Why Amish Farmers Still Use Horses on the Farm
Dan and Malinda Hershberger lead two Belgian horses out of their barn in southwest Wisconsin on a sunny fall morning. Kelly and Mindy, 1,800-pound workhorses, are gentle and easy to lead to the waiting hay rake. As the Hershbergers prepare them for the field, the horses neigh and seem to understand when Dan says, “Back up. Whoa. Whoa.”
Why do Amish farmers use horses when modern tractors can do the work faster? Horse-powered farming reflects tradition, faith, and practicality.
About half of our co-op’s farmers are members of Plain communities, including Amish and Mennonite families. They shared why horses remain an essential part of their life on the farm.
Malinda Hershberger, Wisconsin, readies the team for the field.
Why Do Amish Use Horses?
Organic Valley farmer Jerry Miller of Ohio said there are a number of reasons Amish use horses. Working with horses naturally limits the number of acres a person can farm, creating opportunities for more families to make a living from the land and helping sustain close-knit communities.
“Instead of one farmer farming 1,000 acres, we have 10 farmers now farming 100 acres apiece,” he said. “As Amish people we cherish community. Community to us trumps everything.”
Horse-drawn transportation also limits the number of miles the Amish community can travel — another way to keep the community connected.
Farming with horses is part of their culture and a way to ensure family members spend time with each other. Unlike work at a keyboard, caring for horses requires farmers to stop at the end of the day. The horses need a break. Once they are cared for, farmers can step away from the field and spend more time with family.
Dan and Malinda Hershberger work the field.
Amish Animal Care
All Organic Valley farmers must meet the co-op’s high animal care standards. We believe animals should be allowed to express natural behaviors and be well cared for.
David said the horses are eager to please and raring to get in the field.
“I get a big ‘neigh’ if a horse sees other horses going out,” he said. “They want to go along. They don’t mind the work. One mare was a handful when she was a foal, but as soon as I throw a harness on, she is ready to go — she can’t wait to get out there.”
Farmers treat the animals with the utmost respect. The horses play an important role on the farm, and their caretakers depend on them. Of course, they are going to do what’s best for them.
“We love these animals and we take care of them,” Miller said of his Percheron draft horses.
Percherons are calm and easy to get along with — very gentle. “They are like humans one to the next,” Miller said. The family’s horses have names: Bell and Barb are sisters, there is Delilah, Carlie, Lucy, and Wild One (who is a little, well, wild).
Others have Belgian horses, smaller buggy horses, and ponies. Children often drive pony carts on errands.
A miniature horse pulls children on Kevin Miller’s farm in Ohio.
Horses Get Many Breaks
Many Amish plow the fields early in the season to accommodate the horses. Standard-bred horses are often used for transportation, and many stores in town have water for the horses to drink. Farmers take hay for the horses to munch on during stops on longer horse and buggy trips.
Horses can tolerate a lot of heat, but farmers respect them and allow plenty of breaks. Dan and Malinda have 10 Belgian horses, and they replace working horses with others when plowing or haying to ensure they all have adequate down time.
Miller said their family is cautious of weather and other conditions and though the equipment may weigh 1,200-plus pounds, two horses barely break a sweat. They start in the field early in the day when it’s coolest.
Dan Hershberger, Wisconsin, rakes hay with the help of his horses.
Horses and the Impact on Environment
Our approach to agricultural advancements is to use the ones that treat nature as an ally. Farmers and the horses spend much of their days tenderly caring for the fields and ecosystem.
“It makes us more sensitive and closer to the land,” Miller said of working with horses.
When given proper pasture, horses can benefit the environment.
David said farmers can get in the field earlier in the year because horses do not compact the land like some tractors, which can cause issues with water runoff and more.
Horses produce a lot of manure (55 pounds a day, according to the University of Minnesota Extension) that is spread on fields to help soil health, used as fertilizer for crops, and helps the water-holding capacity in soil.
Our farm families take pride in caring for the earth because it’s the right thing to do. This approach aligns with our co-op’s sustainable farming practices.
Why Don't Amish Farmers Use Tractors?
Farm machinery is a must on any farm.
The Amish do not shun technology. However, Plain community members choose which advancements to use based on their community’s rules. Some only use small gas-powered engines while others permit tractors. David said some churches (communities) are “really remote in their way of doing things.”
Horse-operated farm machinery has advanced. Miller and Dan had good things to say about an implement business in Dalton, Ohio, called Pioneer Equipment. It develops horse-drawn equipment and is widely known by Amish farmers everywhere.
“The innovation that has gone into adapting to horse farming is nothing short of amazing,” Miller said.
For those of you interested in the intricacies of farm equipment:
A forecart is an essential tool for Dan and Malinda. The horses are hitched to the two-wheeled cart, which has a platform for the farmer to stand on while driving (some have seats). A forecart has brakes, and implements such as a hay rake, can be attached with a hitch pin, much like it would be to a tractor.
Dan Hershberger, Wisconsin, talks farming.
The couple has used a power forecart, which has a motor up front, transferring power to the power takeoff (PTO), which can be used for things like a discbine needed to mow hay. Farmers feed cows hay, or dried grass, in the winter when animals don’t have green pastures to graze on.
Miller can mow 22 acres of hay using just 3 gallons of gasoline. He uses a forecart equipped with a diesel engine that powers the baler that runs through a PTO. In an hour, he can produce 20 to 25 round bales. Round bales of hay can weigh 1,000 pounds or more!
Dan and Malinda use a skid steer to lift hay bales that weigh far more than a person can safely lift. Plain community farmers use a variety of equipment, including brands such as New Holland and Massey Ferguson.
Horses pull everything from manure spreaders to plows. Off the field, generators power milking equipment, while converted gas-powered engines may be used to pump water into the home.
To an outsider, farming with horses may seem like a chore. But not everything on the farm feels like work. David can harness six horses in just 20 minutes and doesn't mind doing it because it's a chance to bond with them. He also finds joy in milking cows, tending fields, and providing consumers with high-quality organic food.
Families work together and communities stay together.
Dan and Malinda’s satisfaction was evident as they lead horses that sunny autumn morning. They enjoy the peacefulness of working the fields with their horses, hearing the gentle sound of their hooves, and taking in ridgetop view as far as the eye can see.
All photos were taken with permission.
