Getting my land/me ready for retirement...

[radioman]

Very nice land! :thumbsup:

I wouldnt worry about preparing feilds for horse hay, other then planting the grains for it, and let your freind harvest it himself until you retire. This way the feild is "maintained" . I agree with planting other types of fruits if you can. If I were in your shoes, I'd ask myself do I want a business to sell fruits to others to pick or do I want something to eat just for me? If I retire- I'd just plant enough fruits and veggies to eat, that alone at retirement age will be more then enough i can handle. plant now 4 each of apples, pears, peaches, blueberries (different varies for whole year worth, thornless blackberries, and other fruits you want to eat. By the time you retire, you can have fruits of labor to retire with.

Do you need wood to burn for heat? do you have a forest ready to cut and use? or do you need to plant trees like maples or such so in 10-20 years you would have stuff big enough to cut without splitting for heating.

All of these things will keep you very busy during your free time till you retire.

 

[blunosr]

Thanks for the replies, keep 'em coming... There is an agricultural college near my place that I will be taking courses at during retirement. Most of the local Ag is wild blueberries, carrots, and strawberries, there are also some larger dairy operations. Most of the small farms have fallen into disuse and neglect. There is a lot of old farmland that is coming up in ant hills, alders and wild apple trees.

I really wish someone, maybe a gov't agency, would organize all the little land holders, and make use of all these 20-50 acre old farms. I may do some kind of thing like that, starting with brush hogging to save some of the local fields from going wild. Maybe get a good 3pt tiller and make garden plots for folks on their land. I'd like to have some sort of Ag Conservancy... maybe I'll start rattling some chains about that. Hmm...

I also like the idea of fruit trees. I have an ideal spot for some and I like things that flower and smell good...

Merry Christmas!

 

[blunosr]

Radioman, I really like the idea of planting 4 each of all the small fruits and flowering tree fruits. There are wild blueberries, raspberries and blackberries already growing there, as well as 10 or so big old apple trees.

I think I will prep some land and start planting small fruits and fruit trees in earnest. Good suggestion, thanks!

Every Summer I have lists of grand plans for projects, many of which don't get done, either due to financial constraints, or laziness... I think I will have loads of good projects for this coming Summer. Part of that is a detailed soil survey and fertility ananlysis. I have a degree in Ag Soil Chemistry and still do some soils consulting on the side, whilst teaching. So I'm really interested to see what I can make out of the soils on my little farm. It'll be a grand experiment...

Till then, I'll daydream...

 

[tony Cecil]

Radioman, I really like the idea of planting 4 each of all the small fruits and flowering tree fruits. There are wild blueberries, raspberries and blackberries already growing there, as well as 10 or so big old apple trees.

I think I will prep some land and start planting small fruits and fruit trees in earnest. Good suggestion, thanks!

Every Summer I have lists of grand plans for projects, many of which don't get done, either due to financial constraints, or laziness... I think I will have loads of good projects for this coming Summer. Part of that is a detailed soil survey and fertility ananlysis. I have a degree in Ag Soil Chemistry and still do some soils consulting on the side, whilst teaching. So I'm really interested to see what I can make out of the soils on my little farm. It'll be a grand experiment...

Till then, I'll daydream...

I would not plant any strawberries, but would carefully consider where to plant the fruit trees, and definitely blueberries...They will be ready when you are

A lovely place, and I think just keeping it clean as it is will be plenty much of a challenge....a farmer that is nearby and interested in a longer term relationship might be a good thing for both of you, particularly if they respected your roads etc.... I personally would stock some trout in the river for flyfishing... Tony

 

[pat32rf]

Local blueberry farmer doesn't burn, just cuts with brush-hog and fertilizes.....Might be more efficient down there as well??
I'd plant fruit trees, blueberries and stock the ponds so you can run a B&B .....Write off almost everything once you get going...

 

[two_bit_score]

WOW, blunosr! What a nice place. You really have a lot of potential there without too much extraordinary work I would think. I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing more about your place!