Picked my own pasture

[Kitty]

Okay, the deal is done.... I am buying the farm ...realy
buying a farm. So, in a few months I will be retired or ...eh eh put out to pasture 

I bought a small Amish farm in Kentucky. The taxes are fair the price was reasonable even for someone coming from out of town, I think  At least I am happy with it. I got a barn, 25 acres of pasture, hayfields, woods and a four bedroom Amish house that even has running water.

I will have lots of things to do to keep me busy for years. I will be able to indulge in my hobbies (gardening, raising animals, renovating an old house) and occasionaly just sit on the porch and watch the livestock graze and poop 

I will have lots of things to do that I like, my income will be adequate and above average for the neighborhood-who live modestly. The neighbors are Amish, Mennonite, and Kentucky farmers; none known for show offs with their money.

The closing is Monday I hope there are no gliches.

Kitty

 

[moghopper]

Wow!

Congratulations!

 

[Nords]

I got a barn, 25 acres of pasture, hayfields, woods and a four bedroom Amish house that even has running water.

Congratulations, Kitty, sounds like you're in business.  It also sounds like you'll be spending a lot of time with a whole different class of workplace crap?

Time to request those free issues of Home Power & Backwoods Solar!

 

[wabmester]

That sounds very cool. It's something that I'd like to do. For about a year, I think. I'm reminded of the old joke: the two happiest days of a boat owner's life are the day he buys the boat of his dreams, and the day he sells it.

Keep us updated. Your future life could make a very interesting blog. I would read it!

 

[Kitty]

I have started keeping a diary so far it is booooring 

I am sure that I will have my adventures with neighbors and livestock as I move in and live on the farm....heck I even want to read it 

It ought to be a hoot when I milk my first goat 
At least I should be able to tell male goats from female goats I have worked for both for a long time.

Kitty

 

[KB]

Kitty,

Congratulations. I hope you enjoy the farm life, it wounds wonderful.
It sounds like you will be busy doing all the things that I like to do. Have fun with it.

 

[REWahoo]

Kitty, say hello to Arnold and Mr. Haney for me... REW

 

[LovesLife]

Kitty,

Congratulations. That sounds fabulous. I think it's just great that you get to realize a dream. Have fun.

LL

 

[LovesLife]

Kitty,

Congratulations. That sounds fabulous. I think it's just great that you get to realize a dream. Have fun.

LL

 

[sgeeeee]

. . . It ought to be a hoot when I milk my first goat 
At least I should be able to tell male goats from female goats I have worked for both for a long time.

Kitty

It's interesting that I don't recall a single poster placing that on their list of things to do before they die -- milking a goat. I've done it. If it's not on your list it should be.

 

[Eagle43]

Since it's Amish, wondering if it has electricity or gas? Or is that one of your projects?

 

[REWahoo]

Since it's Amish, wondering if it has electricity or gas? Or is that one of your projects?

Think that was disscussed here:

http://early-retirement.org/forums/index.php?topic=3817.0

 

[retire@40]

Sounds like fun.  Will this farm provide income (like from the sale of goat milk), or will it just provide enough food for home consumption?

I like the thought of being able to live on a farm and grow my own food, but that's probably only because I never lived on a farm.

 

[wildcat]

I bought a small Amish farm in Kentucky. The taxes are fair the price was reasonable even for someone coming from out of town, I think At least I am happy with it. I got a barn, 25 acres of pasture, hayfields, woods and a four bedroom Amish house that even has running water.

Know the state well. Parents are in Lexington. Sounds like you are far from it. Western KY I bet.

 

[Dreamer]

Congratulations Kitty! Definitely keep us informed. It sounds like you are going to have some interesting times. I think I would like to video--reality show? You are way more courageous and way more ambitious than I am, which is a good thing!

Dreamer

 

[playaman]

Congratulations!

It's always a joy to see/hear/read about someone doing what he/she really wants to do.

Best of luck with it!

 

[lookindum]

Feed the goats lots of corn.

 

[Kitty]

Since it's Amish, wondering if it has electricity or gas? Or is that one of your projects?

The only gas is from livestock, the only electricity is from static or lighting. The place does have pressure water from the county but the horses don't like it they get theirs from a spring fed pond

Making a deal for this place was interesting the owners don't believe in telephones so every offer was hand carried to them by the real estate agent and he had to go back to the office and call me because his cell phone didn't work there.
eh eh I got used to the delay and learned to calm down and take things as they come. I wasn't sure they would take my offer so I just let it rest.

I have also learned as I noted in another thread that some folks don't think buying a farm especially one without all the amenities is a bright thing to do. Even living in a rural area makes some folks question my decision. They ask questions like "where are you going to shop?", "are there doctors there?", "how far is it to the nearest city?", all with very concerned looks on their faces.

I grew up on a place like this, well actually we didn't have running water unless I ran with the pail . Got along just fine. I'll have a phone of some kind just in case, electricity of some sort later, eventually all the amenities will be added to improve the value of the place not that it is needed or in the case of the present owners wanted.

So,,,, soon while folks are cussing and stuck in traffic and dreading going to work I will walk over to my barn feed the chickens collect the eggs, milk the goat, put the goats and horses out to pasture, wander down to the mail box pick up the paper walk back to the house and have my coffee by the kitchen window, tsk tsk over the news and plan my day. Let's see split wood for an hour or two? Or pick weeds? hmmm.

 

[Ol_Rancher]

Easy on the number of  goats. Too many goats on pasture land will denude it of all plants. No need for weeding or brush eradication. Goats graze and forage. Corn gets expensive after a few months even at $5 - $6 / 50 lb bag. If you have too many of them, your land will look like a moon scape and you will have no young trees growing to replace older lost ones felled by storms and such. Goats love to stand on the hood and trunks of cars and mar the surfaces with hooves.

Erradicate any poision ivy. They will eat it and die a horrible death.

I now understand why some cattlemen call goats and sheep 'prarie maggots'

 

[P.S.]

Congratulations Kitty!
It occurs to me that the lack of utilities is offset by close proximity to great Amish and Mennonite cooking. Fresh rolls, mayonaisey chicken salad, hummingbird cake...wow, your stomach is fortunate.

 

[Dawg52]

Congrats! Sounds like a project. You need to write Norm Abrams from the show "This Old House" and see if he might give you hand.    Good luck!

 

[Andre1969]

Wow, that's good to know, about goats and poison ivy. I never would've thought of it. I had thought about fencing an area off in my yard and getting a goat or two and just letting them go at it. But I've got enough poison ivy around that it would be a concern.

But, a bigger concern than that is the county. Once upon a time, the place I live in WAS a farm/general store. But, over the decades, urban sprawl crept in, and I'm sure that there would probably be an ordinance against cute little farm critters nowadays!

 

[Kitty]

Question about internet; I will have a land line put in to communicate with family and friends and for emergencies like calling the vet.

I will run a laptop computer first on a generator untill I get a  solar powered system with battery back up installed. There are simple solar systems for RVs that would do what I need to run a laptop and one or two other twelve volt appliances for occasional use, keeping the portable generator for backup and running things like a clothes washer, power tools and recharging the battery(ies). I have talked to people who have solar systems in their RVs and it is a good system and not that expensive.

Goats; Everything you said is right if you have a lot of goats and poison ivy. I won't have a lot of goats just two to four cause they like company, I don't have poison ivy. The getting on top of things is a goat thing but good fences keep them out of trouble, most of the time.  I have about fifteen acres of pasture; fenced and cross fenced they can eat to their heart's content. All trees will be fenced off and have another wire fence barrier around the trunk not only to protect it from goats but deer as well. Both eat trees to death and I have deer! Mmmm venison steaks and stew!

I guess I am going to be busy 

I have already indulged in the cooking of the Amish and Mennonite neighborhood and it is good, ever had shoofly pie? If you have a sweet tooth shoofly pie will satisfy it.

There you are;;;
Kitty

 

[greg]

Kitty: I don't know much about the internet (sometimes I have to wait for DW to point out buttons, icons). We have upgraded our cell phone service to use it with a laptop when wandering the wilderness. Check with your service provider, they can probaqbly set you up until the wires are streched.

There are a number of mags aimed at 'back to earthers.' DW gets, I think, Mother Earth magazine. Lots of stuff about choosing veggies to grow, goat raising, cheese making, off-the-grid living, etc. Your local Kentucky library will certainly offer a selection of them. The back issues will answer a large number of questions with options and step-by-step procedures. Have fun, wear pants--if you're shy. Sorry if I repeated prior posts.

--Greg

 

[uncledrz]

Sounds great!

Have you thought about the kind of chickens you're going to have for eggs? How about cow milk?

Connect with your neighbors to watch you place/livestock if you need to take off for a day or two.

Oh how I envy the quiet!

good luck

uncledrz