Large acreage question

[two_bit_score]

About what I pay on a home 2 pole barns and 2.33 acres here.

That's the difference in having an AG exemption and not. But then you aren't working your land 24/7/365 and trying to eeek out a meger income.

 

[tallyho8]

It only takes 4 miles of fence to fence in 640 acres, so not really that big of deal.

My 160 acres in Arkansas only takes 1 mile of fence to go around the perimeter.

My 16 acres in Louisiana takes 1 1/2 miles of fence for the perimeter.

No, that is NOT a typo!

 

[Duffster]

My 160 acres in Arkansas only takes 1 mile of fence to go around the perimeter.

My 16 acres in Louisiana takes 1 1/2 miles of fence for the perimeter.

No, that is NOT a typo!

That 16 acres must be one long SKINNY piece of property. LOL

 

[tallyho8]

That 16 acres must be one long SKINNY piece of property. LOL

Yes it is and it was twice as long before the previous owners sold half of it. Property in French Louisiana that was divided in Arpents instead of acres is all very long narrow sections.

 

[Dargo]

My property apparently in unique in that it randomly grows deer stands. It seems that I find a couple on it every year or so. It's clearly marked but people are really big on not only trespassing but on stealing my signs as well.

I have just over a mile or so of road frontage. I thought about putting up a fence, but neighbors who have done so seem to always be repairing their fence where someone's cut it down or driven through it. I think I'll use my excavator and make me a nice "irrigation" ditch down the part that has road frontage with a nice sturdy gate over a culvert for my only entrance. It gets a bit annoying that I not only have people trespassing, but setting up deer stands, cutting down trees to give them better shots from their stands into clearings and leaving me beer cans and bottles. I believe my 'give a dam' is beginning to fail and I'm going to have to be a bit more aggressive on catching and prosecuting those who intentionally trespass and damage my land.

 

[Duffster]

My property apparently in unique in that it randomly grows deer stands. It seems that I find a couple on it every year or so. It's clearly marked but people are really big on not only trespassing but on stealing my signs as well.

I have just over a mile or so of road frontage. I thought about putting up a fence, but neighbors who have done so seem to always be repairing their fence where someone's cut it down or driven through it. I think I'll use my excavator and make me a nice "irrigation" ditch down the part that has road frontage with a nice sturdy gate over a culvert for my only entrance. It gets a bit annoying that I not only have people trespassing, but setting up deer stands, cutting down trees to give them better shots from their stands into clearings and leaving me beer cans and bottles. I believe my 'give a dam' is beginning to fail and I'm going to have to be a bit more aggressive on catching and prosecuting those who intentionally trespass and damage my land.

See my first post in this thread. LOL

 

[txdon]

I put up 3 miles of perimeter fence around our 120 acres and about another mile of cross fences.

You can really save on fencing if your property is close to square.

I have "no hunting" signs and a perimeter trail that I patrol and the phone numbers of the local enforcers.

When you look at larger acres you can have it all IF the land is diverse enough. The hill view, the stream, the fields, the forest.

Diversity would be my #1 reason for large acreage.

 

[The Dougster]

Large acreage requires constant attention, which don't necessarily translate into large bank accounts. It's more a labor of love than anything. I read about folks washing and waxing their tractors and I wonder just how they ever find the time for that. I work on the assumption that I will never be finished with my work... there is always so much to do that when I grow bored doing one thing, I simply switch off and begin doing something else. It's like eating an elephant... one bite at a time.
Shame on me but I don't worry much about trespassers. I have signs up but figure that I'll take care of the problem when it arises. It's not something that I stress out about...

 

[Duffster]

Doesn't anybodies neighbors put up half the fence?

 

[rgood]

I've heard that's the way it's sposed to be - Personally, I haven't seen it happen.

 

[Dargo]

Shame on me but I don't worry much about trespassers. I have signs up but figure that I'll take care of the problem when it arises. It's not something that I stress out about...

Must not have as many hungry lawyers in your area. If you don't stay after them around here they'll get hurt doing something stupid while trespassing and will soon own your property because you were negligent in keeping them out or warning them about every possible way they can get hurt on your property.

 

[The Dougster]

Aw ****... I've been sued before and have since learned how the game is played... when threatened with a suit, I just tell them to get in line.... Remember this.. the more insurance you have, the more opportunity you have of being sued... I don't sorry about trespassers until I have something to worry about, ditto the occasional lawsuit... I have important things to worry about...

 

[Dargo]

My personal thought is that you ought to be able to counter sue some moron trying to sue you for getting hurt while trespassing on your property and any attorney who represents such a freaking thug ought to go to jail as well.

 

[chh]

Doesn't anybodies neighbors put up half the fence?

Most of my nieghbors will split the cost. All the surrounding properties have cattle also, so it it beneficial to both parties.

 

[Shirleyshusband]

Doesn't anybodies neighbors put up half the fence?

That's the way it is by me (another Wisconsonite (southwest)). Face each other at the property line and you're responsible for the right half. There's been legislation to change that. So far it's been defeated, but eventually it will win. The law as it is makes sense for farmers, but for recreational property, it's a waste of money (for the rec owner).

I argue this with my inlaws all the time They're retired dairy farmers and I'm a recreational (hunting) property owner. It doesn't seem right or fair to force me to put up fence to keep YOUR cattle on YOUR property.

On my land, I have two rec owners and two farmers as neighbors. Between us rec owners, the fence is down (posts in, wire rusted, busted, down) and between me and the farmers, I have to keep up fencing to keep their cows in. BTW, I get along great w/ the farmers, hard working good guys! I just disagree with the law...

 

[chh]

That's the way it is by me (another Wisconsonite (southwest)). Face each other at the property line and you're responsible for the right half. There's been legislation to change that. So far it's been defeated, but eventually it will win. The law as it is makes sense for farmers, but for recreational property, it's a waste of money (for the rec owner).

I argue this with my inlaws all the time They're retired dairy farmers and I'm a recreational (hunting) property owner. It doesn't seem right or fair to force me to put up fence to keep YOUR cattle on YOUR property.

On my land, I have two rec owners and two farmers as neighbors. Between us rec owners, the fence is down (posts in, wire rusted, busted, down) and between me and the farmers, I have to keep up fencing to keep their cows in. BTW, I get along great w/ the farmers, hard working good guys! I just disagree with the law...

IMO, if you can afford the property you ought to be able to help keep up the fences. That is a part of rural living and being a good neighbor.

 

[Duffster]

IMO, if you can afford the property you ought to be able to help keep up the fences. That is a part of rural living and being a good neighbor.

Ditto

 

[Shirleyshusband]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I can afford the property and afford to fix the fences. I DO take care of my portion of the fence that I don't want, need or like, just to be a good neighbor. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any other buisness where your neighbor expects you to take care of his...buisness...can you? (no offense intended). In Wisconsin, junkyards must be surrounded by fence. The neighbors there benefit by not having to look at junk, but the junk yard owner pays for and maintains the entire fence.

Simply put, not everyone that lives in a rural area needs a fence. Don't read more into this than I write. Farming is a hard life, and most of the farmers I know are darn good and hard working people, I just can't figure out for the life of me how it becomes my responsibility to take care of his cows??? Because it's the way it's always been? Not a valid reason, and it wasn't that way 200 years ago.

 

[Duffster]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I can afford the property and afford to fix the fences. I DO take care of my portion of the fence that I don't want, need or like, just to be a good neighbor. Off the top of my head, I can't think of any other buisness where your neighbor expects you to take care of his...buisness...can you? (no offense intended). In Wisconsin, junkyards must be surrounded by fence. The neighbors there benefit by not having to look at junk, but the junk yard owner pays for and maintains the entire fence.

Simply put, not everyone that lives in a rural area needs a fence. Don't read more into this than I write. Farming is a hard life, and most of the farmers I know are darn good and hard working people, I just can't figure out for the life of me how it becomes my responsibility to take care of his cows??? Because it's the way it's always been? Not a valid reason, and it wasn't that way 200 years ago.

IIRC Fence laws date back to the time of the open range. You are not putting fence up to keep the cows on the neighbors property, you are putting up fence to keep the cows off your property. Your neighbor is doing YOU a favor by fencing half of it for you.

 

[dmccarty]

I manage our land for timber and thus have a timber tax valuation. This dropped our tax bill from something like $200 for 5 acres to $8.

I have not put up a fence yet since two side of the property are deep in woods and we have to clear the line. Two sides I have managed to clear and I will be putting up a fence. Someone stole my TPosts I put in to mark the survey pipes. So a fence will go up next. Our house on the west side of the property and I have caught two sets of trespassers. The east side has had some I am sure since that is were the TPosts disappeared. I did collect a tree stand from over there once.

The land can certainly own you. After almost 10 years its getting to a point that I can start enjoying the place. But there is always work. And you have to set priorities. My road has not been mowed all year. Looks like scat. But I am three months behind in chores due to a car accident and there are other things that have to get done. The grass can get cut once or twice this season instead of 4-6 times.

Later,
Dan