Horse Logging with Roy Pilgrim

Joe interviews Roy Pilgrim of Pilgrim Logging in West Fork, Arkansas.
We open with footage of Roy, his Belgian draft horses and a friend loading logs onto his truck.
If you like our videos please 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹. AND...if you like our videos you may really like our magazine. 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗥𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲 at www.mischka.co... or call us: 877-647-2452.
Roy started logging at age 17 when his dad bought a band saw mill to mill red oak that was being infested with a borer. They started with a tractor then went to mule power and now uses draft horses, his favorite.
He owns his own outfit and works for himself. He talks about why he does that and how it is beneficial to him.
Roy talks about how the "mini-mill" , originally used in the 1980's to take advantage of the small tree tops that were previously just left and now could be used for making pallets However, the mill is now used to process small diameter trees, therefore depleting the future stock of trees to great harm to the woods.
We meet Roy's wife Aviva and learn about how they met and their vagabond way of life as young people, traveling the US, Canada, Mexico, Central American and Europe by freight train. They met at a fiddler's convention and travelled together. Roy plays the fiddle, guitar and banjo.
They moved back home to his parent's farm and saved money to buy their own home. Aviva makes guitars.
Roy works his horse logging business on from 10 to 700 acre properties, mostly for other working families and farmers with woodlots. He competes with the skidder loggers in the area. He takes the trees from the stump to the mill.
He has been logging full time for two years and in some capacity for eight years. He makes the same as he did as a carpenter.
Roy talks about how important good farming and forestry practices are important to ourselves and the environment. And he wants to get the message out that it is a reasonable occupation and lifestyle to be a small farmer or logger.
He thanks his four mentors and says without their help and advice, he would not be making a living as a horse logger.
Bob Tabor
Woody Roberts
Jeff Fergey
Carl Eldridge
Lastly, we are treated to a fiddle and banjo duet from Roy and Aviva.
#horselogging #loggingwithhorses #smallfarm #sustainableforestry #ruralheritagemagazine #roypilgrim