Do you keep farm "cleaned up?"

[Dave]

Being single most of my life means that there has been no one around helping. I get to do all the cooking, laundry, cleaning, etc along with my full time job and the cows. As a result I have to prioritize. I do what needs to be done. Then I do what I have time to do. And I learned years ago not to worry about the rest.

 

[TexasBred]

Being single most of my life means that there has been no one around helping. I get to do all the cooking, laundry, cleaning, etc along with my full time job and the cows. As a result I have to prioritize. I do what needs to be done. Then I do what I have time to do. And I learned years ago not to worry about the rest.

I think nearly all of us are forced to "maintain things" this way most of the time....but when you see a place that looks like a complete shyt hole from the front fence to the back fence (what fencing there is) gives you a pretty good indication of the people living there. I agree with Brute on that. It's not a sin to live in an older home but at least keep it clean and show some pride in it. There's no excuse for filth period !!!!

 

[Bigfoot]

I had my place dialed in real good------till the kids were born. I had to back off some when they were little. They are 9 (twins) and 6. They have a to do list every afternoon now. Simple things that used to take me an hour and a half to do. The 3 of them, it still takes a while. Pick up trash on the road, fill water tanks, feed anything behind a stall door, that sort of thing. I can can now come in, and go straight to things they can't. Its a big time saver. We have lights on our arena. They have their horses caught, and ready to saddle when dusk comes. I am starting to see a noticable difference in my place. They can drive a tractor "with supervision". When they don't need me, we should get a lot done.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I had my place dialed in real good------till the kids were born. I had to back off some when they were little. They are 9 (twins) and 6. They have a to do list every afternoon now. Simple things that used to take me an hour and a half to do. The 3 of them, it still takes a while. Pick up trash on the road, fill water tanks, feed anything behind a stall door, that sort of thing. I can can now come in, and go straight to things they can't. Its a big time saver. We have lights on our arena. They have their horses caught, and ready to saddle when dusk comes. I am starting to see a noticable difference in my place. They can drive a tractor "with supervision". When they don't need me, we should get a lot done.

Live in hired hands are the best kind.

 

[herofan]

Being single most of my life means that there has been no one around helping. I get to do all the cooking, laundry, cleaning, etc along with my full time job and the cows. As a result I have to prioritize. I do what needs to be done. Then I do what I have time to do. And I learned years ago not to worry about the rest.

I think nearly all of us are forced to "maintain things" this way most of the time....but when you see a place that looks like a complete shyt hole from the front fence to the back fence (what fencing there is) gives you a pretty good indication of the people living there. I agree with Brute on that. It's not a sin to live in an older home but at least keep it clean and show some pride in it. There's no excuse for filth period !!!!

Speaking of older houses, there's something else I don't get. Where I live, some people go for the "rustic" or "primitive" look in their houses. They'll go out and buy old pieces of furniture and odds and ends that look like they've been lying under a drip somewhere, put them in their house, and people will come in and woo over it; however, if your house just looks that way naturally because it and all your stuff is old, it's somehow not the same in their eyes. :???:

 

[Brute 23]

I am not saying that as a judgement against any one. It doesn't make a flip to me what people do with their place... thats why they call it their place. ;-)

In my business I give estimates or bid on jobs regularly so that tends to be how I look at things. One of the factors I take in to account in pricing is what kind of business they will be to work with. In my limited experience... if I go to a run down ranch, O&G well, or any other place of business and things are sloppy that says some thing about how they choose to operate a lot of the time... not all the time... but a lot of the time. Its usualy not positive.

 

[highgrit]

Brute, do you have more than 1 truck?? The reason I ask is I do, when I am buying I drive my old 92 F250, when I am selling I drive my new Dodge. It's hard to believe people look at what you drive and think you got or you don't. I can assure you that you'll get the best deal driving an old truck and a pair of overalls.

 

[TexasBred]

Speaking of older houses, there's something else I don't get. Where I live, some people go for the "rustic" or "primitive" look in their houses. They'll go out and buy old pieces of furniture and odds and ends that look like they've been lying under a drip somewhere, put them in their house, and people will come in and woo over it; however, if your house just looks that way naturally because it and all your stuff is old, it's somehow not the same in their eyes. :???:

I have a house full of that stuff. She calls them antiques...I call them junk. But she does keep it nice and clean. I said nothing wrong with an old house...even one that needs repairs. But hopefully you'll still show some pride in it and do the most you can with it. About the only thing that looks worse than an old unkept "older" house is an unkept "new" house and some can trash one up before you can turn around.

 

[Brute 23]

Yes I do. I have a 98 a Z71 bordering 300K mi and a new Dodge diesel. I play the game like every one else. I adjust the type of vehicle, my clothing, ect to the type of job.

BUT... even my 98 is maintained, dependable, and eye appealing. Its a balance IMO. People don't like things that are junky.. or.. too fancy. Both ends of the spectrum can be negative depending on what is going on.

 

[herofan]

Speaking of older houses, there's something else I don't get. Where I live, some people go for the "rustic" or "primitive" look in their houses. They'll go out and buy old pieces of furniture and odds and ends that look like they've been lying under a drip somewhere, put them in their house, and people will come in and woo over it; however, if your house just looks that way naturally because it and all your stuff is old, it's somehow not the same in their eyes. :???:

I have a house full of that stuff. She calls them antiques...I call them junk. But she does keep it nice and clean. I said nothing wrong with an old house...even one that needs repairs. But hopefully you'll still show some pride in it and do the most you can with it. About the only thing that looks worse than an old unkept "older" house is an unkept "new" house and some can trash one up before you can turn around.

I'm sure it's all a matter of opinion. Ask 20 different people and you'll get 20 different opinions about what looks run-down and messy. I will have to say that I do keep what I have nice; my place doesn't look like a garbage dump that would qualify for a Jeff Foxworthy joke; I've never mowed the lawn and found a car. As far as doing the best I can, I guess that's opinion too. I've got a few bucks for a rainy day, and I'm sure some would take that and "fix the place up," but I really don't see the point. The place keeps me warm, dry, and there's no week-old bologna sandwiches under the couch, but the dusting rag doesn't get run as often as most people's.

A side story; There was a guy recently signed up to work as a mentor for a high school student after school hours. The story goes that he went to the student's house, saw a roach, and quit the job. :???: Hmm, I realize roaches aren't cuddly creatures and it's not a goal to have them, but i didn't realize they were that bad. I've been known to see one in my house a few times over the years; should I have moved out? What would this guy do if he saw a mouse??? I suppose everybody in that guy's family was too good to have ever had a roach in their house.

 

[TexasBred]

Hero noone is saying your place has to be a show place but a person can keep whatever type place he has clean and maintained. To not do it is a pretty good indicator of what you will find living there.

 

[greybeard]

Having taken over a place that had a 10 acre portion of it (being kind here) used as a junkyard/trash repository in the hoarder type category, I know how hard it is to make and keep things presentable.
I went thru a lot of misery and work to get most of that area cleaned up. Today, that part still looks pretty bad, but worlds away from what it was.
The rest, where I started with a clean slate, I keep up, haul my junk off when it accumulates, keep fence lines sprayed etc. Certainly not a show place tho.

 

[M5farm]

when I got my place my grand parents kept around the house neat but never hauled anything off in the FARM areas my guess is because of coming thru the great depression and I might need it mentality. It has taken me years to get it looking better. I do not care to be on the cover of better homes and garden. I spend a lot of time making sure that it is presentable.

 

[greybeard]

when I got my place my grand parents kept around the house neat but never hauled anything off in the FARM areas my guess is because of coming thru the great depression and I might need it mentality. It has taken me years to get it looking better. I do not care to be on the cover of better homes and garden. I spend a lot of time making sure that it is presentable.

This, has a lot to do with hoarder type things.
My own father went thru the depression, the saw WW2 bring scrap iron and old tire prices skyrocket. He was convinced, that one day history would repeat itself, and would never get rid of anything he thought would some day be a valuable commodity.

 

[A.Lane]

When we bought our place it was packed with tons of old tractors, combines and anything else that broke down in the past 100 years. Our neighbors were horrified that we were selling everything for scrap and cleaning it up. They were so worried that their taxes would go up.

I feel everyone should be able to do whatever they want with their own place as long as they are not hurting anyone else.

 

[dun]

When we bought our place it was packed with tons of old tractors, combines and anything else that broke down in the past 100 years. Our neighbors were horrified that we were selling everything for scrap and cleaning it up. They were so worried that their taxes would go up.

I feel everyone should be able to do whatever they want with their own place as long as they are not hurting anyone else.

Every farm we owned has had the dump area in the wodds, old refrigerators, cars, and just misc general junk. Takes forever to clean it all up but it's worth it to me.

 

[herofan]

I'm very anti-dump myself. I don't want the woods and sinkholes full of appliances and tin cans, or a field sitting full of old equipment. We never did that. There is a guy who owns a dairy a mile or so from me. He's apparently done well. He has three big tractors and a very nice, brick house that puts mine to shame. Then, right across the road, he has parked every piece of retired equipment known to man. There has to be at least 50 big items.

 

[dun]

I'm very anti-dump myself. I don't want the woods and sinkholes full of appliances and tin cans, or a field sitting full of old equipment. We never did that. There is a guy who owns a dairy a mile or so from me. He's apparently done well. He has three big tractors and a very nice, brick house that puts mine to shame. Then, right across the road, he has parked every piece of retired equipment known to man. There has to be at least 50 big items.

A dairyman friend of mine has about 5 acrs like that. He claims it's for spare parts. I know it's come in handy for me to scrounge an oddball part to make do with.

 

[Jake]

I'm very anti-dump myself. I don't want the woods and sinkholes full of appliances and tin cans, or a field sitting full of old equipment. We never did that. There is a guy who owns a dairy a mile or so from me. He's apparently done well. He has three big tractors and a very nice, brick house that puts mine to shame. Then, right across the road, he has parked every piece of retired equipment known to man. There has to be at least 50 big items.

A dairyman friend of mine has about 5 acrs like that. He claims it's for spare parts. I know it's come in handy for me to scrounge an oddball part to make do with.

Our place is very similar. Grandpa has about every implement around that he's owned since the 70s. Lot of us can't stand it but every once in a while you can find a special bolt off of something.

 

[Brute 23]

Equipment, old iron, even a slanted old barn are understandable. Its the flat out trash... Or building the fence 3' from the other one you were too lazy to tear down... if you have a tractor grave yard in the pasture thats different than it being in your front yard with your three past vehicle that are all broke.