October 26, 2021 – I am maybe, just maybe, starting to think this is actually going to happen. The sellers are in contract on their new property. They have passed through the inspection and remedy period with no problem. They are waiting on their appraisal. My folks are “closing” (no pun intended) in on me. My loan officer is hounding me for an insurance policy. The title commitment has been written and bonded. The county auditor has published the deed restrictions. The title company wants me to make an appointment. Just a few last more t’s to cross and i’s to dot. One of them being, they’ve got to get the septic pumped. As my realtor said, I need “poop pump proof.”
The sellers and I bandied about the prices and conditions of his various farm equipment. I finally found a good article from Equus that covers an introduction to farm machinery for new horse farm owners. Basically, unless I have 30 acres of hay field it makes no sense for me to make my own hay. I’m glad to have that decision overwith. So, no need for a rake, tedder, mower, conditioner, baler, or hay wagon. All I really need to do is mow my fields 3 or 4 times a year when the grass is getting ahead of me. And maybe have a PTO I can use to drive an augur to dig fence post holes. Oh, and maybe spread manure. All these things need about a 25hp tractor. He wanted to sell me his TYM tractor that was closer to 45hp. I thought, well, it’s a tractor that is already there, maybe I should just buy it. But then I told myself, don’t buy a piece of machinery you don’t need just because it happens to be already sitting in the barn. I’ll shop around next spring for a used 25hp model. Then I’ll need a 5 or 6 ft bushhog. Those are a dime a dozen I’m sure I can find a used one. And maybe, maybe a ground-driven manure spreader. But really the chickens – and the dung beetles – are supposed to do that job. I will be very curious to see if that actually works the way I think it should.
I did buy the seller’s gator for $3500. Gabe and I saw comparable gators online with a lot more hours selling for $5,000. So I feel like that is a good deal, as long as the guy has changed the oil in it like he says he has. So now there are 3 vehicles that Gabe needs to change the oil in and rotate the tires on! So I will at least have one vehicle to start with that I can haul small square bales and fencing supplies and manure in. I wonder if it has a power dump – I did not ask about that, and it would be very nice to have.
Am I close enough that I can start to plan around this happening? Can I start shopping for a pasture buddy for Dolly? Can I start shopping for sheep fencing, and cattle panels? Can I stop training Dolly for ARHA and start training her for farm work? I told myself that if this deal fell through I would console myself by showing ARHA next year. I guess I need to spend just a few more weeks practicing ARHA patterns – ‘cuz it ain’t over until the fat lady sings.
The Tranquility Ranch 