First Serious Project - Clearing 1.5 Acres

TonyV · Aug 14, 2005

( I plan on taking a little over two acres and farming it to grow food to help these people. )

I've never planted a garden on this scale before, my largest has been about a quarter acre or so, so I'm afraid I can't be of much help on the logistics side of the equation.

I just wanted to say that this is an incredibly noble project and your an exceptional man for having undertaken it. I'd like to think that if I were your neighbor, I'd be right there pitching in to help...truly inspirational. God bless you and yours!

...Tony

Jim57 · Aug 14, 2005

( ( I plan on taking a little over two acres and farming it to grow food to help these people. )

I've never planted a garden on this scale before, my largest has been about a quarter acre or so, so I'm afraid I can't be of much help on the logistics side of the equation.

I just wanted to say that this is an incredibly noble project and your an exceptional man for having undertaken it. I'd like to think that if I were your neighbor, I'd be right there pitching in to help...truly inspirational. God bless you and yours!

...Tony )

Hi Tony,
I am just doing what I feel God is leading me to do. Maybe this is why God allowed the company I worked for as Vice President to sell out and leave me without a job. God also has made it possible for me to get a tractor to help in this. I am sure he will provide the wisdom, and allow me to get seed to do this. I give God all the glory in this and I am proud to be his servant and tool in doing this. I honestly believe he will provide everything I will need to do this. I will do my part and take what money I have to make this happen. My savings went into the tractor and equipment to do this. Even with fuel prices soaring, jobs disappearing and wages NOT increasing in our area... I am sure that I will be able to help many here. I will tell you how you can help Tony, Keep us in your prayers and I am sure God will answer them.

I am going to go to the agriculture office here in our county and see if they have any ways to help. I am sure that the information and expertise there could help me prevent some of the mistakes I am sure I will make. After all I am human.

Thanks for the vote of confidence and the prayers. By the way... we are neighbors... just a little far for a wagon ride /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Jim57 · Aug 14, 2005

By the way Tony, I visited your website www.highstreetshelter.com that you have listed in your profile here. It is a Great site and I listened to your MP3's you have there. A Great Group and very good!!!! Keep up the Great Work. I love the blues music you have there.

Jim Bonham

Jim57 · Aug 14, 2005

( What implement do you have on in the pics?

That looks like a LOT of work.

Ron )

I was using the FEL mostly and the Chisel Point Plow for a ballast and for breaking roots on larger trees so I could push them over. I plan on renting a dozer to get the larger stumps and trees. I hope to have this completed so next spring will be my first planting. I have a lot of work ahead of me. I look forward to planting and finally harvesting time.

DannyD · Aug 14, 2005

Congratulations and God Bless on your project. I am sure that when planting time comes, folks on this board will more than help out. Seed, fertilizer, soil additives, put up your list of needed items to help out. A listing of what home stores etc are nearby would be great.

Jim57 · Aug 14, 2005

( Congratulations and God Bless on your project. I am sure that when planting time comes, folks on this board will more than help out. Seed, fertilizer, soil additives, put up your list of needed items to help out. A listing of what home stores etc are nearby would be great. )

Thank you. The help would be nice. By the way... anyone know of any type of plants that can be grown between now and winter. I live in Zone 7 area according to the growing map at Parks Seed at www.parkseed.com

Parks Seed

What kind of stores are you talking about?

The town I live in is Westminster, SC. Unfortunately the Winn Dixie, Ace Hardware, and another hardware store has closed. Along with West Point Stevens, JP Stevens and soon Dunlop and Maxfli is going to be closing. My town is becoming a ghost town and even plants in Seneca, SC - Clemson, SC - Anderson, SC are closing just to name a few.

However, there is a Home Depot, Lowe's and Wal-Mart in Seneca, SC about 15 to 20 miles miles from us.

Just ask and I will try and provide any information you would like.

Another thing I need to know is where to get some seed potatos for the red potatos. I have researched and found that these potatos are easily grow in my area and really produce well. I want to plant squash, Honey & Cream Corn, Okra, tomatoes, watermelon, cantelope, grean beans, egg plants, northern beans, Field Peas, blackeyed peas, anything that will produce large amounts with the little space of 2 acres I have and will be of Great Nutritional Value.

Maybe I should plant just one or two things and do a lot of them. Any input will be very helpful.

Thanks again, I hope I am very successful in helping others. I remember so well when my family went through some really hard times. I remember the times that fritters was a real great meal and I (we) were very grateful to get that. This is what is driving me to help these people. No one should have to go through this. However... it did make me stronger and much more determined. It was a very humbling experience for me and my family. God brought us through it and I have not forgotten it.

I have been looking at a way to finance this endeavor and possibly I have found it. I just have to come up with the money to purchase this information. I found this website doing research on gardening. The website is at www.freeplants.com

Free Plants . Com

At any rate... Thank You. I really appreciate your and everyones support and prayers.

Jim Bonham
864-647-9810

TonyV · Aug 14, 2005

( I just have to come up with the money to purchase this information. I found this website doing research on gardening. )
 Hi Jim...first let me thank you for the compliment on our bands music..glad you enjoyed it!

Secondly, you need not pay for information concerning research on gardening. You have at your disposal a wealth of information just for the asking....at your local university cooperative extension service. Here in Michigan, we have Michigan State University extension service...in your neck of the woods, the Cooperative Extension Service is housed at Clemson University and South Carolina State University. Heres a link to their website:
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service

Phone numbers are also listed on the website. Give these folks a call, and I'm sure you'll find them helpful as all get out!!! These folks will be experts on exactly what you need to do to get started, and what crops would be most beneficial to meet your communities needs.

...Tony

Wesdor · Aug 14, 2005

I'll add my praise and encouragement.

You might want to check out the rodale new farm site:

rodale

Also, there is a great video from the Pacific Northwest that talks about the disconnection with the land. You can find it at this web site:

Pacific Northwest

Once again, good luck and God's blessings on you and the project.

Jim57 · Aug 14, 2005

( ( I just have to come up with the money to purchase this information. I found this website doing research on gardening. )

Hi Jim...first let me thank you for the compliment on our bands music..glad you enjoyed it!

Secondly, you need not pay for information concerning research on gardening. You have at your disposal a wealth of information just for the asking....at your local university cooperative extension service. Here in Michigan, we have Michigan State University extension service...in your neck of the woods, the Cooperative Extension Service is housed at Clemson University and South Carolina State University. Heres a link to their website:
Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service

Phone numbers are also listed on the website. Give these folks a call, and I'm sure you'll find them helpful as all get out!!! These folks will be experts on exactly what you need to do to get started, and what crops would be most beneficial to meet your communities needs.

...Tony )

Thank you for the information. I am aware and will be using the Clemson University however, if you visited that website www.freeplants.com/system.htm and www.freeplants.com/starting-a-plant-nursery.htm , you know that selling plants could be a way to finance my endeavor. I am not very familiar with rooting plants but if I could do what Mike does... it could also make a living for me as well as finance what I am doing. It would give me more time to take care of my little garden/farm and keep my tractor up. From what I have read here at the forum... I am sure that tractor repair is expensive even though I am a mechanically minded person... I do not have all the tools required for some extensive repairs. My tractor is under warranty for another 60 days and then I will be on my own for repairs.

I am sure I am going to have a learning curve with this large of garden... I am trying to shorten that curve by learning all I can between now and spring.

Highbeam · Aug 15, 2005

"I plan on renting a dozer to get the larger stumps and trees."

From my experience actually purchasing a dozer for this function, a bulldozer is not the ideal tool for turning forest into farmland. Topsoil scraping, soil compaction, and inability to pluck a stump out of the ground are major problems. That and the inability to stack the debris into tall piles for burning. An excavator is a more practical tool for the heavy stuff and often is cheaper due to ease of transport.