[LongViewFarm]

Can I come down Saturday after giving rides all day a a tree farm and stay over to Sunday to participate with my two belgian/ morgan brothers,age 6 and 8 and very stable? I will see if I can fit my scoot too, as it may have new shoes by then.

[LongViewFarm]

I’m in if the date shakes out with a pair of belgian/morgans. I bet I can give good companion a ride too.

[LongViewFarm]

Hi again folks.
I’ve just had a successful event on the farm this first (rainy) weekend of October, and folks have asked for a website to keep up with things. I thought I’d share it here too, as some like Carl have wanted to know more. I’ve woodlot, pasture, and sawmill, and I’d love to get an event going this winter. Thanks for looking and thanks in advance for the advice.

The site: https://sites.google.com/site/longviewfarmincnh/

[LongViewFarm]

I’d be willing to host an event here in Charlestown too. Plenty of space, plenty of wood to move either to sawmill or firewood pile. Is anybody interested in January 21 or 22, or both?

As to facilities I’ve 5 acre nearly flat field with windbreak where folks can park/ camp. 50 acre woodlot that could use some selective thinning, a foley bellsaw sawmill close to woodlot, and dedicated place to process firewood. I’ve access to freshwater for beast and man, as well as a dry barn w/ stall mats over concrete floor and covered areas to tack up.

I teach, but Jan 21, 22 is the weekend between semesters, and Monday is a logistics day, so I can take some time in the weekend to practice woodsman skills and finally meet some of you folks.

[LongViewFarm]

I could come down second weekend of December, with a team and skid. I’ll trade moving logs for help putting new shoes on the skid. I’d love to check out your program anyway- looks great!

[LongViewFarm]

@dlskidmore 28607 wrote:

A character in a book I read once said “Never do anything for only one reason.” Although impractical to apply to everything in life, I try to consider this in my major decisions.

• I want to be self employed in a kid-friendly environment, and raise my own kids while still contributing to family finances.
• I have my mother’s genetics, and if I don’t quit the desk job and do more manual labor, my job will eventually kill me. (Her heart disease was treatable, but because of the heart disease the surgeon wouldn’t remove her tumor, and the side effects of the chemo alongside the tumor rendered inoperable by radiation is killing her.)
• I want to do something I love doing. (Gardening, animal training.)
• I want to eat healthier.
• I want to can/freeze more of my own food.
• In my farming research I read an interesting article about the overhead of equipment caused horse farmers to make more dollars per acre than tractor farmers, and generally with better hours since the horses needed a midday rest. (Although they tend to work fewer acres and have less total profit, I see the lower risk as a major factor.)

Great list- could not have said it better.
Like you, I am slowly building into the small farm local agribusiness. Small growth every year is my goal. I do what I can with horses, but not as much as I’d like. I feel sometimes I have to explain my perceived irrationality twice. Once for becoming a teacher, and again for farming with horses. I don’t know which career path is crazier, but here’s an old saying I keep in mind every time folks get offended: “those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind, don’t matter.” It’s overly simple, but lets me walk away from otherwise frustrating conversations laughing to myself.

I have to agree with Lane too about avoiding judgmental tone. Hopefully we can win over folks as customers and drive the localvore market farther to better support us crazyfolk?

[LongViewFarm]

I’m curious as to how this has played out further this summer.
I teach environmental science to high school students. Local food security is something we cover in class, and this would make a great contemporary case study. Any news in the last six months?

[LongViewFarm]

Any comments/ suggestions based on the evidence seen here?

[LongViewFarm]

I’m afraid I can’t make it this weekend (memorial day).
And my schedule’s just been filled up covering shifts at the animal hospital.
Have fun! I hope it goes well. I continue to train my team on a drag load.
Isn’t this heat great? 75 degrees at 7:30 this morning!

[LongViewFarm]

I would be happy to work your soils and learn a thing or two. I’ve only worked a few hours with a sulky plow, and never with a walking plow. If there are some mentors who’d help out/teach/loan equipment, I’d come along.
I’m a teacher, and will be free most days from May 26-June 5.
Jay

[LongViewFarm]

I am certainly looking forward to trying plowing again. Part of the problem was going to a competition for my first experience. I’m going to look for other events that might be more relaxed and a better learning opportunity. Thanks for the support.

[LongViewFarm]

Thanks for the hello Carl,
I hope to learn all about other folks’ operations as well. Yours included.
I really am just getting started with actions beyond wagon and cart driving. I’ve got one cart that’s extremely rugged we get out in the woods on. I know If the horses can get between two trees, the cart will follow. So my boys know how to get through the woods.
Being only half draft, Lee and Zeke have a bit less pulling power, but I think they’ll do fine in logging and fieldwork. Their third brother, Zac, is two years old. I’ve had him in harness but haven’t really started his training. Unfortunately he just had a bad episode and ended up with some nervous tissue damage I am hoping he’ll recover from with age, so his training’s on indeterminate hold.
I haven’t jumped in with two feet yet myself because I’m not sure yet if I’ll find a local teaching gig for my main source of income. I finish my master’s degree soon, and everything hinges on being able to stay on the farm this fall. If I do, expect logging operations to commence this fall.
I think we’ll be at the plow match at Billing’s Farm this weekend, and will be at RN Johnson’s open house in Walpole, NH on May 8th. Maybe I’ll see you around. We’re only about an hour apart Carl.
Enjoy the day.

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