How do you feel about door knockers?

[BuddyRoo]

About fifteen years ago, I found a great piece of land to lease for my horses by literally driving out in the country and knocking on doors of homes with land and barns. I met some really cool and helpful people (like the Dean of the Veterinary College at MSU who invited me in for dinner and then let me accompany him to a colic surgery!)

Anyway…I’m on the hunt again for a place to board. I would honestly prefer to just find some land to lease or a small private place that doesn’t really “do” boarding but has room for an extra horse. Mine is semi retired, I don’t need anything fancy, I enjoy doing the day to day care myself, etc.

So…I’ve been considering driving around and doing the door knocking thing again. How do you feel about that though if you’ve got a small private place of your own? Offended? Annoyed? No big deal?

When I did it before, I just knocked, introduced myself and said that I was new to the area and looking for a place to keep my horses (true again now). Asked if they were interested or could recommend anyone in the area. No one seemed put out but as I think on it more now, I think maybe it’s not proper.

[beowulf]

Good luck. I tried this in upstate NY almost verbatim and it didn’t go so well. I think it depends on your area. I think if I did it somewhere else in the world (say, southern SC) I would have gotten warmer welcome and some help. But the people in NY were as cold as the landscape. Maybe MI is different.

What I did do though, that ended up getting me some help, was dropping a letter in the mailbox of this barn local to me, explaining my situation (new to town, looking for place to board, etc). This worked much better, I think - I got a few emails within several days of dropping off the letters. I asked for suggested vets/farriers and then contacted the vets & farriers, who were a WEALTH of knowledge and information.

[Sunwhinnies]

Sorry I’d be totally freaked out and suspicious of a stranger knocking on my door like this. We get all kinds here, and am always hyper aware of strange people and car activity. The dogs may even be let loose.

Do like the idea of leaving a note in the mailbox. That way you aren’t raising suspicions and giving the home owner time to possibly think of other land for you. They may not think of that on the spot or might want the stranger to just go away.

Now that I think of it, years ago I had a mailbox note because she could clearly see I had horses. Due to boarder fatigue I declined but gave her the name of a neighbour.

[Gainer]

As someone who works from home, with lots of deadlines, I really don’t appreciate people just knocking on my door. Unfortunately, I get 2 or 3 a week banging on my door wanting to board on my small private farm. I have “no trespassing” signs everywhere, but that doesn’t stop them. If I just refuse to answer the door, they tend to wander around the property and into my barn.

You’d think word would get around about the b*tchy old lady on the farm with all the silos, but no…

I really need to get another big, ferocious dog!

[saddleup]

I agree that it depends on where you live. There have been tons of threads here with people voicing their irritation at strangers knocking on their doors.

When I was going to build a barn I drove around and knocked on random doors, introducing myself and asking them a few questions about their barns: what they liked, didn’t like, would change if they were to do it all again.

Every single person was as nice as could be, and helpful. I took notes and used what I’d learned from folks who’d been there, done that.

[CHT]

Nope, I do NOT like door knockers/random stopper byers. We have our stable name at the entrance to our drive, so it would be easy to google to get our phone number or email and then call/email to arrange an appointment.

Not that long ago there were some daytime robberies/assaults locally, so there is NO way I would answer my door to a stranger. And if I am not home and my security camera catches a stranger wandering my property I may call the police.

[Bluey]

I thought you were asking about these door knockers:

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+of+metal+door+knockers&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1129&bih=589&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CB0QsARqFQoTCPy2tJmt2ccCFcR8kgod4NsAiw#tbm=isch&q=images+of+metal+horse+door+knockers

Was going to suggest you check into the wireless chimes out there today.

On walking up to many houses to knock on the door, not such a good idea, you may scare people today.

Checking feed stores, vet clinics, farriers, USDA Farm Service Office, county agent, Chamber of Commerce, all those may bring you leads.

We have a little local weekly paper where people ask such questions.
See if you have one where you are.
Or the local face book pages, school, parents, etc.

[gumtree]

Sorry, never mind, I thought it said, “How do you feel about your knockers”

[Where_sMyWhite]

“What knockers” from Mel Brooke’s Young Frankenstein is what came to my mind.

[SmartAlex]

My mom gets door knockers now and then. She doesn’t mind one bit. She will even help them network.

[Guilherme]

Knocking on doors in the countryside fifteen years ago would likely not have been much of an issue in most places. Today it’s likely a good way to get shot, or at least get the law called on you. Mind you this says nothing good about social evolution over the past few years but there it is.

G.

[msj]

@beowulf;8299682

Good luck. I tried this in upstate NY almost verbatim and it didn’t go so well. I think it depends on your area. I think if I did it somewhere else in the world (say, southern SC) I would have gotten warmer welcome and some help. But the people in NY were as cold as the landscape. Maybe MI is different.

Well, you must not have been near me. I’ve had heaven only knows how many people each year come by and knock on doors, stop me when I’m mowing, come right to the barn, etc and ask about boarding. I’m flattered that they stop and up until last yr I’ve actually stopped saying I don’t take boarders but telling them that board would be $1000/month/horse. So far that has stopped them and I simply say that if I have to take in boarders, I’m making very well worth my while. Mind you that is said with a smile and not the cold attitude as beowulf ran into. Now that I no longer have any horses of my own I’ve upped the board to 2K/month/horse and no boarders through the winter. But I do tell them the farm may be on the market for the right price and if they’re interested make me an offer. Again, said with a smile.

I keep telling myself that if I were smart I’d put the farm on the market but so far I don’t mind keeping up with mowing the fields and other farm work. And I really love my home and the area where I live. I actually did look recently at the homes for sale in and around where I live and any home that I saw advertised that I liked was way larger than my home (and my place is about twice what I need:sigh:) or would need so much more work to make it comfortable (like adding AC and a whole house generator and tearing out the granite countertops and stainless steel appliances and redoing the bathrooms etc, etc, etc., that it’s not worth it.

[asb_own_me]

I’d be irritated. If I were running a business, I’d have a sign out front. It’s called PRIVATE property for a reason - it’s private, open to others by invitation only.

[Mosey_2003]

Strangers knocking on the door is scary in the country. I won’t answer if I’m home alone.

I would make up a brief flyer and put them in mailboxes (yes, I know this is against federal law, everyone does it anyway). That way, the ones that are interested can contact you, and you weren’t creepin up on their door.

[cayuse]

Please not on my door. If I was home alone, I would just ignore the person or call the police if they looked particularly suspicious. On the other hand Mr. Cayuse would be more than happy to assist if he was home. Opposites attract

[furlong47]

These days, probably not a good idea anymore. I would instead try networking. If you have a local tack/feed shop, the owners often know everybody and probably have an idea who might want to lease some pasture. There are also local equestrian Facebook groups for many areas where you can ask questions like this.

[goodhors]

Buddyroo, are you still by Grand Rapids? I have a friend by Marne that might know some places. Or that might be too far away to work.

[buck22]

What an interesting read! I live in a famously not-friendly state, over developed and people are cranky as heck - myself included. When I was in a similar position years ago, I drove around looking at larger busy farms, and knocked on doors. While welcomes weren’t always snuggly warm, no one acted put-off for a moment. I was inquiring about a business transaction afterall, and who doesn’t appreciate more business? I did manage to find my next boarding stable this way, after a lovely and agreeable encounter.

Interesting to read some of the comments of being alone in the country and wary of strangers. Perhaps us urbanites - while not the friendliest of folk - are more accustomed to dealing with strangers on a virtual daily basis. And as we’re packed in like sardines, there is no feeling of isolation. We’re good for about 5 seconds of our time, to size you up and hear the first half of your “elevator pitch”, otherwise we have no problem slamming the door rudely in your face :lol:

OP, I’m all for knockers!

I say knock away, you never ever ever know you you’re going to meet. Just make sure you’re wearing a thick skin that day.

[BuddyRoo]

[QUOTE=goodhors;8301146]
Buddyroo, are you still by Grand Rapids? I have a friend by Marne that might know some places. Or that might be too far away to work.[/QUOTE]

Yes. EGR. I don’t know where Marne is exactly but will google it as soon as I hit send. I’m hoping to find something that’s within a 30 min drive but am looking at options as far as an hour away. Not ideal, but if it’s a good full board facility, an hour can work. I just can’t be there daily if it’s that far.

[BuddyRoo]

I appreciate the responses. When I first did my door knocking, it was pre PTSD. Now even I am really bothered when people come to my home without plans. So it strkes me differently now.

I think I’ll skip door knocking. But I may go with the illegal notes in a mailbox. I either want to lease a place and just do it myself or find a good solid boarding facility. I’m looking hard and am on a tight timeline. So it may be that I have to rely on my lovely horse friends and old BO’s from when I lived on the other side of the state to accommodate things for a bit. We’ll see.