Soule: My Plan For A Great 2023

A while ago, when I found Stash, one of my Scottish Highland oxen, dead in the field, I was devastated, but it also left his teammate, Topper, without a partner. Oxen are cattle that work for a living. They are yoked in pairs to pull heavy loads. They bond, and when one of them dies, finding the survivor a new partner is often impossible.

Sometimes solutions show up when you aren't looking. Finn, another Miles Smith Farm Highland ox, had also lost his partner. I considered pairing Topper and Finn for a long time but never had the time. Besides, I was afraid they wouldn't click. Change is challenging, and I didn't want to face defeat, so I postponed their training. They did little but eat hay and beg for carrots for almost two years. Topper had a yearly job at Christmas when I put a red nose on him, and he pretended to be Rudolph, but he needed a real job.

Yoking these two near strangers together would be difficult. They are big, about 1,400 pounds each, and they'd have to stand close together while I maneuvered a 75-pound wooden yoke onto their shoulders. Then they'd have to stand very still while I secured it with bows (U-shaped wooden frames that hold the yoke in place). My schedule cleared a couple of weeks ago, and I finally had time.

It took a few tries, but Topper and Finn seemed to know I was struggling to lift the yoke and stood patiently while husband Bruce helped. After yoking them, I untied them and gave the familiar command: "Walk on!" It took a bit for Finn to adjust his stride to Topper's, but soon they walked on together. I was amazed, thrilled, and joyous all at once.

When I hooked a chain to their yoke, they pulled a truck tire around the yard as if they'd done it together their whole lives. I was ecstatic.

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Carole Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm, where she raises and sells beef, pork, eggs, and other local products.