Rural Heritage December 2025/January 2026

VOLUME 50

DECEMBER 2025/JANUARY 2026

NUMBER 6

Editor/Publisher Joe Mischka editor@ruralheritage.com Advertising ad@ruralheritage.com Editing Susan Blocker Subscriber Services subscribe@ruralheritage.com Regular Contributors

Departments

5 Publisher's Post 48 J.C. Allen Archives 82 Calendar of Events 85 Associations

90 My Card 95 Breeder's Directory 97 RH on RFD-TV

Rob Collins Ralph J. Rice Anne & Eric Nordell Donn Hewes Jerry Hicks Dick Courteau

Features 6 Developing Scotty Spring.................................... Jennifer Morrissey 14 Treating Duke.............................................................. Donn Hewes 12 Sodbusters Day. ............................................................. Joe Mischka 22 Christmas Gifts.............................................................. Jerry Hicks 26 HPD 2025 Powercarts and Forecarts....................... Rural Heritage 38 What Can Horses Do? ............................................. Dick Courteau 50 The Pocketknife: Use & Care..................................... Dick Courteau 52 Starting Joe & Mack...................................................... Mary Osmer 59 Draft Cattle Symposium................................................. Rob Collins 60 And He Died Anyway................................................... Ralph J. RIce 64 2025 U.S. Plowing Contest........................................ Rural Heritage 70 2025 ABA Rendezvous.................................................. Joe Mischka 72 2025 Suffolk Gathering.................................................. Joe Mischka 74 Tracy Allen — Ox Puller..................................... Anna Knapp-Peck 80 Cedar Creek Plow Day.................................................. Joe Mischka

RURAL HERITAGE ™ (ISSN 0889-2970) is published bimonthly. Periodical postage is paid at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and additional mailing offices. ©2025 Mischka Press. All rights reserved; reproduction of any material in this publication without written permission is prohibited. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $34.95 for one year in the USA and possessions; US$58.00 for one year in Canada, US$83.00 overseas. POSTMASTER send PS Form 3579 to: RURAL HERITAGE PO Box 2067 Cedar Rapids IA 52406-2067 CONTRIBUTORS: We welcome manuscripts, photographs, and drawings for possible publication. Email submissions are preferred. Guidelines are available on our website. Rural Heritage 3421 Mount Vernon Road Cedar Rapids IA 52403-3736 (319) 362-3027 www.ruralheritage.com

3 Cover Photo: Andrew Nidy drives his team of Suffolk horses at the 2025 NASHA Gathering Above: Andrew plows with three of his Suffolks at the same event.

December 2025/January 2026