New Guy, small farm operator... Many questions

[MossflowerWoods]

Hello,

I bought a 51 acre heavily forested homestead in Virginia just over a year ago. I am managing ~42 acres of mature Loblolly Pine & hardwood forest. I have ~5 acres of clearcut I need to convert to horse pasture, and I have ~4 acres of yard/ponds/misc that I am trying to tame and make useful.

I am new to this stuff (I've been a computer geek for 28+ years) ad I havbe many (likely stupid) questions.

Mossflower Woods is what we call out farm/ranch/home.

My Name is David.

 

[Muhammad]

Welcome to TBN.

 

[teg]

No harm in asking questions... Welcome to TBN! The more information you can give us, the easier it is to answer. Converting a cut over area to pasture takes time and lots of work.... OR money $$$$ (to bring in heavy equipment to do the job quick.) Which do you have more of?

What size stumps do you have? If they are pine and you have the time, you can let them rot out (you can do things to help them rot faster). If it's mainly hardwoods, most likely they are re-sprouting. How long ago was it clear cut? More question later...

 

[MossflowerWoods]

teg,

check the other thread, I tried to answer some of your questions...

Feel free to ask away. I'll try to answer.

I am also trying to maintain the "trails" that the loggers left when they "thinned" the other 42 acres of forest.

I have some ideas for using them for horse/mountain bike riding, recreation, hunting, etc...

 

[smstonypoint]

David,

In case you haven't already done so, I would advise that you contact the local office of the Virginia Department of Forestry. They will provide a Forest Stewardship Plan for your timber. It looks like Virginia charges a nominal fee for that service ($1.50/acre), but it will be well worth it: Forest Stewardship | Virginia Department of Forestry.

I don't know about property tax use-assessment in Virginia, but you may required to have a stewardship/management plan to qualify for lower property taxes associated with forestry use. You may be able to qualify for cost-sharing assistance.


Good luck.

Steve

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Steve,

Been there, done that. I have my forester on my cell phone and email, and we have talked a number of times. Yes, I am getting a tax break for having managed timber acreage.

I'm learning fast... still got a long way to go.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

My first thread and my first post. Ah memories...

I've learned an amazing amount since last August when I found this place but mostly I've learned I still have a ton more I need to learn.

Thanks to all of you TBN folks for the education :thumbsup:

Be well,
David

 

[teg]

So how do you feel about the information that you got? Did you buy the right tractor for yourself? Would you do anything differently, knowing what you know now?

PS. I need to go back and look at my first post...

 

[MossflowerWoods]

So how do you feel about the information that you got? Did you buy the right tractor for yourself? Would you do anything differently, knowing what you know now?

PS. I need to go back and look at my first post...

TEG!

You were my first responder too! :laughing:

Good to see you!

Honestly, I love TBN. This is a great community and y'all are keeping me sane most days.

As to the advice, Yes, I bought the right tractor. Yes I'm made many mistakes and there are some minor ones I might redo, but for the most part I've done OK.

The caliber of the advice here runs the full spectrum. There are a few inane responses, people who did not read the full post etc. but the vast majority seem to actually be shaing their experiences and wisdom.

Now I don't always like what I hear... I'm struggling with the idea of making my own hay and dashing off to Ohio for BuckTakers stuff. But clearly it is hard work, and I'm already too busy, and I'd hate to fail... So I'm soul searching over it and still undecided.

But I love the folks here on TBN, and I love the education I'm getting.

Be well,
David

 

[flusher]

TEG!

You were my first responder too! :laughing:

Good to see you!

Honestly, I love TBN. This is a great community and y'all are keeping me sane most days.

As to the advice, Yes, I bought the right tractor. Yes I'm made many mistakes and there are some minor ones I might redo, but for the most part I've done OK.

The caliber of the advice here runs the full spectrum. There are a few inane responses, people who did not read the full post etc. but the vast majority seem to actually be shaing their experiences and wisdom.

Now I don't always like what I hear... I'm struggling with the idea of making my own hay and dashing off to Ohio for BuckTakers stuff. But clearly it is hard work, and I'm already too busy, and I'd hate to fail... So I'm soul searching over it and still undecided.

But I love the folks here on TBN, and I love the education I'm getting.

Be well,
David

Glad to hear your good words about TBN--always educational and entertaining to follow interesting threads.

Has your haying fever subsided or are you pressing ahead into the deep water?

 

[moored4]

Hello,

I bought a 51 acre heavily forested homestead in Virginia just over a year ago. I am managing ~42 acres of mature Loblolly Pine & hardwood forest. I have ~5 acres of clearcut I need to convert to horse pasture, and I have ~4 acres of yard/ponds/misc that I am trying to tame and make useful.

I am new to this stuff (I've been a computer geek for 28+ years) ad I havbe many (likely stupid) questions.

Mossflower Woods is what we call out farm/ranch/home.

My Name is David.

Lets see if I got this Right! Your the new Guy with over 2000 post! :confused2:

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Lets see if I got this Right! Your the new Guy with over 2000 post! :confused2:

No sir. I was new to TBN and I went and found MY FIRST post and made a comment on it...

But I AM still a newbie and I still have many questions (that is why I have so many posts too :thumbsup



David

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Glad to hear your good words about TBN--always educational and entertaining to follow interesting threads.

Has your haying fever subsided or are you pressing ahead into the deep water?

Flusher,

The answer, and my feelings on this, are much deeper than I can express. I'm waiting for a TBN friend to get back from afghanistan and I'm going to seriously talk about it with him and get smarter.

Situation is he has haying equipment, and I've already committed to help him clear up the weds at his uncle's place and I'm going to help him hay it.

The point I need to consider, is do I want to get into Haying on my own in addition to his.

It is a complex situation for me because as many have pointed out, I'm a busy boy and how many things can I actually get done...

So.... The answer is really still undecided.

But I love the education, fellowship, and camaraderie I get here on TBN.

Moving way out in the sticks I now rarely see all my buddies, and somedays the only friends I have are here.

Thanks for your support and for sharing your knowledge & experiences sir.
David

 

[Bigfoot62]

. . .Honestly, I love TBN. This is a great community and y'all are keeping me sane most days. . .
I'm struggling with the idea of making my own hay . . . But clearly it is hard work, and I'm already too busy, and I'd hate to fail... So I'm soul searching over it and still undecided.

Keeping you sane? We're good, but not that good! :laughing:

The answer, and my feelings on this, are much deeper than I can express. I'm waiting for a TBN friend to get back from afghanistan and I'm going to seriously talk about it with him and get smarter.

Situation is he has haying equipment, and I've already committed to help him clear up the weds at his uncle's place and I'm going to help him hay it.

The point I need to consider, is do I want to get into Haying on my own in addition to his.

It is a complex situation for me because as many have pointed out, I'm a busy boy and how many things can I actually get done...

So.... The answer is really still undecided.

David,
As you well know, my responses are usually tongue-in-cheek. But, I'm going to try to be serious on this one.

You're a smart guy. Just keep asking the questions, doing the research, and by all means spend a few days in the hay fields with your buddy. There's nothing like first-hand experience.

I do hay because I want to. I like it. I've been around it all my life, and started working in the hay fields as a teenager. Yes, it can be hot, nasty work, but I still like it.
Is it profitable? Occasionally. Is it fun? For me, yes. Can it be frustrating? Absolutely!!!

Here's my advice for you:
Definitely, spend some time with your friend in the hay field. (that won't cost anything and you will gain some valuable knowledge)
If you decide to go ahead get your own equipment, just buy stuff that you can get most of your money back if you have to sell it. (good, clean used)

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Keeping you sane? We're good, but not that good! :laughing: Oh YES you guys are! Danged GOOD!


David,
As you well know, my responses are usually tongue-in-cheek. REALLY???? You would NEVER Joke around :confused2: But, I'm going to try to be serious on this one.

You're a smart guy. Just keep asking the questions [Just try to stop me], doing the research, and by all means spend a few days in the hay fields with your buddy. There's nothing like first-hand experience.

I do hay because I want to. I like it. I've been around it all my life, and started working in the hay fields as a teenager. Yes, it can be hot, nasty work, but I still like it.
Is it profitable? Occasionally. Is it fun? For me, yes. Can it be frustrating? Absolutely!!!

Here's my advice for you:
Definitely, spend some time with your friend in the hay field. (that won't cost anything and you will gain some valuable knowledge)
If you decide to go ahead get your own equipment, just buy stuff that you can get most of your money back if you have to sell it. (good, clean used)

BF62,

Love you like a brother man...

I WANT to jump in and do this Hay thing. I am pretty sure what Bucktaker is offering is a smoking deal. I'm gonna ask a TBN buddy in OH if he can swing by and look it over first hand. I'm pretty sure it is a great deal. I need to figure out what the fuel/food bill will look like for my transportation, and figure out if i can afford the whol kit and kaboodle.

Part of my yearns to be a real man, a farmer/rancher with tough callused hands and a keen eye for the weather and accustomed to hard work. I've been some sort of computer geek for 30 years now and I'm finding it less and less satisfying.

I've actually considered selling one or two of my Harley's to create a fund for attachments and farming... That shocked even myself...

Thank you for this advice, and off of the advice so far. I'll be back for more soon I'm sure...

Be well,
David

 

[Bigfoot62]

BF62,

Love you like a brother man... (Same here. If we lived near each other, we would be close friends)

I WANT to jump in and do this Hay thing. I am pretty sure what Bucktaker is offering is a smoking deal. I'm gonna ask a TBN buddy in OH if he can swing by and look it over first hand. I'm pretty sure it is a great deal. I need to figure out what the fuel/food bill will look like for my transportation, and figure out if i can afford the whol kit and kaboodle. (Yep, it's worth what he's asking, just for the scrap iron)

Part of my yearns to be a real man, a farmer/rancher with tough callused hands and a keen eye for the weather and accustomed to hard work. I've been some sort of computer geek for 30 years now and I'm finding it less and less satisfying. (I can sympathize, but don't give up your day job just yet!)

I've actually considered selling one or two of my Harley's to create a fund for attachments and farming... That shocked even myself... (That's serious)

Thank you for this advice, and off of the advice so far. I'll be back for more soon I'm sure...

Be well,
David

PM incoming.

 

[foreman Etexas]

BF62,

Love you like a brother man...

I WANT to jump in and do this Hay thing. I am pretty sure what Bucktaker is offering is a smoking deal. I'm gonna ask a TBN buddy in OH if he can swing by and look it over first hand. I'm pretty sure it is a great deal. I need to figure out what the fuel/food bill will look like for my transportation, and figure out if i can afford the whol kit and kaboodle.

Part of my yearns to be a real man, a farmer/rancher with tough callused hands and a keen eye for the weather and accustomed to hard work. I've been some sort of computer geek for 30 years now and I'm finding it less and less satisfying.

I've actually considered selling one or two of my Harley's to create a fund for attachments and farming... That shocked even myself...

Thank you for this advice, and off of the advice so far. I'll be back for more soon I'm sure...

Be well,
David

I just bought all new hay equipment will be here next friday. I had several folks try to talk me out of it but when I was younger,I use to run someone elses equipment during the summers and it was old and I had to work on it daily,guess thats why I went ahead and bought new,atleast I know how I take care of things.

 

[flusher]

BF62,


Part of my yearns to be a real man, a farmer/rancher with tough callused hands and a keen eye for the weather and accustomed to hard work. I've been some sort of computer geek for 30 years now and I'm finding it less and less satisfying.

David

That's where I'm coming from. Yearning for the rural life hit me when I was in grade school. Used to spend summers in central Wisconsin at my grandparents home--Auburndale, WI, pop. 350. Grandpa was a blacksmith and I really enjoyed being his "helper" while he pounded iron, etc. It took me nearly 50 years before I was able to get out of the city and move to the country. I spent 32 years as an aerospace engineer (McDonnell Douglas) before packing it in and heading north (from Orange Co, CA).

 

[CompactTractorFan]

Welcome to TBN David!!!

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Welcome to TBN David!!!

Thanks Kyle! It is about time you welcomed me! :laughing::laughing:

Be well!

David