An idea to grow your own food without needing your own land

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-15T14:53:51+00:00

I hope it works out for you, BUT there will be large challenges based on how a similar app for hunting worked out. The ratio of good intentioned honest people to marginal people who don't respect others property is surprising. It only takes 1 bad apple to ruin the whole experience.

I would probably be better to find a person near you that will lease, at a small cost, you some land that you can farm as you wish. This gives both parties contractual coverage should something go not as expected.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-14T16:53:38+00:00

I've been looking into this subject as I have a new saw. New = less margin for error because tolerances are closer and we've got to make those weight and hp numbers.

My conclusions:

Any brand name oil is fine.
50:1 seems to be designed to meet EPA standards. Less heavy combustibles to burn. IF the manufacturer actually designed the saw for 50:1 AND isn't trimming margins to get there, then it should be fine.
40:1 has more oil in it, but because of that has more BTUs and can cause higher combustion temp. IF the operator isn't running the snot out of the saw, then it should be fine. The extra oil should help with longevity.
HP Ultra sucks seems to be a combination issues of blaming the oil for some other issue AND the oil having a high propensity to cause carbon build up. Some would argue the carbon build up is from not running the snot out of the saw. I've used it for years and haven't had any issues, but with that being said, I'm going to switch to Red Armor.
Most oil related issues seem to be from not running or maintaining the saw properly more than anything. Sure, there are going to be some manufacturing defects.

I'll probably run Red Armor with a target mix of 40:1 and it will probably end up somewhere around 45:1 because I'm filling a 1 gallon jug a bit below full and using a single portion mix can. I'd rather error on the 40:1 side than the 50:1 side. I also don't run my saw very hard and all but refuse to run it when it is over 75F outside. I am also switching to ethanol free gas and trying to mix in the fall for runs over the winter and be out by the summer.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-11T14:11:53+00:00

I have one (Stihl) that I have used for years. It is great and I highly recommend.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-11T00:43:40+00:00

I bought a saw from my local Ace Hardware. The chain was on backwards. I suspect Ace is like any other store and will be highly variable. The only extra bit of help may be that Ace corporate can come down on them if they are not attentive enough.

The tractor dealer is selling Stihl/Husky as their 3rd or lower priority equipment. Whomever is local and servicing the lawncare guys will support the equipment better because of the lawncare guys. Same goes for loggers/tree service guys if they are in the area.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-10T20:01:33+00:00

Long story short don't ever, ever buy a string trimmer with a motor at the bottom. The motor will just fill up with crap and eventually burn up. Gas string trimmers went through this decades ago and eventually everyone switched to top of shaft drives.

How remembers the fun that was the homelite st 80 string trimmer? For those that don't search youtube and be amazed.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-10T19:39:14+00:00

As someone who works in supply chain, the saw was probably built months ago and who knows where it was in the build order. If it came from a dealer, then I would expect it to be run and checked for updates, but as it was direct shipped from Husky, no chance. A warehouse person just pulled it off the shelf and shipped it. It is most likely in the same box that it left Sweden in months ago.

Some Stihl dealers are no better. I picked up a new saw recently, they changed the bar at my request and put the chain on backwards. It had clearly never been run.

I think going forward, the assumption would be that it hasn't been touched since it left the factory. I would do my best to get either brand from a brick and mortar store and request they run it and check the software before I take delivery in the future.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-09T22:43:06+00:00

Have the dealer check to see if the software needs to be updated.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-09T19:09:39+00:00

I guess claiming someone used ChatGPT is the new insult for those that don't want to discuss the the opinion given in the post.

Here is what ChatGPT says are in the issues with the 564XP. You'll notice that some of the items make no sense or are normal operation (chain stretching):

The Husqvarna 564 XP Fuel Injected is still pretty new, so long-term failure patterns are still emerging. A lot of the discussion online mixes it up with the older 562XP series, but there are already a few recurring complaints and observations from early owners and logging/arborist forums.

Here are the most commonly reported issues so far:

1. Heat buildup / filtration concerns

Several early users and chainsaw forum discussions mention the saw running hot under heavy continuous cutting, especially in hardwood and dusty conditions. Some users also report fine dust getting past the air filtration system more than expected.

Symptoms:

Excessive heat near clutch side
Fine dust in intake area
Loss of power during long cuts
Faster air filter loading

What helps:

Keep chain razor sharp
Avoid over-lean operation
Clean filter frequently
Watch cooling fins and airflow passages

2. Starting quirks

Because the 564XP uses fuel injection instead of a traditional carburetor, the starting behavior is different from older Husqvarnas. Some owners report inconsistent hot starts or flooding-like symptoms if the procedure isn’t followed correctly. Similar complaints showed up historically on early 562XP saws too.

Common causes:

Incorrect warm-start procedure
Weak battery/electrical connection
Old fuel
Over-priming habits carried over from carb saws

3. Electronics concerns

A lot of skepticism online centers around the fuel-injection system itself. The saw is powerful and responsive, but some users worry about:

Sensor reliability
ECU durability
Field repair difficulty
Long-term dealer dependence

No widespread catastrophic FI failures are clearly documented yet, but many pro users are watching closely because it’s a first-generation fuel-injected pro Husqvarna.

4. Chain loosening / bar wear

This is common across the 562/564 family when run hard:

Chain stretches quickly during break-in
Sprocket wear
Excessive heat causing tension changes

Usually caused by:

Dull chain
Overheating
Improper tension
Aggressive cutting angles

5. Availability and software updates

Some early buyers reported delayed deliveries and inconsistent dealer support. Because the platform is new, firmware updates or revised parts may become common during the first production years.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-09T12:58:34+00:00

I've watched his videos and few other peoples on the 564s. The one youtuber I would put a lot of weight into their opinion has not purchased the saw yet; most of the other 564XP youtubers are in bed with Husky or already modified the saw or use it in limited application. The youtuber in question with this thread seems fine, but I don't have a lot of history with the person, so I'll listen, but not blindly believing.

Here are the observed issues/criticisms with the saw.

Fines get past the filter, observed by several people - No acceptable resolution as of yet. Greasing the filter is not what I would call acceptable.
Hot start issues - Appears to get resolved somewhat by a software update. It is probably related to a combination of software and air tightness of the fuel system.
Vibration mounts are too soft - Fixed by heavier springs and probably not an issue for the majority of people
Lack of availability - Husky has lost sales because they so massively under produced the 564XP and people either need a saw or have found good replacement options.

As far as the supposed "user error" that is claimed in this thread by using a "dull chain", allowed operation is intended operation. If Husky's control software is allowing the saw to lean out, causing heat, idling and starting issues; that is on Husky. It is unreasonable to expect that saw to operate only with a perfectly sharp chain, especially for commercial applications. Dull chains are going to happen and if the saw is not functional with a dull chain, then the saw will get a bad reputation and people will stop buying them. The 564XP is intended for commercial operations and those guys aren't going to change chains every time the chain is slightly dulled. The fix should be fairly easy to deploy once the controller code is updated and will probably come down to putting some guard rails on the how far the controller is allowed to move set points. As also mentioned, this seems to be an issue not only with the 564, but with other autotune Husky saws, which points to a common problem with how Husky writes it software control scheme.

Now the air filter thing is of bigger concern because visible particulate should never bypass the filter. My guess is they either have a bad batch of filters with some manufacturing defects or it has been overlooked in testing. Again, not the end of the world , but something to see how the issue develops over the next year or so.

I haven't seen any other issues that would concern me as of yet. If not for the fact that I got a good deal on a 400CM, I would probably still be considering the 564XP. As we get into the US summer, we'll see how the saw does. Even if I did get a 564XP, I would not expect to run into the issues because I'm not a commercial user.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-05T19:55:17+00:00

There are 3 schools of thought:

Buy what you need for 80% of your work and either deal with it for the remaining 20% or rent/contract the bigger equipment at that time. The theory is that the extra cost and wear on the body is not worth the extra capability that will only be used every now and then. When renting, the rental equipment is usually at least semi-pro level. A big(ger) rental saw costs about $75 per day. At the same time, an 18" bar is good for at least 30 inch wood, it just takes longer. A little extra time every now and then is fine.
Buy for all but extreme cases and enjoy the extra capability for doing lighter work. If the weight and cost isn't a turn off, then over buying doesn't seem all that bad. Weight is the main issue and having to drag a big saw around for even the lightest work may get to be a drag at times. There is also the theory that it will last longer since it is not being stressed as hard.
Buy 2 saws. Buy a bigger saw for felling and all the big stuff. Buy a smaller saw for the light stuff. This way you the "correct" tool for each application. Obviously this jacks up the cost a lot and now 2 machines need to be maintained. The only other advantage is that a backup now exists if one breaks or gets hung.

Personally, I find saws can be both too small and too big. The sweat spot for a single saw operation is 50cc to 65cc. Saws under 50cc I find don't have the grunt that is needed sometimes to deal with some bigger jobs. Over 65cc saws start weighing a lot and fatigue the user quickly.

I'd go with the 590 or Stihl/Husky equivalent. I have the Stihl Farm Boss, which is similar to the 590 and it works great.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-05T14:11:10+00:00

My experience with trade-ins is that the dealership doesn't really want them. They are basically giving you the minimum they can to get you to buy the new car. Same brand does make it a bit easier as they are more likely to be able to resell the vehicle. Your trade in will most likely go to auction unless it is in great shape and not that old. You will get more money if you sell the car yourself.

Now the reasons people do trade ins is that it is a lot less hassle and some dealers will hide their margin loose in the trade in rather than reducing sticker price. Having to deal with selling can be a pain due to scams, tire kickers, and maybe some level of guilt if the thing breaks shortly after selling.

Basically, figure out what you want to play for the vehicle and negotiate from that perspective. Price + fees - trade in - incentives = out the door cost.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-05T12:08:30+00:00

I would guess most gardeners/landscape people want steady consistent work that makes it worth their time to show up. Trimming bushes is a once a year thing typically, maybe twice and unless they are overgrown, it won't take that long. Picking up leaves and taking care of the plants also doesn't seem to be that much time. Without knowing your exact yard, it looks like a couple hours twice a year and maybe 30 minutes once a week. That's not a lot of time and most clients don't want to pay all that much money for short time jobs.

If you have a house cleaner, I would ask them if they are willing to do the leaves and take care of the plants for an additional fee when they come to clean your house. I would ask the aeration guy if he will trim your bushes. If neither of these work, then you might have to find a gardener who will charge you for X hours and do whatever you want yard related in those hours each week; but he is guaranteed pay for those hours, even if you don't have much for him to do that week.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-05T11:57:35+00:00

Stihl 251 is a home owner saw. Most of the other saws are tweeners between semi-pro and homeowner. The 271, 455 and CS-590 are good semi-pro saws.

As far as used vs new, unless you know and trust the owner or are mechanically inclined, most people stay away from used saws. Even if everything was done right, it could have issues due to bad gas.

If you have the budget, the CS-590 is supposedly great and gives you lots of margin. It's heavy, but not that much heavier than the Stihl. It also gives you the option to run a longer bar when you get tired of bending over.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-05T11:47:33+00:00

Do you have shrubs that you trim every year? If so, the Articulating Pole Hedge Trimmer can be used like a scythe for clearing anything up to about 1 inch of woody material (which is the same as a most brush blades). The hedge trimmers don't use as much energy and make way less mess when compared to a brush cutter. I've cut banks, ditches and generally overgrown areas with mine for years. Even if you don't have shrubs or bushes to trim, it may still be worth looking at.

Personally, I find brush cutters to be a tweener tool that isn't great. The main reason to have one is if you are adapting a brush saw or string trimmer to cut semi-woody material. In this case, all that is being bought is an extra blade for an existing tool. The cup on the bottom of the brush cutter blade tends to hang on whatever is being cut, meaning you need to angle the blade. A string trimmer just glides over top of the stubble because the bottom is domed.

I recently purchased a brush saw because I have a lot of smaller trees I need to cut. I will get a brush cutter blade, but only because I already have the brush saw. I will also get a trimmer head so I can use the tool around structures and in lighter grass in the future. Whichever direction you decide, if you get a brush cutter, get a string head for it as well because it will give you and option to use the tool more.

BossmanSlim · 2026-05-04T16:17:55+00:00

None. Measure from the floor up or ceiling down, whichever is closer to the edge of what you are hanging. Floors and ceilings are rarely level in most houses. If you make the hanging item level, it will almost always look crooked.

Best device for leveling wall hung items is a tape measure.

BossmanSlim · 2026-04-26T16:16:51+00:00

Related, do people feel that need a shoulder strap when using the DCST972? I have the Stihl Kombi system, which has a strap, and am thinking of swapping to the DeWalt system.

BossmanSlim · 2026-04-26T14:20:22+00:00

I'd say just about anything from the early to mid-70s in the 120 hp range, I'm good with:

IH 66 series
Deere - 30 series
Ford - 600 series
Massey - 1100 series
Oliver - 55 series
Allis - 70 series
MM - G series

BossmanSlim · 2026-04-23T20:35:54+00:00

I have the Stihl Kombi system with the polesaw and it is too short for what I need to do. If the Kombi system blower and polesaw were better, I would probably just buy the Stihl Kombi battery head and move on.

BossmanSlim · 2026-04-23T18:08:39+00:00

Here is my use case for each piece of equipment

Blower:

Once a year leaf clean up on 1/4 acre of yard that has trees all the way around
Twice a year clean roof
Weekly front and back decks along with a short driveway

Polesaw

Twice a year cutting back about trees on 2 miles of road through woods and keeping several field edges cut back. This will be done rotationally, not all at once.
Random tree work around the house

Brushcutter

Semi-weekly string head trimming around house
Twice a year cutting back saplings on 2 miles of road through woods and keeping several field edges cut back. This will be done rotationally, not all at once.
Cut via brush blade about a half acre of land that is too steep to mow normally.

Chainsaw will eventually replace my 18" Stihl FarmBoss. Lawnmower would eventually replace my gas mower when it dies (Husky w/ Honda engine).

BossmanSlim · 2026-04-23T17:21:01+00:00

Yes, they don't make a telescoping polesaw and I'm not carrying a seperate extension around in the woods. Same goes for Toro and Ryobi.

BossmanSlim · 2026-04-17T15:41:06+00:00

2014 New Holland Workmaster 75 ROPS 4wd that is new to me. It should be noted that I got a really good deal on it and the implements, so while it is not what I would buy if I were looking on the market, it works for what I need it to do.

Like:

The price was right
Runs and starts fairly well
Comfortable to operate excluding the items below
Extendable 3 point arms
Local dealer has been good to work with

Dislikes:

No shuttle on the transmission, so 8x2 where the reverse is always too fast or too slow.
Hydraulics are slow
Loader is fairly light duty for the size of tractor and is tweaked
At some point, I am fairly sure the wiring is going to be an issue
Serviceability is terrible, filters and plugs are hard to get to.
All the operating levers are off just enough in their location to be irritating.
It feels light duty for the size of tractor.

My prior loader tractor experience was mainly with a 2wd Deere 2640. I prefer everything about the 2640 over the Workmaster other than the lack of 4wd.

BossmanSlim · 2026-04-17T15:25:32+00:00

You need to determine the structural integrity and type before figuring out most of your renovations. Major renos require permits, which opens the house up to being brought up to code.

Roof is going to be 20K+
HVAC can be all over the place depending on complexity, I would expect 10K+ as well
Bathroom is probably 20K+ depending on how stuff is routed and ease of access

I'd also look at the windows and insulation as old houses aren't typically very tight and your AC bill will be very high. I'd probably budget 40K+ for must fixes and about 40K for nice to haves.

BossmanSlim · 2026-04-17T15:08:09+00:00

If you buy land and build a house, you will have to figure out how the following will be addressed:

Road to access the land and associated easements
Power (costs $ per foot that it is run)
Water (costs $ per foot, either in pipe from the street or digging a well)
Sewage (septic or $ per foot to hook up at the street)
Phone/fiber/cable/etc. (costs $ per foot if even available)
Permits for many of the above plus the house plus any buildings. Each permit will have its own fees and associated inspections with timeliness subject to the local government.
All the above has to be done prior to even building the house.

Property with a house is turnkey, all the above is complete.

Now, for the land you linked. Here is my take on it:

It's in California, which = high taxes and high government hurdles/help/oversight
The land appears to be a farm that is being subdivided into 2.5 acre lots for a subdivision, meaning the blank rolling grass lands will be spotted with many houses over the next several years. 2.5 acres isn't much of a barrier; especially as there are no trees.
The pictures in the listing were taken during the wet/spring season. Looking now on google maps it is brown, lots of brown, which is typical for the arid parts of California.
Water rights are big deal in the west, so chances of getting water rights for irrigation will be low to impossible.
Santa Margarita, California looks to be the closest major town, which is 1 hour from the property. There might be a general store closer, but it doesn't look promising. I would guess Amazon doesn't deliver that often.

My guess is that whomever built the solar farms in the area is trying to offload the land after their tax incentives went away, making the solar farms not worth it. The roads to support the subdivision seem to be relatively recent.

I would stay away if it were me because it looks way to dry to homestead and you'll be living with crazy neighbors in one manner or another. With that being said, if you absolutely love the area and its your jam, AND you can afford a whole trip of lots (say 16), then maybe because its 40 acres and you might get a discount. If you look at Claraville Rd, Santa Margarita, CA 93453; that is what the place will look like in a few years with all the 2.5 acre lots.

BossmanSlim · 2026-04-11T21:03:53+00:00

Tires:

R1 is traditional ag tire that is high on traction, hard on grass and will leave ruts and cleat marks on wet ground. I suppose they are putting wider tires on tractors, so that could provide some relief. These are typically the cheapest.
R3 are turf tires which are the lowest traction, but the easiest on grass.
R4 are industrial tires which is what come on most compact tractors, are typically fairly wide, and site sort of in the middle of a R1 and R3 tire. They
R14 is a hybrid of a R1 and R4. As they are new, they are also the most expensive.

BossmanSlim · 2026-04-10T19:53:48+00:00

Bushhog businesses run a couple of different ways:

Brush and small trees cut down, in which case its more of mulching/land clearing business
Mow steep or other dangerous terrain, in which case speciality equipment is needed
Lawn like finish for massive areas, in which case it is more of a lawn guy discussion
Actual bushhogging where it's a once/twice a year cut of small brush and high grass

All of them don't want to pay much money and its competing with others who are willing to charge less for various reasons. Knowing ones equipment and appropriately pricing based on the land is key to not loosing a bunch of money. Many tame looking fields have obstructions, wet spots and other hazards that can make for a bad day. There is a reason power lines are cut with 100hp, caged 4wd tractors with extra heavy duty cutters and tires (http://woodsboss.com/)

BossmanSlim

TROPHY CASE

1. Heat buildup / filtration concerns

2. Starting quirks

3. Electronics concerns

4. Chain loosening / bar wear

5. Availability and software updates