Buying a new farm

[charter capt]

OK folks, I made a verbal agreement on buying a 200 acre farm with a 2400 sq ft brick house. The farm has 150 acres of pasture that is fenced into 8 pastures At one time they were raising cows on the property then it was converted to a feed lot with 600 head. The owner got bored with cows (has lots of money) and built a horse training facility that includes a metal horse barn that has 25 stalls and facilities to take care of show horses i.e. square training pens, round training pens, horse excercise machine. The pens are not made out of post and barbwire, they are made out of round tubing.

The eight pastures are connected by a 25' wide shoot that goes to another barn that has catch pens, a head gate, and loading facilities for big trailers. The cow pens need some repair, but not much. There are 2 streams that run across the property and every pasture has water available to it. The fences are 8 strand solid wire with 3 of the strands being electric. All the electric circuits and chargers need to be overhauled. With the exception of a few corner posts that have been damaged by careless tractor driving the fencing is in good shape. Most of the post are 6" round and treated. The property is rectangular shaped on a dead end rural road, the front of the property has road access and the other three sides are bordered by timberland. I am not familiar with this style of fencing, do you have to use a charger or is the stand wire adequate to keep the cows in? How do you think I could best utilize the horse handling facilities on the property? Also, I forgot to add that the property comes with a 75hp tractor and attachments and has 2 large grain bins.

OK folks, let the opinions fly !!!!!

 

[MikeC]

Board horses for others. More money than cattle for sure.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Board horses for others. More money than cattle for sure.

That is dang sure get rich off the pet owners.

 

[Alice]

Sounds nice...I especially like that the rural road dead ends into the property. That is how our property is and it is great!

Also, it doesn't sound like, from your description, that the repairs are extensive and you already have a good bit of infrastructure established. :D

Good on you!

Alice

 

[Cabo]

Sounds like you have found a great place with the hardest work already done. I agree with Mike C and Caustic, more money in the horses but you can still have as many cows as you will want to handle in the winter months. Is it in the area that you mentioned before? I would definately use the electric fence chargers, best thing since sliced bread.

 

[charter capt]

The farm is located in Hardin Co. Tn. I have a brother that lives outside Memphis Tn., he has 10 acres and boards a few horses and also thinks that I should get into boarding horses.I am not sure what would be the best way to advertise this however. I thought about trying to find a trainer in need of a facility.

 

[hersh]

OK folks, I made a verbal agreement on buying a 200 acre farm with a 2400 sq ft brick house. The farm has 150 acres of pasture that is fenced into 8 pastures At one time they were raising cows on the property then it was converted to a feed lot with 600 head. The owner got bored with cows (has lots of money) and built a horse training facility that includes a metal horse barn that has 25 stalls and facilities to take care of show horses i.e. square training pens, round training pens, horse excercise machine. The pens are not made out of post and barbwire, they are made out of round tubing.

The eight pastures are connected by a 25' wide shoot that goes to another barn that has catch pens, a head gate, and loading facilities for big trailers. The cow pens need some repair, but not much. There are 2 streams that run across the property and every pasture has water available to it. The fences are 8 strand solid wire with 3 of the strands being electric. All the electric circuits and chargers need to be overhauled. With the exception of a few corner posts that have been damaged by careless tractor driving the fencing is in good shape. Most of the post are 6" round and treated. The property is rectangular shaped on a dead end rural road, the front of the property has road access and the other three sides are bordered by timberland. I am not familiar with this style of fencing, do you have to use a charger or is the stand wire adequate to keep the cows in? How do you think I could best utilize the horse handling facilities on the property? Also, I forgot to add that the property comes with a 75hp tractor and attachments and has 2 large grain bins.

OK folks, let the opinions fly !!!!!

$500,000?

 

[john250]

Since you've made a go of it as a charter capt., you are likely good with people. Don't board horses if you aren't good with people. And get money up front. You'll need some help to board horses, too. Can you manage workers? Training facilities? Do you have any credibility as a trainer? You'll need to look for a limited partner with some training credibility if you don't.
I ask this because I have minimal knowledge of your particular skillset.
Labor: Horse people are frustrating to me because I'm always thinking--"If we put swing panels on those stalls we could clean them in about an hour with a Bobcat." And they see some virtue in somebody mucking out the stalls. One at a time. Hour per stall. I've loaded enough manure with a pitchfork to satisfy most anybody. It isn't any better manure or any better care of the horse than if a machine mucks the stalls.

Myself, I'd be tempted to feed 600 hd, since you have facilities for that. Again, you'll need labor. And you'll have to be sharper than Caustic's wit with the buy-sell side of things. You'll need experts--is there a good cow vet around?
Most folks who make a living feeding cattle would bet on where a fly will land. Is that your spirit?

Horse folk tend to be a lot better looking than cattle people--ok, speaking only for myself. Cowboys and girls are hard not to like, and they are better grounded, as a rule, but they ain't in showbiz to the extent of horse folk.

No one but you has the answer to this, so work a cash flow spreadsheet every few hours until the numbers reveal the truth. And analyze what you are good at and weaknesses.
Sounds like an opportunity to get excited about. Congratulations. :lol: :lol: [/img]

 

[Cowdirt]

The farm is located in Hardin Co. Tn. I have a brother that lives outside Memphis Tn., he has 10 acres and boards a few horses and also thinks that I should get into boarding horses.I am not sure what would be the best way to advertise this however. I thought about trying to find a trainer in need of a facility.

IMHO the area in and around Hardin Co. would not at this time support a horse boarding operation. On the other hand if you use your Memphis connection and market this to the folks in Memphis and Jackson who already have Houseboats and cruisers at the Pickwick Landing Marina you might find a lucrative business could be developed around horses. There is at least one quite large cattle operation in Hardin Co. Surprised that he hasn't already jumped on this property.

 

[Crowderfarms]

OK folks, I made a verbal agreement on buying a 200 acre farm with a 2400 sq ft brick house. The farm has 150 acres of pasture that is fenced into 8 pastures At one time they were raising cows on the property then it was converted to a feed lot with 600 head. The owner got bored with cows (has lots of money) and built a horse training facility that includes a metal horse barn that has 25 stalls and facilities to take care of show horses i.e. square training pens, round training pens, horse excercise machine. The pens are not made out of post and barbwire, they are made out of round tubing.

The eight pastures are connected by a 25' wide shoot that goes to another barn that has catch pens, a head gate, and loading facilities for big trailers. The cow pens need some repair, but not much. There are 2 streams that run across the property and every pasture has water available to it. The fences are 8 strand solid wire with 3 of the strands being electric. All the electric circuits and chargers need to be overhauled. With the exception of a few corner posts that have been damaged by careless tractor driving the fencing is in good shape. Most of the post are 6" round and treated. The property is rectangular shaped on a dead end rural road, the front of the property has road access and the other three sides are bordered by timberland. I am not familiar with this style of fencing, do you have to use a charger or is the stand wire adequate to keep the cows in? How do you think I could best utilize the horse handling facilities on the property? Also, I forgot to add that the property comes with a 75hp tractor and attachments and has 2 large grain bins.

OK folks, let the opinions fly !!!!!

$500,000?

If it was near here, you'd be looking at close to a Million. Hard to even find a 200 Acre place that's set up like the above one.

 

[Moocow11]

And how much do they want for this property 1,000,000

 

[JMichal]

Sounds nice. If you can put up with people and their kids runnin all over, not to mention the liability.
If you didn't purchase the land for farming, but for some sort of capitol gain do the horse deal. Pain in A$$ to me but awfull fun to some.
I do enjoy a great gaited horse (Own 5 now & break my own) but horse people are ahuge pain in the a$$. And don't like being billed.

I like my privacy, my cows, my horses, and runnin my dogs with friends when they come to enjoy the ranch. means much more than the allmighty $$.

 

[hersh]

OK folks, I made a verbal agreement on buying a 200 acre farm with a 2400 sq ft brick house. The farm has 150 acres of pasture that is fenced into 8 pastures At one time they were raising cows on the property then it was converted to a feed lot with 600 head. The owner got bored with cows (has lots of money) and built a horse training facility that includes a metal horse barn that has 25 stalls and facilities to take care of show horses i.e. square training pens, round training pens, horse excercise machine. The pens are not made out of post and barbwire, they are made out of round tubing.

The eight pastures are connected by a 25' wide shoot that goes to another barn that has catch pens, a head gate, and loading facilities for big trailers. The cow pens need some repair, but not much. There are 2 streams that run across the property and every pasture has water available to it. The fences are 8 strand solid wire with 3 of the strands being electric. All the electric circuits and chargers need to be overhauled. With the exception of a few corner posts that have been damaged by careless tractor driving the fencing is in good shape. Most of the post are 6" round and treated. The property is rectangular shaped on a dead end rural road, the front of the property has road access and the other three sides are bordered by timberland. I am not familiar with this style of fencing, do you have to use a charger or is the stand wire adequate to keep the cows in? How do you think I could best utilize the horse handling facilities on the property? Also, I forgot to add that the property comes with a 75hp tractor and attachments and has 2 large grain bins.

OK folks, let the opinions fly !!!!!

$500,000?

If it was near here, you'd be looking at close to a Million. Hard to even find a 200 Acre place that's set up like the above one.

Well you rich people will never have to worry about me bringing the property values down. :lol:

 

[flaboy?]

If you board horses, get a good lawyer to draw up a contract. There are those out there that will sue for getting bit by a fly and then there are those that drop off their horse and you never see them again. Then there are the ones that don't pay, don't feed, and just don't care.

 

[Matt S]

Being a charter captain, you know how fickle the public can be. If you've thought this out, you will realize how foolish it will be to board other people's horses at your house. There are a million different reasons that people can and will yank your ass out of your house at any minute of the day just to tend to their horse. A horse boarding business with your residence on site is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[Howdyjabo]

Put on cutting/team roping events/dog trials(no spectators)- adds value to the calves.
Rent horse facilities to trainer/s---adds value( labor/exposure/prestige) to the events

 

[3MR]

Put on cutting/team roping events(no spectators)- adds value to the calves.
Rent facilities to a trainer -adds value to the events

can you explain this more please? How does it add value?

and why no spectators?

 

[Howdyjabo]

No spectators--they are a pain in the ass , and require inputs that are hard to offset($$ and time) unless you go big.
and theres new laws on the books in most places to limit liability of participants at horse events-- but not the spectators.

Value-- they charge an arm and a leg for the cattle use.
Its not a great value if you have to haul them in and out for the weekend.
but if they are right there--- its good money.

 

[charter capt]

DUN WHERE ARE YOU? YOU ARE A MENTOR/GURU. I AM WAITING FOR YOUR INPUT BECAUSE YOU ARE MY HERO

 

[dun]

DUN WHERE ARE YOU? YOU ARE A MENTOR/GURU. I AM WAITING FOR YOUR INPUT BECAUSE YOU ARE MY HERO

Too jealous to speak

dun