# TEXAS



## wynedot55 (Jul 9, 2008)

ok ill get this 1 going.im from north east texas.


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## ponderchick (Jul 19, 2008)

Hi! I'm Nancy and I am  from San augustine, Texas!


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## crittertalker (Jul 20, 2008)

I'm just outside Corsicana


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## treehouse (Feb 28, 2009)

HI I am in Argyle Texas
I am looking for both meat and milking cows


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## Imissmygirls (Feb 28, 2009)

wynedot... are you near the big highway that goes thru northeast TX?
DD is an Aggie, and now lives in San Antonio. We have driven from PA to visit 3 times-- usually going Texarkana to Dallas and down to SA.


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## wynedot55 (Mar 2, 2009)

i close to I30 that gose up through dallas.im 6hrs from SA.as well as 6 to 7 hrs from collage station texas.


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## jhm47 (Mar 2, 2009)

A few years ago, we drove from the SD/ND/MN border to Las Freznos.  We drove nonstop.  Wife drove for about an hour through OK.  She woke me up just north of Dallas/Ft Worth, about 6AM.  I thought that we must be close to Las Freznos, since we were in Texas.  Was I ever wrong!  That state is BIG!!!

It was a sad trip.  Our daughter and son-in-law lost a baby (miscarriage) while on spring break from med school.  And---they don't drink or do drugs, if that's what you're thinking.  SIL's parents and brother live in Las Freznos, and DD & SIL went there to visit.  DD and SIL now have two beautiful daughters.

On the way back home, it was 90 degrees when we went through OK City.  Got to Sioux City, IA, and hit an ice storm.  Slid into Sioux Falls, SD, got a room and crashed.  Drove the rest of the way home on solid ice the next day.  Why the heck do we live here???


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## wynedot55 (Mar 2, 2009)

yes texas is a big state.me an a friend has made some trips from here to fairfield an the otherside of austin as well as the otherside of little rock ark in a days time.an those was some hard round trip runs pulling trailers loaded.


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## Pure Country (Mar 3, 2009)

crittertalker said:
			
		

> I'm just outside Corsicana


From Texas but living in Ga right now.  We go thru Corsicana going central Texas all the time.


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## PoultryScienceAggie (Mar 3, 2009)

College Station, TX


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## Holly K (Mar 4, 2009)

I am in Canton, Texas.  Home of the World Famous First Monday Trades Days.


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## wynedot55 (Mar 4, 2009)

holly your about 40mi from me.


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## Holly K (Mar 4, 2009)

Texas is a big state, but its a small world.  Which town do you call home?


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## wynedot55 (Mar 4, 2009)

sulphur springs is where we do our shopping.


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## LavacaW (Jul 11, 2009)

I am in Hallettsville, TX...south central part of the state.  No matter what part of the country or world we have travelled to, we just keep coming back to Texas.  You can take the girl out of Texas but you can't take Texas out of the girl!


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## TxMom (Jul 11, 2009)

I'm near Sealy...just west of Houston on I-10.

Texas is a BIG state...I drove from Houston to Dallas to Lubbock once, it took me about 12 hours!  I have no idea how long it would take to drive out west to El Paso...


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## LlanoLonghorn (Jul 11, 2009)

We are near Llano and Coopers BBQ. We have driven from Beaumont Tx to ElPaso and it is a two day drive. Yes Texas is a big state.


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## wynedot55 (Jul 11, 2009)




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## Buster (Jul 19, 2009)

Graduated from high school in Weatherford. Did a bit of dairy work there and roofing in the DFW are after graduation and before joining the Marines in late 1972. My daughter lives in Arlington, brother and his son in NRH.

Yeah, Texas is big. For the purposes of sites like this folks should divide it up into quadrants.  I'm much closer to folks in north Texas than most Texans are.


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## Gone Country (Jul 19, 2009)

A few folks may have heard of the little town I live in... Buffalo TX.  Population less than 2,000!  Its a new experience for me being a Navy brat for 10yrs, then spending another 12yrs as a Marine wife. Always moving around and being in the city. Now I live in the middle of nowhere.


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## TXn_in_AK (Jul 20, 2009)

Hello Fellow Texans... I hope ya all don't think me to sappy but I LOVE Texans... I love how we brag about our big state... does my heart good cause where I live now... well ... they think we are puny!  I am from Houston area... Cypress... then went on up the road to A&M then took a deture to Cali, back to Texas... ended up in North West Central on our family ranch raising boers I had 600 head of nannies in 03 when I left... (still own house and ranch there) now new hubby and I live in Alaska... as of 6 months ago NW AK... DH is Alaskan kinda stuck on it and wouldn't leave so he said will you settle for NW AK as opposed to NW TX.. I said sure so we now live in a Native Alaskan Fly-in Only Village on Norton Sound.  We lived in Anchorage for 6 years.   We just got some chickens and should have some goats here in a few weeks no boers getting Dwarf Nigerians.    Kids all love it and having goats again will make it feel more like home even when there is only 3 hours of day light!

  So Howdy ya all... miss home... Gig-um Ags... 
Blessings,

Txn in AK


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## Kute Kitten (Jul 20, 2009)

I'm not from Texas, but I have to say 1 thing about it, there are a lot of members in Texas, and it sounds like an awsome state to visit !

 to the herd!


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## wynedot55 (Jul 20, 2009)




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## Gatorpupsmom (Jul 22, 2009)

We live in Albany, Texas.  

Since NO ONE ever knows where it is, my standard description is "30 minutes from Abilene."  It's a wonderful small town, population of about 2000.  Takes us about an hour and a half to get to Fort Worth when we do decide to get a taste of big city life.  

Kim


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## Mesquite (Jul 24, 2009)

Just outside Roosevelt TX (pop18)  New to this site and Goats. Finally (after 10 years) got the fence done, all but the water gap and will soon be looking for animals. Plan to get 4 or 5 nannies. I already own 2 Nubian billies whose mother died and I bottle fed till they were old enough to be by themselves then gave them to a friend that has a small herd of boer / spanish cross.  So I will just bring one of them back for a visit once a year.  I had planned on getting Nubian nannies but after reading the post here on breeds I think I wont be so picky and maybe get different kinds and have a variety.


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## wynedot55 (Jul 24, 2009)

youll enjoy the goats.but they will get on your nerves.


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## paynemom (Apr 27, 2010)

Just south of Waco and looking for something to fill the back 3 acres of natural pastureland with. Beef or pork? What's best for a newbie? Only experienced with chickens!


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## anythingbutsandy (May 13, 2010)

I'm in Kyle, Texas.


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## texasshell (Jun 17, 2010)

Hi fellow Texans  I am east of San Antonio in Marion.  Any one close?


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## StormyMoon (Jul 14, 2010)

Alvarado Tx here, I was hoping to see more from Alvarado considering there are a lot of farms around here.

When I need something everyone is so far away I was looking for some feeders I could mount on the wall for my goats but ended up having to build them. No one in this area geez and all these farms surely people don't all travel 1 - 2 hours away just to buy supplies.........?


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## ranchhand (Jul 14, 2010)

I'm a Texas ex-pat, made a wrong right turn one day and ended up on South Carolina. Still not sure how that happened 9 years ago.... 

If I could uproot this little chunk of land I'd plant it west of Austin.


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## Ranch Girl (Jul 14, 2010)

I'm for the Texas Panhandle. 
I doubt anybody is near me! I live out in the middle of now where! lol


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## Chicken_Girl75495 (May 22, 2011)

Hi, just joined up.  We live east of Van Alstyne, TX, in an unincorporated township called Cannon.  If you do one of the map functions (mapquest, etc.) for Cannon, TX, you get our next door neighbor.

We have chickens, so I joined BYC maybe a year ago.  Several months ago, maybe February?, we bought two bucklings (?) at the Bonham Trade Days, and brought them home.  We knew nothing, fortunately they were pretty hardy.  They are very small.  Nubian?  Pygmy?  Daughter who is responsible for them coming to us (Please, Ma? Please?) named them Matthew and Mark.  So they are Maddie and Markie, of course.  Cute as they can be and purely pets as we have 12 acres but no does.

Anyway, already having a very nice time here--cannot wait to cough at the boys when they buck at us the next time! 

Christine


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## Shiloh Acres (May 22, 2011)

I'm in-between a bunch of y'all. Canton and Corsicana and Alvaredo are all within driving distance and I get by all of them sometimes. Sulphur Springs is where I went to pick up my llamas. My town barely has a name and population of humans is ... Less than that of cows, I'm sure. 

Enjoying it here, but the weather sure is weird this year. Still windy and coolish at times, and here it is almost June!

Looking for a big feed mill, but I can find most of the supplies I need. Took a lot of calls the other day to find someone with leg bands for geese though, and I sure need some day-old BR pullets for a broody I want to pull off her nest.


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## OtterCreekRanch (Jul 19, 2011)

I am from right outside Canton.


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## rascal (Jul 22, 2011)

Evant  TX.  North of Lampasas, west of Gatesville. Nothing more than a map dot!


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## jmsim93 (Aug 12, 2011)

Henderson, TX!!!!   Glad to see some other East Texas people here!!!


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## Queen Mum (Oct 15, 2011)

I'm in Comfort, Texas.  West of Kerrville in  Kendall County,  Slightly North and East of  San Antonio..   Lots of rocks here.   Quite a few cactus.  Not much else.   I'm told it's called the "hill country".  Yep there are hills here.

When it rains, the hills come running down the hill and march right into the barn.

I moved here from Washington State in September 2011.   It's called Washington because that's what happens there a lot.  It rains nonstop.  (160 days and nights last year.)   Washes everything clean and leaves moss in it's place.      BTW, Noah had only 40 days and nights of rain and he built an Ark and sailed away.   So I got in my pickup and came here. 







I brought some rain with me but apparently not enough.  I guess I should have built an ark.

Sara
Queen Mum


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## greybeard (Oct 24, 2011)

East Texas--just north of Cleveland.


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## esbee (Oct 29, 2011)

I just came on the BYH forum today.  I live in Quinlan, TX - northeast of Dallas.


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## Queen Mum (Oct 29, 2011)

Welcome to Texas from someone else who just got here.


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## greybeard (Nov 3, 2011)

From a member of the vanishing breed known as a native Texan-- for you recent arrivals:





   :bun


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## Ms. Research (Nov 4, 2011)

greybeard said:
			
		

> From a member of the vanishing breed known as a native Texan-- for you recent arrivals:
> 
> [url]http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/2685/nonative.jpg[/url]
> 
> :bun


Congratulations!   Unfortunately I'm stuck in a "Nanny" State.  And it's not Goats.  The "I know what's best for you" attitude.  So much for Democracy.


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## Ms. Research (Nov 4, 2011)

Ms. Research said:
			
		

> greybeard said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## oneacrefarm (Jan 11, 2012)

I live in SE Texas, 90 miles east of Houston and about an hour to the Louisiana border. It's called the Golden Triangle area....I have yet to figure out WHY... LOL!


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## Sheepdog (Jan 17, 2012)

Im new to the site, but it's a great site. I am not in Texas, but in South East OK only about 45 miles north of the Texas border, so our closest big town in Sherman. 

We run commercial beef cattle, meat sheep,  raise & train & show QHs, train & trial working border collies and raise and show some little pot licker dogs too. 

Anyone close by??


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## Vickir73 (Apr 23, 2012)

Hi everyone!! I'm in East Texas about 9 miles north of Livingston (100 miles north (up 59) of Houston).  I raised and showed goats in high school (20 years ago) and just obtained 3 nubian does this weekend.  Two are pregnant.  We bought sweet goat feed and a mineral block.  I don't know if they had feed or just pasture before we got them.  How sensitive are goats' systems?  Can I make them sick by giving them/switching them to feed and pasture?


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## elevan (Apr 23, 2012)

Vickir73 said:
			
		

> Hi everyone!! I'm in East Texas about 9 miles north of Livingston (100 miles north (up 59) of Houston).  I raised and showed goats in high school (20 years ago) and just obtained 3 nubian does this weekend.  Two are pregnant.  We bought sweet goat feed and a mineral block.  I don't know if they had feed or just pasture before we got them.  How sensitive are goats' systems?  Can I make them sick by giving them/switching them to feed and pasture?


  Welcome to BYH from Central Ohio!


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## Vickir73 (Apr 30, 2012)

Thank you!! I've been giving my girls feed (stuff I'm mixing) for the 2 weeks I've had them and am noticing a difference - the SweetLix I ordered thru Jeffers is supposed to be delivered this week - I'm very excited to be a part of this group !!


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## Vickir73 (Jun 4, 2012)

Hey y'all just had my first baby born Friday - I posted his pics under the "birthing" forum!! Very excited.  I have another doe that due on the 19th, but I don't think she's going to make it that far - she's huge!


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## hilltopdextercattle (Aug 5, 2012)

Hello from Lufkin


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## DoubleARanch (Sep 11, 2012)

Ennis, TX


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## bigmike (Oct 17, 2012)

Hi Y'all Im from Bellevue, 30 miles east of Wichita Falls. Am a native Texan who due to the military have spent a LOT of my adult life in Europe.Returned home a few years ago and have almost 2 acres. Just got some dairy goats and a few laying hens.Plan to try to produce as much of our food as possible at home.I am sure I will be on here a lot due to my inexperience with goats.......Mike


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## HappyFamilyFarm (Oct 25, 2012)

Gatesville, TX just north of Fort Hood.  I am not a native Texan but fell in love with one.


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## AshleyFishy (Jul 5, 2013)

Tyler Texas here


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## Moonshine (Jul 5, 2013)

I see a lot of folks that are by me but don't seem to be active on BYH anymore. 
I'm in Jasper TX.


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## AshleyFishy (Aug 18, 2013)

Gone Country said:
			
		

> A few folks may have heard of the little town I live in... Buffalo TX.  Population less than 2,000!  Its a new experience for me being a Navy brat for 10yrs, then spending another 12yrs as a Marine wife. Always moving around and being in the city. Now I live in the middle of nowhere.


At least you have a nice feed store.


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## azron (Nov 30, 2013)

From Northeast Texas, New Boston area.


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## 6under1roof (Dec 16, 2013)

goatgirl132 said:


> From south of San Antonio
> I will annoy everyone with my contentious questions!! ... litterly haha



Hello!
I'm just south-east of San Antonio in a tiny town you might miss if you blinked on 87 called Stockdale. We just moved here from Victoria.


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## oweirdo (Mar 4, 2014)

Georgetown/liberty hill


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## frustratedearthmother (Mar 4, 2014)

Right near Alvin, TX


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## azron (Apr 14, 2014)

I'm in Northeast Texas, near New Boston.


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## Greywolf1962 (Jan 12, 2015)

Hey guys, new here just signed up today. I'm in Huntsville about an hour north of Houston. I have a flock of 10 chickens and we just got a Califourain buck about a year old a New Zealand buck 8 weeks old and a New Zealand doe about 2 years old.
Chickens are for eggs and meat, rabbits are for meat and profit.


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## Ferguson K (Sep 26, 2015)

Anyone going to Conroe trade days tomorrow? We will be there with birds.


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 27, 2015)

Dang it- guess I'll miss it again this year.  I live with in 90 minutes/miles of Conroe, but I'm out of town babysitting the grandkids and won't be home until tonight.  

Hope you do well!


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## Ferguson K (Sep 27, 2015)

We're only bringing poultry. Decided against loading the pigs and goats up today. Those are easier to sell with pictures LOL. 

We live about 2 hours away.


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## frustratedearthmother (Sep 27, 2015)

Hope there's a great turn out.  In the past, it seems like the spring show was better, but who knows?  Maybe I can get there for the next one.  

Good luck!


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## Ashley Marshall (Apr 20, 2016)

I'm new here, from a tiny town about halfway between Beaumont & Lufkin. We've had chickens, horses, & of course dogs for a while now but my hubby just finished the goat & pig pens, so we'll have those too before too much longer.


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 20, 2016)

Welcome!    Ya'll get wet this week?


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## Ashley Marshall (Apr 20, 2016)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Welcome!    Ya'll get wet this week?


We didn't get it quite as bad as Houston did, but at least I didn't have to water the garden!


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## Latestarter (Apr 20, 2016)

Greetings @Ashley Marshall from the front range in Colorado. Welcome to BYH. Glad you joined us. We have a good group of TX folks here. I'm sure you'll meet a few more of them over time. Good luck with your soon to have goats and pigs. Share some pics when you get them if you will... We all live for pics here.


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## Devonviolet (Apr 20, 2016)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Right near Alvin, TX


Wow! You are _only_ 5 hours 10 minutes from me!


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## Devonviolet (Apr 20, 2016)

I'm near Sulphur Springs, only way out in the country. 'Bout 3 miles, as the crow flies, from Pickton.

We got almost 5 inches in the past 2 days, a total of over 18" for the year, so far. But, our 5" is probably not even half of what y'all got down your way, @frustratedearthmother!  our news is saying anywhere between 16-20" in the Houston area.  How much did you get?


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 20, 2016)

We were pretty lucky too...  We're 'only' at 8 inches for the month - almost 18 for the year.  Monday we got almost 6 inches at work, but where I live about 10 miles south, we only got a bit over 3...and another inch today.  S'posed to get more tomorrow - Yay - NOT!

I spent a little bit of time today looking into how to build a retaining pond and/or a rain garden, lol.


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## Ferguson K (Apr 20, 2016)

I don't know out exact measurement but we're around six inches here.


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## Devonviolet (Apr 20, 2016)

Ferguson K said:


> I don't know out exact measurement but we're around six inches here.


Where-abouts?


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## tressa27884 (Aug 12, 2016)

I'm coming to Paris the end of the month to look at properties!  Can't wait!


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## tressa27884 (Aug 12, 2016)

Sheepdog said:


> Im new to the site, but it's a great site. I am not in Texas, but in South East OK only about 45 miles north of the Texas border, so our closest big town in Sherman.
> 
> We run commercial beef cattle, meat sheep,  raise & train & show QHs, train & trial working border collies and raise and show some little pot licker dogs too.
> 
> Anyone close by??


How close are you to Paris?  I'll be there the end of the month.  I'd love to have some help working with my BC, and get another to go with her.


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## greybeard (Aug 12, 2016)

My mother-in-law lives North of Paris, near Tigertown.


tressa27884 said:


> How close are you to Paris?  I'll be there the end of the month.  I'd love to have some help working with my BC, and get another to go with her.


Familiar with the area too. M-I-L lives out 79 between Sumner and Direct--NW of Paris about 18 -20 miles. Little community called Georgia--down the Tigertown turnoff.


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## Baymule (Aug 13, 2016)

tressa27884 said:


> I'm coming to Paris the end of the month to look at properties!  Can't wait!


Where are you now? Why are you moving to Paris? I am north of Tyler in Lindale. I love east Texas! Welcome to Texas! We will have to meet up, along with @Devonviolet, she lives about 45 minutes from us.


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## Devonviolet (Aug 14, 2016)

Yes, we occasionally drive to Paris to have labs done.  Its a beautiful drive.


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## Latestarter (Aug 14, 2016)

I just drove through Paris on my way east and south of there. Seemed like a very nice area.


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## tressa27884 (Aug 18, 2016)

Baymule said:


> Where are you now? Why are you moving to Paris? I am north of Tyler in Lindale. I love east Texas! Welcome to Texas! We will have to meet up, along with @Devonviolet, she lives about 45 minutes from us.


I'm in California, SF Bay Area.  I found some land I really like in Paris, the schools are good, and I am over the crazy politics and prices in California.  I've been researching for about a year. I lived in North Carolina for a long time, love the south.  Texas seemed like the best place for me and my kids when I did research.  I actually looked at Tyler / Longview area, but it seemed too big for me.


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## tressa27884 (Aug 18, 2016)

Devonviolet said:


> Yes, we occasionally drive to Paris to have labs done.  Its a beautiful drive.


I have a house in Sulphur Springs on my 'want to see' list.


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## Baymule (Aug 18, 2016)

@tressa27884 are you looking for  house with land? Wood county is real pretty and has small towns. What is your criteria? Devonviolet and I will start looking for you!


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## tressa27884 (Aug 18, 2016)

greybeard said:


> My mother-in-law lives North of Paris, near Tigertown.
> 
> Familiar with the area too. M-I-L lives out 79 between Sumner and Direct--NW of Paris about 18 -20 miles. Little community called Georgia--down the Tigertown turnoff.


So excited to meet some Texans.  I'll be needing guidance in finding my way around I'm sure!


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## tressa27884 (Aug 18, 2016)

Baymule said:


> @tressa27884 are you looking for  house with land? Wood county is real pretty and has small towns. What is your criteria? Devonviolet and I will start looking for you!


Thanks!  Of course I want it all!  Minimum 5 acres, 4 bedroom 2 bath.  Good schools, fenced (preferably cross fenced).  My maximum is 135k.  I sent you a PM with my cell phone number.  I'm working with Earlene at Alta Terra realty.  I'm not _set_ on Paris.  I am set on NO SNOW.  The closer the visit gets the more excited I am!  I'm also really nervous, driving cross country with 2 kids, 3 dogs, a cat and a parrot is a little daunting.  I'm sure it will be fine right?


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## Baymule (Aug 18, 2016)

LOL! Are you bringing your pets with you on the visit? That ought to be some trip! Hope you have kennels to carry them in. The kids, not the pets--JUST KIDDING!  Can't wait to meet you!

http://www.landsoftexas.com/

Here's a link that might help on your search. Just enter the county, acres and so on.


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## tressa27884 (Aug 18, 2016)

Baymule said:


> LOL! Are you bringing your pets with you on the visit? That ought to be some trip! Hope you have kennels to carry them in. The kids, not the pets--JUST KIDDING!  Can't wait to meet you!
> 
> http://www.landsoftexas.com/
> 
> Here's a link that might help on your search. Just enter the county, acres and so on.


I've been using that site!  I like it.  I've also scoured Realtor.com.  If you see anything amazing please let me know.


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## Baymule (Aug 18, 2016)

@tressa27884 

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/2351-W-FM-515-Winnsboro-Texas-75494/3247170

WOW! this one is nice!
http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/3196-FM-1801-Mineola-Texas-75773/3227442


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## Baymule (Aug 18, 2016)

And a couple more @tressa27884 
http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/4685-FM-279-Ben-Wheeler-Texas-75754/3458815

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/302-Vzcr-4514-Ben-Wheeler-Texas-75754/3409894


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## greybeard (Aug 18, 2016)

tressa27884 said:


> I have a house in Sulphur Springs on my 'want to see' list.



Sulphur Springs is a very nice small town with a rich agriculture history, and at one time (in my lifetime) was the dairy capitol of Texas. Still enough dairy in the area that they have separate sale barn days for beef and dairy. Beautiful area, and great soil for pastures. Plenty of businesses to acquire anything you will need for a farm of any size, but still small enough to call it a town and not a real city.  I also very much like Yantis, Emory, and Mineola. I have spent a lot of time in and around Sulphur Springs, and in Rains, Hopkins, Woods, and Van Zandt counties as well as in Lamar County. Of those counties, even tho I love my m-i-l dearly (Lamar county resident), I personally would avoid Paris (in Lamar County) like the plague. The crime rate for the size of the town is horrendous and good jobs are few and far between. According to citydata, Paris gets a 343.4 crime rating overall (a larger number is undesirable--national average is 287.5) and Sulphur Springs has a 143.4 crime rating) 
http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Paris-Texas.html
http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Sulphur-Springs-Texas.html

Tyler, tho a very nice area, has grown by leaps and bounds as people from the Dallas metroplex have moved into the area--traffic, for the size of the town can be daunting at times. If you get out toward Whitehouse or Flint, things improve greatly.


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## Baymule (Aug 19, 2016)

@tressa27884 here are properties in some east Texas counties. Now you can be thoroughly confused, LOL. You can use the city crime data Greybeard provided to see if you want to live there.

Anderson County
http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/161-ACR-2111-Elkhart-Texas-75839/2917712

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/1509-CR-477-Palestine-Texas-75801/3002078

Henderson County
http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/12-acres-in-Henderson-County-Texas/3134966

Cherokee County

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/260-CR-1210-Rusk-Texas-75785/2721477

Rusk County

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/3006-CR-3198-E-Henderson-Texas-75654/3440084

Cass County

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/354-CR-3663-Queen-City-Texas-75572/3101766

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/2159-N-Hwy-59-Linden-Texas-75563/3453735

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/502-Hurt-Drive-Bloomburg-Texas-75556/2737563

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/2401-FM-74-Atlanta-Texas-75556/3358422

Hopkins County @Devonviolet lives between Winnsboro and Sulphur Springs

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/345-County-Road-1158-Brashear-Texas-75420/3394702

Titus County

http://www.landsoftexas.com/property/9605-CR-1200-Mount-Pleasant-Texas-75455/2928404


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## tressa27884 (Aug 19, 2016)

greybeard said:


> Sulphur Springs is a very nice small town with a rich agriculture history, and at one time (in my lifetime) was the dairy capitol of Texas. Still enough dairy in the area that they have separate sale barn days for beef and dairy. Beautiful area, and great soil for pastures. Plenty of businesses to acquire anything you will need for a farm of any size, but still small enough to call it a town and not a real city.  I also very much like Yantis, Emory, and Mineola. I have spent a lot of time in and around Sulphur Springs, and in Rains, Hopkins, Woods, and Van Zandt counties as well as in Lamar County. Of those counties, even tho I love my m-i-l dearly (Lamar county resident), I personally would avoid Paris (in Lamar County) like the plague. The crime rate for the size of the town is horrendous and good jobs are few and far between. According to citydata, Paris gets a 343.4 crime rating overall (a larger number is undesirable--national average is 287.5) and Sulphur Springs has a 143.4 crime rating)
> http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Paris-Texas.html
> http://www.city-data.com/crime/crime-Sulphur-Springs-Texas.html
> 
> Tyler, tho a very nice area, has grown by leaps and bounds as people from the Dallas metroplex have moved into the area--traffic, for the size of the town can be daunting at times. If you get out toward Whitehouse or Flint, things improve greatly.


Thanks Greybeard!


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## tressa27884 (Aug 19, 2016)

@Baymule - thanks for these listings.  The one in Atlanta is on my most favorite list.  My fingers are crossed it looks as good in person as it does in the photos.  I can't believe I'll be in Texas in eight days!


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## Devonviolet (Aug 19, 2016)

Wow @Baymule, you're a property hunting MACHINE!!!  I'm over on my data useage so far, so can't spend much time looking for property for tressa. I'd say you have found her some amazing options! The one in Brashear is only about 35 minutes away from us. 

Hey @greybeard, that was some great research you did! I'd have to say you were right on the money about Sulphur Springs. It has it's weak points, but all things considered it's a nice little town, with decent shopping & eating options.

It's too bad you are so far South of us. It would be awesome if you could join one of our Texas contingent get togethers! 

The more the merrier, I say. We have some pretty awsome homesteaders here in Texas!


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## tressa27884 (Aug 19, 2016)

Devonviolet said:


> Wow @Baymule, you're a property hunting MACHINE!!!  I'm over on my data useage so far, so can't spend much time looking for property for tressa. I'd say you have found her some amazing options! The one in Brashear is only about 35 minutes away from us.
> 
> Hey @greybeard, that was some great research you did! I'd have to say you were right on the money about Sulphur Springs. It has it's weak points, but all things considered it's a nice little town, with decent shopping & eating options.
> 
> ...


So what y'all are saying is I need to find a place equidistant from all y'all so we can meet at my place.


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## Latestarter (Aug 19, 2016)

Hey Tressa! I'll be leaving for TX tonight after I pick up my house and animal sitter daughter. @Baymule is a home listing/finding machine isn't she? 
Good thing you were/are already set on moving to TX as these TX folks would "badger" you till you changed your mind! I've met both Bay and Devon and their DH's... GREAT folks!  I hope that @Ferguson K and her DH will be joining us all for dinner tomorrow evening. I believe some Tex/Mex cuisine is on the schedule   Going to look at 3 properties, one of which will be mine next month


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## tressa27884 (Aug 19, 2016)

Latestarter said:


> Hey Tressa! I'll be leaving for TX tonight after I pick up my house and animal sitter daughter. @Baymule is a home listing/finding machine isn't she?
> Good thing you were/are already set on moving to TX as these TX folks would "badger" you till you changed your mind! I've met both Bay and Devon and their DH's... GREAT folks!  I hope that @Ferguson K and her DH will be joining us all for dinner tomorrow evening. I believe some Tex/Mex cuisine is on the schedule   Going to look at 3 properties, one of which will be mine next month


Good luck!  If you see anything I might like send me links...


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## Ferguson K (Aug 19, 2016)

If @Baymule still had my number she needs to text me a location. None of my contacts transferred to my new phone.


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## Devonviolet (Aug 19, 2016)

tressa27884 said:


> So what y'all are saying is I need to find a place equidistant from all y'all so we can meet at my place.


*****


Latestarter said:


> Good thing you were/are already set on moving to TX as these TX folks would "badger" you till you changed your mind!



That pretty much sums it up!!! 
  ​


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## Devonviolet (Aug 19, 2016)

tressa27884 said:


> I'm in California, SF Bay Area. I found some land I really like in Paris, the schools are good, and I am over the crazy politics and prices in California



I grew up in Fresno and San Jose!  Even back then the smog was _nasty, _in the Santa Clara Valley!  Now that they call it "Silicon Valley" and the population as probably quintupled, I'm sure its worse.

And property values?  In 1963 my parents bought a 1500 sq ft ranch on 1/10th of an acre, for $16,000. My sister just looked it up on Zillow & it is valued at a whopping *$1.25 MILLION!!!* Yikes! 

I used to love to go to San Francisco. There is no way I would want to live in California now!


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## tressa27884 (Aug 19, 2016)

Ferguson K said:


> If @Baymule still had my number she needs to text me a location. None of my contacts transferred to my new phone.


Holy Cow!  I just went to your FB page.  I want one of those spotty babies!


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## babsbag (Aug 19, 2016)

Devonviolet said:


> I used to love to go to San Francisco. There is no way I would want to live in California now!



Nobody wants to come live in CA    But why are there so many people here?

My husband lived in Texas until he was 8 and you couldn't drag him back there for all the free land or money in the world.  

I'm really picky about my weather. I HATE humidity, I love snow...once every few years, 3" or less.  I don't care for fog, I don't like wet summers as it wrecks havoc on my garden and orchards (there is a reason CA grows so much produce), and I don't like big bugs that come with wet summers and high humidity, not overly fond of rain in general. So there is a reason I stay in CA. it meets all of my requirements. Oh, and I'll skip the hurricanes and tornadoes, at least when the earthquake happens everything is right where I left it and I won't find my goat in a tree or my car in the next county.  

But the bureaucracy is a whole other issue...


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## Devonviolet (Aug 19, 2016)

babsbag said:


> But the bureaucracy is a whole other issue...


That, the smog, the masses of people [I also lived in the Los Angeles area - I was there for a 6.7 magnitude earthquake in 1970  SCARY!] and the cost of living, is why I don't want to live in California.

I'm sorry Babs, I didn't mean to dis your beloved piece of California. If I remember correctly, you live in Southern CA, far from the maddening crowd. That would be okay. I just HATE crowds & can't afford to live in CA anymore. 

I hate the heat in Texas, but love the friendly people and open spaces here in Texas. If you could see our 360° views, you would likely want to live here too.


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## Latestarter (Aug 19, 2016)

I don't know... I'm pretty sure Babs is one o'them California babes through and through... Getting her to move to someplace with rain, and humidity to go with the heat... pretty much like pulling hen's teeth... She's pretty entrenched and building this dairy pretty much locks her in there. Too bad...  I bet she'd make one great neighbor!


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## tressa27884 (Aug 19, 2016)

Devonviolet said:


> I'm sorry Babs, I didn't mean to dis your beloved piece of California. If I remember correctly, you live in Southern CA, far from the maddening crowd. That would be okay. I just HATE crowds & can't afford to live in CA anymore.


It's too peoply here.  I want to be able to be at home and not have my neighbors looking into my yard from their back deck.  I don't want to hear them or see them unless I choose to do so.


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## greybeard (Aug 19, 2016)

Latestarter said:


> Good thing you were/are already set on moving to TX as these TX folks would "badger" you till you changed your mind!



Being a native born Texan, and having traveled the globe several times in my mis-spent youth before returning back home under the Lone Star (as I always knew I would) I normally make a very concerted and pointed effort to inform prospective first time 'immigrants' to Texas of the many natural and man made perils and pitfalls they may encounter here, but of late, I take a greater pleasure in simply letting them learn of those dark points in a more personal way once they have arrived.


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## tressa27884 (Aug 19, 2016)

babsbag said:


> Nobody wants to come live in CA  But why are there so many people here?


@babsbag - how is the dairy going?  You're not in the middle of the fires are you?


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## tressa27884 (Aug 19, 2016)

greybeard said:


> Being a native born Texan, and having traveled the globe several times in my mis-spent youth before returning back home under the Lone Star (as I always knew I would) I normally make a very concerted and pointed effort to inform prospective first time 'immigrants' to Texas of the many natural and man made perils and pitfalls they may encounter here, but of late, I take a greater pleasure in simply letting them learn of those dark points in a more personal way once they have arrived.


Gee thanks!  Having lived in North Carolina, I know about heat, humidity and bugs...... what am I missing?


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## babsbag (Aug 19, 2016)

Devonviolet said:


> I'm sorry Babs, I didn't mean to dis your beloved piece of California. If I remember correctly, you live in Southern CA, far from the maddening crowd. That would be okay. I just HATE crowds & can't afford to live in CA anymore.



I was born in So. CAL but been a No. CA girl since my dad was smart enough to move out there when I was 2. I grew up in the country with Yosemite in my back yard (almost) and lived in the same small town (sounds like a song)  until I was done with 2 years of college. Then went to the central valley for a short time, and moved back to Sonora when I got engaged. A few years later a job change moved us to the Bay Area for 23 years. The kids went away to college and then I got smart enough to move us out of there. I now live in Northern No. CA, near Redding, a few hours from the OR border. The city is big enough and country is available everywhere. I love it up here. Now if Sacramento politics would just leave us alone life would be grand. 

@Latestarter, I would love to be neighbors with just anyone on BYH. 

@tressa27884  No fires up here this year, thankfully. Which reminds me...I need to find some kind of insurance for this dairy; this equipment has not been cheap. The dairy is going slow as it is just too darn hot to work on it much. I do a huge majority of the work myself and right now I am averaging about 2 hours a day. I am putting up wall panels in the milking parlor.  My goal is March.


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## tressa27884 (Aug 19, 2016)

babsbag said:


> I was born in So. CAL but been a No. CA girl since my dad was smart enough to move out there when I was 2. I grew up in the country with Yosemite in my back yard (almost) and lived in the same small town (sounds like a song)  until I was done with 2 years of college. Then went to the central valley for a short time, and moved back to Sonora when I got engaged. A few years later a job change moved us to the Bay Area for 23 years. The kids went away to college and then I got smart enough to move us out of there. I now live in Northern No. CA, near Redding, a few hours from the OR border. The city is big enough and country is available everywhere. I love it up here. Now if Sacramento politics would just leave us alone life would be grand.
> 
> @Latestarter, I would love to be neighbors with just anyone on BYH.
> 
> @tressa27884  No fires up here this year, thankfully. Which reminds me...I need to find some kind of insurance for this dairy; this equipment has not been cheap. The dairy is going slow as it is just too darn hot to work on it much. I do a huge majority of the work myself and right now I am averaging about 2 hours a day. I am putting up wall panels in the milking parlor.  My goal is March.


I was hoping to find land near you, but no luck.  I've set my cap towards Texas!  I'm really excited.


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## Baymule (Aug 19, 2016)

tressa27884 said:


> @Baymule - thanks for these listings.  The one in Atlanta is on my most favorite list.  My fingers are crossed it looks as good in person as it does in the photos.  I can't believe I'll be in Texas in eight days!



*NOOOOOOOOOOO000000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not Atlanta!!! *It's too far away!! 

On the other hand, Mineola is such a nice town.......


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## babsbag (Aug 19, 2016)

Well if Texas doesn't work you can always give No. CA another look, but I hope you find something that you like.  There certainly are cheaper places than CA but I just can't give up our weather so here I stay. Good luck in your search.


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## Ferguson K (Aug 19, 2016)

@tress27884 of you're referring to put latest kids, we lost both of them.


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## tressa27884 (Oct 31, 2016)

Update! We put an offer on a house in Cooper, and will be moving there end of the year!  Cannot wait!


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## animalmom (Oct 31, 2016)

@tressa27884. Congrats another convert to the Texan way of life.


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## tressa27884 (Oct 31, 2016)

animalmom said:


> @tressa27884. Congrats another convert to the Texan way of life.


Thank you.  I've been looking for so long.  We're all really excited to be there FINALLY.


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## Baymule (Oct 31, 2016)

tressa27884 said:


> Update! We put an offer on a house in Cooper, and will be moving there end of the year!  Cannot wait!


What?? No link so we can look too??  congrats, I am so happy for you and that you have found what you wanted.


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## Ferguson K (Oct 31, 2016)

Awesome!!! welcome to Texas, prematurely.


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## greybeard (Oct 31, 2016)

tressa27884 said:


> Update! We put an offer on a house in Cooper, and will be moving there end of the year!  Cannot wait!


I highly recommend both the brisket at Murray's BBQ and the malts and milkshakes at the old fashioned soda counter in Miller's Pharamacy in Cooper.
FatBoy's ribs are legendary.


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## Latestarter (Oct 31, 2016)

Grats! Lookin forward to meeting up with you once you get settled!


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## Devonviolet (Oct 31, 2016)

WooHoo!     So glad to hear you are moving so close. You will be about the same distance as Latestarter is from us.  I, too, am looking forward to meeting you.


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## tressa27884 (Nov 1, 2016)

Baymule said:


> What?? No link so we can look too??  congrats, I am so happy for you and that you have found what you wanted.


http://www.realtor.com/realestatean...W_Cooper_TX_75432_M72821-55924?ex=TX613235271

Here's the link!  How horrible of me to not include it......


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## tressa27884 (Nov 1, 2016)

Devonviolet said:


> WooHoo!     So glad to hear you are moving so close. You will be about the same distance as Latestarter is from us.  I, too, am looking forward to meeting you.


Remind me again where you are...


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## tressa27884 (Nov 1, 2016)

Latestarter said:


> Grats! Lookin forward to meeting up with you once you get settled!


Thanks!  How close are y'all to Cooper?  I have 19.5 acres I'm going to need help with.


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## Baymule (Nov 1, 2016)

That looks nice! Is that a storm cellar is see out in the field? You will be glad of that, be sure to stock it with lanterns, we had a flouresent one and it put out a lot of light. And water and snacks, a board game or something to do while you sit in a hole praying a tornado doesn't squat on your home. I sound real cheerful, huh?  Actually I am jealous, wish I had one!


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## animalmom (Nov 1, 2016)

That looks way nice!  Thanks For giving us a sneak peak at your new home.  Congrats!


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## Latestarter (Nov 1, 2016)

Nice place! I'm a bit south of I-30 in Mount Pleasant. Basically down 271 from Paris. 35-45 miles or so.


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## Devonviolet (Nov 1, 2016)

tressa27884 said:


> Remind me again where you are...



6+ miles due South of a tiny burough called Saltillo, which is just North of I-30, 12 miles East of Sulphur Springs.


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## Devonviolet (Nov 1, 2016)

Very nice home!    I can't wait to see it in person!  

I, too, am jealous of the storm cellar.


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## TAH (Nov 1, 2016)

Congrats on your farm

Hope you settle in nicely


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## samssimonsays (Nov 1, 2016)

Congrats on the new home!


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## tressa27884 (Nov 2, 2016)

greybeard said:


> I highly recommend both the brisket at Murray's BBQ and the malts and milkshakes at the old fashioned soda counter in Miller's Pharamacy in Cooper.
> FatBoy's ribs are legendary.


I think Miller's Pharmacy just closed - but I'll for sure be heading to FatBoys!


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## tressa27884 (Nov 2, 2016)

Baymule said:


> That looks nice! Is that a storm cellar is see out in the field? You will be glad of that, be sure to stock it with lanterns, we had a flouresent one and it put out a lot of light. And water and snacks, a board game or something to do while you sit in a hole praying a tornado doesn't squat on your home. I sound real cheerful, huh?  Actually I am jealous, wish I had one!


It is a storm shelter.  It's only 6x6 and right now it has some water in it (somebody left the top open).  Our hope is to expand it and use it both as a root cellar / food storage as well as a shelter.  Tornados - woo.  Not sure I'm ready for those, but of course we have earthquakes here and we don't get an advance warning, so I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.  Tornado season starts in March right?


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## tressa27884 (Nov 2, 2016)

Latestarter said:


> Nice place! I'm a bit south of I-30 in Mount Pleasant. Basically down 271 from Paris. 35-45 miles or so.


Yippee!  You're close!


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## greybeard (Nov 2, 2016)

tressa27884 said:


> I think Miller's Pharmacy just closed - but I'll for sure be heading to FatBoys!


That is a shame. been about 18 months since I was in there--the older lady fixing the shakes looked pretty frail then but she still  had the gift of gab for sure.


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## tressa27884 (Nov 6, 2016)

Devonviolet said:


> I'm near Sulphur Springs, only way out in the country. 'Bout 3 miles, as the crow flies, from Pickton.
> 
> We got almost 5 inches in the past 2 days, a total of over 18" for the year, so far. But, our 5" is probably not even half of what y'all got down your way, @frustratedearthmother!  our news is saying anywhere between 16-20" in the Houston area.  How much did you get?


I just looked at a map Devon!  You're only about 30 minutes from me!


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## Bowman85 (Nov 8, 2016)

New to this site. We're located in Monahans.


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## frustratedearthmother (Nov 8, 2016)

Hi Bowman!  You are waaaaaaaaaaaaay out there, huh?  I'm south of Houston and there are quite a few more Texicans here!

Welcome!


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## Bowman85 (Nov 8, 2016)

@frustratedearthmother yes we are way out there. Lol Thank you, we are just getting started on building our little Farm. It's nice to have others at least online who share the same life style, I guess is a good way to put it.


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## Hens and Roos (Nov 8, 2016)

Congrats on your place!


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## Bowman85 (Nov 8, 2016)

Hens and Roos said:


> Congrats on your place!


Thanks


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## TAH (Nov 8, 2016)

Welcome from alaska


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## greybeard (Nov 8, 2016)

Bowman85 said:


> New to this site. We're located in Monahans.


Welcome!!
I did some radiation remediation work on the McElroy Ranch for about 60 straight days over near Crane/MCcamey in the mid 90s and went up to the dunes while I was out there. Beautiful country.


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## Baymule (Nov 8, 2016)

@Bowman85 welcome to the site. Mosey on over to the New Members Introductions and tell us a little about your self. We're a friendly bunch, people from all over the country and several other countries as well. I am north of Tyler.


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## Latestarter (Nov 8, 2016)

Greetings Bowman and welcome to BYH and the TX thread! Make yourself at home! Feel free to share pics as we're all pretty much addicted to them. Browse around and jump in when you feel the call. If you have questions, just ask away and normally someone will get to it pretty quick. Glad you joined!


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## Devonviolet (Nov 9, 2016)

Bowman85 said:


> New to this site. We're located in Monahans.


   Welcome to BYH. It's so nice to have you join us.  We had just bought our land and were just getting started when I joined BYH. This is an amazing group of homesteaders, who are more than happy to help others succeed. So, you have come to the right place. Don't be shy, and don't hesitate to ask questions. 

​


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## Baymule (Nov 9, 2016)

@Bowman85 for a lot of us, this is the only place we can come where there are others like us. It is so nice to know that you aren't alone....  Can't wait to hear more about you and your farm!


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## tressa27884 (Nov 10, 2016)

Bowman85 said:


> New to this site. We're located in Monahans.


Welcome to the Texas thread!


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## LMK17 (Mar 25, 2017)

Hey everyone!  We're in San Antonio.   

We're in the process of purchasing property for our homestead.  Question number one is, how much land do you all have?  I'm having a hard time deciding the right acreage for us.  Once we're all up and running, I'd love to have several garden plots, a small orchard, a couple large standard donkeys, a couple feeder pigs for part of the year, a beehive, chickens (layers + broilers), and a dairy animal + her offspring (for selling or the freezer)-- family self sufficiency (or close as possible to it) is the plan.    Initially, I figured on approx 10 acres, minimum, but as we're having a hard time finding that, I'm wondering if we could make it on less?  Do you think 5 acres would work?  This will be right outside of San Antonio, probably to the east or north of the city.

Also, the TX agricultural exemption stuff is giving me fits!  I've checked in 2 counties, Bexar and Guadalupe, and both tax offices say that hobby farms are specifically excluded from being ag exempt.  In Bexar, they went so far as to say that my hobby farm would be subject to the roll back tax if we purchased ag exempt land.  In Guadalupe, they said my farm couldn't remain ag exempt, but there would be no roll back penalty.  In both cases, the issue is that they want a straight run of something (several beehives, 3+ acres in orchards, 4+ head of cattle) and won't let me combine different species/ventures to meet the required agricultural intensity.

Finally, what about mineral rights?   Do you all have them on your land?  DH and I went into this wanting mineral rights so that we could prevent anyone from drilling on our land without our permission, but the rights are pretty hard to come by, we're seeing!  Are mineral rights a significant consideration for you all?


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## Latestarter (Mar 25, 2017)

Most mineral rights are long gone. bought up by oil companies. Really, you shouldn't have to worry about anyone drilling on your land. They can access the oil under your property from a mile away if they really wanted to. They just drill at an angle. Wait until they find a way to buy up rights to sunlight, then charge you for using it


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## LMK17 (Mar 26, 2017)

Well, that's the truth about buying up rights to the sunlight!  

I'm curious, what are you doing with your property?  Are you ag exempt?  How much land do you have?

I agree about the minerals.  It's probably not worth worrying about...  Still, it's a risk I hate to take.  I'm thinking I'll probably have to get over that, though, in order to get into a place.


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## Latestarter (Mar 27, 2017)

Fight the battles that need to be fought, but don't waste your time, energy and resources on the ones you know you can't win...   Texas oil has been divied up since very early in the 20th century moving fwd, and I'm pretty sure most oil (fields) has been located/identified, owned, and already tapped.  There may be smaller pockets of oil that weren't economical to tap way back then, but in the oil crisis of the 70's and since, I'd bet they're owned & have been been swallowed up as well.

If you can stay awake long enough, all my stuff is in my journal here on the site. www.backyardherds.com/threads/latestarters-journey-to-farming.33505/   Long story short, I have 19 acres in Titus county. 1 acre of that is the home, the remaining 18 are ~9 acres pasture & 9 acres heavily wooded. I am Ag exempt as the previous owner had been for many years. I chose both Ag and timber to cover the back forested area. I'm still working on infrastructure at the moment but intend to raise either a couple of cow/calf pairs or 4-6 steers on the front pasture. I expect to have goats, sheep and hogs in the back pasture.


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## LMK17 (Mar 27, 2017)

Yes, in my experience, maybe 1/10 small acreage tracts still has some amount of minerals attached.  Minerals had been a requirement of ours, but we've let up on that.

So you're figuring on about 2 acres/steer for your land?  I know around here, a friend of ours runs 1 head/5 acres for continuous grazing.  I'm sure we could improve on that a bit with rotational grazing, but I'm not sure what the reasonable lower limit would be.  If we get something ag exempt, that'll be an important consideration.  If we're not ag exempt, then I don't see us getting into full size cattle.


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## Latestarter (Mar 27, 2017)

We get (in my short experience) plenty of rain where I'm located and it's green. I need to have the extension service come out and help me analyze my pasture minerals/composition/needs as it hasn't been actively cared for for several years and at the least could use some re-seeding, fertilization and weed control through PH balancing. But I believe during growing season it would be 1.5-2 acres per adult cow. They would need supplemental hay in the winter at that stocking level. My idea is to get some weaned calves and put them on it over the summer and into early fall them sell all but maybe 2 to overwinter. Next year I'd get more calves and one of the 2nd year steers would be my freezer filler, the other sold to pay for everything else. If I can get it so I have 2 steers ready for slaughter/sale each fall, and just re-stock a few others for summer growth and fall sale, it should (I hope) pay for itself... more or less... In the winter I can rotate them through the back pastures as well to help with what the other animals don't eat.


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## greybeard (Apr 14, 2017)

LMK17 said:


> Yes, in my experience, maybe 1/10 small acreage tracts still has some amount of minerals attached.  Minerals had been a requirement of ours, but we've let up on that.
> 
> So you're figuring on about 2 acres/steer for your land?  I know around here, a friend of ours runs 1 head/5 acres for continuous grazing.  I'm sure we could improve on that a bit with rotational grazing, but I'm not sure what the reasonable lower limit would be.  If we get something ag exempt, that'll be an important consideration.  If we're not ag exempt, then I don't see us getting into full size cattle.


(not sure why some of the below post came out bold font)
With some exceptions, the mineral rights are owned and *belong to** either the current landowner or  a previous landowner (or his heirs) that have opted to reserve those mineral rights (or any % of them in 1/16ths)  when they sold the property.
For the most part, petroleum companies just lease the mineral rights, usually for a term of 1-5 years, and only renewable if the owner(s) of the rights agrees to renew the lease.

Can and do companies actually buy the rights? Sure, just as an individual can, but the old adage in Texas is and always has been "Sell your cattle and land if you have to but hold and lease out your mineral rights". (when the mineral 'rights' are sold or leased, they are legally referred to as royalties)
I own some property that has private mineral rights owners strewn over 4-5 different states, going back over 100+ years. When I bought it, the previous owner only owned 1/2 the rights, and he opted to retain 1/4 of that, meaning I only own 1/4. The other 1/2 belongs to heirs of the original land owner--his great and great great grand children. Often, unless a business wants to lease the rights on any piece of property, the heirs don't even know they own those rights, and it can be difficult to track down who owns all the rights because of it. Ownership details are not spelled out on a deed--just the fact that a certain % of the rights are being transferred with the sale of the surface property.
*


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## greybeard (Apr 14, 2017)

LMK17 said:


> Also, the TX agricultural exemption stuff is giving me fits! I've checked in 2 counties, Bexar and Guadalupe, and both tax offices say that hobby farms are specifically excluded from being ag exempt. In Bexar, they went so far as to say that my hobby farm would be subject to the roll back tax if we purchased ag exempt land. In Guadalupe, they said my farm couldn't remain ag exempt, but there would be no roll back penalty. In both cases, the issue is that they want a straight run of something (several beehives, 3+ acres in orchards, 4+ head of cattle) and won't let me combine different species/ventures to meet the required agricultural intensity.


They are correct and it holds true for most counties in Texas as far as the stocking intensity or minimal animal unit calculation goes. 
The reason for the rollback is usually because the land was part of a bigger parcel that did qualify for the ag exemption, but was divided up and sold in small parcels that can't support "ag production". Production means making $$ from the land. It can't be for home use (meat-eggs-dairy etc) or just for the enjoyment. When a big parcel is divided into little 'ranchettes', the small parcels are no longer capable of enough production to qualify either according to the state/county standards or even qualify as a true farm or ranch according to the IRS. IOW, when a hobbyist buys that  little parcel, he has actually removed it from 'production', and since the taxes are back loaded in five year increments, the new owner can be responsible for the difference between market value appraisal and ag valuation appraisal taxes for the previous 5 years.

It may seem unfair, but Texas and other states decades ago realized we were losing true farms and ranches and that is something that the country can ill afford. Honestly, for the past few decades in Texas, the ag exemption has been abused greatly with an influx of city dwellers both from Texas and out of state that want to be farmers on small tracts, but have no intention of any 'production'. In the past, they successfully applied for the ag exemption because of a lax protocol in the appraisal district office, but that is coming to an end, as the counties are seeing too much loss of property tax revenues. 

In addition, most counties have a minimum acreage to qualify. The state standard is 10 acres, but the state allows counties to make their own standard depending on the productivity of the area. The further west and south one goes, the more acres it takes to support a pair of cattle (cow and calf). County wide for my county, the minimum requirement is 20 acres. 
There are ways around this. For instance, the owner of a small tract can opt to lease part of his land for grazing to someone nearby that already has the ag exemption. This allows a reduction in tax burden for the owner of the small tract--not as much as he would see if his whole property fell under ag (one cannot qualify the area their home and yard sits on) but still it's mejor que nada.


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## LMK17 (Apr 17, 2017)

greybeard said:


> It may seem unfair, but Texas and other states decades ago realized we were losing true farms and ranches and that is something that the country can ill afford. Honestly, for the past few decades in Texas, the ag exemption has been abused greatly with an influx of city dwellers both from Texas and out of state that want to be farmers on small tracts, but have no intention of any 'production'. In the past, they successfully applied for the ag exemption because of a lax protocol in the appraisal district office, but that is coming to an end, as the counties are seeing too much loss of property tax revenues.



I'm not sure abuse is the word.  Some of the counties just have absurd regulations regarding the ag exemption.  For example, in Guadalupe Co there's no actual intensity standard, as it has nothing to do with the amount of land one owns.  There's an absolute number of animals you need to put on the land.  I can't remember if it's 4 or 5 head for cattle, but it's something like that.  Literally, a person can own 1000 acres, have nothing on it but 5 steers, and claim the ag exemption.  If the county has a true interest in increasing productivity, then it's up to them to ammend their own rules.  

By the same token in that county, I can buy 15 acres, live on it, have gardens and animals that are providing food for my family and maybe some others, as well, and the county won't let me have ag, even though I might be producing far more food/goods on my 15 acres than the guy with the 1000 acres and 4 cows.  Whether it's fair or not it beside the point.  It just doesn't make sense.


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## Latestarter (Apr 17, 2017)

Hmmm sure you don't have time to invest in politics?   Much of our political everything makes little sense.


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## LMK17 (Apr 17, 2017)

Not in a million years.  

I was just responding to the contention that the ag exemption is meant to keep land in production.  I don't doubt that's what the regulation is *supposed* to do, but it's not the reality.  The tax guy I spoke with in Guadalupe Co, for example, freely admits that the law is written a bit backward there, and he says he expects things to change at some point in the future, though he doesn't know when.  And as far as city folks taking advantage of the favorable tax situation-- Who can blame them!?  I can't imagine any of us in their situation would say, "Nah.  I _could_ get a huge property tax break on my weekend getaway/private hunting land/whatever, but I'll pass."  Heck no!  You'd better believe I'd be doing the little bit required by the law to save $$$$ every year.

Except that I actually want to produce something on my little farm, and the counties won't let me claim ag if I'm *only* running 2 cows + a couple dozen chickens + a few feeder pigs and a garden to feed my family.  Not only that, but I couldn't even claim ag if I were to sell every bit of meat that my "hobby farm" produced.    In practice, obviously it has nothing to do with production in proportion to the amount of land one owns.


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## greybeard (Apr 18, 2017)

LMK17 said:


> ...I'm *only* running 2 cows + a couple dozen chickens + a few feeder pigs and a garden to feed my family


Therein lies the problem. Both the State's ag exempt regs and Guadalupe County regs are quite clear on this as far as both the wording and the intent. 
Intent: to prevent true ag use land becoming so overvalued because of possible use for development that real ag production ceases when the property tax is so high farmers and ranchers can no longer make a living off it and sell out to developers.


> Introduction Until the 1960’s, Texas farm and ranch land was taxed on its market value-the price a buyer would pay for it in an ordinary market transaction. As Texas became more urbanized, farm and ranch land in many cases increased dramatically in value. Even if a farmer or rancher never intended to develop their land, the value increased because it could be developed. Concerned that the property taxes would become so high that farmers and ranchers would be forced to abandon the agriculture use, voters in 1966 approved the first form of what is known today as agriculture special use valuation. A constitutional amendment added §1-d to Article VIII of the Texas Constitution. This provides that certain kinds of farm and ranch land to be appraised at a productivity value instead of the market value. The productivity value is a value based solely on the capacity of the land to produce agriculture products. This section is commonly referred to as “1-d” and is very restrictive. It applies only to land owned by families or individuals, where agriculture operation must be the owner’s primary occupation and primary source of income.



Wording:


> Section 23.51 of the Texas Property Tax Code outlines the standards for determining whether land qualifies for agriculture special use valuation. The definitions for qualified open-space land as well as agricultural use are restated from §23.51 of the Texas Property Tax Code for convenience. “Qualified open-space land” means land that is currently *devoted principally to agricultural use to the degree of intensity generally accepted in the area* and that has been devoted principally to agricultural use or to production of timber or forest products for five of the preceding seven years or land that is used principally as an ecological laboratory by a public or private college or university. Qualified open-space land includes appurtenances to the land. For the purposes of this subdivision, appurtenances to the land means private roads, dams, reservoirs, water wells, canals, ditches, terraces, and other reshaping of the soil, fences, and riparian water rights. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this subdivision, land that is currently devoted principally to wildlife management as defined by Subdivision (7( (B) or (C) to the degree of intensity generally accepted in the area qualifies for appraisal as qualified open-space land under this subchapter regardless of the manner in which the land was used in any preceding year.” “Agricultural use” includes but is not limited to the following activities: cultivating the soil, producing crops for human food, animal feed, or planting seed or for the production of fibers; floriculture, viticulture, and horticulture; raising or keeping livestock; raising or keeping exotic animals for the production of human food or of fiber, leather, pelts, or other tangible products having a commercial value...(blah blah blah....)


"_commercial value_"

http://www.guadalupead.org/data/_up...ECIAL AGRICULTURAL USE APPRAISAL NOV 2016.pdf


I've seen nothing in any of your posts to indicate your plans meet any of the prerequisites for ag exemption qualifications, and in fact, are likely in contrast to what the very intent of the ag use regulations were intended to prevent to begin with. Land that used to be in full ag production around here, has become so valuable as home sites ("ranchettes") that most of it will never again have any real ag use or have any value as such. 


I can remember when Katy Texas (along I-10 just West of Houston) and the outskirts of Baytown (along I-10 just East of Houston) was one big ranch or rice farm after another. It's now all been developed into housing for suburbanites.


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## Baymule (Apr 18, 2017)

You're right @greybeard ....... in my twenties, I went goose hunting outside of Katy in the fields there and on Hwy 146 going north of Baytown was just one big rice field with irrigation canals. Low, flat land with houses on it now.


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 18, 2017)

I grew up off of I-10 and Sjolander Rd,  in Baytown.  We used to get on our horses and ride down the side of the highway almost all the way to Highlands - not much out there at all back then.  And, not nearly the traffic then that there is now either!  Geeze, it's solid now.


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## Baymule (Apr 18, 2017)

frustratedearthmother said:


> I grew up off of I-10 and Sjolander Rd,  in Baytown.  We used to get on our horses and ride down the side of the highway almost all the way to Highlands - not much out there at all back then.  And, not nearly the traffic then that there is now either!  Geeze, it's solid now.


No way! I lived in Baytown, on Bob Smith Road, just off Hwy 146! I fished in Cotton Lake and in all the bayous that wandered between the Trinity river and the bay. I was in my early 20's, that's been a darn long time ago!


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 18, 2017)

Small world!  I lived there all my life (at that time) and moved away after graduating and getting married in the mid 70's.  Baytown is NOT the sleepy little own it was back then. 

Cedar Bayou bordered my horse pasture and was just across the road from the house I grew up in.


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## greybeard (Apr 18, 2017)

FrustratedEarthmother--we may know each other.
Some familiar places being mentioned..let me add some.
I was born in the old San Jacinto  hospital on Decker Dr in Baytown (now a part of Hermann or methodist medical.)
My father worked for Humble Oil Refinery. Owned an auto shop in Highlands too.
I grew up in Highlands at the intersection of Jones and Main. Learned to ride bulls (sort of) at WW Hutson's DoubleTrouble rodeo arena 1/2 way up Jones road in Highlands. (It was aptly named--I might be goaded into telling some stories about that wonderful old covered arena) Bought my first set of spurs at Anderson's western store.  One Saturday morning, I found myself the only guy from my highschool ag class to show up to unload a box car full of feed at Mooneys Feed Store a block or 2 off Texas Avenue.
Wore out a car and several sets of tires drag racing out on Tri-City Beach Road when I wasn't cruising up and down Texas Avenue before they turned it into that debacle of a snake like avenue..
Hauled hay for the Wilburn Ranch a couple of times and their times, for the Browns in Highlands. Mrs Brown (Joyce) had a girl's dance studio, Mr Brown had a feedstore. Joyce Brown, and her daughters took care of the hay fields. One of their  daughters, (Verna, who I went to school with) ended up being mother of  the girl that was intended victim of the Texas Cheerleader murder for hire scandal in Channelview circa 1991. (I think I have that right--can't remember if Holloway wanted the daughter and mother killed or just the daughter)
Graduated from REL high school Baytown 1968.


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 18, 2017)

You were doing good until you mentioned that you were a Gander, lol.  Rangers rule!

But dang - most of what you just mentioned I am familiar with.  My sister took twirling lessons from one of the Browns - I think it was Verna - or maybe her mother.  She was very familiar with the Brown family.  I was born in the old Gulf Coast hospital.  My dad worked at the Huber Carbon Black plant and we lived in company housing.  I spent many a paycheck in Andersons western store.  Not sure why I don't recall Mooney's Feed store...   We bought feed at a feed store that I can't remember the name of - but it was on the corner of 146 and Sjolander.   We burned our tires up on Texas Avenue, up and down and around the big oak tree.   But, I had my first encounter with putting a car in a ditch on Tri-City Beach Rd.   Maybe we were racing each other!  I was in the Rodeo club in high school and I think that we practiced at the Double Trouble Arena.  Don't have 100% recall on the name of the arena, but it was in Highlands.

Did you ever hang out at Roseland Park?

You've got a few years on me - I graduated in '74.  My brother played football for Sterling and he graduated in 71.   If we didn't know each other - it sure sounds like we had mutual friends/acquaintances.


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## greybeard (Apr 18, 2017)

frustratedearthmother said:


> Did you ever hang out at Roseland Park?


Not before dark, and GF and I rarely left the car....hope you weren't watchin. 

I think Mooney's feedstore may have actually been called Baytown Feed. One of the streets that ran parallel to Texas Avenue, with a rail spur behind it.

I was already a sophomore when Sterling opened--we Highlanders had the option of transferring to Sterling or finishing out at REL. '67 was the first Lee/Sterling varsity game. We won it 28-7. Already had friends at REL and stayed the course.

I don't know of any other covered arena in Highlands, but the DoubleTrouble is now a horse boarding facility. It partially burned about a decade ago.

Ol WW Hutson was never "very pretty' to begin with, but one night, he was in the steer dogging, jumped a little early, and the steer, his own horse, and the haze horse all ran over him, smashing some bones in his jaw and face. He had a son and I forget his real name, but we all called him Dink that ran most of the show at the arena--several years older than me. Practice nights were Tues and Thursday. You could ride a bull for 2 bucks each. Real rodeo was Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.
I learned things at the Double Trouble a young fella would never learn at church or from his momma.

There's a big development now just East of Baytown on I-10 called Wilburn Ranch--I guess the ranch sold out when the old man died.

My first real non farm job was working on building the I-10 bridge over San Jacinto River near Four Corners. Brother and I came so close to getting killed on that work it amazes me we both survived.


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 18, 2017)

greybeard said:


> Not before dark, and GF and I rarely left the car....hope you weren't watchin.


 I think I musta been following you around for years, lol.

I did go to Roseland Park in the daytime when I was younger - took swimming lessons there.   But, fast forward a decade or so... 

The Double Trouble had to have been the place - and I shouldn't admit that I probably overstepped the bounds that my mama set for me there too, lol.

I was dating a guy who got on a bull one night.  He went forward when the bull's head went backward ... The bull's horn went in his mouth and out his cheek taking part of his jaw bone and a bunch of teeth...  It was not pretty and that might have been my last visit to the arena.

People get killed building bridges...that was a heck of a first job!


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## Baymule (Apr 18, 2017)

Old Home Week.....this is great, ya'll are going to be kin if you keep digging around.....


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 18, 2017)

Stranger things have happened!


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## greybeard (Apr 18, 2017)

Baymule said:


> Old Home Week.....this is great, ya'll are going to be kin if you keep digging around.....


Keep it up. I can drag Bob Smith road into the conversation too. I worked weekends one time helping load rice seed and fertilize in a crop duster that flew out the little airport off Barkaloo Rd and he had trouble one Sunday and had to land on Bob Smith road. I had to drive over real quick and help him push it off the road and into a pasture before the cops got there. 

FrustratedEarthMother--the Browns had 4 daughters. Bonita, Myra, Verna and I forget the other one's name. Myra is my age, Bonita 3 years older and Verna was a year younger than me--maybe 2 years younger. 

To get to the Double Trouble, coming from the East side of baytown, you'd probably go out to Thompson road, turn right on Jones Road and turn left down a dead end Steele road. Called Almost Heaven Riding stables now. 
http://almostheavenridingstables.com/
It wasn't nearly that clean and fancy back in the days of double trouble...


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## Kiki (May 6, 2017)

Hi All! Houston area.
Checking things out over here on BYH...came over from BYC.

Just got me some chickens, dogs and horses, for now.


I hope to have a real herd....of goats one day.


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## Latestarter (May 6, 2017)

Greetings and welcome from NE Texas, Mount Pleasant area


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## greybeard (May 7, 2017)

frustratedearthmother said:


> People get killed building bridges...that was a heck of a first job!


Yep, but Significantly safer than my 2nd one. 
In the little window behind the 50 cal.


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## Baymule (May 7, 2017)

Welcome @Kiki !!! We moved to north of Tyler 2 1/2 years ago from Livingston. Was raised in Houston from 3rd grade to 12th. Where in the Houston area are you? haha, we moved away from hurricanes to tornadoes! As the old saying goes.....out of the frying pan and into the fire!


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## Kiki (May 7, 2017)

Baymule said:


> Welcome @Kiki !!! We moved to north of Tyler 2 1/2 years ago from Livingston. Was raised in Houston from 3rd grade to 12th. Where in the Houston area are you? haha, we moved away from hurricanes to tornadoes! As the old saying goes.....out of the frying pan and into the fire!


Hi there!

I grew up on the sw side of Houston...Sugarland area..
I now live on the se side...Pearland area.
Hurricanes don't bother me much...tornadoes....yikes! yuk.


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## Baymule (May 8, 2017)

At least with hurricanes, you have plenty of warning. Tornadoes-not so much. Hurricanes cover the whole area, tornadoes cut a much more narrower trail. But what a trail of destruction! My hurricane preparation always included brownies and wine. LOL When you have a huge oak tree on your house and the ceilings are caved in and raining, have a brownie and some wine-it won't be so bad anymore!


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## frustratedearthmother (May 8, 2017)

greybeard said:


> get to the Double Trouble, coming from the East side of baytown, you'd probably go out to Thompson road, turn right on Jones Road and turn left down a dead end Steele road.



That was the place.  Lotsa memories there, lol!



greybeard said:


> Yep, but Significantly safer than my 2nd one.
> In the little window behind the 50 cal.


 Wow - you're a been there done it ALL kinda guy!

Glad you got through all of that!


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## Kiki (May 9, 2017)

Baymule said:


> At least with hurricanes, you have plenty of warning. Tornadoes-not so much. Hurricanes cover the whole area, tornadoes cut a much more narrower trail. But what a trail of destruction! My hurricane preparation always included brownies and wine. LOL When you have a huge oak tree on your house and the ceilings are caved in and raining, have a brownie and some wine-it won't be so bad anymore!


Morning Bay.
Where about is SE Texas?
Are ya near Houston?


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## misfitmorgan (May 9, 2017)

Kiki said:


> Morning Bay.
> Where about is SE Texas?
> Are ya near Houston?



Bay lives by Tyler if i recall right.


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## Baymule (May 9, 2017)

Kiki said:


> Morning Bay.
> Where about is SE Texas?
> Are ya near Houston?


Used to live in Livingston, 75 miles north of Houston, on Highway 59 (the new future Interstate 69). We moved 2 1/2 years ago to Lindale, north of Tyler.


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## eggbert420 (May 10, 2017)

Baymule said:


> At least with hurricanes, you have plenty of warning. Tornadoes-not so much. Hurricanes cover the whole area, tornadoes cut a much more narrower trail. But what a trail of destruction! My hurricane preparation always included brownies and wine. LOL When you have a huge oak tree on your house and the ceilings are caved in and raining, have a brownie and some wine-it won't be so bad anymore!


If a oak tree falls on your house, and brownies make it alright? I have to ask.  What are you putting in those brownies?


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## greybeard (May 10, 2017)

Having ridden out several hurricanes/typhoons at sea (Indian ocean, South China Sea and one in Santa Rosa Sound Fla), a  strong tropical storm @ Guantanamo Bay Cuba, and hunkered down for Debra, Carla, both Allisons, Alicia,  Claudette, Andrew (S. Louisiana), then finally Rita and  Ike, and a few more I've forgotten, my hurricane preparation kit is a full tank of gas and three 5 full gal cans in the back of the truck headed South West on FM roads depending where landfall is predicted. Morgan City to Baffin Bay, I go SW. Below Baffin Bay, I may go NW. Only one real hurricane has ever turned South or Southwest after landfall and that was Cindy in 63. I will never again join that mass of humanity going North, West, or NW. We did that (once) after Ike when electricity wasn't expected to be restored for 3 weeks.
I'm 100 miles from the GoM and Ike and Rita both left my place looking like someone took a sledge hammer to it. I hate 'em. Wore out 2 chainsaws and 3 sets of elbows clearing all the trees off fences after Ike.

Without a doubt, the worst I ever encountered was on a 600' USN destroyer trying to outrun a strong Typhoon in the Indian Ocean. That sucker beat us to death for nearly 30 hrs straight. Sister ship Caron in the same storm.


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## Baymule (May 10, 2017)

eggbert420 said:


> If a oak tree falls on your house, and brownies make it alright? I have to ask.  What are you putting in those brownies?


Chocolate. Lots and lots of Chocolate. Then wash it down with a box of wine.  It might not make it alright, but you won't care anymore.


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## Latestarter (May 10, 2017)

I remember being on the admirals bridge on the USS J.F.Kennedy coming back from a med/IO deployment and hitting a bad storm. We were taking green water over the bow on the carrier (flight deck was 65' above waterline) and had several small boys tucked in under our stern (like within 250 feet) so they could maintain some semblance of seaworthy-ness. They were taking almost 45 degree rolls and submerging their bows all the way to the bridge. Did some pretty decent damage to forward catwalks and smashed in one of the anchor windlass space hatches. Heavy weather at sea never really bothered me.

During another storm, the deck crew was lifting an A-6E Intruder up to the flight deck from the hanger via starboard elevator. A wave washed over the elevator and took 3 sailors to their death overboard. We went into man overboard routine, but never recovered any of them. I have lots of seas stories... Some not so fun.


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## greybeard (May 10, 2017)

I got seasick twice in my 9 years military.
Heavy weather only bothered me (as in seasickness) one time.
100' tug used to bring Lexington into berth at P-Cola.
We were due to go into drydock over in Mobile Al for bottom work, pumped off all SW ballast, the lead shot, and FW, and left just enough fuel in the diesel tanks to get from Pensacola to Mobile. Dang old tub was built in 1945, and this happened in '76 so she wasn't the most modern vessel in haze gray paint to begin with, but with no ballast it lost lots of stability. We had a flank speed of about 6 knots in good weather--you can drive to Mobile from port in 45 minutes. Took us 3 hrs to make the trip. We hit a squall right after we cleared seabouy and rocked & rolled all the way to mobile like a little bobber. I stayed in the engine room for the first couple of hours till the bilges got stirred up good and the smell and motion drove me topside. The steel picnic table that was on the fantail was gone, so was the p250 firepump that broke loose, and the galley that was going to fry fish for our lunch looked like a disaster area. The whole crew except the old crooked finger masterchief craftmaster was plopped down by the fresh air intake vent, when they weren't upchucking over the side.  I didn't loose my breakfast but I sure wanted to. There was a payphone at the dock in Mobile, and I seriously considered calling my wife to drive over and pick me up, but we hitched a ride on another tug going back and the gulf was smooth as glass that afternoon.

The other instance was airsickness. Before being approved to fly as door gunner, you had to show your ability to hit a target from a moving helicopter. All us new gunners went up one morning, out in S. China sea just southeast of Danang, threw some wooden pallets over the ramp with dye marker nailed to them for targets. Pilots flew figure 8s, which allowed both left and right side gunners to acquire the targets, and as you know, for any aircraft to make a turn, it has to yaw over a few degrees--the tighter the turn, the more degrees you yaw over, and we were making tight figure 8s to keep the pallets within accurate range and in visible sight.
Watching that horizon move 40 or so degrees with each each turn wasn't a happy feeling, and we did it for hours, till we all got a turn, then we did it some more as the pilots went thru every possible simulation of what we might encounter entering or leaving a hot LZ. Then too, I didn't actually upchuck, but if we'd stayed out there much longer I might have. Some of them did--crewchief opened the hellhole so they wouldn't make a mess in his helo.


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## Wandercreek (May 11, 2017)

ranchhand said:


> I'm a Texas ex-pat, made a wrong right turn one day and ended up on South Carolina. Still not sure how that happened 9 years ago....
> 
> If I could uproot this little chunk of land I'd plant it west of Austin.



Hello everyone from beautiful Dripping Springs...west of Austin is a good place to be!


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## eggbert420 (May 11, 2017)

Im not that far from Dripping Springs.


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## Wandercreek (May 11, 2017)

Well then... Hello Neighbor!


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## Kiki (May 11, 2017)

eggbert420 said:


> If a oak tree falls on your house, and brownies make it alright? I have to ask.  What are you putting in those brownies?


Do not tell us, I repeat do not tell of what is in them....it may still be "illegal" here in Texas!   LOL


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## Kiki (May 11, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> I remember being on the admirals bridge on the USS J.F.Kennedy coming back from a med/IO deployment and hitting a bad storm. We were taking green water over the bow on the carrier (flight deck was 65' above waterline) and had several small boys tucked in under our stern (like within 250 feet) so they could maintain some semblance of seaworthy-ness. They were taking almost 45 degree rolls and submerging their bows all the way to the bridge. Did some pretty decent damage to forward catwalks and smashed in one of the anchor windlass space hatches. *Heavy weather at sea never really* bothered me.
> 
> During another storm, the deck crew was lifting an A-6E Intruder up to the flight deck from the hanger via starboard elevator. A wave washed over the elevator and took 3 sailors to their death overboard. We went into man overboard routine, but never recovered any of them. I have lots of seas stories... Some not so fun.


Brave you...I would have died from fright!


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## ittybiddyredhen (May 14, 2017)

I lived in Guantanamo Bay for 2 years.  Loved it.




greybeard said:


> Having ridden out several hurricanes/typhoons at sea (Indian ocean, South China Sea and one in Santa Rosa Sound Fla), a  strong tropical storm @ Guantanamo Bay Cuba, and hunkered down for Debra, Carla, both Allisons, Alicia,  Claudette, Andrew (S. Louisiana), then finally Rita and  Ike, and a few more I've forgotten, my hurricane preparation kit is a full tank of gas and three 5 full gal cans in the back of the truck headed South West on FM roads depending where landfall is predicted. Morgan City to Baffin Bay, I go SW. Below Baffin Bay, I may go NW. Only one real hurricane has ever turned South or Southwest after landfall and that was Cindy in 63. I will never again join that mass of humanity going North, West, or NW. We did that (once) after Ike when electricity wasn't expected to be restored for 3 weeks.
> I'm 100 miles from the GoM and Ike and Rita both left my place looking like someone took a sledge hammer to it. I hate 'em. Wore out 2 chainsaws and 3 sets of elbows clearing all the trees off fences after Ike.
> 
> Without a doubt, the worst I ever encountered was on a 600' USN destroyer trying to outrun a strong Typhoon in the Indian Ocean. That sucker beat us to death for nearly 30 hrs straight. Sister ship Caron in the same storm.


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## Magnoliachic (May 14, 2017)

Hi Kiki!  I made it here!   Hi Texas Herd!  Greybeard thank you for your service!  My dad was in the Air Force.


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## Baymule (May 14, 2017)

Welcome @Magnoliachic to the forum! Stick around, pull up a chair on the front porch, grab that wash tub of purple hull peas and make yourself useful. Got some iced sweet tea to wash the dust down your throat!


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## Kiki (May 14, 2017)

Magnoliachic said:


> Hi Kiki!  I made it here!   Hi Texas Herd!  Greybeard thank you for your service!  My dad was in the Air Force.


Light on?


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## greybeard (May 14, 2017)

ittybiddyredhen said:


> I lived in Guantanamo Bay for 2 years.  Loved it.


As did I.
My opinion of the duty is different than yours. It was SOOOooo good, that the Navy designated it a  hardship remote land duty station equivalent day for day as sea duty.

Liberty sucked.
Fish.
Fight.
Drink.
I did all 3 with equal exuberance.


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## Baymule (May 15, 2017)




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