"O're the Fields We Go" ~ A winter visit to Horsepower Farm...a very special place where much of the work is performed by horses instead of machines. Penobscot, Maine

                                   We are given a warm welcome while our family is introduced to Emma and Harry,  the mother and son pair of Suffolk Draft horses that will pull our sledge through the woods and across the fields of Horsepower Farm.

            The snow is the perfect depth and consistency for our expedition. It is a cold day with a thin sun, but fortunately very little wind. There is lots of chatter on the sledge, but the predominant sound is from the bells on Emma's harness. Mostly we are in awe of the beauty of the land.       

Mr. Birdsall tells us Emma works harder than Harry and pulls more than her share of the burden so we stop frequently to give the horses a rest. We welcome the pause as it gives us a chance to survey and photograph the snow covered farmland. This is a slow time on the farm. In summer, there are crops of beans, tomatoes, greens, herbs, eggplant, potatoes, blueberries and many other organically grown vegetables.

Farm tools covered in snow. All are designed to accommodate the work of the horses.  

We are reluctant to leave this special place.