A portrait of rural life in picturesque southern Ontario on horse farms ranging from the traditional Mennonite to modern organic.

Presenter Terry Veevers illustrates his conviction that horses can truly play a part in the modern agricultural era.
Over a year the processes of  plowing,  haymaking, maple syrup production and organic cultivation are
demonstrated, culminating in a  winter sleigh ride.

Combining the majestic power of Canadian, Belgian, Suffolk Punch horses with progressive modern machinery, this DVD breathes new life into traditional farming whilst retaining the simple beauty of horses working in harness.

Copyright Owners:
Terry Veevers & Brenda Witmer
Copyright 1998

DVD – 50 minutes
$29.95 

Distributor: Draft Horse Connection www.drafthorseconnection.ca

In this production, Laurie Blue’s son David fondly remembers his Dad as we pay tribute to this special man. David tells of his Dad’s devoted love to his family, draft horses and bluegrass music. Laurie Blue was known on Prince Edward Island for Blue’s Field Day that was held at Little Sands, PEI as an annual event. Laurie had gathered a collection of 200 horse drawn implements and his passion was to have this equipment working at Blue’s Annual Field Day. Video footage courtesy of David gives a glimpse of Blue’s Field Day that was held in 1993. This footage shows a TV reporter interviewing Laurie at the field day in 1993 as he explains his passion of working draft horses as well as he and other teamsters are shown demonstrating his  horse drawn equipment. This rare collection of horse machinery is now moved to Dundas Exhibition grounds where it is displayed and demonstrated each year. The memory of Laurie Blue’s Field Day lives on today. David’s band, Blue Streak – First Impression performs, “He Showed Me The Ropes”.  This song was written as an inspiration to their fathers. As well Laurie and his friend Annabelle Brehaut sing a beautiful song, from their CD, Treasured Memories  “He Set The Time”. This production truly honours a great husband, father, friend, teamster and musician.

DVD 30 minutes $14.95 plus $4.95 shipping and handling

Teamsters of Prince Edward Island will introduce you to beautiful Prince Edward Island as you meet four very interesting teamsters. Blair Shaw takes us on a wagon ride with his Percheron team as he explains his family’s history of working with draft horses. He shares photographs of his Dad and Grandfather. Blair explains and demonstrates his homemade log loader. Jack Gromley shares his love of raising registered Clydesdale horses and why he came back to Prince Edward Island after he retired from the military.

We meet up with Roger MacLeod and his daughter Sarah on scenic Panmure Island. Roger and Sarah share a special bond as they take us on a unique wagon ride with their Belgian team along  the beach, seeing the traditional lighthouse in the background. Roger gives us a tour of Panmure Head Lighthouse which is a popular tourist attraction.

Finally we end up in historical Charlottetown where we find Sarah Greenan who operates Emerald Isle Carriage Tours. We find  Sarah with her two teams of Belgians hooked to trollies and a single Percheron horse hooked on a carriage waiting for cruise ship clients who have booked horse drawn rides. We travel along with Sarah capturing the history of this beautiful city as Sarah narrates and shares the rich culture and what inspired Sarah to move from western Canada to independently start up this successful business.

DVD 1 hour 30 minutes $29.95 plus $4.95 shipping and handling

We received a warm welcome when we arrived at Little Edgewater Ranch in Indus, Alberta. Verne Kemble and his partner Connie Challice greeted us along with their visiting friend LeVern Livingstone. After sharing a wonderful barbeque and conversation together, we wanted them to share their story, and out came the camera.

Verne has lived on Little Edgewater Ranch since 1975. Horses are Verne’s passion. He is also a wheelwright, wagon builder and horse trainer. His horses are  Belgian/Quarter Horse crosses. Verne uses his horses for weddings, parades, haying, plowing, discing, cultivating, harrowing, seeding, grading, cutting and threshing. In this production Verne shares his story and his love of working with horses. In this video Verne and his partner Connie explain how they restored a ‘piano wagon’ into a beautiful limousine and they gave us an enjoyable ride. Verne and Connie demonstrate their horse drawn grader hitched to Connie’s Clydesdale team. Verne enjoys taking his horses to public events and he is seen driving his four up at Pioneer Acres Heritage Museum on a stagecoach. Verne and Connie host an annual old fashion harvest bee and they share this with friends and neighbours on this DVD.

Connie grew up around horses. Connie has had a lot of fun with her team of    Clydesdales that she bought when they were two years old and trained herself. Connie has used her team at Spruce Meadows giving wagon rides and now she uses them for everything from farming, hay rides, weddings to running away with friends to the mountains camping. Connie is also a talented Natural Hoof Care Practitioner. These two talented and skillful teamsters have a wealth of knowledge to share with viewers.

In this production we also meet LeVern who boards his Canadian Standardbred Cross at Verne’s ranch. LeVern grew up through the depression years and he reminisces about his love of horses and the valuable life lessons he learned while working on his father’s ranch in Saskatchewan.  LeVern uses his horse doing farm work, as well he rides and drives his horse on trail rides and parades.

DVD 1 hour $29.95 plus $4.95 shipping and handling

Alberta Carriage Supply’s goal is to provide a one stop shop for teamsters of all size horses, but their specialty is the Draft animal. With over 30 years of experience under their belts, 15 as Alberta Carriage Supply, Terry and Dale are happy to provide advice on what has and hasn’t worked for them .

This video also includes footage of:

• Alberta Carriage Supply’s Field Day held June 2010
• How to work and adjust Pioneer Equipment, from the  Classic Pioneer wagon, walking and riding plows, spring tooth  harrows with crumbler attachment, forecart, and blade/grader  attachments.
• The rope and pulley hitch is setup to show how well this works using a four up hitch of Belgians on the foot lift sulky plow.
• Proper harness fitting is demonstrated in detail explaining how each piece should fit the horse and the adjustments that are necessary to keep the horse comfortable while working in the field.
• This is a great educational video showing Pioneer Equipment at work, harness fitment and an overview of the inventory of wheelwright supplies, top quality harness, and the complete line of Pioneer Equipment Alberta Carriage Supply keeps in stock.

This production is complete showing a beautiful wagon trek into the awesome Kananaskis mountain area. One can really appreciate our wondrous Canadian Rocky Mountains. http://albertacarriagesupply.com | 403-934-9537

DVD 1 hour 30 minutes $29.95 plus $4.95 shipping and handling

Growing up on the Family Farm is a book written as the stories were told to me from personal interviews with family members. Family photograph albums were searched and collected to go with the stories, which  reflect years of growing up on the farm. Starting
in the Depression when times were difficult the family farm struggled to survive but family ties held strong.

Family members had to work together to make a living from the family farm. There were no extras for the children, but fun was created on the farm from the simple pleasures of nature, playing with animals, riding or driving horses.

Growing up on the Family Farm has given us strong survival skills for today. This book preserves our heritage and roots for future generations. Growing up on the Family Farm starts with my great, great grandfathers Freeman and Chant and continues down through the generations as family members reminisce and tell their stories.

Family favourite recipes are shared as well as personal letters, diaries and farm journals. A special section of the book is dedicated to sharing knowledge from Aden Freeman on his life of farming with horses. Aden shares tips, training methods, equipment setups, and fact sheets, from all aspects of farming with horses in the past and the present. This book has been a labour of love by my family. Ruth Freeman

Price: $28 plus shipping/handling $10.95  US shipping/handling $15.95- Book Size: 8 1/2 x 11 Pages: 164

Visiting with Teamsters Hornbrooks & Smiths of New Brunswick you will meet two very diverse, close knit families who believe a good day’s work for horses, whether in the field or the bush is important to having well trained horses that will stand either in the bush, hooked to farm equipment or in the show ring. Both families raise registered Percheron horses & they are well known for their expertise in farming and showing horses.

Melbourne & Wendy Smith raised their two daughters, Meredith & Meghann on Melbourne’s Dad’s farm. The Smiths use horses around the farm to plow, disc, harrow, spread manure, bush work, wagon treks, sleigh rides & wagon rides for special occasions. Both daughters have been working & showing horses since age 5. In this video Melbourne & Meredith take us for a wagon ride, & Melbourne, Wendy & Meredith share their love of horses as well Melbourne explains in details proper fitting of harness and the use of twinneck yokes.

The Hornbrook family – James, Ron, Adam, Matthew a sixth generation family with the seventh generation children becoming a part of their full time farming operation. The Hornbrook’s farm consists of dairy/beef cattle, ewes, sows & 40 horses, of which 35 are Percheron horses. All members of the family work closely together. Adam demonstrates his 13 HP Honda motor logging cart he designed for use in the bush. Matthew hooks a Percheron team to a set of out throw discs. You will enjoy the interviews with each member of these unique families as they share their backgrounds, working with horses on the farm & in the show ring. The Hornbrooks and Smiths are skilled teamsters with a wealth of knowledge to share.

70 minutes DVD – $29.95 plus shipping/handling $4.95

This DVD features Owen and Jackie Harder and Bill and Bernice Hardy. The Harders and Hardys have been close friends for many years. Owen and Jackie Harder operate their business, Harder’s Farm Equipment. Harders sell Pioneer and Yoder farm equipment and supplies. Jackie and Owen hold hands on workshops at their farm training people how to farm with horses. Jackie and Bill demonstrate how to set up a Pioneer Forecart hooking three horses abreast. Bill and Bernice Hardy are retired farm machine dealers and farmers. Bill now restores and rebuilds wagons and sleighs. Bill and Bernice reminisce about their life working together. Bill talks about his restortation projects. Bill has been and is still a mentor to  young teamsters. Bill and Jackie hook up a team of Canadian-cross horses to a wagon and take us for a ride. This is a enjoyable video watching and learning from these close friends as their share their knowledge and safety tips of workiing with draft horses.

50 minutes – DVD $29.95 plus shipping/handling $4.95

Draft Horse T-Shirts | Designed and screen printed with a pen and ink drawing, on high quality, Canadian-made, 100% cotton T-shirts. Design is adapted from an original photograph by photographer Ruth Freeman.

SIZES: Medium, Large, Extra Large
COLOURS: Stone Blue, Grey

$21.95 each, plus  $10.95 shipping. Please indicate quantity.

Leeds County Draft Horse Club Cookbook | The Leeds County Draft Horse Club Cookbook contains over 130 favorite recipes from the club members. The cover showcases a collage of photographs of club members and their horses.

$4.25, plus $2.25 shipping.