Homesteading and Hobby Farm/Ranch

Foler

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lurkingdirk said:
I have goats, and 4 on 4 acres is about the perfect ratio for rotational grazing. I have six, but I have a lot more acres. I have all my livestock mixed together, so they can co-graze or whatever the term is. My chickens even get in with the animals some times, and that's healthy for the soil, too. I have 3 for milking that I make cheese with (my family could live on goat cheese). I have 4 for eating (all different ages to stagger the slaughter). Goats are actually fun to have around, Brutul is right, way way more personality than sheep. I will never have sheep again. They are stupid enough to get themselves tangled in something so badly they kill themselves. Rescue them out of a deep hole, they'll jump right back in.

One thing about goats - they're destructive. If they get into a mood, they're going to break something. I've stripped everything down so much, there's nothing to tear off anymore. All watering mechanisms are industrial, no sticky outy parts. I have separate indoor areas for the different livestock, and usually feed them separately. They can also climb. Just make sure you keep up with your fences.

But goats can be funny as hell.

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The goats you have to milk daily right? You don’t find that a burden?
 
Foler

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Blazin said:
There are federal rules about capture of water from impervious surfaces like a roof, states also have rules on top of this. FL has some of the strictest in the country. Federal rule is 1 acre of total disturbance requires a NPDES permitting. You'll know what obstacles there are when you go for the permit so I just take care of that prior to making too many commitments.

In practical terms what this refers to is the construction of storm water pits that will capture water run off rather than just letting a downspouts do something as horrifically horrible as putting water on the ground.
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So, I fed ChatGPT my county’s code book. It looks like the county has a rule that aux structures cannot be bigger than primary residence unless the structure is being used for agricultural purposes. This puts me in a bind as current primary structure is only 1k SF (building the house is last on my list). I’m going to contact the county’s planning division to see what qualifies as agricultural purposes.. It’s for storing my tractor etc but I’m not sure if it needs to be ag purposes that are commercial. 😟
 
lurkingdirk

lurkingdirk

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Foler said:
The goats you have to milk daily right? You don’t find that a burden?
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Twice a day. I don't mind it, though it makes travel hard, or taking a day off hard. I'm not a big one for taking days off, though. Plus, I have a hired guy who helps with things, and he's very nearby, and if I ask him to do the milking, he's always happy and willing to do it. It definitely is a commitment, though.
 
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Foler

Asshat Foler

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lurkingdirk said:
Twice a day. I don't mind it, though it makes travel hard, or taking a day off hard. I'm not a big one for taking days off, though. Plus, I have a hired guy who helps with things, and he's very nearby, and if I ask him to do the milking, he's always happy and willing to do it. It definitely is a commitment, though.
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Wish I could find someone reliable like that who I could pay to help me. Admire the commitment dirk.
 
Foler

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Shed is done. Turned out absolutely amazing.. 16x32 with loft.

Looking for ideas on workbenches, tool storage, storing chainsaws, pole saws, weed eaters, brush cutters, chemicals etc.

Anyone here have a shed with some amazing organization to it?
 
Borzak

Borzak

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Foler said:
Wish I could find someone reliable like that who I could pay to help me. Admire the commitment dirk.
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I have a guy that comes every so often to do odd things around the property and help with a few cows. Black guy that works full time at the local lumber mill. Probably helps I'm real rural and he grew up with it and he is looking to get away from work at the mill at times. Every day or twice a day not sure how that would work.

My cousin had goats in the hill country in TX and he raised them and sold them for meat to some people. Not sure how much was involved.
 
BrutulTM

BrutulTM

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Goats can be quite profitable these days. Especially if you are in an area with a Jewish, Muslim, or Mexican population. The size of goat and time of year depends on which community you're selling to. The Jews and Muslims often want to butcher it themselves so it can be done in a kosher/halal fashion so if you can offer a place for that you might be able to charge for it as well.
 
Borzak

Borzak

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My cousin says their big customer group is muslim which I thought Mexicans considering they are an hour west of Austin but he says muslim.
 
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