Ridgetop
Herd Master
Not so sure about Latestarter's place. I think it may be too far from Tyler. We need to be close enough to a town with good health facilities since we are not growing younger and have health concerns. Don't want to have to move again because we need to be closer to hospitals etc. as we get older. Also, as I recall, he did not have adequate fencing for the goats and dogs, other than a couple small corrals for his goats. I may be wrong, but I thought I read something about that. Also, lots of hills and gullies as I remember.
We will find something - we are much more picky this time than 33 years ago. since we know what went into building fences, barns, facilities over the past 30 years on our current place. Also what it cost in time, labor and $$$! It might be better to pay more up front and have existing good fencing, barns, etc. in place. The interior of the house we can work on any time winter or summer. Outbuildings, fences, and animal keeping facilities are more important if we are planning to relocate our sheep flock and continue raising sheep.
When real estate people hear we are from CA they automatically assume that we know nothing about livestock and ranching. LOL You would not believe some of what we have seen as "fixer uppers". One place had a "turn of the century barn" - which had actually started falling down at the turn of the century! LOL Other places were lovely, but too large and "estate-ish" for ranching. Many had no fencing or limited barbed wire fencing in poor condition. We want a somewhat working ranch property, not too large for us to manage, but large enough to be able to support our small flock of sheep with grazing, forage and hay growing. Fruit trees (run the pigs in there after harvest for the windfalls if we want pork), space for a vegetable garden, and small rabbitry for DH. Good fencing is a priority.
We will find something - we are much more picky this time than 33 years ago. since we know what went into building fences, barns, facilities over the past 30 years on our current place. Also what it cost in time, labor and $$$! It might be better to pay more up front and have existing good fencing, barns, etc. in place. The interior of the house we can work on any time winter or summer. Outbuildings, fences, and animal keeping facilities are more important if we are planning to relocate our sheep flock and continue raising sheep.
When real estate people hear we are from CA they automatically assume that we know nothing about livestock and ranching. LOL You would not believe some of what we have seen as "fixer uppers". One place had a "turn of the century barn" - which had actually started falling down at the turn of the century! LOL Other places were lovely, but too large and "estate-ish" for ranching. Many had no fencing or limited barbed wire fencing in poor condition. We want a somewhat working ranch property, not too large for us to manage, but large enough to be able to support our small flock of sheep with grazing, forage and hay growing. Fruit trees (run the pigs in there after harvest for the windfalls if we want pork), space for a vegetable garden, and small rabbitry for DH. Good fencing is a priority.
