Rural Heritage April/May 2026

with the heifers, we are now focused on meeting the animal where they are in their training and appreciating the incremental progress that is being made. Maybe the idea is that we were expecting too much progress, too soon.” Both cows had bull calves; Otto and Wilbur joined the herd as the dedicated ox team. They are being trained slowly, with more focus on positive reinforcement and desensitization, rather than tasks accomplished. The training Brian and Lea are using follows more of a horse philosophy that was learned from Donn Hewes, who has been an influential mentor in their draft education. Donn introduced the couple to the concept of a “calm, relaxed, and alert” animal while training and working; if the animal is exhibiting all three things, you are training correctly. They also realized for best results the teamster needs to be calm, relaxed and alert also. Donn told them early on they would find their ‘voice’. He didn’t know that advice would lead them to oxen and rare breed cattle.

With the decision to use cattle Brian and Lea needed to learn about equipment. The couple use a single yoke and harness for single work and a traditional yoke for a team. The 6” team yoke was made in a class at Tillers International and all other yokes were made in the workshop on the homestead. Before New England Ox Supply went out of business, Lea bought a single harness. Using that design as a pattern, she has created several smaller calf-sized harnesses. She used BioThane (a synthetic material used to make harnesses) and stainless-steel parts so they will last through various working conditions. Lea has hand sewn all the leather pieces and used rivets with the BioThane. In looking at her work, I can’t see a difference in quality from the original. The couple also use buggy whips to drive with; they have found them to be a cheap and durable option to direct their cattle. The oxen aren’t used to plow, but they do facilitate growing crops in a unique way. The cattle haul logs, manure, and compost to the garden site to create mounds, which are part of the Hügelkultur method. As Brian explained it, Hügelkultur is German for ‘mound culture,’ a permaculture technique mimicking forest floors where wood naturally decomposes, enriching the soil. Hügelkultur mounds are raised garden beds built from buried logs and organic matter, acting like self-watering sponges that improve soil fertility, water retention, and soil warming through decomposition, creating a microclimate for productive gardening. The method involves layering wood, branches, leaves, and soil to form a mound, with benefits like less watering, and improved soil structure as the materials break down over time. Adding cattle to the farm was intended to help Brian and Lea create a sustainable lifestyle, while providing food and draft power. They have added an unexpected benefit; they are the inspiration for Lea’s art. In 2024, Pasture Pine Press released its first children’s book called Oxette. The book follows Virginia as she learns to be an ox. In April 2026, they will release a second book called Oxette: The Power of Two, which follows Virginia and Hannah as they learn to work together. They also have greeting cards available. As described on the website, “Pasture Pine Press is an author-publishing imprint that celebrates draft animal power, livestock, and other agricultural themes.”

Brian works with Lea and his first two calves Otto and Wilbur.

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