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A Farm of My Own:  Your Dream or Current Farm  |
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Prairie Princess
True Blue Farmgirl
1075 Posts
Jodi
Washington
USA
1075 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 06 2007 : 3:56:17 PM
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Hmm, my dream farm...
I think I'd like to have a minimum of 40 acres of partially wooded land. My home would sit right in the middle of it, built of strawbale construction using a historical reproduction blueprint. Farmhouse-style, with a large porch for friends and family. Any finishing supplies, such as windows, doors, trim, etc., would be reclaimed and recycled from old houses. I'd want a well, and an off-grid power system. Probably a solar/hydro combination. Woodstoves for heat, and a cookstove in my kitchen. Around the house I'd have a few trees, willow and maple are my favorite! A small pond for ducks would be fun. My critter collection would consist of Arab breeding stock, plus a few riding horses, most likely Arabian also; a few Jersey heifers/cows; Khaki Campbell ducks; an assortment of chickens; goats; and of course my dogs and cats. So a large section of the land would be cultivated into pasture, and I'd like to have beehives at the back of the property, too. I'd need a large barn, with foaling stalls, tack storage, and a loft for hay and feed. I'd have my chicken coop built right onto the back of the barn. I'd have a large garden, and a small orchard. Just a few ideas, I have lots of dreams! Basically, I'd like to be primarily self-sufficient, horses being my 'career', and first and foremost family-focused.
Jodi :) |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 06 2007 : 6:16:43 PM
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Hi Jodi!
You dream farm sounds wonderful! I love Arabs too! Especially Egyptian Arabians. They are so intelligent and sweet! Such wonderful horses. What part of Idaho do you live in? There is a lady here in the area that raises Egyptian Arabians and she is a wealth of information. You might want to check out her website at www.rockinheart.com
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
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Patsy
True Blue Farmgirl
592 Posts
Illinois
USA
592 Posts |
Posted - Jul 07 2007 : 07:19:43 AM
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What an interesting topic. After my dad retired, they bought 5 acres at the edge of town. It was his dream and they spent 13 years there before he passed away. It was perfect. A two story farm house, workshop, barn, lumber shed, chicken house, huge garden space and he raised probably six or seven steers each year. Apple and cherry trees, grape arbors, lots of flowers and trees.
After he passed, mom had to sell it and I was by it the other day and the folks are letting it run down. It just breaks my heart. The chicken house is falling in and the back porch steps are rotted and almost down. The yard is grown up and they tore down the barn and put up a steel garage. Boo hoo. If I had enough money, I would sure buy it from them. Obviously they don't feel about it like I do.
Maybe someday I can have 5 acres at the edge of town. I would cherish it.
May God bless those who love the soil,
Patsy
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MullersLaneFarm
True Blue Farmgirl
596 Posts
Rock Falls
IL
596 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2007 : 09:14:56 AM
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Erin,
Sounds like you are well on your way. It's the day to day journey you soon learn to treasure because it will never be done!
Cyndi
Muller's Lane Farm http://www.mullerslanefarm.com
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 09 2007 : 11:29:45 AM
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Patsy-
That is so sad that such a nice place went to not so great owners. I know how it feels. The very first house that I ever lived in was in this great tiny little subdivision in the country. We had to move to down when I was in Elementary School and the people who bought it basically turned the yard (our beautiful yard!) into a junk heap. They would have anywhere from 10-20 vehicles parked there at any one time. It was very sad and I had to stop driving by the old house when I go home to visit because it would make me upset. I have such great memories of running around in that yard that I don't want them ruined by seeing the yard in tatters. :(
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
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Prairie Princess
True Blue Farmgirl
1075 Posts
Jodi
Washington
USA
1075 Posts |
Posted - Jul 10 2007 : 11:53:32 AM
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| That website is wonderful, Alee! Thank you! It looks like they actually offer hands-on learning for the field, something that has me really excited. I live near Boise, but I've been up north several times, absolutely love it up there. I want to settle somewhere between Walla Walla and Spokane, so I'd be a bit closer. I may have to see if I can plan a trip up to visit the Rockin Heart ranch. Those horses are so beautiful! My horse has Crabbet lines, so a bit of Egyptian, and then Kellogg bloodllines, which I think are Crabbet-based. She's only half-Arab, though, so her head isn't that refined, although it is pretty. When she trots, though...oh my gosh...it's heavenly to watch. No mistaking her heritage then... :) |
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Love-in-a-Mist
True Blue Farmgirl
367 Posts
Shannon
Independence
Oregon
USA
367 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2007 : 4:05:12 PM
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We live on 1,000 acre family farm that supports 3 families. We grow hazelnuts, grass seed, green beans and corn. At least right now. The farm is a long a river and there is about 75 acres of woods. The rest is all fields.
Our own little piece is about 20 acres. It's broke up into 4 pastures and a barn yard with a lamb pen, round pen, chicken coop, and a pen we are using for turkeys right now. I have a garden plot and alot of flower beds. We are raising turkeys, chickens, lambs, steers, and rabbits for food. And we have 3 dogs, 4 cats, 2 llamas, and my horse for pets. Although we usually end up helping others out, boarding horses. Right now there are 6 horses here.
We are doing farmers market, though not this year and plan to open a little farm store on the farm with in a couple of years.
http://diaryofafarmerswife.blogspot.com/ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 14 2007 : 6:35:12 PM
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Shannon, you place sounds wonderful! I bet you keep your farm beautiful! It must be amazing to have so much land to work with. I can't even begin to comprehend how big 1000 acres is! :)
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
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paradiseplantation
True Blue Farmgirl
1277 Posts
julie
social springs community
Louisiana
USA
1277 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2007 : 08:09:09 AM
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| We have a farm -- as I've said, think Green Acres. It's a hair over 60 acres, with 4 ponds (two of which look suspiciously like a hole someone dug) and all are fed by an underground spring. There's a creek that runs through the back of the property. Part of it is wooded, although the previous owners had a major part of that clear cut before we moved in (the timber contract was already in place when we agreed to buy the place.) We have a decent sized barn that on sunny days filters beautiful fingers of sunlight through all the holes in the roof. Our chicken coop is made up of rusty tin, fencing and duct tape. Our farmhouse consists of two sharecropper houses put together. And we're one of very few people in Louisiana that has a cellar. I do have an enclosed front porch, which I can't wait to get my hands on and redo. There's a LOT of work that needs to be done in the house, but since decorating is one of my first loves, I'll look forward to every single second of it. When we first bought the property, you really couldn't see much grass around the house because of all the stacks of stuff. It took us almost the entire first year just to clear all that away. This is the middle of our fourth year, and we are gradually getting fence fixed, stuff moved out, walls painted and adding to our four-legged family. We have cattle, chickens, ducks, geese, guineas turkeys and pigs. My dream is to redo the coop to look like Foghorn Leghorn's place, add a southern style porch across the back of my house, add about 30 head more of cattle, build up my chickens, and eventually, have the farm support itself. My project for this fall is raised bed gardening, since the only place I have to put a garden stays too mushy when it rains. Any suggestions on that end will help a lot. All in all, just the fact that we actually HAVE a farm warms my heart. And for those who are still in the dream stage, take heart. We waited fifteen years for ours, and would have waited longer if this one hadn't just about fallen in our laps. It will happen for you, too! Just keep the faith. |
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jcbtxstars
True Blue Farmgirl
77 Posts
Julia C
Midland
Texas
USA
77 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2007 : 08:18:12 AM
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Julie your place sounds wonderful...I was born and raised in SW LA...Lake Charles...a cellar...wow...I don't ever remember anyone having one there...will you show us pictures?
Julia |
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DeepsouthMamma
True Blue Farmgirl
1454 Posts
Autumn
Southwest Louisiana
USA
1454 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2007 : 1:21:47 PM
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Hey girls- Good to hear from the cajun girls!
I didnt know ANYONE in La had a cellar- I've never even seen one.
I guess you could call our place a farm- we have 10 acres of woods.
My kids range in age from 31-13(no joke) and so we have had a pig,chickens geese,ducks etc.
Right now only 2 dogs and lots of grass to cut,trees to keep in their place and a couple of tired- but -looking -forward- to- retirement old farm hands! That would be my hubby and me!!
We built a "cabin" when we purchased the land here. At the time we had 3 kids, 10-5-and 8 months. The land was cheap cause it was old oil company land being sub divided. No utilities had come out this far.
We were young and decided it was now or never -so we jumped in and bought the land.
Since there was no power or water or even access from the road we really started from scratch.
Using a chainsaw and 3 bundles of shiplap(short pieces the lumberyard was dumping real cheap)
railroad crossties and lots of idealism we built what was more like an "outpost" room. It was 20X20. No inside walls-no power-no water; complete with an outhouse!The hot water heater was a 55 gal. drum placed in the sun - we dipped out what we needed to bathe in. We hauled drinking water in and washed clothes at my mom's house a few miles away.
I'll try to find a picture to post
It's a long story and a good one. I can't tell you how many times my kids_even the ones who weren't born yet re-tell it!
It was the best thing in the world we could have done for all of us!
We named our place Providence- knowing that the mighty hand of God made the whole thing happen by His Providence!
It was our home for about 3 years.
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. |
Edited by - DeepsouthMamma on Jul 25 2007 1:23:30 PM |
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DeepsouthMamma
True Blue Farmgirl
1454 Posts
Autumn
Southwest Louisiana
USA
1454 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2007 : 1:27:07 PM
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I found the quilt square in our Family History Quilt with the cabin so I just pasted it here. The write up is from a private web page I do locally- just pasted it here too. Enjoy!
We affectionatly call this the "cabin" though that is a bit of a romantic notion.
I stitched this from a photo and even the patchwork siding is true to the real look of the place.
When we committed to purchase this property we call Providence, there was little money to improve it.After lots of phone calls and pricing materials it was obvious that we would have to be very inventive if we were to live on the property.
To make a long story short - we purchased several bundles of short shiplap boards, crossties for piers and started building.
Since there was no power we used a chain saw to cut, and worked like crazy for about 10 days putting up the cabin- no inside walls, no plumbing(who needed it- there was no water yet!) no electricity and certainly no phone. In fact we didn't even have a proper culvert to have a driveway. My husband built that with crossties too.
He should write a book on "How to do anything with exactly nothing and very little help " That's about what he did for us out here.
Yes, that is an outhouse you see behind the house. If you don't believe me, just ask the older 3 kids- they remember it well!
Autumn
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. |
Edited by - DeepsouthMamma on Jul 25 2007 1:30:43 PM |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 25 2007 : 6:32:06 PM
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I think it sounds like you guys did great! I bet it was an adventure every day! Do you still live in the cabin?
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
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DeepsouthMamma
True Blue Farmgirl
1454 Posts
Autumn
Southwest Louisiana
USA
1454 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2007 : 06:02:31 AM
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No- we built a permanent house about 18 yrs ago. The cabin has since been torn down. It was a bit unsafe and was a magnet to everyone that came here. We were afraid it would fall down on someone!!:(
I'm still looking for a real picture of the old place- I guess we were too busy making it to take pictures!
Autumn
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2007 : 10:05:37 AM
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Well I think that is neat! It sounds like it gave you some great memories! It's amazing what we can do when we have to, eh?
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
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DeepsouthMamma
True Blue Farmgirl
1454 Posts
Autumn
Southwest Louisiana
USA
1454 Posts |
Posted - Jul 26 2007 : 2:14:15 PM
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I guess it didn't seem so out of the ordinary considering my mom did the same thing when I was a teenager.(see my intro) The memories are precious and the experience made my kids do & believe things could be done-against all odds! None of them are actually doing the same type of thing but they have all been "pioneers" in their own areas.
I think that is whats missing in our society- that pioneering spirit.
Tks Alee-
Autumn
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. |
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Buttercup
True Blue Farmgirl
1433 Posts
Talitha
Vermont
USA
1433 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2007 : 05:42:46 AM
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Oh thank you Alee for bumping this up and keeping it going! I just love reading everyone's dreams!! And Cyndi! Your place sounds wonderful! And Belgians are my absolute favorite! Erin, I am so excited you guys are still going strong and I can't wait to hear more as you make it into the dream you have! Jodi, your place sounds lovely! And Shannon, how neat to have a family farm that you all share, it sounds so nice!
And Julie, your place reminds me of the farm my mother bought when I was ten...lol...it was something else but we worked hard at it and that was the sweetest place when we were transfered overseas! I LOVE interior decorating and design as well so I thought it was neat to see that you love it as well! I wish you all the best with your place!
And to everyone else who posted, thank you so much! It is such a wonderful treat to read all about your dream or current places!! I truly enjoy it!
Hugz to All!
Talitha
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
Edited by - Buttercup on Jul 27 2007 05:44:40 AM |
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paradiseplantation
True Blue Farmgirl
1277 Posts
julie
social springs community
Louisiana
USA
1277 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2007 : 09:19:17 AM
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| Hi, Julia, Hi, Autumn! If you're ever in the area, feel free to stop by and see a real Louisiana cellar. And it doesn't even flood! I've only seen cellars and basements in the North, where my mom's family comes from -- so imagine my shock when we were looking at this house for potential purchase. I promise, I really believe that cellar had a lot to do with my saying YESYESYES!!!! I'll try to send pictures, but I don't have a scanner, and my computer at home is SO OLD that I can't get my digital software to download. Hmmmm... hey, hubby! I need a new computer! |
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Whimsy_girl
True Blue Farmgirl
576 Posts
USA
576 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2007 : 10:54:11 AM
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This is the place in the works. I'm posting this here because it's sort of current but very much a dream at the same time. We are doing this bit by bit, and it will be some time before we are in a financial position to do a whole lot to the land we are on.
Here is the exterior on the land, it's pretty much done on the outside. We need exterior lights, and of course stairs to get in.
The living room opens to a mudroom on one side and a sitting area on the other each of these rooms use an arch to open into the the next room. There are 3 arches in all because the mudroom also opens up into a large hall/small nook for the freezer. It is further along now than in this picture. Most of it is textured and painted now. The room you are looking at here is a mudroom and it has been painted a hershey bar brown. It seems like it would be dark for a small space but the door has a large window to lighten it up and it opens into a light carmel colored living room. All that will be in here is a bunch of cubbies for shoes, hooks for coats, and Busters dog bed.
This is the view from the front yard. On the other side it is zoned in such a way that there are more homes are popping up, but from the front there is a huge strip of land that can't be developed due to the need for future access areas. because of this there shouldn't be anything showing up to block our view in this direction.
you can be oh so smart, or you can be oh so positive. I wasted a lot of time being smart I prefer being positive. |
Edited by - Whimsy_girl on Jul 27 2007 12:34:35 PM |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2007 : 11:04:23 AM
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What great pictures! It looks fantastic! Soon you will have your dream farm all built!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
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DeepsouthMamma
True Blue Farmgirl
1454 Posts
Autumn
Southwest Louisiana
USA
1454 Posts |
Posted - Jul 27 2007 : 12:32:05 PM
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Breathtaking view!!! Time is on your side in the "farm dreAM!
iT'S TAKEN US 20+ YRS AND WE ARE still HAVING FUN WITH THE DREAM. iT DEVELOPS IN DIFFERENT WAYS WHEN IT TAKES YRS. My husband says he feels sorry for the gals who get a "turn-key" house all at once. They get tired of it in a few years and yet it's too soon to remodel. With us-20 yrs and we do some here and there and by the time we get from here to there I have a new idea and VOILA! he does the new better thing. It's good for lots more hugs and excitement!!
Autumn
Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. |
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kitchensqueen
True Blue Farmgirl
521 Posts
521 Posts |
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Buttercup
True Blue Farmgirl
1433 Posts
Talitha
Vermont
USA
1433 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2007 : 04:26:39 AM
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Bobbi,
What a neat view!! And I LOVE mud rooms!! Your place sounds like it is comming right along! Thank you so much for the pictures! I love being able to take a peek at everyone's place!
Hugz!
Talitha
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
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_Rebecca_
True Blue Farmgirl
568 Posts
Rebecca
OK
USA
568 Posts |
Posted - Jul 28 2007 : 10:38:42 AM
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Beautiful pictures.
My dream would be to have an English cottage type home with lots of beautiful wildflowers and a lawn that isn't manicured. I don't want any kind of gas powered machines anywhere. I would love a walled vegetable garden.
I would love to have a creek. I would love to have a large enough tree for a really long tire swing. And a shady spot for a hammock.
I would love wooden paddock fences and some kind of hairy beast. Just one.
I would love to have to drive down rutty roads where you encounter sheep and lumbering cows and you have to wait for them to move so you can pass.
.·:*¨¨* :·.Rebecca.·:*¨¨* :·. http://boinglink.blogspot.com/ |
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Buttercup
True Blue Farmgirl
1433 Posts
Talitha
Vermont
USA
1433 Posts |
Posted - Jul 30 2007 : 01:03:25 AM
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Rebecca,
How enchanting! it sounds lovely! I love English cottages! I do so hope your dream comes true in the very near future!
Hugz!
Talitha
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
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A Farm of My Own: Your Dream or Current Farm |
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Your Dream or Current Farm
