Poor Farm Update...Spring Walkabout

So the status is this. Still working closely with a young couple on the sale of our farm. If all goes well we will leave here in November and they will move in. In the meantime we are increasing livestock numbers here to meet our present needs as well as future projections for possible new owners, who plan to sell the same products we are plus produce and poultry.

To make life even more fun we are now getting busy on Farm number 2 which we purchased last fall. The seven acres have proven a great place for target practice this winter but now with spring thaw here it is time for clean up.

The previous owners of The Poor Farm had lived there for many years but for reasons unknown to us, upkeep was obviously not a priority. Maybe they just got too old, too sick or just no longer cared when face with the foreclosure on their farm. I can’t help but feel empathy for them as we’ve learned this farm had been in existence sine the mid 1800′s. Recently Keith and I explored the property as weather warmed in order to see the lay of the land…

 At the north west side there is a naturally made pond. Only a couple of feet deep we plan to dig it deeper and wider. Will be a great place for natural water runoff and home for our ducks.

I love the faded red wood on this shed and we will probably reuse for the indie walls of our yet-to-be-built barn .Unless we can find a good barn close by that the owners want to sell or giveaway which we will move to The Poor Farm.

 We also needed to see how water flowed and drained, in which directions, at what speed etc. The day we went was perfect, we were able to see so much that we were not able to observe when we bought the property due to the extremely high grass/weeds.

And we needed to full asses the previous owners leftover “inventory.” Junk to some, recyclable metal to others.

At the farthest south west point we can clearly see the drainage pattern of the conventional field behind us. We were very happy to see that our property is built up (to the right) and the flow of water, topsoil and more than likely non-organic chemicals will run alongside our borders.

Although the property may seem a real shambles and represent nothing buy years of work, there exists an understated beauty.

 However…after all the leaves dropped from the bushes over winter we could now see the buried treasure it offered us.

 Lions and Tires and Bears…oh my.

Some other highlights. Raised concrete supports from an old corn crib,

An old motorcycle frame. Wondering if I need to place a call to American Pickers? You know how Mike Wolfe loves his motorcycle frames!

So ends this spring 2014 tour of The Poor Farm. Hope you enjoyed.