Winter Planning

This winter we spent some time planning what we want to do with our farm.  Since we field trial Springer Spaniels, we want to make the land into natural grasses.  The prairie at the back will be cleared of cedars and burned to become a natural prairie setting.  The two big fields we are counting on seeding with Bluestem and Gamma Grasses. 

Building a Big Amish Barn

So we've been pretty busy this fall and winter working on a 40X100 barn.  It will have living quarters in the front so we can spend some great quality time there.   

Our Big Green Tractor

Ok, so you can't have a farm without a tractor.  This was David's thing.  The other day, they delivered this big green tractor and once I got in it, I wouldn't get out.  I'm really going to learn to use this thing. 

Here is a picture with David and the John Deere. 

Gotta love this:  BIG GREEN TRACTOR --JASON ALDEAN

Our Dreams for Our Farm

Knowing what we want to do with our farm is a bit tricky.  We have confounded those around us because we are not growing and selling crops. 

David, my husband, has his dreams for this land.  He has dreamed of this exact farm for years and years. 

His whole family is made up of avid deer hunters.  He wants to use some of the land for family hunting.  

More than anything, David loves dog training, hunt tests and field trials with his English Springer Field Spaniels.  It has always been a dream of his to have a type of "Orvis Endorsed Lodge".  He wants to grow Pheasant and Quail as well as help the natural Quail population.  He trains his dogs daily and he needs some training ground to work the dogs, house the dogs as well as the birds.  He would enjoy hosting field trials down the road.

My desires are a little more flighty!

I would like to house honey bees.  I would love an orchard, a garden, and a field of wildflowers.  I remember the fields of lavendar and sunflower crossing France on the train.  This land has been known to house Morel mushrooms--so hunting mushrooms is a must.  One day I would like a home here as well as my own barn with a greenhouse, honeyhouse, chicken coup, yoga studio, and art studio.

My wildest dream would be to make this an artist colony space.  I would love to have lodging for guests to come work on their dreams, too.  My thought is to recruit artists, such as area experts and college instructors to come do weekend workshops in their area of expertise.  Maybe areas such as watercolor painting, drawing, sculpture/pottery, rag rug making, writing, yoga, etc. 

Safety First

We first tried to get a handle on just what we have.  We have walked as much of the property as we can and driven some too.  I think it is invaluable to know what we own.  Like any other purchase we make, we want to know every detail.  This was really hard to do with this much land.  We could walk nonstop for a week and not see everything.  Also, a farm is everchanging.  The wildlife, flowers, shrubs, trees, etc all change daily. 

Ok first we checked for safety issues. There was an old homestead house and several outbuildings that were falling down.  For the safety of our family and pets, as well as anyone visiting--they needed to go.  A visitor came by one day and proceeding to walk in the old house and fell through the floor.  This is a liability waiting to happen.  So cleaning up was the first order of business. 

Next, we needed to get rid of some barbed wire problems.    We have dogs that we field trial.  Dogs can run 20-30 miles per hour.  Barbed wire can kill them, along with standing implements in the field etc.  We cut out some barbed wire fencing that wasn't bordering property and had no use whatsoever but to trip us. 

We also are at the end of a road but the road is not marked as a dead end.  Vehicles drive back here as well as interested neighbors.  When they see a huge excavator--neighbors are sure to show up to see what's going on.  We need to get fencing fixed and gates up to keep intruders out.  Hunters have used this land for years without permission and for safety sake we need to get this marked and protected.  
I found some great information about marking trees for no hunting:

http://www.mdc.mo.gov/documents/conmag/2009/20090901.pdf

First Things First

So we closed on our property then we just looked at it.  We were so excited we talked about all the plans and dreams we each had for the land.  And now we own this huge chunk of earth and not a clue where to start. 

So this is what I have learned over the last month.  I keep a journal--just a binder/notebook--to keep notes in.  I'm an avid journaling freak so I figured this would keep me organized.  Here are a few things I write in this journal:

• Our dreams and ideas.  No matter how silly or far-fetched I write them down.  In my journaling experience I can look back and see how some of these dreams actually come true.
• Items we need to bring next trip to the farm.  We live about an hour from the farm.  That's just to far to run back for that hammer or shovel. 
• Extended to-do list.  As we walk and drive the farm we see things we need to do--I write them down!
• Three item simple list.  I usually have a three item simple list--such as:  buy a tractor, build a barn, learn to brushhog. 
• List of purchases made.  I usually write as we drive so I write what we purchase and then just jot notes on what we will do with things like new equipment, how much we paid, etc. 
• What we accomplished that day.  If we planted anything, what and where, etc.  I just write down what all we did. 

What do we do now?

We purchased a farm in August.  Let me tell you a little about it.  It is 217 acres that has not been farmed for more than 30 years.  There is some open cropland area, woodland, and even a natural prairie.  The land is between Kansas City, MO and Springfield, MO.  It is off a 4 mile gravel road and we are surrounded by Amish on pretty much all sides.  It is quite the idyllic setting. 

I figured I would begin a blog about our experiences, good, bad and even ugly.  If we are doing this, I'm sure others are too!