Resurrecting the Farm and Ranch

[southernmom]

Thought I'd post some stuff about what we are doing out here. Real quick background-which is hard to do because there is roughly 5 generations of history to this place. It was once a larger Ranch with almost a thousand head of cattle and a grove and working Farm. (once had a gristmill, grove, vinyard and all) Well, many years and a couple money-grubbing grandmothers and interlopers pretty much let everything go so we are down quite a bit.
My grandfather taught me a lot before he died in 1997-but I was out and about raising a family and seeing different places and things. My father died in 2005 so I am back home taking care of the place as my grandmother has aged and makes really questionable financial and farm/ranch decisions. So myself, the husband and kids are back home on the Ranch. My mom lives on one hill, my brother across the pasture and pond in the old home place and I am at the house my Pop built in 1977. We like the multigenerational living and even though my grandmother is failing a bit, we still learn quite a bit from her and her pioneer upbringing.

around the place 036.jpgaround the place 038.jpgaround the place 041.jpg

[southernmom]

So what we are planning is to expand the cow herd back to at least 50 head, and it seems the sheep are doing well around here and have plenty of grazing room and such, so we wouldn't mind expanding the wooly sheep to 20 or 30 as we think that is manageable. We have one pasture set aside (no pic up yet) that we want to expand our garden to- big enough to sell a little. We are fortunate enough to be old friends with a family who is very successful in the farming biz here, so they will buy whatever peas we grow. (conchs, purplehull, zippers, blackeyes).
We have chickens-not near enough and we will be trying to expand to a hundred this next spring to put a few in the freezer. We have plans for a beehive (top bar) but that is on the backburner.
Thought I'd share my daughter with a few sheep and a few of the cows.

around the place 006.jpgaround the place 070.jpg

[DMH]

Thanks for sharing. What an awesome place you have and teaching the kids farming/ranching skills as well is wonderful.

[kickstand]

Wow, I am impressed! Sounds like you, Tex and Vincent should be fast friends.

[Tex]

SM, that is awesome. I knew you had something along those lines going on, but I wasn't sure what all you were involved in. I have several questions and some different things I would like to visit with you about, but we are headed out right now. Today is shipping day and it is going to be a Long day.

Thanks for sharing with us. That is an awesome looking place you have there.

Tex

[southernmom]

Would love to visit! I will be back online off and on today-the girls just got a fabulous deal on a 5th wheel and we have is outside the barn and they are getting it ready to be a music/art room so I will be doing some of that. Will be back on later

[southernmom]

So I guess I will make this my thread that I will continue to add to, etc.

This is what has been happening lately-chaos and more chaos. But the good kind, I guess.
Garden is coming in pretty good-I have been staggering our planting every few weeks so we don't have mustard greens and turnips going all at once and nothing in a month. The other day we boiled some up with sweet potatoes I grew and it smelled like Thanksgiving in the woods! Very nice. It's great to sit down and realize several things you have on your plate came from your garden...I'm slowly trying to work up to it being everything on the plate coming from our place.

But back to the sheep situation-I have zilch experience with them, but so far we seem to be doing ok and they are happy and thriving. We sheared one of them-did a horrible job (we don't have electric shearers) but the wool is decent enough to use for what we would want it for. I figure it's all a learning process and in a year I'll be over here talking bossing other people around about how to raise sheep, haha!

I admit, I am intimidated by all that needs to be done. I am a bit scared of actually farming on a larger scale-putting in acres of vegetables. I know I can do it, I remember more that Pop taught me all the time-it's stupid things, like proper way to irrigate, or where to get bushel baskets-stupid stuff like that. And there are so many people who love to make a person feel stupid for not knowing something. All the old timers who would have said 'oh that's Buddy's granddaughter' and would have given me advice are almost all gone. There are all new people out here and they are rude. I do feel fortunate that one original farming family is here and they are real nice...but I'm going up against this reputation as the 'granddaughter that moved away'. I moved for good reasons and I came back for better ones, but no matter what there will be talk, I reckon. I am intimidated by going to the cattle market, hell, by going to the feed store and buying hay (we should have cut our own this year but it was a war with my grandmother about it.) because I feel like a colossal screw up these days. UGH.

Sorry I am so low today. I've had a rough few days.

[southernmom]

around the place 065.jpg my son digging sweet potatoes

[southernmom]

What's interesting about this property is that the 'Old Homeplace' is still standing and my brother lives there. It is well over a hundred years old-and the stone shed that was once the kitchen is still standing out from the back of the house. (The house obviously has a kitchen in it now). I remember when the toilet was still one of those numbers that had the tank way up high and the pull chain.
Oddly enough this house has a basement and was used as a root cellar. Nice and roomy.My brother used to have band practice down there. It's a few minutes walk from the house where I am. There is a nice pond between the houses with a rumored artesian well. (I need to dig that out sometime. I didn't realize how important that was till I read 'Alas Babylon' years back!)
The pond used to be huge and had a gator den and loads of frogs that my dad would gig. Also home to huge water moccasins! My dad once walked on water to get away from one!
I will dig up some old pics soon and regale y'all with some tales from the old Cracker South.

[Tex]

Southernmom, I hope you don't think I was being rude earlier. I just happen to think that you have alot to offer this board and don't need to piggyback on someone else's thread. You have enough going for you that you are more thancapable of standing on your own. When you have questions, all you have to do is ask.

One secret about those intimidating oldtimers, they love a little attention from a pretty younger gal. It doesn't matter to them that you are married with kids. It does wonders for their ego when you ask their advice and opinions. Their wives have heard everything they have had to say for the last 50 years. The old guys just llike to feel valuable and needed and when a gal comes along genuinely asking for advice they are allover it. Don't worry about them taking things the wrong way. They won't do that and they aren't even thinking that way. They are fountains of knowledge though and it would be foolish not to use that. It makes them still feel viable and valuable. Those old guys playing dominos down at the feedstore or sitting at the cafe for coffee early in the mornings would give anything for someone to be interested in what they have to say. Go ask them.

Ask around and find out who bales hay in your area. Don't buy hay at the feedstore. You are just paying extra to have someone locate it for you and get it in one spot. Do a little research and find the people the feedstore buys from. You can most likely get a huge discount if you can buy it when they bale it. The producer don't want to have to haul it and store it, so you may realize a huge discount by picking it up in the field as they are baling. I bet this would save you a buck or two per bale.

When you get ready to sheer more sheep, let me know. I can help you out a little bit so hopefully things will go a little easier. If people are interested, I might be able to line up a shearing demonstration next summer. One of our neighbors who does our goats usually has been allover the world following the shearing seasons.

I'm glad to see that you are doing all you can to continue the family ranch.


Tex

[VINCENT]

i love it, beautiful property and great looking kids. i'll be diggin up yucca soon. my daughter Ayla will be helping. she my lil' farmer

[AmericanBTGoG]

Awesome. You may want to talk to Vincent about going to the livestock auctions, etc. I get the idea you're not so very far from where he is. And, despite his protests to the contrary, he really doesn't bite.

Adendum: Geez, Vinny, you must have ESPN. This post was sitting on my computer while I did some other stuff. I post it and then look and, lo and behold, you've posted.

[southernmom]

Southernmom, I hope you don't think I was being rude earlier. I just happen to think that you have alot to offer this board and don't need to piggyback on someone else's thread. You have enough going for you that you are more thancapable of standing on your own. When you have questions, all you have to do is ask.

One secret about those intimidating oldtimers, they love a little attention from a pretty younger gal. It doesn't matter to them that you are married with kids. It does wonders for their ego when you ask their advice and opinions. Their wives have heard everything they have had to say for the last 50 years. The old guys just llike to feel valuable and needed and when a gal comes along genuinely asking for advice they are allover it. Don't worry about them taking things the wrong way. They won't do that and they aren't even thinking that way. They are fountains of knowledge though and it would be foolish not to use that. It makes them still feel viable and valuable. Those old guys playing dominos down at the feedstore or sitting at the cafe for coffee early in the mornings would give anything for someone to be interested in what they have to say. Go ask them.

Ask around and find out who bales hay in your area. Don't buy hay at the feedstore. You are just paying extra to have someone locate it for you and get it in one spot. Do a little research and find the people the feedstore buys from. You can most likely get a huge discount if you can buy it when they bale it. The producer don't want to have to haul it and store it, so you may realize a huge discount by picking it up in the field as they are baling. I bet this would save you a buck or two per bale.

When you get ready to sheer more sheep, let me know. I can help you out a little bit so hopefully things will go a little easier. If people are interested, I might be able to line up a shearing demonstration next summer. One of our neighbors who does our goats usually has been allover the world following the shearing seasons.

I'm glad to see that you are doing all you can to continue the family ranch.


Tex

Oh I didn't think you were rude at all! I have been meaning to get back over to this thread. I needed a reminder.
Good point about the oldtimers, and you know I'm one of those rare people that actually enjoys talking to older folks about their knowledge and the old days. I seriously love hearing all the old stories. I'll definitely give what you're saying a shot.
My grandmother is good friends with the feed store owners (he's the one who pulled that calf earlier in the season and I got a quick lesson) They don't give us a deal or anything, I just pick up a few bales here and there for the chickens and sheep. There is still so much green and thick grass in our pasture that the cows are good for now. I really ought to talk to this guy I went to school with who is pretty much running his family's farm and they cut hay and sell it. I wanted to cut on halves with him but forty years ago his granddaddy almost sold one of our bulls (our bull was in his pasture full of cows) and ever since my grandmother has determined they are cattle thieves. So we don't cross paths much. The real annoying thing is that we are 'watching' cows for another guy-he's leasing the pasture next to one of ours so they come and go and we water them and give them the occasional once over. He's cutting hay and we are supposed to be bringing a few rolls this winter but I haven't seen but a few bales of peanut hay and some mineral blocks. He needs to bring some hay soon. I may give him a call.
Well now that you know more about our hay dealings than you ever wanted to know!
Thanks for the sheep help!
I do have a calving question-ever had a big mama cow not bag up a whole lot before they give birth? We have a cow that is showing every sign but isn't bagging up so much. (she's one of our more reliable birthers) Just curious. Thanks!

[southernmom]

Some more pics:
around the place 003.jpgaround the place 054.jpg

Some of my yummy turnips and a shot of part of the garden and my daughter

[southernmom]

Now a picture of my husband and our little olive tree (yes they grow here!) and our donkey, el-jefe aka honkey kong.

around the place 050.jpgaround the place 051.jpg