How long you been in the game?

[oosik]

YES - that is truly a remarkable home TnAndy. I can recognize how much work it took to get to that shape. BTW - I was born 05/13/1942. I've only had permanent residences in Alaska and here in Ea WA state.

 

[TnAndy]

Thank you both.

Nothing like hacking out a place in Alaska, since we're only 15min from town, but it's been quite the adventure for us.

One thing I'd advise.....take lots of photos along the way....fun to look back over decades of work and see how your place has transformed.

 

[Budweiser John]

Two weeks away from hitting 76 years old and 47 years living on the farm.
Started with 80 acres of undeveloped land with no house or buildings. Built a modest house, then a 24 X40 shop, later expanded to 32 X 80 feet
Fast forward to present day and we now have a 3000 square foot house and five out buildings.
Lots of sweat, a little blood, a cooperative spouse, a few tears, and sheer grit got us exactly the lifestyle and living comfort we enjoy.
About the only advice i’ll Offer a newbie is don’t bite off more than you can chew, build it/fix it right the first time, and there will never be a time when everything is done, done, and done.
Hopefully my final exit from here will be in the prone position feet first.

B. John

 

[HawkinsHollow]

It's not a "game" for us, it's a way of life and the only life I've ever known...

I've only ever lived two places in my life, in the bush in Alaska and where I am now, on the farm I grew up on.

SR

Wow Rob! You're intense! Take yourself pretty seriously I see. It's a figure of speech.

I have lived all over the world living my dreams, now I am here living the ultimate dream. Not sure which one makes who more special. Cheers!:drink: Have a good weekend!

 

[HawkinsHollow]

TN Andy, great place and great pictures! Where about in E. TN are you?

 

[TnAndy]

Washington County

 

[rt014]

Acquired 72 acres with stone house in the Adirondacks in 2002. (I'm 60 now). I've upgraded the heating system (including an outdoor wood burning boiler), upgraded electrical from 110, added propane generator, put on a new roof, renovated the kitchen, added a 20'x40' wood shed, improved the road network throughout the property and dug out an old pond. I only purchased my Kubota L4701 a few years ago and can't believe I didn't purchase it sooner. What a difference getting things done with this machine vs the Yamaha Rhino that I've had for about 15 years (also a great machine). The next project will be a garage before I retire up there in a couple of years.

 

[Barnbuilder]

Beautiful place Andy!

 

[mxg342]

Property was purchased in 2009. 22 acres with basement and pole barn and another 87 acres on a separate deed. In 2012 I married the wife and had the house built on top of the basement. In 2015, I added a 32x48 garage next to the house. At some point in 2014 or 2015, we purchased another 18 acres beside our property. At the same time, my brother in law purchased 70 acres across the township road that borders our property.

10 years in and the cleanup of the property is never done. Between food plots, hunting stands, old mobile homes, etc. we always have something going on. 2019 is going to be a year to restain the house. I'm not looking forward to this.

 

[Tractorable]

I just turned 48 and we bought 8 acres about 40 miles outside of Washington DC in 2015. We went from a town house in the city and two compact cars to 8 acres in the country. It’s been a challenge ramping up to get all the equipment needed maintain the property. An even bigger challenge has been finding the time to get things done with both of us working full time, commuting, and especially since it rained practically all of 2018 and every weekend so far in 2019.

We have a guest house on the property and we supplement our income by renting it out on AirBnB. Mostly folks in the area for weddings, horse shows, and to visit the wineries. Firefly Cottage - Houses for Rent in Marshall, Virginia, United States

The wife likes to raise chickens and we just got two bee hives today. I’m using an old Ford 8N until I can afford a new tractor and implements but it’s only really good for towing a wagon and mowing the fields. Can’t wait to get a tractor with 4wd and a loader.

 

[TnAndy]

I’m using an old Ford 8N until I can afford a new tractor and implements but it’s only really good for towing a wagon and mowing the fields. Can’t wait to get a tractor with 4wd and a loader.

Yep.....you love one. My first tractor was a 22hp Yanmar, too small for a FEL, and I 'made do' with it for the first 13 years here until we could afford a 33hp New Holland 4x4 with FEL. What a huge labor saver a loader is.....you'll find pallet forks are the most handy attachment, EVERYTHING goes on a pallet of some kind now days. I got 15 bags of hog food yesterday (750lbs)....put a pallet in the truck, Co-op loaded the food on the pallet, I unloaded with tractor, took to the hog house, all no touch.

 

[TotalNoob]

We purchased 40 acres of dense forest in Tahoe National Park in Dec 2017. I’m currently 48. I found a clean and tight Ford 1710 with rear controls. With the fallen timber and brush we’re removing I feel I need a grapple too. While my 8” PTO chipper works great, the quantity of material I need to get rid of is daunting. I’m working with the state on a grant to assist small forest owners like me with fuel reduction. I’m still waiting on a report and plan from a forester to tackle it. In the mean time I just keep on tractoring.

 

[PineBrookFarm]

We started with a foreclosed log cabin on 2 acres with failed septic, no driveway and no garage back in 2012ish. I was 26 years old married with no kids.

We bought a John Deere 2010 track loader followed by a International 500 6-way dozer. Soon after we bought a John Deere 690b 20 ton excavator to dig the foundation for our barn. Once we built the barn (garage) we sold the excavator and track loader and bought an Ford 8N with snowplow on it for snow and driveway maintenance. Later on we purchased a 1979 Ford 1900 4x4 loader tractor and Ford 550 TLB and sold the international dozer. We had a fire at that homestead 2 years ago and that’s what prompted building a new place with more land.

We had a small farm, log house, 2500 square foot shop I built all on 2 acres. We purchased 27 acres of heavily forested land in western MA and have been working on building our new homestead there. So far I’ve got electrical service run up the driveway (750’), built my 40x60 shop and got the driveway done as well as cleared the road and homesite for the new house. When we purchased the new property I also purchased a Komatsu PC 50 mr-2 & a John Deere 450e 6-way dozer to **** with clearing and excavation. Recently I sold the Ford 550 TLB and bought a Komatsu sk815 skid steer which I kept for a year or so while finishing the shop then sold that too and bought my Kubota M5700 4x4 loader tractor.

I’m now 32 and realizing after writing this I’ve done quiet a bit of buying and selling equipment haha. The equipment I have now won’t be sold for some time, I really enjoy every machine and have dialed my set up in pretty good. I’ll probably sell the dozer once the house is done, and depending on how finances look I may keep or sell the excavator then too.

I hope to have the house built within 2 years. It took me 2 years to get the road, electric, clearing, build the shop and get the homesite cleared and get roads roughed in for it. Doing everything yourself takes some time but I enjoy it!

Right now I have the following tractors and heavy equipment:
(2) old 8n’s that need a little TLC both ran when parked
Ford 1900 4x4 loader
Kubota m5700 4x4 loader
John Deere 450E 6-way blade
Komatsu PC50MR-2

 

[sodamo]

Interesting thread, lots of great properties.

We found our 21 acres here in Hawaii in 2003. As I tell everyone, it’s NOT postcard Hawaii, but we love it. Formerly sugarcane, then years as a cattle pasture. Totally off grid, our only ties are cell and Dish signal. We 1st built a shed, 16x20, two floors, big enough for some of our stuff, us, 2 dogs, 2 cats. Stove was a small propane burner. Usually used oil lamps at night as we didn’t have enough electricity. Took us about 2 years to get house to point we could move in. Had to contract out electrical, plumbing, concrete, but otherwise built by wife and I with some hourly helpers. Shed is now a cottage we rent out.
Here is an aerial from when we had sweet potato farmers.


First tractor was my Kioti CK30 which was invaluable building the house. Except the concrete guy having own TLB and dozer for drive, we never hired any other equipment. A few years later, I added a Case DX35, which I just sold in Mar. Earlier this month I got my LS XR4140H. Likely will sell the Kioti soon, but hope I can keep the backhoe.

I doubt we will ever be DONE, but that’s OK. Wife does say I don’t need anymore projects.

As for moving, I tell wife just scatter my ashes down at the pet cemetery, that way I’ll be surrounded by friends.

I turn 73 in Nov, wife a tad younger but medically disabled due to car accident in 98.