What to do with all the mess

[roho627]

Hey I love the varmints as much as the next guy and have reached the age that killing to be killing is way past! Now that didn't sound as I meant it! I really don't kill for the fun of it! But U'r at a position where U need to thin out cats, coons, skunks & any other varmints that's over populating! Don't feel bad about it, just get a good varmint rifle and practice! Well with property the way it was under UNK's leadership U'r probably better off without him anyway and he's probably better off away from the place and I wouldn't worry what the neighbors thought until I was asked about what happened! Then I'd straighten 'em out!

[pearcefamilyco]

Believe me, we do shoot! We go nowhere out there without a .22 pistol. My son went to the state 4-H shoot last year and our team came in 2nd. He practices plenty. It was a pretty mild winter and I think that's why we are so overpopulated this summer. But we do shoot and poison. I haven't tried traps yet. They seem to be expensive for the amount they catch.

To Egon, right now it is a money trap, I know. I don't feed from about late March to October. For the few 4-H cows, sheep and horses I have there is enough grass then even though it is awfully muddy. It does dry up and get really hot July and August. This spring was different. It has rained a lot, but the air is very dry. The grass has taken off and I hope to get about 40 ton of hay off the dry land fields.

I grew up out at the ranch. It is where I learned to ride my horse by being handed a bridle and a bucket of oats at 5 and being told to figure it out (luckily I had the best horse in the world and he stood there for 2 hours while I dumped the oats, stood on the bucket and figured out how the bridle went on - of course after I pulled myself on his back, he didn't move either until he was ready) It's where we branded (usually several times a year because my uncle let the bulls run with the cows all year). It's where my grandma taught me how to make bread. I have so many firsts in my life happen there from learning how to drive, to teaching my kids the same things. It may be a money pit right now, but the memories are priceless. Now my new first will be to learn how to be good at ranching or hobby farming or just making it a home. We owe less on it than most people pay for a house in our town. Of course we have a single wide trailer to live in until we can afford to build a house, but we still don't owe that much comparatively.

The comments you guys have made (especially about my uncle) have helped me tremendously. Even Egon's "get serious with the mathematics" comment made me really think about my options for out there. Reading all the other discussions has helped too. I really like this place. It's the most I've learned in a while. It's like a little community and I feel comfortable here. Thanks guys!
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[egon]

Enjoy the ranch. It will be worth ever penny. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Egon

[SLOBuds]

My day job is my life, my country home is my love.

After I bought my small farm 2 years ago, I started rebuilding the place. No one is at fault. The lady I bought it from was alone, over 80 years old. Maybe a little peculiar but aren't we all???

I did the only thing that cityfolk could imagine: dumpsters. At first my gal and I were amazed at the sheer volume. Then we stopped counting after 12 tons of junk was hauled off. Every ounce of the 12 tons was torn down and loaded into that dumpster by our very two hands.

We take a lot of pride in our work. The place continues to improve with each passing season. Our neighbors like us because we are improving the area - which improves the value of their places as well.

Now we have decided to build a new house on the parcel. You can see that we have really bonded with it!

Enjoy your home. Take your time and don't worry that it doesn't get finished all at once. Pick the large eyesores first, as priority, then just work down the list.

You will be happy that you did.

Martin

[pearcefamilyco]

Thanks Martin! That was just what I needed to hear!

Stephanie

[twstanley]

Our place in the country isn't anywhere near the size of yours, but the same principle applies. Pick the worst problem that you need to solve and deal with it, then move on down the list.

Don't worry about how long the list is because you will never reach the end of it on a country property anyhow, you just get to the point where you move from fixing problems and getting rid of the old junk/mess to where you are doing improvements and making it into the propery you want it to be.

I agree with the other posters, I am sure your neighbors know that your uncle was foreclosed on. There are very few secrets in rural areas where everybody knows everybody else and their business. Haha.

How about introducing some predators, maybe some great pyrenese dogs that are pets/guard dogs/rodent control? Keep in mind as you remove the junk/trash/nesting, habitat , food sources for the vermin they will move on some as well.

If you do get some dogs to help, I would stop trying to poison the vermin. That way the dogs don't get poisoned by accident somehow.

As far as turning the place into a profitable enterprise, keep in mind don't plant anything or buy your first animal until you know who and where your market is. Do a spreadsheet, figure your costs to produce the product, find out what you can sell it for, etc. The spread sheet doesn't have to be real complex, just list expenses and income for whatever it is and see is you can make money on it.

Also, keep in mind that anything that has 'organic' in it will sell for a lot more money as long as you can find an outlet for you that isn't to far away to make it profitable. Organic beef cattle maybe a thing to look into for you, if there is such a thing.

We have some Dexters, we really enjoy them. But, Dexters are more of a marketing cow than a commercial cow. You can't just take them to the sale barn as folks won't bid on them as they think they are runts or something ( from what I have read anyhow ). You have to sell them via marketing them on the internet, classifieds etc, you will be selling them to folks who want more the smaller homestead cattle. Which is what I hope to be doing myself in a few years once I build our herd a bit

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Good luck, I know it is just brutal hard work cleaning up and fixing up but as it sounds you got the place for a good price, I am sure you can make it work.

Oh and on the cleanup, remember metal prices are real high, you might save all the metal stuff in a seperate pile and take it to a recycler. I see old farm trucks every day hauling stuff into Kansas City to take advantage of the higher prices being paid for scrap metal. You might find somebody who will come out and pick it up and pay you for it as well.

Otherwise, burn whatever will burn and if you do bury stuff, bury it deep so it won't get frost heaved back up in a few years.

[pearcefamilyco]

Thank you so much on all your advice and encouragement. This is the kind of feedback I was hoping for. I never thought about the dogs before for the pests. We have some of them at our animal shelter. I may have to go get one. I am in much better spirits about the whole thing now that I have heard so much about other people and that it will take time. It was just so frustrating when you have in your head what you want it to be and it doesn't seem to be getting there. Also, the marketing aspect was very helpful. I really need to do some research. Thanks for the info on the dexters too. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Pat]

pearcefamilyco, One (perhaps small) money saver is to leave at least as much hay as can be consumed, prior to being buried too deep by snow, standing in the field. It is more cost effective than bailing it and then feeding it. Of course you are way too far north and perhaps get too much snow cover for that to be a big savings.

Another good idea is to meet your extension agent and try to be his new best friend. There is a great source of information well targeted for your specific area. Making nice with the extension agent and his minions (various agronomists etc.) could pay decent dividends and can have the additional benefit of being a back chanel way of communicating "your side of the story" to the community.

A couple well placed, " I sure wish my dear old uncle hadn't decided to pass up the new house as we could use his advice", comments would surely make the rounds. Of course you could also express your regrets as to his incipient alzheimers and need for professional help in ballancing his brain chemistry, "you know, all those delusions about not being wanted as a trusted advisor." Sad but there just isn't anything you can do about it.

Best of luck,

[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[riptides]

Well I am just going to offer words of encouragement. What you are doing is looked upon by many as "crazy". I have heard similar words in our situation. Not many people these days think long term, or think of a completely different way to do things. Country living passes them by.

You and your family seem to have that foresight and fortitude to look beyond the day-to-day and reach deep to hold on to something more important. Your family history, your roots, and perhaps a calling. Good for you. All the best.

Plug at it day to day, perhaps hour by hour. Success is in the attempt at trying.

I have made many trips to the dumpster, then my wife got smart. She called up a gentleman who was interested in scrap.
My time on the myriad of other projects was more valuable than running to the scrap-metal dealer. Wise move. We hope to become fast friends in the future.

I have a list exactly 230 line items deep. Some items are quick fixes, "electrical connect out master bedroom", others bode into complexity beyond my reasoning - "Hay". Oh, well.

I hear that "crazy" word popping into my brain. "Crazy", nah...
content is more like it.

-Mike Z. [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[Adron]

Definitely make the list and prioritize it. Add a couple of notes to each item as to estimated cost and estimated time. I have been working on my 30 item list for about 2 years now, and as each item is crossed off, my wife adds another. By having the time cost estimates, if you can't afford or don't have the time to do the top item, you can skip down to the first one that does meet you time/ cost budget. I capped my list at 30 items only because I can't stand the thought of exactly how deep the list actually is.

On the matter of a dog....may I suggest a male dog. They have a habit of continually "marking" their territory. While it will not make the "critters" go away completely, it may help encourage them to shop for alternative living quarters.

It sounds as if you got the right training as a youngster. Trust yourself. You have the right intentions, it will just take time. It's a journey not a destination.

Don't worry about the neighbors, they'll figure it out. Especially when they see where you are going.