Like the illusion of Wall Street, with its vast and powerful investment banks, now shuttered, China too is an illusion perpetuated by the Globalists that gave us the 15,000 mile Caesar salad, poisoned cat food and lead based paint on babies' pacifiers. Like the illusion that money would come from thin air to always push housing prices higher, China has spent a generation pursuing its illusion. Pursuing an unattainable dream to be like the West, while 6000 years of its carefully shepherded top soil blows into the sea.
Heineken has some good advice there, I have 270 acres of land and there is no subsititute for knowing your ground. Its fun to have some government agent offer to come by and give you suggestions on how you might improve the management of your land. I'm always thinking to myself, let's see here I'm 47 years old and this land has been in my family for 100 years. I've seen this land in drought, after a fire, after a hurricane and during exceptionally wet periods and you are offering to come look at it TODAY ONLY and give me advice. Yea right.
Get to know your land.
The other thing I would suggest is think a lot about how you want to use it and what you want to grow. Then get out a piece of paper and make a drawing of your ground and sketch in where you will put everything. In other words, MAKE A PLAN and don't do things haphazardly. This is especially true with trees as they are long term decisions.
Finally , stay away from mobile homes, they are horribly poor investments. Save up some money and build a decent shed to store equipment/tools in, if you want to make part of it liveable if you want to spend weekends there. Liveable can be a simple as a place for a bed and a place to cook with maybe a shower and an outdoor toilet. Of course you can move a little up from that and have indoor plumbing.
I only took video of the upper piece, and hope to get more soon. Perhaps I'll bring the camera with me while doing some planting this weekend.
Your sentiment with regard to the mobile home echoes my own. We instead plan to build a good size pole barn on the property that can be used for storage of tools and materials, as well as act as a makeshift 'camp'. The design and size I have in mind will accommodate being able to park equipment such as a tractor inside (which we don't own yet), as well as allow space for a workshop and forging (a new hobby of mine). We'll see whether that happens or not, but it is the plan.
So far we're looking at:
1) Getting trees planted
2) Post property.
3) GPS survey markers while leaves still mostly off the trees. I have access to a generally foot level accuracy GPS with proper processing.
Laughing...my wife is calling me off the computer...
Olaf _________________ "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau
Sorry, double post. _________________ "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau
Thanks for the video, Olaf. That's one handsome piece of property, for sure! Nice to be able to watch those windmills too. I'll bet it's peaceful there. Easy to visualize developing that spring to collect water, without being too heavy-handed. Being almost out of firewood here, I was lusting after all the dead & down stuff in your woodlot. _________________ "When men yield up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon."
Thomas Paine
If you don't mind, what part of of upstate NY are you in? I'm considering moving there soon for work, and am looking for suggestions of where to live.
Thanks! _________________ "It is certain that free societies would have no easy time in a future dark age. The rapid return to universal penury will be accomplished by violence and cruelties of a kind now forgotten." - Roberto Vacca, The Coming Dark Age
Joined: Sep 09, 2004 Posts: 416 Location: Upstate New York, U.S.A.
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 5:16 am Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
About 20 miles east of Syracuse. Some good size land available in spots depending on what you are looking for and reasonable prices once your away from metro areas.
Olafr _________________ "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau
Joined: Dec 25, 2005 Posts: 607 Location: Hillsboro, West Virginia
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:12 am Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Olaf wrote:
My wife and I put a bid on a piece of property. Offers and counter -offers ensued, and then...nothing. No movement for 6 months.
I was prepared to put that one to bed, but alas, the tide did turn, and after one last small bump in our offer, it was accepted. 48 acres of land for me! 1/3 young forest, 1/3 scrub growth, 1/3 old farmland. 1 known spring and a small creek. Good potential for wind energy if we go that route, and a fantastic view.
Posted: Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:51 am Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Olaf
If you build an equipment shed be careful of going to small. I personally would not even consider anything smaller than a 40' x 60'. Also consider that if things get bad you'll want to lock up a lot of things that you don't have to now, as a result you'll want more space.
Another bit of advice, FWIW, is that a backhoe/loader is very useful around a farm. Especially one where you need to start from scratch. Sometimes you can find a farm tractor that has backhoe and loader attachments which would not be a bad deal. Personally if I was buying a tractor for a place like yours I'd look for a minimum of 45-50 HP but probably not over 60. Also, when using a loader 4WD is very nice.
If I had a backhoe, my pond would be a LOT bigger!
However, I've gradually decided against adding a tractor to my list of costs, maintenance needs, and post-PO worries. Amazing what I get done with a wheelbarrow and hand tools.
I did own one once---a FEL-less Ford 1520. But it didn't really earn its keep, and I auctioned it off.
Keep it small and simple, I say. (Except for the acreage itself, that is.) _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
If you build an equipment shed be careful of going to small. I personally would not even consider anything smaller than a 40' x 60'. Also consider that if things get bad you'll want to lock up a lot of things that you don't have to now, as a result you'll want more space.
Another bit of advice, FWIW, is that a backhoe/loader is very useful around a farm. Especially one where you need to start from scratch. Sometimes you can find a farm tractor that has backhoe and loader attachments which would not be a bad deal. Personally if I was buying a tractor for a place like yours I'd look for a minimum of 45-50 HP but probably not over 60. Also, when using a loader 4WD is very nice.
TF
We are thinking more along the lines of 40' X 30' for the barn for now, and with the pole barn design in mind, don't figure it would be terribly difficult to add on to in the future. Cost does come in to play some. With the tractor, we were thinking something in the 35HP range, but that is not set ins stone by any means. Definitely hope to get a bucket loader and back hoe, but will have to see how that plays out. Thinking down the road, but taking it one step at a time. Initially, we'll probably pay someone to come in and do some excavating for us (like driveway, perhaps digging out a pond).
Olaf _________________ "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau
Olaf, depending on where you are and prevailing costs, and how much you know about dirt moving, buying and small backhoe/laoder and doing it yourself you might save enough to pay for the machine.
Another option, which I have considered were I to build on my land, is to buy a used full sized machine like a 580 case, do all the work myself, then paint and sell the machine. If you find one in good shape, and you know how to work on one or even paint, you can do this and get your purchase price back and MAYBE even make a few dollars.
I guess what I am saying is that labor and costs seem to be sky high everwhere I look thus making do it yourself very attractive.
Olaf, depending on where you are and prevailing costs, and how much you know about dirt moving, buying and small backhoe/laoder and doing it yourself you might save enough to pay for the machine.
Another option, which I have considered were I to build on my land, is to buy a used full sized machine like a 580 case, do all the work myself, then paint and sell the machine. If you find one in good shape, and you know how to work on one or even paint, you can do this and get your purchase price back and MAYBE even make a few dollars.
I guess what I am saying is that labor and costs seem to be sky high everwhere I look thus making do it yourself very attractive.
TF
Will look into that. Hadn't considered that it might be cheaper to buy the equipment. _________________ "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau
There are so many things to tell you, so I'll just keep posting.
I think you will find 35 HP to be a little light, you will be happier with 45 HP. Where I'm from in GA 35 hp was a small 2 row tractor and considered really to be a gardening tractor. A friend here in PA has a Kabota that is about 35 HP (I'll ask soon and find out) that he has a loader and backhoe attachments for. They don't move much dirt so for say even a small pond you'd be digging a looonnnngggg time. As you go to 45ish HP you get a bigger bucket etc.. I've found Kabota and John Deere to be good machines.
Here are two things to consider when buying a machine. What are spare parts like as far as availability. Basically is there a dealer nearby.
Secondly, can you get oil and fuel filters, fan belts, etc from a nearby auto parts store? I'm pretty sure, but not certain, that you can for the John Deere, I'm not sure about Kabota. If you can buy those from an auto parts store you will find them much cheaper than from a dealer. Someone on this list might know for John Deere and Kabota.
Now this disclaimer, I have a Ford 4630 tractor. It is not made anymore as Ford tractor was bought out by New Holland. New Holland moved the manufacture over seas and the quality/durability is not there anymore in these tractors. My friends who have John Deere and Kabota have had really good luck with them. If I ever buy another tractor it will be one of these two.
One thing to consider, is that tractors will last a long time if you get a good one and take care of it. My tractor will hopefully be in good shape when I die and I'm only 47 now.
TreeFarmer, thanks again for your input. It is good to hear from people with more experience. This is a big step for us, and we are certainly new to a lot of the big plans we have.
I will certainly keep you in mind for extra advice. You've given me more to think about.
Olaf _________________ "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6612 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Thu Apr 24, 2008 5:34 am Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Olaf, be sure to ask yourself what the tractor will actually be used for, over the long term, and therefore whether you absolutely need one. What is your total long-term plan for the land, and does a tractor really fit in to it. Tractor parts have become ferociously expensive, and diesel fuel could easily be at $10/gal in just a few years.
If you don't yet live where the tractor will be used, you'll need a trailer for it, and the associated regalia.
As I see it, tractors are primarily (but certainly not exclusively) for row cropping.
A more practical alternative might be a quad (ATV) with a wagon. There are also mowers and other power implements you can haul with the quad. The quad can go places where the tractor can't. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
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