Money-Making Ideas To Boost Farm Income “ Cracker” Make A Comeback get their name from and early 20’s,” Wright says. “I have even the early 1800’s when “cow hunters”, or heard of Pineywoods calving into their 30’s.” “crackers”, used dogs and cracked whips Cracker Cattle horns have a greater ten- to round up wild Spanish cattle. Despite dency to go up rather than out, and are shorter nearing extinction at one point, cattle pro- than those of Texas Longhorns, which make ducers dedicated to the heritage breed esti- them more suited to surviving in the thick mate there are now around 900 Florida woods and brushy areas in Florida. Cracker cattle. Other breeds that descended “They come in every color that you can from the wild Spanish cattle include the think of,” Wright says. “I’ve got one bull Pineywoods, which thrive in , that’s a Parker brown coloration. He was born and southern Georgia, and the a red and white, within a month he was brown Longhorns in Texas. and white, and three months later he was “I don’t feed them at all, just some hay black and white. Now he has a frosted black in the winter and a molasses block. And I color with red and burgundy accents.” don’t worm them; they’re parasite resis- Though the Spanish breeds adapted to the tant,” says Ralph Wright of Lake City, humidity and parasites of the South, they can Florida, who raises a dozen Cracker and also be found on Midwest farms and as far Pineywoods cattle on 20 acres. north as Maine. Breeding stock, and meat, His father was a cow hunter, Wright ex- sell for prices similar to other lean, grass-fed plains, and the Wright family has always cattle. Wright notes the organizations’ goal Near extinction at one point, “Florida Cracker” cattle are making a comeback in some Southern states. They’re descended from wild Spanish cattle. appreciated the heritage breeds. They have is to preserve the breeds, not make it an ex- been a big part of the South’s history - first pensive exotic breed people can’t afford. used to feed southern troops in the Civil Anyone interested in checking out the War and later soldiers in the Spanish Ameri- breeds can find information and cattle for sale can War. They almost disappeared when on the associations’ websites. European breeds were introduced in the late Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ralph 1940’s, but a few families maintained their Wright, S.W. Beauford Place, Lake City, purebred herds. Florida 32024 (ph 386 961-9112; old_cow In 1970, the Florida Department of Ag- [email protected]) or riculture bought and managed a herd of Pineywoods Cattle Registry & Breeders Florida Cracker cattle. In 1988 the Florida Association, Julie Brown, Secretary, 183 Cracker Cattle Association organized, and Sebron Ladner Rd., Poplarville, Miss. 39470 the Pineywoods Cattle Registry & Breed- (ph 601 795-4672; www.pineywoods cattle. ers Association organized in 1999. Cattle org) or owners like the breeds for their hardiness, Florida Cracker Cattle Association, Dr. Tim easy calving and longevity. Olson, P.O. Box 110910, Department of Ani- “They’re smaller than commercial mal Sciences, University of Florida, breeds at less than 1,000 lbs, but are ca- Gainesville, Florida 32611 (www.cracker pable of breeding as early as 8 mos. of age, cattle.org). and some have calves until their late teens Pineywoods cattle, like this one, are related to “Florida Crackers”. Horsehair Jewelry “We specialize in real horsehair jewelry and accessories. It’s our passion to keep the traditions of the American cowboy alive through the unique, high quality ac- Ken O’ Brock cessories that we craft,” says and his wife RockingHorse Ridge Horsehair Products Sharen put owner Roberta Edstrom. “We’re the up 20 to 30 nation’s largest retailer of horsehair acces- windmills a sories. We sell thousands of hand braided year and also Horsehair belt was made from profession- sell replace- and hitched items with unique designs in ally cleaned tail hair. ment parts. natural pigments as well as vibrant dyed colors.” RockingHorse Ridge sells books that teach Using the professionally cleaned hair horsehair hitching, braiding and rope mak- from horse’s tails, in combination with ing skills. quality leather and silver accents, the “Recently, we started making custom Mesa, Arizona company makes items such pieces from our clients’ own horse hair. Me- as: bracelets, barrettes, belts, belt buckles, morial horsehair pots are decorative vessels scarf slides, curb straps, earrings, hat created from wheel-thrown clay, and then Windmills Are This Couple’s Business bands, dog collars, keychains, necklaces, bisque fired,” Edstrom says. “Individual When Ken O’Brock and his wife Sharen And, while the average well is less than shu flys, stampede strings, tassels, zipper strands of horsehair are then placed in hori- bought their farm in North Benton, Ohio, he 100 ft. deep, they can pump water from as pulls and mecate/bosal reins. zontal, diagonal, or vertical patterns against had no idea that the old windmill on the place deep as 1,000 ft. Their life span is a mini- RockingHorse Ridge stresses that their the hot surface of the ceramic piece.” would lead to their life’s work. mum of 40 years. products “are the highest quality that you The horse hair burns and shrivels up, form- They run an unusual mom and pop busi- The O’Brocks put up between 20 and 30 will find in traditional, authentic cowboy ing ash so that a small deposit of carbon and ness. You call them for a windmill and they windmills per year and deal mostly in Aus- gear.” One hundred percent satisfaction is smoke is absorbed into the clay surface, leav- put it up even though both are afraid of tralian and South African windmills under guaranteed and if you don’t love the qual- ing a permanent trace of the horsehair on the heights. the brand name Southern Cross. ity, style and beauty, you can return any pot, resulting in a one-of-a-kind design. “I never quit being afraid of heights,” While the couple requires on-site help item for your money back with “no ques- The company is also offering memorial O’Brock says. “It’s like riding a motorcycle. for digging footings and pouring concrete, tions asked.” horse portraits on slate. Clients send them a When you’re not afraid of the motorcycle the actual erection is pretty old fashioned. Some sample prices include: $29.99 for picture of their horse, and an artist creates its anymore, it’s time to hang it up because Once underway, the O’Brocks can as- a hitched horsehair bracelet, $15 for a 5- likeness on the slate. you’re going to have an accident.” semble a 40-ft. tower in 1 1/2 hrs. strand, adjustable horsehair hat band with “We have so many clients asking for me- While Ken works up on the tower, Sharen They also sell windmill parts through a double tassels, and $2.25 for a horsehair morial pieces that we’re working on a new ties parts onto a pulley and sends them up so catalog and online. O’Brock says they sell tassel zipper pull (in your choice of eight website just for that,” she says. he can fit them in place. vanes, bearings, pivots and other replace- vibrant colors). Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Although some of the windmills they sell ment parts. The company also sells horsehair for fly RockingHorse Ridge, Mesa, Arizona (ph 715 are used primarily for advertising, most are Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, fishing (1oz.) and bulk horsehair (1 lb.) 699-3263; [email protected]; www. used to pump water. O’Brock Windmills, 9435 12th Street, for crafts. For people who want to make rockinghorseridge.com). A windmill powering a 4-in. cylinder can North Benton, Ohio 44449 (ph 330 584- their own horsehair accessories, pump 800 gal. per hour in a 15 mph breeze. 4681; www.ObrockWindmills. com).

1-800-834-9665 • [email protected] • www.farmshow.com• vol. 33, no. 2 • FARM SHOW • 11