Homesteading and Hobby Farm/Ranch

Borzak

Borzak

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I've heard people using all kind of shit to deter deer. It was and still is a huge thing in wildlife management now. Especially in semi rural, suburban areas. I live next to the national forest and most of my land is a giant food plot to attract deer since the US Forest Service has been in a no thinning and no harvest timber mode for at least 35 years. Not much browse grows in timber stands no daylight reaches the floor.

My major professor used to have a slide of tires painted green. Show it at talks "look at all the food", I mean it's green it must be deer food.
 
Sudo

Sudo

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BrutulTM said:
I don't know but I pee in my yard all the time and the deer still come right in. I've heard of people putting up a two-tier electric fence with one low wire and one higher one to keep deer out but I haven't tried it. A guard dog is the best but that's hard in a populated area and sometimes it doesn't work anyway. My mom has an outdoor dog but he sleeps all night and the critters all come in anyway.

One of my proudest moments as a dog owner was one morning when I looked out to see my two border collies escorting a porcupine out of the yard. One was on either side of it just trotting along and the porcupine was hauling ass as much as porcupines can haul ass (they are slow as hell) and the dogs knew not to touch it, just got it out of the yard. My dogs sleep in the house though so stuff still comes in at night.
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We've had luck using Milorganite on our food plots as fertilizer - it keeps the deer out for 4-6 weeks depending on weather.
 
Mr_Bungle

Mr_Bungle

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Foler said:
Ok looked everything over. I wonder if they make something or I could make something like a towable reservoir - I could just tow it around with my UTV to each of my agroforestry rows… maybe a good DIY project.. Wonder if I could find a clear reservoir with gallon/liter marks, a small UTV trailer, hose holder and make something.. Any chance you’ve seen a product like this?

Trailer like this

with something like this but need a way to measure liquid volume

And a hose holder attached to it…
www.eleyhosereels.com

Wall Mount Garden Hose Reel

Highest-rated. Durable, aluminum construction. Mount to any vertical surface. Drinking water safe. 10-YEAR No-Leak, No-Break warranty. Midwest family-owned.
www.eleyhosereels.com www.eleyhosereels.com

Then maybe get a 12v version of that pump and run it off the UTV battery..

This would also make drenching compost tea tenfold more easy. I HATE moving hundreds of foot of hose around my agroforestry rows.
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Sorry for the delay but I found a company that I believe is based in Florida. They might have a product that fits your needs.

Portable Water Storage | So Many Water Trailers and Tanks!
 
Foler

Asshat Foler

Log Wizard
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BrutulTM said:
I don't know but I pee in my yard all the time and the deer still come right in. I've heard of people putting up a two-tier electric fence with one low wire and one higher one to keep deer out but I haven't tried it. A guard dog is the best but that's hard in a populated area and sometimes it doesn't work anyway. My mom has an outdoor dog but he sleeps all night and the critters all come in anyway.

One of my proudest moments as a dog owner was one morning when I looked out to see my two border collies escorting a porcupine out of the yard. One was on either side of it just trotting along and the porcupine was hauling ass as much as porcupines can haul ass (they are slow as hell) and the dogs knew not to touch it, just got it out of the yard. My dogs sleep in the house though so stuff still comes in at night.
Click to expand...
Gonna do 8 ft electric fence. Will two tier it or put a guard dog inside it if that doesn’t work. I also have a black bear problem so hoping to handle both…
 
Mr_Bungle

Mr_Bungle

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Foler said:
Got quotes from the other 2 companies, 4-5.5k lol. Rubbermaid barrels, extension cords and long hoses it is!
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Sometimes the best option and the cheaper option are one in the same, being easier to modify on the fly or replace broken parts.

I can vouch for these same containers with the metal frame and pallet using the same pump and hose system above. If you want a cheaper option with a more than generous volume this could work, although It might be more of a "later down the line" purchase as your scale goes up and trees mature. You would have to tow it somehow but the pros are, its very easy to clean because of the drain cap on the bottom and holds enough for a small irrigation system if you ever decide to build some on the cheap using micro tubing later on. You'll get good use out of them if you have a flat area to stack and secure them.

275 Gallon White IBC Tote Portable Tank | NTO R275
 
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Wantonsoup95

Wantonsoup95

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During planting season I'm sure some of you can relate to this kind of mess

Bottom broke out mid fill in the air of course.

20250421_211506.jpg
 
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BrutulTM

BrutulTM

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At least it's on concrete. I tried to get away with moving a trailer once with one of these totes sitting on it unsecured...

discharging-horse-pellets-from-2000-lb-bulk-bag-into-buckhorn-centerflow-seed-box.jpg


Naturally the bag tipped over and half the seed dumped out into tall grass. Had a nice couple of hours scooping it up with a coffee can and of course I didn't get nearly all of it.
 
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Gutterflesh

Gutterflesh

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I've been doing some research, but I was curious if any of you have real-world experience with owning goats?

Considering getting 3-5 goats on a property that is just under 4 acres. These goats would purely be for grazing to keep the weeds/shrubs down, but I'm also doing it because I think it would be fun to own some goats.
 
Aldarion

Aldarion

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Get sheep.

Hair sheep. Lowest maintenance farm animal ever. Clear brush almost as well as goats. But they actually stay *inside* your fence. Actually, a fence is almost overkill - you could probably just point and say "stay here".

Or if you really enjoy chasing farm animals, get goats.
 
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BrutulTM

BrutulTM

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Gutterflesh said:
I've been doing some research, but I was curious if any of you have real-world experience with owning goats?

Considering getting 3-5 goats on a property that is just under 4 acres. These goats would purely be for grazing to keep the weeds/shrubs down, but I'm also doing it because I think it would be fun to own some goats.
Click to expand...

Goats are fun. Much more personality than sheep. Sheep are about as intelligent as chickens. Goats do escape though and they do get into things and onto things that you don't want them to. That said, sheep will crawl through a lot of fences as well, but not as much as goats. Woven wire or a well set up and maintained electric fence is the only way to keep them in.
 
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Sludig

Sludig

Potato del Grande
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Gutterflesh said:
I've been doing some research, but I was curious if any of you have real-world experience with owning goats?

Considering getting 3-5 goats on a property that is just under 4 acres. These goats would purely be for grazing to keep the weeds/shrubs down, but I'm also doing it because I think it would be fun to own some goats.
Click to expand...
Fuck those sumn bitches
 
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Foler

Asshat Foler

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Shed will be finished today. Tuff shed has done a great job. Would post pics but lil too personal for here.

Looking at a carport next for truck and utv. Won’t lay a foundation for it as I’m going to put it next to the house which eventually be demo’d - aka I’d like to be able to move the car port in the future.

More importantly, I’m looking at pole barn or metal barn next for storing the Kubota L3902, implements and my commercial mower. I’ll put in a

Now that may not be much now but I think I should make this barn as big as possible (let me know your thoughts). It would be nice to be able to store some trailers in there. Who knows, maybe in the future I get a car lift or something? Idk…

So other than getting folks thoughts on size… Do I go enclosed pole barn or full metal barn? Full metal is probably more expensive but less maintenance. However full metal is probably also less easily expanded onto and modified in the future. Note I’m in Florida where there’s termites (never had an issue with them yet).

I’m kinda leaning towards pole barn. I like the idea of taking the price differential and putting that money into making it bigger. I also like the idea that in theory it should be easier to modify/add on to in the future.

Also I’m going to put the pole barn backing up to the old horse field that used to be fenced in… I’m thinking maybe putting roll up doors on the back side - maybe I can use it for livestock in the future as well if I decide to fence the field back in? Idk

Thoughts?

CC: Blazin Blazin
 
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Blazin

Blazin

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Foler said:
Shed will be finished today. Tuff shed has done a great job. Would post pics but lil too personal for here.

Looking at a carport next for truck and utv. Won’t lay a foundation for it as I’m going to put it next to the house which eventually be demo’d - aka I’d like to be able to move the car port in the future.

More importantly, I’m looking at pole barn or metal barn next for storing the Kubota L3902, implements and my commercial mower. I’ll put in a

Now that may not be much now but I think I should make this barn as big as possible (let me know your thoughts). It would be nice to be able to store some trailers in there. Who knows, maybe in the future I get a car lift or something? Idk…

So other than getting folks thoughts on size… Do I go enclosed pole barn or full metal barn? Full metal is probably more expensive but less maintenance. However full metal is probably also less easily expanded onto and modified in the future. Note I’m in Florida where there’s termites (never had an issue with them yet).

I’m kinda leaning towards pole barn. I like the idea of taking the price differential and putting that money into making it bigger. I also like the idea that in theory it should be easier to modify/add on to in the future.

Also I’m going to put the pole barn backing up to the old horse field that used to be fenced in… I’m thinking maybe putting roll up doors on the back side - maybe I can use it for livestock in the future as well if I decide to fence the field back in? Idk

Thoughts?

CC: Blazin Blazin
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Can never have enough storage space. A barn will likely have a different set of regulations than a shed with the biggest being storm water management. There is probably some size cut off in your municipality zoning.

You have hurricane/wind regs to meet? I'd imagine a steel structure would meet those a lot easier than a pole barn but I'm sure pole barn is still doable with necessary additional joinery.
 
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Foler

Asshat Foler

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Blazin said:
Can never have enough storage space. A barn will likely have a different set of regulations than a shed with the biggest being storm water management. There is probably some size cut off in your municipality zoning.

You have hurricane/wind regs to meet? I'd imagine a steel structure would meet those a lot easier than a pole barn but I'm sure pole barn is still doable with necessary additional joinery.
Click to expand...
I think the zoning is fine. I’m zoned ag on 20 acres. Pole barn is doable. There’s plenty of builders around here. I’m curious though now that you mention it if there’s a size cut off
 
Blazin

Blazin

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Foler said:
I think the zoning is fine. I’m zoned ag on 20 acres. Pole barn is doable. There’s plenty of builders around here. I’m curious though now that you mention it if there’s a size cut off
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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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Foler

Asshat 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.
Click to expand...
Wow… Thanks for the heads up. Seems like it would be a good structure to harvest rain water off of.
 
lurkingdirk

lurkingdirk

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Gutterflesh said:
I've been doing some research, but I was curious if any of you have real-world experience with owning goats?

Considering getting 3-5 goats on a property that is just under 4 acres. These goats would purely be for grazing to keep the weeds/shrubs down, but I'm also doing it because I think it would be fun to own some goats.
Click to expand...

BrutulTM said:
Goats are fun. Much more personality than sheep. Sheep are about as intelligent as chickens. Goats do escape though and they do get into things and onto things that you don't want them to. That said, sheep will crawl through a lot of fences as well, but not as much as goats. Woven wire or a well set up and maintained electric fence is the only way to keep them in.
Click to expand...

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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