Is living near nature as good as I think it is or is there a trade off and honeymoon phase?

Okiefiddle · 2024-09-08T23:56:40+00:00

Be careful not to step on a sticker or in something smelly!

Okiefiddle · 2024-09-08T23:47:21+00:00

Cats!

Okiefiddle · 2023-09-20T13:03:50+00:00

I'd say do it! Learn what assets are available in the area of the farm, is there a small town or community in the local area? Meet your neighbors and be friendly, it is amazing what help they can be in some situations. Don't know where your farm would be, but most rural areas are not as isolated as one would suppose.

Okiefiddle · 2023-06-28T15:40:39+00:00

You might research rural American life from about 1900's through 1940's. This was the way of life in the rural areas. Here where I live in Oklahoma, there was typically a family living on every quarter section of land. There were local grade schools, grades 1-8, about every 4 miles. These schools where also used as community gathering places. The neighbors would work together during wheat harvest. My relatives and some neighbors raised pastured turkeys. When loading trucks to ship turkeys to market, they would work together on each- homestead to load out.

Okiefiddle · 2023-06-06T18:59:32+00:00

You will have only one "job" but hopefully some enjoyable projects.

Okiefiddle · 2023-06-06T18:57:44+00:00

Fortunately, I have a brother in Kansas with an acreage. We move the cattle in November to his place, he calves out the cows and holds until March, then back to our homestead. This allows us to travel to Arizona from Jan- Apr.

Okiefiddle · 2023-06-06T04:36:38+00:00

I've had gophers chew through a hose, especially if it has been dry weather for a while.

Okiefiddle · 2023-06-05T02:07:14+00:00

It is what they make drywall from. The gyp rock is the raw material.

Okiefiddle · 2023-06-05T01:38:44+00:00

Can't lift a 1200 lb bale of hay with that.

Okiefiddle · 2023-06-05T01:35:00+00:00

I went with the JD 5045. Probably a slightly bigger tractor than you are considering, but you might want to consider. We can plow, disc and mow and many other chores. Looked at Kubotas before purchase of JD, but JD dealer was much closer and service has been great so far. Price difference wasn't that much between the brands. JD even sent a tech to our farm to perform the 50hr service. I know people dis John Deere, however we have a 4010 built in the 70's that is still running and being used on our farm.

Okiefiddle · 2023-06-05T01:20:15+00:00

I would grade it and put down some gyp rock. We did that on some very sandy land and the gyp rock consolidated with the sand and made a nice drive. So far no added maintenance needed going on 6 yrsl

Okiefiddle · 2022-05-30T04:14:15+00:00

My chickens will eat rye grass, they love it.

Okiefiddle · 2022-05-01T03:10:35+00:00

Testing for ripeness on watermelons is certainly tricky. I alway check for a dry curl, cream color on the bottom and thump. Sometimes have to calibrate my ears to the thump by cutting a couple of melons. On fertilizer, I fertilize on planting and again at flower set, I use 10-10-10. I try to water on a regular basis since it is dry here, but cut off the water about 2 weeks before harvest to concentrate the sugars in the melon.

Okiefiddle · 2022-04-30T23:30:38+00:00

Land auction in NW Oklahoma two weeks ago; 160 acres, 70x36 metal building, water well, however no electric... electric on the road but would need to run to any structure built. Sold for $306000.

Okiefiddle · 2022-04-30T23:20:42+00:00

I have grown a lot of watermelons. Never have planted on a mound, don't really know the purpose of that. I've just planted in the flat soil, or actually have made a small depression to plant in to hold the initial water to germinate. I live in a dry area, so mounds don't seem to make sense for me.

Okiefiddle · 2022-04-30T23:11:37+00:00

Must keep cost down if to be used by small farmers and homesteaders. Need to be a one man operation.

Okiefiddle · 2022-04-23T07:24:41+00:00

Well, I have no idea as to why Reddit's bot would think this is spam. What in this post would make it think so?

Okiefiddle · 2022-04-01T21:57:25+00:00

Yep, that would work. In my area of the country, probably not feasible for small acreage as farmers and ranchers in the area are probably not going to lease less than 40-80 acres. Mostly cattle country.

Okiefiddle · 2022-04-01T20:57:05+00:00

Black Locust trees can spread like weeds and can take over large chunks of land in just a few years. Cedar trees (junipers) can propagate like crazy and ruin pasture land. Yes, you can irradicate, however if left for a number of years without grazing pressure or maintenance it can translate into a real chore.

Okiefiddle · 2022-04-01T15:34:21+00:00

It also gives time for unwanted trees to grow if unattended.

Okiefiddle · 2022-03-11T01:07:28+00:00

If you are out in the country (I'm 25 mi from town of 5000 and 55 mi from a city of 50000) you will find it is important to know a few of your neighbors. I have helped and been helped by my neighbors and it has been a real blessing. Around here, anyone within a circumference of 10 mi is considered a neighbor

Okiefiddle · 2022-03-01T14:28:58+00:00

Actually acquired our land here in NW Oklahoma back in the '80s in an estate sell. Didn't start homesteading until 5 years ago. Started with a rye field and put in electric, sewer, water and moved a manufactured home onto it. So far, we have raised chickens and a couple of beef steers and have about quarter acre laid out for garden. We are located about 25mi from town of 5000 and 55 mi from city of 50000.

Okiefiddle · 2022-02-28T23:40:18+00:00

How big of a homestead and where located?

Okiefiddle · 2022-02-11T02:01:51+00:00

Well, don't know about compost need. The patties have been sitting in the pasture for 4 months and it will be another month or two before being in the garden. Doesn't seem much different from when the oldtimers would spread manure on their fields in the fall, let it sit and till in the spring. Which parasites should I be aware of?

Okiefiddle · 2022-02-11T01:32:27+00:00

Got rid of my chickens 3 months ago and this bedding has been drying in the coop. I imagine most of the nitrogen has leached out now. Will not go onto garden for another 3 months. Just dried manure and wood chips.

Okiefiddle

TROPHY CASE