Talk to me about managing large amounts of acerage

[mydogs]

The SO and I have always said that our next and last home will be on a large plot of land. He wants space for four wheeling and other outdoor guy activities. I want the space for eventually retiring future horses at home and maybe having a small pony or two at home. Would love my own small barn one day, but could still go either way on that idea. We both want space because, well, we don’t like people that much and want peace & quiet and a place to really relax while we are home since we enjoy being outdoors in wide open spaces.

We found 86 acres for sale. On paper, we love the idea and can’t stop thinking about it. We are going to see how we feel about it in a few weeks and if we still want it, then we may take steps towards purchasing it.

But, I’m sure there is more to owning that much land that I’ve even thought of.

One of the issues I’ve actually worried about is ensuring people don’t trespass and ruin the land with their trucks/four wheelers. Other than putting up some kind of thick fencing that is visible, I don’t know how one would prevent this from happening.

With owning that much land, cutting the grass seems like a very time consuming chore. We already pay someone to cut our grass now so I’m sure we would probably look for someone else to do the same. But, I can only imagine how much that would cost and how often does that actually need to happen.

Both of us work in the tech industry, so wifi speeds is actually something we have to consider since we both work from home when we want to.

Is there anything else that we should think about when considering this much land and the maintenance required?

[Scribbler]

How your land is located will determine if it’s inviting for trespassing. Absolutely you will need to fence it with good barbed wire and post no trespassing.

If you are landlocked by other respectable farms I would not expect too much trespass. However if your land blends seamlessly into an open recreation area or derelict farmland that is attracting recreational users you will want to harden the perimeter on those sides. I would have a good walk around and see if there is evidence of bonfires, mountain bike jumps, ATV damage, beer bottles and condoms, etc. Here in the PNW a strategically placed hedge of Himalayan blackberry keeps out everyone. You can also fell small trees across any existing access routes.

You do not “cut grass” on 80 acres. But you do make hay, if the grass is good enough. In some areas you can get two crops a year, one in May or June, one in August. You could find a local farmer willing to hay and bale for a share of the crop.

Otherwise there is nothing wrong with letting old pasture go fallow and the grass go through its annual cycles. Fallow pasture is very pretty and hurts no one.

Even if you board out your horses you will want to give them pasture vacation on your lovely grass for a few months every year.

[S1969]

My family owns a large former farm [150 acres] (not where I live, but where I grew up) and they do not have it fenced. Barbed wire will not keep trespassers out anyway. I don’t think I would bother with a perimeter fence of any kind.

Setting and checking game cameras are useful tools. If you spend more you can get the kind that notify you or send photos to your phone. Also having neighbors that keep an eye on property lines is great.

If there are trails or roads that lead to/through your property I would consider gates or (depending on your own plans) blocking them with things like large logs. If you intend to drive through obviously that won’t work, but a lot of people block trails so that only small vehicles (ATVs or snowmobiles) can go through at certain points.

As for mowing - agree with above. You don’t have to mow it all. Keeping trails mowed/cleared is worth the work. My brother keeps a few fields planted with various rotational crops just to keep it from all becoming scrub/woods - e.g. soybeans, sometimes corn, sometimes fodder beets. He also hunts, so having fields that provide crops for deer keeps the herds healthy.

To maintain a property that size, you will definitely want a tractor and probably an ATV or two. I don’t think an ATV alone would be my choice in case you need to pull out brush, mow a field, or use a FEL. So I would plan for the expense of a medium sized tractor (or larger, if you can afford it.)

[Redlei44]

In addition to the good advice above, I think the standard COTH real estate advice would apply as well - check, double check, and then triple check what the allowable uses, easements, floodplains, hazards, etc. are with the county. Don’t assume that whatever is happening on the property now will be allowed after you buy it - uses can be grandfathered in for the current owner but end when you buy it.

[fourfillies]

Be very careful about internet access. I’m 45 miles from Baltimore and there is no reliable internet access in many areas of our county. Dealbreaker for us on a number of properties.

[jawa]

A lot depends on whether the property is open/grass (= lots of time on a mower or tractor) or wooded. We have 80 acres. 10 of which needs some sort of mowing… weekly for the small yard, every 2 weeks for the other areas and monthly for the trails and what not. The wooded area are split between planted pines and natural forrest. If a tree falls, for the most part, it doesn’t matter. It’s only a problem if it falls on a trail. We have accumulated equipment to be able to manage the property without too much trouble…but that’s an investment on top of buying the land.

[mydogs]

@fourfillies

Be very careful about internet access. I’m 45 miles from Baltimore and there is no reliable internet access in many areas of our county. Dealbreaker for us on a number of properties.

That’s definitely something on my list of “need to have”. A friend just bought a house on 10 acres and didn’t realize he doesn’t get high-speed internet until he signed the house. We learned from him to do that research on our own.

[Scribbler]

Flood plains are really important, also any wetland or creek access that might need special environmental protection or just be difficult upkeep. Look at long term flood plains as well. You don’t really want to be in a 5O year flood plain. Lots of cheaper marginal farmland can be wet. That’s why it’s cheap and marginal.

[Guilherme]

Start by looking at a large scale map of the area. Where will you get internet, groceries, medical care, etc. You will also see any rivers or streams, mountains, or other major terrain features. Then look at an aerial photo of the area. What does the vegetation look like? That will tell you a HUGE amount about the soil, climate, and general weather conditions.

Not all trespassers are malevolent. Most are usually just passing through to get someplace else. Of course this is not always true; some ARE bad actors. But a full perimeter fence around 86 acres will be close to 8000 feet of fence. If you have to clear that much land and then put up a five strand, barbed wire fence you’re looking at $3/ft. in round numbers. Do the math. This does not include the clearing, mind you, just the fence materials and labor.

If the area is mostly cleared then you’ll have to keep it that way or you’ll soon have a scrub forest. If you are in an arid climate that process will take much longer than if you’re in a wet climate. You can keep 80 acres mowed with a 40-50 horse tractor and a large, commercial grade bush hog. But you’ll spend a LOT of time on the that tractor. If you’re time is valuable then you’ll want something in the 80 hp. range and a bat wing bush hog in the 14 foot range. Again, just how much time depends on annual rainfall. Also on the terrain. Flat land can be cut much faster than hilly terrain. And you’ll have the maintenance of the fence, itself. That requires time, also. Ask me how I know all this!!!

Taxes. Most places tax on the market value of the land. In TN you can get some help if you can get the property in either an Agricultural exemption or a Green Belt exemption. This cuts the bill roughly in half. But you’ve go to do a “dance” with the state Alphabet Soup or you’ll get in trouble with tax man. Your local Ag. Extension agent is a good resource on how to do this.

There is more, MUCH MORE, but you get the idea.

This is actually a pretty big “bite of the apple.” If you’re not going to do anything to generate income from the land you’ll have to “feed it” and that will not be cheap.

Good luck in your planning.

G.

[Feliz]

Along with wifi - check cellphone reception EVERYWHERE. Our property has decent reception everywhere except the kitchen, dining and living room :lol: So if I want to chat I go hang out outside or in the master bedroom. It’s not a huge deal - but it’s kind of annoying. I did check it when we were looking - but only on the driveway - where it’s great.

We moved to our first block of land (9.5ac) 3mths ago - it’s a big learning curve!

What condition is the property in now and how well set up is it for what you want? If it’s been well looked after and has gates in the right places etc it makes a big difference.

Maintenance wise -
Fencing - how many miles are there? How often will you need to check it? If electric, is it sufficiently powered? and what maintenance will be needed to keep it hot - ie weed control around it? Can you do the maintenance yourselves or will you need to pay people?
Grass - our two big paddocks we sold as standing hay to the neighbours - they are responsible for getting it cut, baled etc. I have a little tow mower for behind the ATV that I can mow the smaller horse paddocks with if required.
Equipment - have a good healthy budget then double it! It’s not just the obvious big ticket items - all hte little stuff adds up as well - Tractor/ATV, mower, harrows, chainsaw, weed eater, hedgecutter, manual post rammer, fencing pliers, tensioner etc

I think in some ways a bigger place is easier - you are more likely to buy the equipment that you need, vs trying to make do/do it manually. It can be easier to get contractors in because it’s a “proper” job for them - not a tiny 1ac paddock that you’d like to turn into hay. But of course it all costs more money.

FWIW I think our 9.5ac is about the same amount of work as my friend’s 4ac - it’s better set up for a start, and I don’t have to make it work hard to support 2 horses and 3 cattle

[goodhors]

Have to agree with G, you should have a plan on how to maintain your acres. If it is cleared, you can probably get away with mowing everything only twice a year. This is to keep the scrub from taking over. It can do that faster than it seems possible! Luckily scrub grows slightly slower than grasses, so if mowed twice a year, mid summer and fall, it should keep things short for easier managing.

If there are grass fields, perhaps a neighbor would be interested in taking the hay off for you. It benefits both of you. You don’t have to put in time mowing, he gets the hay with only his time, bale wrapping and fuel invested. Perhaps buying fertilizer to apply if he will be haying it long term. The field stays nicely mowed, productive.

After our buying, cleaning property to create smooth fields again, that is A LOT of work!! So much easier to keep clean fields clean by mowing, instead of clearing trees, scrub, roots later! I suggest mowing any grassy/weedy areas at least twice a year, though 3 times would be better. That is a lot of acres, so mowing will require a large block of time. Perhaps doing areas on a rotating basis, in smaller blocks, all season long. I am kind of fanatic about mowing, because of the many benefits it provides. I let the grass get longer for winter, which protects the soil, provides food, protection, for all manner of wildlife, bugs, mammals. Up here in Michigan, my last mowing would be around Labor Day to allow regrowth time.

if you have nice wooded acres, getting it looked at by a forester will tell you what is growing. Perhaps you have valuable timber that can bring income. Maybe the woods are lesser wood types, so judicious clearing of lesser trees, trimming underbrush, nuisance vines, invasive species, will encourage the good trees to grow better. Maybe a little done each year is less work, to reach the long term goals in managing these woods.

[walkinthewalk]

Learn how to fix things — from fences to simple maintenance on any of the equipment. If you are generally healthy, are not “more money than brains” rich, you have got to learn to do simple things for yourself or you will quickly go broke.

No, that never happened to me but I have seen it happen with only 5-10 acres involved. I was raised on a dairy farm. Dad had a wrench in my hand before mom could get a frying pan in it and that has saved my bacon more times than I can count over the years:)

We are now retired on 24+ acres and still have two horses. We keep the pastures well bushogged (no “cutting of grass” when 80 acres is involved as someone else mentioned:)

where we live the perimeter fences have always been common fences. Whoever gets there first fixes it, if both land owners have livestock. In our case, our south fences is on the high ridge. The neighbor on the next road repaired that entire line of fence to keep his angus in check and never asked us for any help or money. Conversely the neighbor on the east side thru the woods, got rid of all his cattle. When a tree fell on that fence, we took care of it and never asked for help or money.

in the real country, there is no “you owe me bull crap. Just fix it and go on with life; it will all come back around somehow, in its due time. It was that way when I was growing up on my parents dairy farm in Ohio, it is still that way where I am now retired in Tennessee. I would not live where it was any different.

[mydogs]

Thanks everyone!

Thankfully, the SO is both book smart & very handy and basically grew up on his uncle’s 100+ acre farm where he built the barn there. He would build our new house on his own if he had the time.

The land we are looking at is in an area we are pretty familiar with; realtor lives in the area, realtor’s daughters’ trainer lives across the street from the land, my barns are all nearby, several friends live within 10 minutes of it, etc…

It looks like the seller is keeping the other half of the land, most of the land is tillable, and it is all in agricultural preservation, so we are thinking we would work out a deal out with a farmer.

Lots more to think about and plan, a bit nervous and excited now!

[Janet]

If it isn’t being actively hayed, open land will need to be bush-hogged at least twice a year to keep it open. Depending n where you are, it might be more cost effective to pay a local farmer to bush-hog.

Find out if the current owner has given people permission to hunt on the land. They may not know the land has sold, or may assume to permission is still valid.

If you have trails through woods (whether for horses or ATVs), you will need to spend a certain amount of time clearing the trails when trees fall.

If you have substantial creeks, you may have to deal with flooding caused by beaver dams.

The electric infrastructure may be less reliable, and may be low down on the priority to restore in a less densely populated area, so you may need a generator.

Same with snow clearing.

[B_and_B]

I’ll go a little against the grain here. If you simply want to keep land open for future pasture use, I would suggest brush hogging once a year, between July and late September. At least a few areas. Why? You lose a little grass quality and it does take longer to do, this is true; but you may be providing very valuable habitat for nesting grassland birds, which are in steep decline and threatened in many areas.
Mowing in May/June does produce lovely fields. And they are lovely for horses. They are, to be blunt, death for birds.
If it is mowed once a year in July/August, you won’t have the tree growth or the goldenrod cropping up. But you also will give things like bobolinks and meadow larks a chance.
Something to think about.

[IronwoodFarm]

Usually if land is in ag use there are rollback taxes if taken out of ag use. The amount of taxes will vary by location. Horses may keep it in ag use, depending on what you are doing. On my farm ag use is maintained because we are breeders AND we hay some of our fields.

One point about haying and four wheeling. They tend not to be compatible if there is regular four wheeling use. I can’t think of any farmers who would be happy to have four wheeling tearing up a hay field.

The internet is important. We have a cable, but many of our neighbors do not. We recently looked at another property as a potential add on to our holdings. It is absolutely wonderful, but they have no dedicated internet. They just depend on hot spots. It was a dealbreaker for us given that the cost for running cable was prohibitive.

And I will add my mantra that you have to like manual labor if you want to own a farm. Hiring help is not going to be an adequate solution. I will not digress as we have plenty of COTH threads about finding and affording suitable help. If you don’t mind doing work outdoors, then you will be fine.

[S1969]

@B and B

I’ll go a little against the grain here. If you simply want to keep land open for future pasture use, I would suggest brush hogging once a year, between July and late September. At least a few areas. Why? You lose a little grass quality and it does take longer to do, this is true; but you may be providing very valuable habitat for nesting grassland birds, which are in steep decline and threatened in many areas.
Mowing in May/June does produce lovely fields. And they are lovely for horses. They are, to be blunt, death for birds.
If it is mowed once a year in July/August, you won’t have the tree growth or the goldenrod cropping up. But you also will give things like bobolinks and meadow larks a chance.
Something to think about.

Agreed, and bees. I try not to mow my open field until after the knapweed and goldenrod is out of bloom. You have to be diligent, though, because it turns from lovely fall to cold and rainy pretty quick at that time of year.

[mydogs]

Thanks everyone! After reading everything, I don’t have any major concerns about the new lifestyle that comes with the larger plot of land, so that is good.

[JanM]

Are the utilities you need already on the property? Or will you have to pay for hookups, and to run lines to the home? How much are utility connection charges? Are there any easements, leases, or other uses of the land that will impact you? Is there city or local water service, or do you have to dig a well? Does the ground have the right absorption rate for a septic tank? Can you get cell and internet? Look carefully at the overhead map, and see if there are trails through, or other concerns.

[hosspuller]

When I bought acreage, I didn’t have a full understanding on the ground, of the easements involved. Plan on a survey before purchase. It will cost several thousand $$ but will be worth knowing your land boundaries. I say before purchase so you know what you’re getting and not getting. A neighbor may have his house or barn on the land. (for instance) After closing, you’re SOL and stuck with everything good and bad.