Farm Horizons Farm Horizons 2/17 | Page 6

Farm Horizons • Feb . 6 , 2017 • Page 6
the goal is to get to six . Other products include oak feeders , fencing , barn doors , gates , dog kennels and custom orders .
The northern white oak in Great Oak Equine products has naturally occurring tannins that act as a preservative and give the wood a bitter taste , which keeps horses from chewing on the wood . All the hardware for the pens and fencing is made in-house , and panels are designed to discourage a head or foot getting stuck .
“ It ’ s all about the horse ,” said Tusha , whose focus is the safety of horse and rider .
The premium products come at a price , but are built to last three generations . It ’ s an investment that ’ s not out of reach for most horse owners , Tusha thinks .
“ Our competitors in this industry , their products really aren ’ t long lasting ,” Tusha said . “ I ’ m not after the wealthy horse people . I ’ m really after the everyday horse enthusiast .”
Not just horse enthusiasts in Minnesota , either . Great Oak Equine ships constantly to Texas , which has the highest horse population in the country , and across the United States . Most orders come from the Midwest .
Tusha is driven by an interest in design and the appeal of beautiful products that are useful .
“ Everything is done by hand ,” he said . “ After they ’ ve worked for me for a year , ( my employees ) are craftsmen .”
For more information , contact Stephen Tusha at ( 952 ) 232-7115 , or visit Great Oak Equine ’ s website , www . greatoakequine . com . •

Bill authored regarding mowing ditches

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Rep . Chris Swedzinski ( R-Ghent ) has authored a bill he said aims to protect a sizeable number of Minnesota landowners who have expressed concern over expanded Minnesota Department of Transportation ( MnDOT ) permitting governing roadside ditches .
The crux of the issue is , MnDOT recently changed its statewide permitting standards for mowing and baling in the right-of-way . Swedzinski said the changes add an unnecessary burden on property owners , altering the way some families have managed their land for more than half a century .
“ People are frustrated ,” Swedzinski explained . “ They see this as another example of government encroachment with unelected bureaucrats in St . Paul making decisions that illustrate yet again how out of touch they are with rural Minnesota .”
Specifically , Swedzinski ’ s bill ( H . F . 124 ) prohibits road authorities from regulating when ditches may or may not be mowed , and also prevents requiring permits to be obtained for mowing .
“ This is about being practical and protecting property owners ,” Swedzinski stated . “ We all care about roadside habitats for birds and other wildlife and want to be good stewards of our land , but this kind of agency overreach needs to be held in check . State statute has been in place regarding mowing ditches since the 1980s , so why are the agencies just now deciding to add more red tape ?”

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