Mills using horse power - Scotland

[Ranald]

It may be of interest, to read a short article, about 'horse powered mills' in Scotland.

http://www.forfardispatch.co.uk/news...ngus-1-3236435

Similar to coal being brought up vertically, the poor horses had to go round and round, for hours at a time.

Ranald

[Rick]

Re: Mills using horse power - Scotland

Thanks Ranald, very interesting. My great-grandparents and grandfather came from Letham in Angus to raise heavy horses in Saskatchewan, Canada. I believe there was a water-powered mill in Letham itself but I expect that the great-grandfather would have used a horse mill on his family's farm and the great grandmother's father was a smithy in Letham, so may have shod a few of these circle walkers. In any event, they seem to have known a great deal about working horses. Have yourself a Happy Hogmanay!

[FriedaKateM]

Re: Mills using horse power - Scotland

I noted while down in the Smoky Mountain National Park, that the "demonstrating" farm had a sorghum mill, which was powered by usually a mule. The mule was also going around in a circle, with some kind of pole attached to its harness. The farmer was then feeding sorghum stalks into the middle, & I assumed that was how the old-timers make sorghum (which they used on bread, & in baking as well) The grinding stone aided in smooshing the stalks, & produced the juice. I think then that the juice was boiled down to make the syrup. We missed out on those kind of things, but think how all we have to do now is buy some syrup! I had someone tell me years ago, that I had been born into the wrong time, that I should have been a pioneer woman!!

Just a few comments...
Joan