Getting started

Are you 20 yrs old or 60 yrs old? If your closer to 20 you hopefully have 50 or more active healthy years ahead of you and you can do just about anything.

If your closer to 60 or 70, old age and infirmity are on the horizon. Then you have to think about adjusting your plans for when you can no longer do what you used to. Example...Is the house handicapped accessible, 2 stories or one..ect. You don't see a lot of 80 year olds throwing around hay bales.

Do you have children that might be interested in taking over the farm one day?

I am in my early 30's. I have time to devote to it. If it can make some cash. I am not needing to get rich. Just want to do more than put veggies on the table.

You need to have a groundbreaking ceremony. Dig a hole in a spot you like for your garden--then take the soil into the ag extension service in your county to get it tested........start from there, and buy some seeds and plants that you like to eat.....and a water hose.......... Then a good pair of gloves.

How's that for a plan? Gotta start somewhere...http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/

geo

To start with, take some soil samples. How long has it's been since tobacco was raised on your land? Pull soil samples from different areas and talk to your extension agent about what will grow? Are there blueberry bushes grown around you? Visit the farmer's market in the busy season and find out what people are asking for and what isn't available. You might want to grow it. We have 4 acres asparagus and about 600 blueberry bushes. Any info I can pass on, I'd be happy to do.

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Will you be living on the land this year?
What do you have against selling timber? It grows back, you know. Also it might help the land, depending on what you want to do.
Of course, you might want to wait until you have a plan before you timber.

Pasture could grow cows. Cow prices are high. Fence, buy calves in the spring and sell in the fall.

In my neck of the woods, cows and goats are high.....check the cattle and cirtter prices by you too!

__________________
Be a fountain, not a drain!

^()^
http://tubbsfarmstead.com/

Are there other small farms around that you could visit - even if it's only a website visit? You might get more ideas from locals or almost local of something that would strike your fancy. If you want to homestead, the next step after a garden is to raise some animals. If that's not your thing, then perhaps a Upick of small fruits? or orchard?

Chickens? Rabbits? Rather than let the land sit while you decide, you might investigate the idea of letting someone else hay it for you. Then you can sell your portion of the hay if you have no animals. That's income you can put elsewhere without much effort.

I can tell you what I'ld do!

First off I would want to follow Geo's suggestion to get on the place and start raising veggies that will sustain my life..maybe even a few chickens for meat/eggs; and Paul has the right idea about it taking time, hard work and "determination" to create anything of value.

Then I would start doing a lot of walking...all over the place...checking out what is presently growing, how the water flows, if there is any evidence of an area being a flood zone. I would then take "several soil samples from each area into the local agricultural department and talk with them about what grow well in that area, i.e. fruit/nut trees/bushes, vegetables and dont' forget "wild edible" plants. (Don't forget to talk with them about the different types of soil/areas you found during your walks and get their opinion as to what would grow best where.

Then as I wait the results of the soil test, I would visit the nearby markets, i.e. farmers' markets, restaurants, super markets, whatever else you can find in an effort to discover if there is anything they have been wanting that they have a hard time getting...TO FIND OUT WHAT POSSIBLE MARKETS YOU MAY HAVE!

You might know the farmers on the east coast (other places too) have a hard time finding quality hay for their animals. That might be one way to use your pastures; but do not make the mistake of growing what others do. Seek out some quality grasses that are endophyte free and advetise them as such...healthier and more pricey with no more expended money than on caring for any other type of grass/pasture. (Even an old tractor with an old-type bailer would do the job.)

Remember, if you're going to make money, you will have to spend money up front; so go at your own speed to get something that will be of quality down the road and don't just jump on doing something for fast payoff.

Take your time, settle into your country home, make sure you are comfortable and safe and take tiny steps at a time. (Oh and be sure and find out from which direction your area's worse storms come and what type of predators your area has.)

Good luck and enjoy your new venture!

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I am what I am! Acknowledging this is the beginning; and my growth is yet to end. http://motdaugrnds.com/farmsales ~~~~~ http://motdaugrnds.com