Things I Did Wrong

[HDRider]

I shot a man once.





















Should have shot him twice.

 

[BobbyLummus1]

i think if i was to do-over I'd buy all heifers and a good ba calve ease bull . turn em out and leave um alone . put time and money into grass not the livestock

 

[HDRider]

Bobby, I hope you are right. That is what I'm doing, against all the advice of not buy heifers.

 

[Jogeephus]

Bobby, I hope you are right. That is what I'm doing, against all the advice of not buy heifers.

It worked well for me especially when I learned the heifers were more successful calving without me pestering them and getting in the way. I've lost one heifer in five years and haven't pulled a calf in over eight years. Somehow its like they know what to do without my help.

 

[littletom]

Not went to college and seen the world. Bore down day after high school. Bought more land built bigger barns. Bought fewer of the best cows walking when I started. Instead of more of what I could afford. Put in more 16' gates no double gates!

 

[Bigfoot]

1. I'm a tight wad. I've only had a 4wd and FEL , about 3 years now. Wish I had bought one years ago.
2. Never sprayed pasture for weeds till about 3 years ago as well. Should have done that years ago.
3. Built one big huge barn, that does it all, instead of 7 job specific barns. It'd been cheaper in the long run.
4. I'll be the only one to say this. Bit off less, and enjoyed life more. Some days I wish I just 40 cows, and one bull. Bought hay, if I had to truck it in. Just enjoy my little herd, and take more time for myself.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

1- I would have configured my working pen and loading area differently.
2- Managed the pastures differently/better.
3- Installed more gates, in more places.

 

[Ouachita]

1- I would have configured my working pen and loading area differently.
2- Managed the pastures differently/better.
3- Installed more gates, in more places.

Yes, all these, and more for me. I wish I'd have done then what I'm doing now...........infrastructure and nutrient management. I wish I had been more Internet savvy and found CT much sooner.
I had the perfect opportunity back in 2008 when my wife was working at the local sale barn. She quickly became the first person folks would call when they had an orphan. That's how we started. That progression evolved into buying a couple nurse cows.........and then buying my Dad's heard from stepmom after he died in 2010. We topped out at 44 head in 2011, sold completely out in November 2013. Dumb luck and unbeknownst to me at the time; it was great timing. I was overstocked and behind the curve on my infrastructure. I was also expanding my day job business, so in hindsight it worked out well.
Now I'm clearing land, building ponds, and a real perimeter fence. Now on a soil nutrient management program and hope to begin the adventure again by this fall.

 

[callmefence]

Really tho, I left West Texas and moved back to East Texas. That, was a mistake, but stuck with it now.

Yeah greybeard, not sure why you didnt like moving back, and no offense to Caustic, but my experience in East Tx the hunting is harder and too many outlaw rip you off people instead of the good ole boy Texas I know out here. East Tx didnt feel like Tx anymore. Where I live we wave at each other while driving down the road. Had a deer lease out by Jasper and another in Newton. Not a good experience. Beautiful pine trees though. (Never saw a deer, people got them at night from the shots and evidence we found) Me and my buddy, both conservative, short hair, 40's, camo hunting gear stopped at a hole on the wall middle of no where gas station to grab snacks and use the rest room. As I went to the restroom the cashier screamed at the top of her lungs "No shooting up in the bathroom" WTH It was like being in the twilight zone

You were in the twilight zone..Anything east of the Neches is in the dmz between Texas and the southeast.

 

[greybeard]

Really tho, I left West Texas and moved back to East Texas. That, was a mistake, but stuck with it now.

Yeah greybeard, not sure why you didnt like moving back, and no offense to Caustic, but my experience in East Tx the hunting is harder and too many outlaw rip you off people instead of the good ole boy Texas I know out here. East Tx didnt feel like Tx anymore. Where I live we wave at each other while driving down the road. Had a deer lease out by Jasper and another in Newton. Not a good experience. Beautiful pine trees though. (Never saw a deer, people got them at night from the shots and evidence we found) Me and my buddy, both conservative, short hair, 40's, camo hunting gear stopped at a hole on the wall middle of no where gas station to grab snacks and use the rest room. As I went to the restroom the cashier screamed at the top of her lungs "No shooting up in the bathroom" WTH It was like being in the twilight zone

Them " Beautiful pine trees though." is one of the reasons. Obscure the views, fall on fences, fall on the roads, knock the powerlines out about once/month, eject pollen on a scale that would make the Pentagon's most ardent chemical warfare planner seem like a childish amateur, block the breeze and make the woods feel like an oven with an added humidity content that defies physics and all known and theoretic gas laws..

 

[BK9954]

Really tho, I left West Texas and moved back to East Texas. That, was a mistake, but stuck with it now.

Yeah greybeard, not sure why you didnt like moving back, and no offense to Caustic, but my experience in East Tx the hunting is harder and too many outlaw rip you off people instead of the good ole boy Texas I know out here. East Tx didnt feel like Tx anymore. Where I live we wave at each other while driving down the road. Had a deer lease out by Jasper and another in Newton. Not a good experience. Beautiful pine trees though. (Never saw a deer, people got them at night from the shots and evidence we found) Me and my buddy, both conservative, short hair, 40's, camo hunting gear stopped at a hole on the wall middle of no where gas station to grab snacks and use the rest room. As I went to the restroom the cashier screamed at the top of her lungs "No shooting up in the bathroom" WTH It was like being in the twilight zone

You were in the twilight zone..Anything east of the Neches is in the dmz between Texas and the southeast.

LOL!!!!! God I love my Texas! Wouldnt trade it for anything.

 

[pricefarm]

I would have build fence right the first time. I build new fence around the whole farm about 16 years ago. The fence that was there was falling down and growed up. I cleared it all out and build woven wire fence because then I was raising sheep. I went cheap and didn't put in good corner post and didn't brace good enough. Now all my fences are loose sagging down and the cows have pushed the fence post almost over. So now Iam rebuilding it alittle at a time the right way.

 

[pdubdo]

Newbie mistakes after a city boy owning land for 2+ years:
1. Thinking I could clear overgrown fence with a weedeater and a pruning saw
2. Got loaned a free bulldozer for 3 months-only put about 25 hours on it.
3. Storing my tractor outside in the woods to "hide it from sight"--possum nested in it, nest caught fire, melted wires all over the place
4. Not carrying a fire extinguisher on my equipment (see #3)
5. Thinking I could spot spray 75 acres with a backpack sprayer and control weeds.
6. Pulling a 40 ft tree over with my 4-wheeler using a 15 ft chain.
yes...city guys are this dumb

 

[Ol' 243]

Newbie mistakes after a city boy owning land for 2+ years:
1. Thinking I could clear overgrown fence with a weedeater and a pruning saw
2. Got loaned a free bulldozer for 3 months-only put about 25 hours on it.
3. Storing my tractor outside in the woods to "hide it from sight"--possum nested in it, nest caught fire, melted wires all over the place
4. Not carrying a fire extinguisher on my equipment (see #3)
5. Thinking I could spot spray 75 acres with a backpack sprayer and control weeds.
6. Pulling a 40 ft tree over with my 4-wheeler using a 15 ft chain.
yes...city guys are this dumb

LOL. . . . . . . . . . . actually, I think #2 was your biggest mistake.

 

[BK9954]

Newbie mistakes after a city boy owning land for 2+ years:
1. Thinking I could clear overgrown fence with a weedeater and a pruning saw
2. Got loaned a free bulldozer for 3 months-only put about 25 hours on it.
3. Storing my tractor outside in the woods to "hide it from sight"--possum nested in it, nest caught fire, melted wires all over the place
4. Not carrying a fire extinguisher on my equipment (see #3)
5. Thinking I could spot spray 75 acres with a backpack sprayer and control weeds.
6. Pulling a 40 ft tree over with my 4-wheeler using a 15 ft chain.
yes...city guys are this dumb

LOL. . . . . . . . . . . actually, I think #2 was your biggest mistake.

Heck yeah that was worth thousands and thousands of dollars. I only wish someone will loan me a free bulldozer and not record the hours. Clear all the mesquites off my property with that.

 

[Ca2le]

I agree. Bulldozer doesn't come cheap. I would definitely do that too.

 

[jkwilson]

Would have sucked it up and bought good equipment right from the start. Chute, fence, working pens, tractor, tools, etc..

I wasted a lot of time, got a lot of bruises and wore my self out getting by the cheap way.