TallManFarm
New member
Hi! We recently inherited an old farmstead of 48 acres.
There's an old farmhouse which we won't be able to save. Termites, bad roof, faulty plumbing/electric and assorted past remuddling projects has made any restoration cost prohibitive. The well is questionable and has tested positive for e.coli and the well depth is estimated at 25'.
There's a 225yr old bank barn that we would like to save. It is in poor shape but we like the character it brings to the property and they just don't make those old barns like that anymore. It needs trued up and the 44' center beam (hand hewed from one tree trunk) has sagged about a foot from where it should be in the center.
The land is about 1/2 pasture and 1/2 forest. It hasn't been farmed in over 20 yrs.
There's also a beautiful pond stocked with fish. Score!
While we don't have a tractor, we do have the following 3-pt implements:
It's an exciting project and one that will keep us out of trouble for decades.
(Or maybe not)
Our hope is to get some advice and learn from others who are in a similar situation with a small farm.
The dream for the future includes:
We'll be posting to different boards for more targeted advice and thank everyone for their future input!
There's an old farmhouse which we won't be able to save. Termites, bad roof, faulty plumbing/electric and assorted past remuddling projects has made any restoration cost prohibitive. The well is questionable and has tested positive for e.coli and the well depth is estimated at 25'.
There's a 225yr old bank barn that we would like to save. It is in poor shape but we like the character it brings to the property and they just don't make those old barns like that anymore. It needs trued up and the 44' center beam (hand hewed from one tree trunk) has sagged about a foot from where it should be in the center.
The land is about 1/2 pasture and 1/2 forest. It hasn't been farmed in over 20 yrs.
There's also a beautiful pond stocked with fish. Score!
While we don't have a tractor, we do have the following 3-pt implements:
- Dirt bucket
- Double bottom plow
- Post hole digger and bit
- Rear blade
- and a John Deere No. 3 sickle mower #2920 (really rusted so probably won't work)
It's an exciting project and one that will keep us out of trouble for decades.
(Or maybe not)
Our hope is to get some advice and learn from others who are in a similar situation with a small farm.
The dream for the future includes:
- Buy a tractor
- Fix the well water situation (re-drill, drill new, learn to live off dewdrops)
- Demo the old house
- Install new services down by the pond (and somehow get internet in the area so we can work from home)
- Build a new timber framed barn with living quarters down by the pond for the people, car, and tractor
- Fix the old barn so it doesn't fall into oblivion
- Eventually farm the fields
- Eventually get animals (small herd of cattle, turkeys, chickens, goats, a pig, a pair of horses)
We'll be posting to different boards for more targeted advice and thank everyone for their future input!
