Thursday, May 22, 2008

Cross-Price Elasticity of Demand V

The AP reports:

High gas prices drive farmer to switch to mules

High gas prices have driven a Warren County farmer and his sons to hitch a tractor rake to a pair of mules to gather hay from their fields. T.R. Raymond bought Dolly and Molly at the Dixon mule sale last year. Son Danny Raymond trained them and also modified the tractor rake so the mules could pull it.

T.R. Raymond says the mules are slower than a petroleum-powered tractor, but there are benefits.

"This fuel's so high, you can't afford it," he said. "We can feed these mules cheaper than we can buy fuel. That's the truth."

Thanks for Frank Stephensen for the pointer.

Here is the previous installment in this series.