Keeler, Sharon

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University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices2-15-2000UNHs Drew Conroy Writes Definitive Book onOxenSharon KeelerUNH Media RelationsFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationKeeler, Sharon, "UNHs Drew Conroy Writes Definitive Book on Oxen" (2000). UNH Today. 2906.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/290611/29/17, 12(08 PMUNH's Drew Conroy Writes Definitive Book on OxenPage 1 of 3http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/news_releases/2000/february/sk_20000215oxen.htmlRuralHeritagePress UNH's Drew Conroy WritesDefinitive Book on OxenBy Sharon KeelerUNH News BureauDURHAM, N.H. -- On a cold night in 1978, 13-year-old Drew Conroy and his father drove 30 miles oversnowy New Hampshire roads to look at twin BrownSwiss calves. It was love at first sight. For $50, Conroybought the pair from Donald Hawes of Milford. Youngand eager to embark on his new adventure with his firststeers, he talked his dad into taking them home thatnight.Conroy didn't anticipate the daunting challenges he'dface. The calves were reluctant to follow him on thelead rope, and even more reluctant in the yoke. Neitherof his parents could offer advice to their son, as theyhad never raised or trained oxen."Somehow, I managed to train Zeb and Luke. I supposeI was motivated by my father's insistence that we couldalways eat them if I didn't get them trained," saysConroy, jokingly. "One of the greatest lessons I learnedis that there's no substitute for time spent working withanimals. I also learned the importance ofcommunicating with people and learning from theexperience of others."Twenty-one years later, Conroy is an animal scienceprofessor at the University of New Hampshire'sThompson School of Applied Science. His recentlypublished book on training and working oxen nowhelps others interested in the "lost art." Titled "Oxen, aTeamsters Guide," the 345-page book includesinformation on every aspect of raising, training, driving,and showing the animals. It also includes manyillustrations and photos, which include a number ofwell-known New Hampshire teamsters.Conroy has found a role in training individuals how touse oxen today on small farms and in internationaldevelopment. He has traveled as far away as Tanzaniaand Uganda in Africa to teach people about the11/29/17, 12(08 PMUNH's Drew Conroy Writes Definitive Book on OxenPage 2 of 3http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/news_releases/2000/february/sk_20000215oxen.html productive use of oxen. He has also been involved as aconsultant for the movie industry."The book emphasizes New England methods oftraining and working animals that can be appliedanywhere, and at the same time describes how oxen areyoked, worked and used in the United States," saysConroy.The Berwick, Maine, resident wrote his first book, "TheOxen Handbook," when he was a junior at UNH in1985. It quickly became a reference for 4-H and adultteamsters everywhere. The new book expands onConroy's first work. It covers the basics, from choosingthe right breed and properly feeding and housing oxen,to correctly fitting a yoke and bow, to keeping oxenhealthy. It also provides information for readersinterested in using oxen for farming and logging, aswell as competition.The book includes a chapter on oxen in history, as well.Conroy argues that without oxen, European settlerscould not have survived in North America. Their role infarming the land and in westward expansion wereparamount to developing this country."History changed with the beginning of farming and thedomestication of animals," Conroy explains."Following centuries of human labor, the first draftanimal put to work in early agriculture was the ox,which was used long before horse and other equineanimals were domesticated. Oxen provided the draftpower that helped create an agricultural revolution byallowing farmers to till more land, harvest crops in atimely manner, and transport crops and other goods inlarge quantities over great distances."According to Conroy, the first oxen were likelydomesticated in southeastern Europe and western Asia,most likely in Greece and Turkey. Cattle husbandry inthat region was common 7,000 years ago. Other thanthe domestication of the dog, domestication of cattlewas the most important step in manipulating the animalworld and exploiting the land for agricultural purposes.Cattle supplied the meat, milk, leather, manure andpower for agriculture.In his book Conroy also discusses the use of cattle as11/29/17, 12(08 PMUNH's Drew Conroy Writes Definitive Book on OxenPage 3 of 3http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/news_releases/2000/february/sk_20000215oxen.htmldraft animals in Third World countries today. Offering aliving history lesson, he explains how the Maasai inEast Africa continue to herd their cattle, as many earlyAsian and Eastern European cattle owners did."The Maasai and others like them in Africa arebeginning to adopt more productive ways of farmingtheir land, and oxen are an important part of thatchange," says Conroy. "They are just beginning to facethe trials of training and using oxen. In addition to theox's most important role in plowing the land, they arealso using this animal to transport manure, carry waterand move materials from the forest to build fences andnew homes. Observing these people and their use ofoxen is like traveling back in time."Conroy says the primary audience for his book is NewEngland people with oxen, 4-H groups, museums, andliving history farms like Sturbridge Village inMassachusetts. But he also hopes it will find a nicheamong international development groups like the PeaceCorps."There a more than 200 million oxen in the worldtoday, mostly in Third World countries," Conroy says."So I hope it will somehow find its way into the handsof international development groups that can put it togood use."Conroy continues to own and train oxen today and histwo new additions, a pair of four-year-olds named Rexand Ely, help him work his 10-acre farm in Berwick."Oxen, A Teamsters Guide" is published by RuralHeritage Press. It may be purchased on their web site atwww.ruralheritage.com/bookstory, or by calling 1-931-268-0655. February 15, 2000Back to unh.edu.

UNHs Drew Conroy Writes Definitive Book on Oxen

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UNHs Drew Conroy Writes Definitive Book on Oxen

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