What to do with this land?

[skidoo]

I recently purchased my neighbors land. It has more level area than mine has. So, now I need to decide what to do with it. Here are my choices:

1) Leave it alone and allow a fire hazard to build up.
2) Just mow it and keep it green.
3) Plant more trees, either all cherry or add variety.
4) Cut down the cherry trees
5) Make a big garden!
6) Grow ??
7) ??

Whatever I would grow, I am sure it would produce much more than I would need or could store. I am not sure what I would do with the extra.

What would you do with this land?

 

[LBrown59]

How much land is it?
Keep it mowed /don't let it grow up into a jungle or you will get into a lot of work and expense cleaning it all up.

I know I did that -I just let things go.
It tool me 25 or 30 years to get there but the day of reckoning came and I didn't like it.

 

[Egon]

If you really do not know with to do with it why did you purchase it???

 

[LBrown59]

If you really do not know with to do with it why did you purchase it???

So he will have it latter if he figures it out.

 

[skidoo]

If you really do not know with to do with it why did you purchase it???

Primarily, I purchased it to have control over its use. Had I not, it likely would have been turned into a junk yard and multiple neighbors. My house is presently too close to the property line and I like a larger buffer zone. That dump of a trailer was just too close...

Secondary, it has some very tasty cherry trees, decent irrigated land, and timber.

Here are some pictures from a distance. My house is in the middle of the second picture. Looking at it from there, I can't imagine surviving a forest fire. But, up close it feels like I have a chance.

The Dump of a trailer will get dismantled and disposed of. I am thinking perhaps I can turn the frame into a base for a log saw. If not used for something productive, off to the dump it goes...

So, anyway, there is about 3 acres of fertile cleared irrigated land with about 18 fruit trees. Another 5 acres of timber. I am wondering what I can grow effectively to add some variety without adding a lot more trees.

 

[rox]

Skidoo- Say why don't you go to your Profile at TBN and enter in your location. If you don't feel like being to specific then at least give a general area where you are located. You probably are not aware that when you fill that in in your profile it shows up in the forums under your name and join date and your number of posts. I think you might get more results to your topic if people had an idea of where you are located. I think you have posted and interesting topic.

 

[skidoo]

OK Rox, Done.

 

[polo1665]

Look's like an absolutely beautiful area (minus that trailer). I would keep the clear area mowed down as it is. It seems to me a few cattle or other livestock wouldn't look out of place in that area. I visited parts of Montana a few years ago on a motorcycle trip. I know now why they call it "Big sky country". I was very impressed by its beauty and wide open spaces. Good luck with you new property. I am sure you will enjoy it, no matter what you decide.

Mark

 

[scott_vt]

Good Mornin Skidoo,
Looks like a nice piece of property ! Im under the same thought as LBrown, no matter what you decide keep it clear and mowed ! Im sure you will figure something eventually !

 

[Egon]

Skidoo; pictures really look nice and having land is always a good idea.

 

[EddieWalker]

Sounds like a smart move and a great way to improve your living area!!!

I'd just keep it mowed and enjoy the beauty of the area.

Eddie

 

[kthompson]

I have been farming my wife's family crop land of about 25 net acres the last few years. With the cost of fertilizer and the problems of getting row crops combined have asked that same question many times in the last month of myself.

Some quick thought with 3 acres: in your area would produce be profitable? if so do you have the equipment and labor or is there someone you could share with? possibly rent out garden space? how about Christmas trees? small grazing animals, look carefully at miniature ones, do not understand the craze but it is there. could you rent it out to a hay farmer? kt

 

[Skerby]

put up a petting zoo and have an all expense paid tbn annual gathering there? i think most here will support my recommendation.
or maybe just put a few animals there for your enjoyment?

 

[coreshot]

Sounds like a smart move and a great way to improve your living area!!!

I'd just keep it mowed and enjoy the beauty of the area.

Eddie

Yup, what he said. There's no hurry to decide what to do with it. Ideas will come in time. Just keep it well kept, and it'll be ready when you are.

 

[studor]

Nothing says redneck like a trailer in that condition!
After that disappears in sudden fire , I would keep the cherry trees, figure out a way to have a little revenue to offset the taxes (like renting it out, raising some sheep or whatever) and keep it like I would like the neighbours place to be until I had decided what I ultimately wanted to do with it JMHO
Steve

 

[JDeerekid]

I would definately keep it mowed down till you figure out what you want to do. Put trees is or whatever. But keep it cleared.

It is a smart idea to get the land for a buffer zone. I was to late with the land next door to me went up for sale. Now there are 2 houses up and another 6-8 to go and the new neighbors arent all that friendly.
Good luck to whatever you do and that is some nice country out there.

 

[Chuck52]

What kind of cherry trees are they? I'm all about growing stuff to eat. I don't plant trees or shrubs if they don't give me something for my trouble, though a good stand of timber trees could also be a possible use. Here in Missouri, it is popular to plant stands of black walnut on land you don't have any other use for. Is there something like that in your area? Maybe black cherry, or some other variety of high dollar hardwood? Assuming you could protect the seedlings until they get big enough, the upkeep would only be mowing.

Chuck

 

[WayneB]

In the northeast there are several places that use 3 acres to grow seasonal crops, roadside veggies, berries, what have you.

We have raspberries and blackberries that sell okay, but it does require a bunch of time during the picking times and a month in the fall and spring. Our berries are organically grown just by the nature of the product plus we eat them too and don稚 really care to eat chemicals.

We do have the normal road stand stuff like cucumbers and tomatoes but most people that stop by and get these buy a few and we would never make enough to even pay for the plants on Tomatoes.

We grow potatoes and sell them off from a stand 都erve yourself style? I think you could do well with them. One nice thing is you plant them when the weather is cool and you are digging when the weather is cool. I would suggest selecting potatoes that are not the common run types you see in the stores. Good sellers for us are Yukon Gold痴 and red potato varieties. We grow to varieties of red potatoes, Pontiacs and Norlands and a winter keep type Superior White potato. Bottom line is people will easily pay up to a dollar a pound for them or more. We bag everything in 5 pound potato sacks and sell out almost immediately.

 

[schmism]

go the cheep route... put a fence up, put some sheep, goats on it.

The options for fiber market are not what they used to be. with todays internet small processing mills have popped up and specialize in processing small amounts of wool. Sheep, goat, alpaca etc. The one near me will take as little as 4 sheep's worth of wool. and will send your wool back to you. From as simple as washed and single carted bat to died roving ready to spin. or you can sell them your wool.

Or go for bore goats and sluff off sheep for meat market only. Keeps the fuel cost down and you may recoup some cost of the livestock/upkeep from meet/fiber sale. There is also a market for full bread goats and Alpaca.

 

[Foothill Rancher]

I have been farming my wife's family crop land of about 25 net acres the last few years. With the cost of fertilizer and the problems of getting row crops combined have asked that same question many times in the last month of myself.

Some quick thought with 3 acres: in your area would produce be profitable? if so do you have the equipment and labor or is there someone you could share with? possibly rent out garden space? how about Christmas trees? small grazing animals, look carefully at miniature ones, do not understand the craze but it is there. could you rent it out to a hay farmer? kt

I agree with most of these that kthompson posted.
In my county farmers markets are getting to be big items, don't know what type of produce you can grow but may be able to make you some money.

The miniature cattle are starting to be a big thing but the little fella's cost an arm and leg to get started.

Looks like a nice hay field but you need a market if you don't have ranchers close to you.

If it was mine I would put a few full sized cattle in there and then wait until something looked really good to do with it, take your time and something will pop into your head.