Ask anyone to define “local agriculture” and they’re likely to suggest row crops or orchards and consider the question answered.

While both responses are correct, they only partly define our local agriculture.

For example, although Hollis was once home to several dairy farms, it now has far more horses than cows. And horse owners depend on the hay businesses to provide a source of feed that’s grown locally and delivered to their barns.

This combination of equestrian and hay businesses is a big part of local agriculture and plays an important role in the economic value of agriculture and the maintenance of much of our open land.

To get a sense of the ownership of horses and the business of horse farms in your area, do a quick search on Google. If you did this for Hollis, for example, you would find listings of five horse riding businesses (although there certainly are more in Hollis and Greater Nashua).

These facilities offer lessons, trail riding and summer camp programs for children. Many provide boarding and horse-leasing opportunities if ownership isn’t an option.

With so many opportunities for riding, local horse farms can cater to any level of riding experience.

Many riders belong to equestrian clubs as a way of improving their skills and meeting other riders. For example, the Hollis Area Equestrians is a nonprofit group that offers organized riding events, participates in charitable riding programs and maintains Hollis’ town riding rink.

One of the most charming scenes to encounter while driving is a horse and rider traveling along the side of a shaded road. Horses travel on the same side as a car, and space can be tight for both. You should always slow down and move away from the horse and rider, just as you would when passing a bike rider.

“It is best to be cautious,” said Stacey Bongiorno Ux, owner of All in Stride Farm in Hollis. “Horses can spook easily and can jump in front of a car if they are frightened. Drivers should slow down when approaching and wait for the rider to wave them by.”

Rather than feeling inconvenienced by the slowing down and sharing the roads with horses, it’s good to remember that rural scenes like this help identify a community through the tranquillity of its open fields and farm settings. And equestrian businesses provide economic support of conservation land, open spaces and farmland.

As any owner will tell you, the cost of owning a horse can be significant, and managing and maintaining a healthy horse requires a strong base of local horse-related businesses. Feed stores, tack shops, fence suppliers, equine veterinarians, farriers and builders specializing in barn construction are all needed by a horse owner.

Larger horse farms often employ local instructors, stable hands and trucking companies to haul manure off the property.

Just as the horse farms depend on these supporting businesses, the farms often are the businesses’ main source of income. This is especially true for local hay farmers. Leigh Kettaneh, who owns and operates Sports Nature Riding & Recreation Center in Hollis, is a great supporter of the relationships of local business that surround horse ownership.

“I buy my hay locally,” she said. “… Agricultural businesses need the support of everyone if we hope to keep Hollis a rural community.”

Rural communities are often defined by large open spaces, and cultivated farmland offers some of the greatest expanses of open space. But much of the open space we see is privately owned, and maintaining these fields can be costly.

A previous “Down on the Farm” column discussed the partnership between agricultural businesses and local landowners. In this arrangement, landowners allow agricultural businesses to use their land in exchange for the land’s maintenance and upkeep. The beauty of this arrangement is that the private landowners can afford to keep their land while providing inexpensive access to land for farmers, meanwhile supporting the open space and rural character goals of the community.

There may be no better example of this than hay farming. In addition to being a local source of feed for horses and other livestock, hay is a desirable option for environmentally conscious landowners.

As a sustainable crop, hay only requires reseeding and occasional fertilizing, and pesticides are rarely used. And the fields can be cut two or three times during the summer, thereby keeping the space maintained for the landowner.

Steve Jambard, of Maple-Jam Enterprises, a hay supplier in Hollis, said the old-fashioned barter system still exists between landowners and hay farmers.

“I barter with many of my customers by trading cords of wood, plowing and other services in exchange for the mowing of their fields,” he said. “They like the manicured look of the open field, and I bale the hay and sell it to local horse, alpaca and beef farms.”

The interdependence of the hay farmers and the horse owners is vital to the continued strength of agriculture in our communities, while contributing, along with support by local residents and landowners, to the maintenance of our open spaces.

Here is this month’s recipe:

SWEET PEAS WITH MINT

Serves: 6

1 pound bag frozen petite peas (these are the sweetest), thawed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

¼ cup red onion (or chive), chopped

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh flat- leafed parsley, chopped

Kosher salt and pepper

Heat the butter in a small saute pan over low heat.

Add the chopped onions and cook until just soft, about 3 minutes.

Add the thawed peas and fresh herbs to the cooked onions. Heat just until the peas are warmed through, about 2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve hot, cold or room temperature.

This column was written by Liz Barbour, of the Creative Feast, based in part on information provided by the Hollis Agricultural Commission. For more information about the commission, which promotes local agriculture, visit www.hollisag.org. For more information about the Creative Feast and to see more recipes, visit www.thecreativefeast.com. Down on the Farm appears the third week of the month.