The goal is to keep the land. I've spoken to his loan officer about taking over the loan, getting a new loan, and paying it off in cash. All are options that I'm considering.
I do not want to drive 62 miles each way to deal with cattle. The fences are doing the job for right now, but they are rusted out pretty bad in places, overgrown in other places, and patched together all over the place. There used to be three pastures, but the wire is down, or missing in areas. The T posts are rusted out, bent and for some reason, really short.
Going back and forth takes too much time. I make my money remodeling homes and it's costing me money just taking the time to go there. I'm trying to get it down to just once a week to get through winter, but I have been going every other day to take care of his dog and all the ducks. The dog is at my place now and the ducks are almost gone. There are 6 cows on his place now, the others are at his friends ranch, where they are going to be sold. I do not think we'll sell any at the Livestock Auction.
Long term plan for the land is to clean it up, make it as nice looking as possible, and maybe get some hay off of it. I can sell hay there, or haul some of it to my place. He has a 30x40 shop that I could store hay in, which would make it even better.
My wife has put a few hurdles in front of my to get done before I concentrate on the fence. She wants the fencing changed for our dogs. I gave her the idea, so it's my fault, but it's a good change that should be done, so I'm good with getting it done. She also wants the garage addition made weather tight. Another thing that I agree on. We desperately need more storage with all my brothers stuff here. My shop is so full that we have to walk a winding path to get through it. The piles are crazy, but we don't have any choice because it would all be stolen if we left it there. I'm planning on ordering the metal for the roof of our garage addition this week. It's 30x52, and attached to the side of my shop, which is attached to the house, so it's going to be a big improvement for us. I'm just going to install the metal R panels for the roof, put OSB on the walls and wrap it in house wrap, then start on the fencing. I can always add Hardie a little at a time once the house wrap is up.
Once the cattle are here, then I will start on the barn. I may change my mind on that, it really depends on how tired I am of driving out there, and if they have calved yet or not.
I'm also liking the idea of fence line feeders for round bales a lot. I've been watching them on YouTube, and being able to put a round bale out for the, but not having to deal with them at the gate as I go through it would be great. I also like the idea of putting a roof over the hay, and having it on concrete. I also want to have concrete around it so the animals are not in mud. If I do it right, I should be able to scrape the concrete clean a few times a year without too much trouble.
This is also the plan with the barn. It's not to shelter the animals, but they can use it if they want out of the weather, but it's more to provide us a place to feed them and for my wife and I to be safe, dry and as comfortable as possible.
None of what I'm doing is designed to make us money. I fully understand that I'm going to spend more money on the land, fencing, barns, feeders, and handling system, then I'll ever make back in selling them. Same thing with my goats, horses, and chickens. It's just how we want to live our life, and we work so we can afford to live the best life we can. It's even worse with our dogs!!!
I'll have to take a better picture of the garage, but this is the best that I have right now.
