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Update on our venture
Topic Started: Sep 8 2012, 01:19 PM (7,377 Views)
kbrethauer
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Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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smorse
Oct 1 2012, 05:46 AM
Flashy every time you post, it gets better and better. Your mom might buy your current house - that's great. Your sis lives in the village.

Makena is going to have a great time. I bet your health will improve with the outdoor life.

I think the universe is finally done messing with you.
I was thinking the same thing! You and your family have been through a tough few years... You deserve this! All that good karma is finally coming home. I am so excited for you guys!
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FlashGordon
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Thanks so much everyone for the good thoughts and wishes. I am kind of holding my breath until I am sure this is actually going to happen, ie after the loan comes through and we close on the property.

I'm working on the website and the marketing collateral so we can hit the ground running as soon as the deal is wrapped up.

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vxf111
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Awesome!!!
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Lion1024
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It'll be an adventure! We're going on an adventure!
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Great news!!!

Best of luck from now until closing!
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JanM
Off visiting Candy Cave, be right back.
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http://www.acacamps.org/ This is an association of camps, and they offer an accreditation guide too. I don't know if this is the best one for information, or accreditation, but it might be a place to start.

They're having a continuing education and information meeting on the 4th, and it might be a good place to network.

They have a bunch of camp fairs, so you need to have brochures, pricing, and a nice display ready by then. http://www.acacamps.org/camp-fairs this would be a great way to get campers.
Edited by JanM, Oct 1 2012, 10:59 AM.
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Twiceshy
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Off visiting Candy Cave, be right back.
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:clap: :clap: So happy for you and the FG clan!

:luck: :luck: :luck: A few of these...

... a few of these :jingles: :jingles: :jingles:

... and all sorts of these! :martini: :martini: :martini:

So it looks like Lori O could drive up 84 to the Mass Pike and pick up Miss Bri, Bella Luna, Boston and I, and we'll head west again and pick up BH2 and TBF and be there in a few hours - just let us know! :teehee:
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Little Diva
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FG, I am so so happy for you!! :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: Cannot wait to see pictures!!
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jn4jenny
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Is the meadow on fire?
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FG, I'm late to this party but CONGRATULATIONS! I just posted on TOB on your equipment thread. What an exciting time!
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Witchy
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:jingles: :jingles: :jingles: :jingles: :jingles: :jingles: :jingles: Just throwing some extra jingles out into the universe, so that everything goes well... :luck: :luck: :luck:
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Trialbyfire
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I saw your post on COTH about tractors & implements, and thought I'd bring it over here also.

We have a Kubota that we bought new and love it. We could not find a good, used tractor for much less than a new one....tractors hold their value very well and a 3-4 year old tractor is almost the same price as a new one. Older tractors are easy to find, but we did not think we had the requisite mechanical knowledge to be able to fix/tinker with it if something wasn't working. For someone they would be a great buy, but not for us.

So if you are looking at dealers, consider the service component carefully. Our dealer will come here, pick up the tractor, take it to fix it and bring it back in only a few days. We have punctured a rear tire and also had to have the PTO serviced and both times they came out and got it asap, and returned it quickly. Of course we have to pay for pickup/delivery, but it is not worth owning a flatbed big enough to transport a tractor so it was totally worth it!

But, the BEST thing we ever bought was quick hitches that allow me to hook up the arena drag and brush hog by myself. And that is really important because even with two people it's nearly impossible to hook up a 5' brush hog - they are so heavy. I think the hitches cost about $600 for the base + two hitches but worth every penny. This is what it we got:

http://www.deltahook.com/

Other than that - definitely a front end loader, and some sort of arena drag (or two), a chain harrow tool to drag pastures, a dump wagon is on my wish list... :) At least a small set of basic tools in every barn (hammers, screwdrivers, etc.)
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FlashGordon
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Oh TBF I am glad you chimed in on the tractor. A friend of mine has a Kubota and likes it quite a lot. I have heard about those quick change hitches and it sounds like it would be a good investment.

I was worried about going into a dealer without knowing anything and getting upsold a whole lot of stuff, so it is good to know what everyone else uses and what extras they do/don't seem to need.

The way we worked the deal it will essentially be turnkey, minus her heavy machinery/equipment, which she is giving to her son.

Witchy yes I am hoping it all goes smoothly... fingers crossed.
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LostFarmer
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Ahh Tractors! I am a fan of the old ones that you fix on a little. Granted we do most of that ourselves.

The first and last thing on tractors is the service department. The Kabota, New Holland, Case-International, John Deere are all good as long as you have a good local dealer. I am not a brand snob.

What implements are you looking for? If snow is in your future and lots of it I would look at a snow blower on the tractor. When you blow snow you don't create as much of a pile. Around here if you make a pile or bank when you plow then you have that much taller drift when the wind blows. A snow blower also lets you clean lanes and the like without mess.

http://www.reddevilsnowblowers.com/tractor-mounted-blowers-540-rpm.aspx
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Fish Cheeks
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We love our Kubota and couldn't run our little 5-acre farmette without it. We have a harrow for the back that we use to drag the arena (tines up), but you can position it tines-down in two different ways so you can dig in a little or a lot.

We got a manure spreader and have RARELY used it.

Definitely front bucket.

We got a dump trailer that gets a lot of use during the winter.

Box scraper for the back.

Mr. Fishy got a tiller, too, that (when working) is good for prepping the pastures for seeding.

One thing he LOVES for chores around the property is a little quad with a little dump attachment on the back. He loads all his tools in it then drives around to do whatever he needs - I'd look into a quad or a golf cart or a Toolcat or something for a similar setup for Mr. FG. Mr. Fishy hates nothing more than being at one end of the property and forgetting a tool he needed then having to WALK back to the garage to get it. Much better to drive. ;)
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Barn Girl
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It'll be an adventure! We're going on an adventure!
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We have a TON of farm equipment. I think we have 5 tractors (maybe 6? :o ), bush hogs, drags, rakes, grader boxes, post hole diggers, planters, lime spreaders, cone spreaders, manure spreader, spray rigs, hay mower/conditioners, hay rakes, balers, etc. Mr. BG likes his toys. :) We also have a 4wd Gator with a dump bed that we use daily on the farm.

I'd actually advise against buying new from the John Deere dealer. We've been very disappointed with our newer JD stuff, plus they just screwed our local dealer by taking away the JD dealership from him, so now we have no local service (he wasn't meeting their sales quota). We had a tractor that we bought new and it was barely out of warranty time wise (not hours wise) and we had to pay $3k to fix something that shouldn't have broken that quickly. Our Gator has had issues and it's only a year old. The big JD tractor that hubby uses for hay has been in the shop multiple times lately and is, in fact, there again right now. :( Our old POS Massey Ferguson NEVER breaks down and it was the cheapest of all of them! I personally think older is better with tractors because like everything else, quality is just not there anymore in the manufacturing.

Whatever you do, do NOT buy a "gray market" Kubota-- we had one and it was nearly impossible to get parts for. They were imported somewhat illegally in the 80s and the dealers will not service them or get you parts. Luckily we didn't pay much for ours and sold it and got our money back.

If there's a piece of equipment that you're not sure if you really need or not, rent or borrow one first before you buy it. Some implements are nice to have but take up a lot of storage room and you end up not using them much. Also, search craigslist and local farm auctions for everything before you buy... a few of our tractors and a lot of our implements have come from there and you can get some great deals. We've gotten stuff at farm auctions way cheap just because nobody was bidding on that particular item.
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FlashGordon
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You guys are awesome, thank you for all this practical info. The topography is a lot different than what we are used to. Up here in the "northtowns" everything is flat, barren, and floods horribly. In the "southtowns" it is VERY hilly and you get a ton more snow. So I guess I am just nervous about having the appropriate equipment. Especially since we will be moving in the winter, and will have horses to take care of right off the bat.

On the upside I "met" our neighbor, on TOB, of all places! I knew of them but did not know them personally, as they run a lessons/boarding/training/sales barn with very lovely horses. We will share a driveway, and their barn/land used to be part of the original parcel. I've heard nothing but good/nice things about them so I'm excited about that.

We had another conference call with the realtor tonight, he has been fantastic. I am feeling good about things! Seems to all be rolling along like it should thus far.

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