Alabama Mules Remind us of the Past and Future

Do you Know Where Mules Come From?

A mule is a cross between a donkey and a horse. They cannot reproduce.

The reason they were valued so highly as work animals was because they were much stronger and more manageable than either a donkey or a horse alone.

To learn more about mules, checkout the mule page at Rural Heritage.

I once said to a friend of mine, “Do you ever wish they made a solar powered tractor?” He replied, “They do! It’s called a mule.”

As we enter the crossing point for “peak oil” and prepare for life in a post-petroleum world, I have more than once wondered whether we wouldn’t be wise to try to recapture some of the previous farming technologies that worked quite well for us. Imagine my surprise when one morning a “mule train” walked right past the farm.

They live in Scottsboro

I believe he said his name was Hugh Belamy, (my apology if that’s wrong. I hate my senior mind moments.)

They were traveling the 30 miles from TN to Scottsboro. The mules were quite capable of climbing the mountains and handling the loads. One just needs to know how to water, feed and rest them.

They came back again and brought their friends.

           Who brought a lot more friends.

We haven’t had a line that long here since the time I put too many peppers in the chile