />it also the chll-
<br />small to help in
<br />farming work.
<br />Hers spent much
<br />aturdays getting
<br />Sunday in my
<br />ie woods. Satur-
<br />lved washing the
<br />leaning house and
<br />ration of food for
<br />inner.
<br />n that always
<br />place on our
<br />inner table was
<br />cen. The preacher
<br />ays often went
<br />i church mem-
<br />ving morning
<br />uid at our house
<br />mber of our
<br />vent into the
<br />guess you could
<br />;e, to accomplish
<br />)d fried chicken
<br />family's table on
<br />the "good ole
<br />nt that on Satur-
<br />id to kill a
<br />here was no
<br />.e grocery for
<br />You grew your
<br />11 as prepared it.
<br />chicken involved
<br />is head. placing
<br />or water so you
<br />)ve the feathers,
<br />g all the feathers
<br />vlother would cut
<br />z up and place it
<br />gerator so she
<br />it ready come
<br />ay morning for
<br />-e going to
<br />2ss of cutting the
<br />.ead off is the
<br />this article. It
<br />common to hear
<br />ment about
<br />ho was always in
<br />"They are
<br />nuid like a
<br />h its head cut
<br />cpression is not
<br />such today due
<br />hat most people
<br />ow what you
<br />about. Modern
<br />'es have re-
<br />process from
<br />iemakers and
<br />us who had to
<br />s off the chick -.
<br />grateful that
<br />been removed.
<br />the Chatta-
<br />s Free Press on
<br />Dlished an
<br />Tess story
<br />Statesboro,
<br />lagers convicted
<br />ckens just to
<br />they really run
<br />their heads cut
<br />inooga paper
<br />. September
<br />ven teens
<br />tarted talking
<br />er chickens
<br />after their
<br />Pen cut off and
<br />st it out. They
<br />Mart, bought
<br />tchen knives
<br />:t, then drove
<br />farm and stole
<br />is.
<br />aded two,
<br />he carnage
<br />meowner
<br />aid that a
<br />Age sentenced
<br />cleaning
<br />"This method reduces soil erosion
<br />and has less impact on water quality.
<br />There is less soil compaction. The
<br />horses are able to maneuver in tight
<br />spaces without damaging the trees."
<br />- Andy Bennett
<br />Pictured from top to bottom: Clyde and Scotty get in a good day's work as
<br />they pull Andy Bennett and newly cut log across an open field; Cathy
<br />Bennett, Andy Bennett and Rodn 3y Webb take a break from the job and
<br />pose with Nancy Williams and =dward Williams; with the horses, Andy
<br />Bennett is able to protect the land better than modern methods are some-
<br />times capable of doing; and Rodney Webb unlocks a tree brought out by
<br />Old -timey method
<br />to logging now
<br />seen as alternative
<br />to modern practice
<br />$Y REBEKAH HARRIS
<br />STAFF WRMR
<br />Some might say that
<br />horse logng is a thing of
<br />the past, but Andy Bennett
<br />of Doubletree Logging says
<br />the method is a practical
<br />alternative for now and for
<br />the future.
<br />In fact, Bennett, who
<br />recently harvested some
<br />trees for Edward and Nancy
<br />Williams of Erwin, said he
<br />sees himself as an alterna-
<br />tive to mechanical logging,
<br />adding that horse logging is
<br />both practical, economical
<br />and environmentally.
<br />friendly.
<br />Nancy says she couldn't
<br />agree more, adding she
<br />came up with the idea to
<br />hire Bennett to harvest the
<br />land so that she and her
<br />husband could build their
<br />dream home.
<br />"We have seen other
<br />property and the effects of
<br />mechanical logging," she
<br />said. "I didn't want our land
<br />and trees to be so torn it p. I
<br />like the idea of being
<br />sustainable."
<br />Bennett said that horse
<br />logging enables him to keep
<br />the land — and the trees —
<br />in good condition while
<br />operating at economical
<br />costs.
<br />According to Bennett,
<br />horse logging is ideal for
<br />"thrifty" people. In fact, he
<br />says he operates at a
<br />minimal expense with the
<br />help of his friend, Rodney
<br />Webb, his two Percheron
<br />work horses, Clyde and
<br />Scotty, and his custom -
<br />made log arch rig, which is
<br />similar to those used by the
<br />Amish.
<br />"This method reduces soil
<br />erosion and has less impact
<br />on water quality," he said.
<br />"There is less soil compac-
<br />tion. The horses are able to
<br />maneuver in tight spaces
<br />without damaging the
<br />trees."
<br />Bennett explained that
<br />because the horses have a
<br />lower overhead, he can take
<br />fewer trees, while he —and t
<br />the landowner — can earn
<br />just as much money
<br />without taking so many
<br />trees. I
<br />The method Bennett uses
<br />for logging, called single -
<br />tree selection, allows him to
<br />take one tree in a small t
<br />group of trees to preserve t
<br />other plant life. I
<br />"My goal is to leave the t
<br />land in a condition where v
<br />there are good trees left o
<br />standing," he said. "I would
<br />rather leave those trees and i
<br />come back in 10 years and
<br />harvest again."
<br />Bennett added that the c
<br />growth potential is great f
<br />when using the method of 1
<br />single -tree selection.
<br />"It's like weeding a t
<br />garden," he said. "By p
<br />weeding, you allow more
<br />nutrients and water for the y
<br />species you want to grow." b
<br />While many people might t
<br />believe horse logging to be a t
<br />lengthy process, Bennett r
<br />said the method isn't slow.
<br />"A lot of people think le
<br />logging with horses is c
<br />slower (than mechanical
<br />logging)," he said, "but we E
<br />can get a lot of timber out f
<br />in one day." N
<br />Bennett, who considered dr
<br />horses for several years
<br />before going into the horse -
<br />logging business full time.
<br />"I used the horses for
<br />pulling firewood." lie said.
<br />and I built a house and
<br />barn and skidded some
<br />logs for those things. Then
<br />a neighbor called and asked
<br />me to do some work for
<br />him, and it grew from
<br />there. I've been logging full
<br />time for nine months now."
<br />Nancy said she is glad
<br />she decided to �o wiUi llu°
<br />horse logging. adding, that
<br />the process has taught her
<br />to be' more patient.
<br />"My husband is a person
<br />who always enjoys the
<br />process of things," she said.
<br />"With me, my goal is
<br />always, 'Let's get it done.'
<br />This has helped me to slow
<br />down and enjoy the pro-
<br />cess."
<br />She has also enjoyed the
<br />quiet method used by
<br />Bennett. In fact, Nancv said
<br />horse logging is practically
<br />silent compared to me-
<br />chanical logging.
<br />"It's just so quiel," she
<br />said, adding that Bennett
<br />never even raises his voice
<br />to the horses. "I love how
<br />we can barely hear him
<br />talking, and the horses are
<br />just responding to hint."
<br />Nancy said that horse
<br />logging will also help the
<br />quality of her soil in the
<br />long run.
<br />"A bulldozer won't fertilize
<br />your field either." she said.
<br />Edward said his favorite
<br />part of the harvesting
<br />process has been meeting
<br />Bennett.
<br />"Andy is a very unique
<br />man," he said, adding that
<br />he believes horse logging is
<br />the best wav to harvest
<br />trees. "He hasn't torn up
<br />the grass like the bulldoz-
<br />ers would have. We've done
<br />this the natural vay. and
<br />that's what I like."
<br />Edward added that he
<br />and Nancy may sell the
<br />timber or have Bennett,
<br />who also operates a saw-
<br />mill, to come back and saw
<br />t.
<br />Bennett said he believes
<br />horse logging has a real
<br />market niche with those,
<br />ike him, who want to
<br />preserve the environment.
<br />"I do this out of a sense of
<br />heritage and of conserva-
<br />ion ethics," he. said. "I
<br />hink that there are a lot of
<br />andowners who would like
<br />o utilize their timber and
<br />alue the aesthetic quality
<br />f their land. There are not
<br />many options for harvest -
<br />ng, and I see myself as an
<br />alternative."
<br />He added that the practi-
<br />ality of the process is his
<br />avorite thing about horse
<br />ogging.
<br />It's far from a thing of
<br />he past," he said. "It's a
<br />ractical alternative for now
<br />and in the future. Anytime
<br />ou cut trees, it's messy,
<br />ut mine don't look like
<br />hat. I can leave trees after
<br />he harvest. The land
<br />etains a park -like quality
<br />after I'm done. I can harvest
<br />ss but it's still economi-
<br />ally viable."
<br />Nancy said that she and
<br />dward will celebrate their
<br />first wedding anniversary in
<br />ovember, adding that [lie
<br />eam house thev are
<br />b
<br />
|