150 years ago most census records showed that a fifth of the respondents listed their occupation as blacksmith, including my 3rd great-grandfather, Roger Farrer.  I don’t know what Grampa Farrer fabricated every day, but if he was like most smiths, he was making everything.  Horseshoes were a small part of the job.  He was more … Continue reading Working Iron: A Primer on Blacksmithing