New Property......Maybe

[TNhobbyfarmer]

I live in suburbia. I have a farm about 80 miles away which is my getaway. I have tired of the 1/3 acre lot and neighbors too close. I have found a six acre lot outside town that I am considering buying and building a new house. However, I don't want to mow six acres. I travel quite a bit in my work and don't want to spend the weekends mowing in the summer. Weekends are for the farm.

So here's a thought I have. I could fence off about an acre for the house and put animals on the balance for grass control. A few cows that might even throw off a little income. Board someone elses horses, again maybe some income. Or possibly a few horses of my own, more for asthetics than anything eles. Does any of this make sense or am I just asking for a lot of trouble? Jump in and give your opinions. I know many of you have been there, done that.

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Is there any reason you can't move to the farm or is that too far from your work?

 

[gordon21]

I would pass on having someone elses cows and horses on 6 acres next to my home. It would be better to let your neighbors set up some gardens on that land instead of livestock. Charge them $20 per year per acre and let them go for it. Their money would keep your 6 acres in good condition.

Be prepared. You will get a lot of suggestions on this scenario.

 

[TNhobbyfarmer]

Is there any reason you can't move to the farm or is that too far from your work?

Yes.
1) Too far from work
2) Wife is a city girl and won't move that far out into the country. I am surprised she has even agreed to move to the six acres outside town. Life is full of compromises.

 

[Nat]

Jerry, I am sure you don't want to mow, but I bet you'd spend a lot less time mowing that you would keeping cows or horses. This is said sorta tongue in cheek, but keeping up horses is more work than cows and keeping up with cows is more work than digging ditches by hand. SO!!! buy the 6 acres, build a new house and buy a big zero turn mower and enjoy the little time it will take to mow it, and in all the spare time thank GOD you don't have cows or horses LOL, later, Nat

 

[Robert_in_NY]

You could buy a 10' brush chopper for your TN and knock the field down in no time. You don't "need" to mow it every week. Just mow it when it gets a little tall.

 

[yak651]

why cut all 6 acres? Cut an acre or so around the house, let the rest go to "praire" or "wild" state, maybe plant some seedlings that will grow up in the following years. Worst case, brush hog the area that you don't cut frequently once or twice a year to keep it under control.

 

[Bird]

Does any of this make sense or am I just asking for a lot of trouble?

Nat said his comment was a bit tongue in cheek, but I'm afraid he's right. You'd probably spend a lot less time mowing than you'll spend taking care of cows or horses. You'll be doctoring sick and injured animals, getting out in the middle of the night to chase the ones that got out, apologizing to the neighbors for the damage they did (maybe paying for the damage), etc. It's a full time job.

 

[Racer71]

When you have other people's animals on your land you get a lot of visitors, all times of the day or night.

Go with some landscaping that doesn't take much maintenance.

 

[Nissan197]

Hay field. Do you have any locals who could cut and bale it for you? Don't know how cost effective it would be, but I know around where I live hobby farmers are always looking for square bales. Don't see too many of them around anymore.

 

[BruceR]

I've had other peoples horses and would never do it again. Have you considered planting it in pines ? Extra money down the road, plus added privacy.

Bruce

 

[riptides]

How far is too far?

And how about some negotiations from your SO's perspective?

I am not sure how the market is in your area, but around here trying to get money from a bank is like pulling teeth. Plus, nothing is selling. Period.

I'd rather simplify my housing/land strategy rather than maintain multiple places. You add animals in the mix, and your adding anchors.

-Mike Z.

 

[AlanB]

Is the 6 acres woods or grass now?

I would not want to do animals, for the very reasons you do not want to mow.

Could you get a couple more acres (15) total and Greenbelt it in the forestry program?

If it were me, I think I would (well actually the wife would ) Mow an acre or so of "yard" and the rest would be bushhogged down occassionally when it bothered me.

 

[RobJ]

Hmm,
Cows, around here I think you need more land to get the tax write off, 2 cows won't do it. You still have to feed a lot in the winter.
Horses, pretty, nice, girls love horses...will eat you out of house and home. Cows lay down a lot of the time, horses eat all the time!!

Goats!!! cheap, small, will eat everything!!! Including weeds, leaves and stuff that cows and horses will starve standing in.

Give them a little water and let them go. A few folks have them up at the weekend place, just tie them to a tree for a few days, them move them. they are not that big either.

 

[Tororider]

I'm with yak, let it go natural, mow what you want and leave the rest. Or you can plan pines. Although you can get a lot, and I mean a lot, of pine trees onto 5 acres, and you still need to mow around them a bit to keep the weed competition down. Best of luck.

 

[Knight9]

I'd be inclined to investigate a local, native, fast growing tree. Figure out a nice chunk your house and yard can use, then plant the rest to trees. May take a little more time for a couple of years to keep weeds down etc. But once they can compete, you should be able to let it go naturally. The end result would be some privacy and some nice habitat.

 

[rox]

If you really want 6 acres of grass there is always the option of hiring out the mowing. We lived in Wiscosnin and had wonderful lush grass that grew and grew and grew, which meant we ct and cut and cut. i msut say i love living where i am now, no grass.

 

[davitk]

Jerry, I am sure you don't want to mow, but I bet you'd spend a lot less time mowing that you would keeping cows or horses. This is said sorta tongue in cheek, but keeping up horses is more work than cows and keeping up with cows is more work than digging ditches by hand. SO!!! buy the 6 acres, build a new house and buy a big zero turn mower and enjoy the little time it will take to mow it, and in all the spare time thank GOD you don't have cows or horses LOL, later, Nat

Well said. Mowing is easy. er.

 

[jinman]

I live in suburbia. I have a farm about 80 miles away which is my getaway. I have tired of the 1/3 acre lot and neighbors too close. I have found a six acre lot outside town that I am considering buying and building a new house. However, I don't want to mow six acres. I travel quite a bit in my work and don't want to spend the weekends mowing in the summer. Weekends are for the farm.

Jerry, if it were me, I'd keep looking for another piece of property. It just sounds like you want space, but you don't want to have to deal with the things that come with space. Your wife would rather not have the acreage at all, if I read your post correctly. Perhaps you could find a smaller place next to a larger place that will not be developed for several years. Anything you do to maintain six acres will be a lot of work. Perhaps the solution is to keep looking for something that really suits your needs better.

Of course, if you have your heart set on it....

Good luck.

 

[Podunkadunk]

I've had other peoples horses and would never do it again. Have you considered planting it in pines ? Extra money down the road, plus added privacy.

Bruce

+1...(The planting in pines part)