Ranching projects

[mrkubota]

Some of my ongoing projects:

My girlfriend's barn remodel:
http://www.daplane.com/ranch/barn/stalls.htm

My own 800ac AZ ranch. Hoping to develop it as a residential air park.
http://www.daplane.com/properties/az/redskyranch/rsr.htm

And of course, the reason for my screen name! My '98 Kubota L2500:
http://www.daplane.com/ranch.jpg

[1919_4_ME]

MrKubota,
Are you planning on making an ultralight airpark? :shock: Man I would love to build a home or even park a mobile home next to your air park when you get it goin.Let me know as you get closer to this I am intrested in your idea. :headbang:

Oh by the way are those your boundary markers shown in the pics?

[50 Shooter]

Can I build a bunker on your AZ property? :hail:

Gotta get ready for the new revolution coming in less then two years. :50cal:

[mrkubota]

Yes, those are the property corner markers.

I hope to have both GA and UltraLight/Sportplane runways eventually.
The smaller aircraft on a 160ac parcel and the larger on a separate 640ac section.
The land can be split into as little as 10ac parcels, which is still a good size for both a house and hangar.

Of course there'll be a 1000yd shooting range on the big section and a small lake too.

Bunkers welcome!

[tedbo]

Mrkubota,Good for you!I have a 4wd Kubota also and it sure helps a lot on the workload.Ya need a rifle scabbard to keep the varmints in check!
I can relate to the barn refurbs!Been there,done that and got the t-shirt.Reworked the sister-in-laws barn about 6yrs ago and now my wife and I are trying to get our boarding facility off the ground.
We are trying to finish up the work on a 10 stall metal building with a wash bay,tack room and feed room.We have 4 horses of our own and anything we make boarding will pay towards the farm note.
We have a good location near a State park that has a 12mile horse trail.We have 35 acres and about 12-15 of it is hay field to grow our own and sell what we don't use.We hope to put in an arena in the future as we went with a 400 amp panel to accomodate.
I can do a 200rd range and if the neighbors goats are on the other side of his place I can go to 300 yrds.
You should have no problems with your airpark,it sounds like a great idea.I like your 1000 yd range! :beer:

[mrkubota]

Yeah! we couldn't get much done without the tractor!
Don't know how I ever did without one before...

I built the 3-stall + tackroom in the pic above back in '92 on a 1/2ac property. We were able to lease another 4ac behind it for pasture back then, but the owner sold it off in 2000, so we bought the bigger 3-1/2ac place that already had the barn and other out buildings but really needs a makeover.
I do wish I'd put a bigger panel at the barn now as well. 200amps is already being taxed. We just had a big freeze here and lost about 150ft of water main. So that was an unexpected intrusion on the barn work, but it's coming along pretty well.
I need to update the webpage, but it's pretty much done now with just the corral fencing and paint needed to finish it.
We put in three pads with wash racks out behind the barn last year.
She's got 6 horses right now, so the arena and round pen were some of the first things that went in for her. We're in the foothills with existing horse trails and park, so that's no problem here either.

Next up is the main house remodel and landscaping!

These are some pics from when we first started working on the place...
http://www.daplane.com/ranch/

The AZ property is bordered on the north and south by BLM sections and east west by State Trust sections, so out there I really have no close neighbors. I don't know yet how hard it'll be to have my own pastures, that's not something I've tried on a big scale yet. Here in CA, we usually only have a couple acres in grass to supplement store bought feed.

Sounds you like you all will have your hands full with 10? horses to care for! Nice that you can save on the feed costs though.
What kind of pasture do you plant?

//Ben

[tedbo]

Well,sorry I haven't been around much lately,just been busy.Sounds like you got a nice spread! :beer: I have been putting up ceilings and a little bit of the walls lately.I put the ceilings up first and then i went ahead and painted them-basically starting at the top and working my way downi can now work on the tack room plumbing in the next week or so.I got the wash bay ceiling up and put up the 2 waterproof light fixtures.
Me,myself and I make a heck of a team!
Answering your question about planting seed,I have just put up grass hay .This year I would like to put up some orchard grass and timothy, but finances are tight.Wishful thinking right now.

[mrkubota]

Well, the pasture's in for 2007 and the horses and dogs are already enjoying it!
We ended up planting a mixture of rye, oats and alphafa.

Here're Maggie and Buddie doing what horses do best...

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/barn/cv07_pasture_horses.jpg

and here are the dogs ferreting out the gophers who are enjoying the new grass too! (those new 'black box' traps work great!)
http://www.daplane.com/ranch/barn/cv07_pasture_dogs.jpg

[Hotchkissmtrifle]

Looks like you are busy also. I am going the old fashioned way myself. I found a large old horse barn with a huge hay loft in it about 12 miles away. I don't have to cross any state or fed roads so I can move it myself without a lic. I hope to put my antique carriage collection in it and put a large leanto on the side for my 2/3 scale Cutiss Jenny replica I want to build. Too many projects not near enough time. Hotch

[mrkubota]

That sounds like a neat project. Post some pics of the move. I'd like to see that!

I'm just finishing up a corral extension to the block barn here. We're adding another 24' to either side, but the west side also needs a low retaining wall to level it out.

Here's a slide show of my progress the last few weeks:

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/barn/barn%20retaining%20wall/


The Jenny sounds like a great project too!
I've got my own experimental as well.... a Mustang Aeronautics "Mustang II". I'm refurbishing the cowling and upgrading the instrumentation:

http://www.daplane.com/mustang/N34CS/MIIproject_files/Mustang_2.jpg

[mrkubota]

Here's what an 80mph wind gust will do to a 30yr old mulberry...

http://www.daplane.com/images/tree_04_102207.jpg

[50 Shooter]

Did you keep the chainsaw around from trimming the other tree?

If all else fails you could use the M2 to cut it down. :50cal: :coffee:

[dutigaf]

that sucks bub. hate that for you.


then again if you dont like the tree, its no big deal!!

[mrkubota]

Did you keep the chainsaw around from trimming the other tree?

Didn't need it for that, this time...
Cathy had the tree guys come out and chop it up. Still waiting for them to pull the stump.

Jon will take all the firewood.

Insurance adjuster finally got here today. They estimated 2700.00 for damage to the roof and fence and tree removal. The tree guys already get 1100.00 of that. I can redo the fence. Still need an estimate from the roofer. I think it's gonna be close...

http://www.daplane.com/images/tree_barn_03.jpg

[OldCooT]

Chainsaws are fun,, Mr Kubota.. on 2.5 acres I had about 40-50 trees to cut up after Katrina..

BTW.. I got a Kubota also... nice machines

[Dan Wilson]

There are so many trees around here that are leaning a good thirty degrees, if we took em out there wouldnt be no trees left :shock:

Sucks, looked like a nice tree.

Dan

[mrkubota]

:mrgreen:
Yeah, we aren't used to the really high winds around here like you all get in FL!
My brother Joel was stationed in Homestead back when Andrew went through. Only thing close to that here is a 7+ earthquake or the fires.

I'm hedging my bets with the property in AZ though....

[Dan Wilson]

Only thing close to that here is a 7+ earthquake or the fires..

Wow, I always thought the most dangerous thing in the PDRK was a peter puffing sierra clubber :mrgreen:

Dan

[mrkubota]

The tree guys finally showed up again to grind the stump out.
They were supposed to bring a big tractor to pull it out... :(
Good thing it rained a few times in the interim. I was able to pull the remaining roots out with my Kubota...

Stump Grinder in action
http://www.daplane.com/ranch/barn/tree_stump_grind.jpg

Cleaned up and re-graded
http://www.daplane.com/ranch/barn/tree_gone_0.jpg
http://www.daplane.com/ranch/barn/tree_gone_1.jpg

[Kali Komrade]

One of my guys that I shoot with has the huge stump grinder and it pulls the entire tree out of the ground and just tosses it in the grinder nothin but mulch comes out the other end... Insane...

Grindin' the stumps sure beats digging them up the old fashioned way...

[Geo.Az]

Could your friend run some Comgres throu It? LOLROFLMAO

[mrkubota]

Planted the pasture for 2008!
Same mix as last year: rye, oats, alfalpha but we planted an extra 1/2ac this time too:

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/pasture/pasture_prep_2008.jpg

Also finished the barn retaining wall and have installed the new pipe corrals on that side as well.

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/barn/Barn%20Retaining%20Wall/images/cv08_corral_03.jpg

[mrkubota]

Finally got around to putting up the paddock/corral fencing on the eastern side of the barn. The v-mesh was replaced too, after the damage done to it by the mulberry tree blown over earlier this year.

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/paddocks/new_paddocks_00.jpghttp://www.daplane.com/ranch/padocks/new_paddocks_00.jpg

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/padocks/new_paddocks_01.jpg

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/padocks/new_paddocks_02.jpg
http://www.daplane.com/ranch/paddocks/new_paddocks_00.jpg

[1919_4_ME]

Ben,
Its lookin good!How many horses you got?I see 3 of them over there in the back.Horses are alotta work and expensive huh?

P.S. My R/C trucks would love that freshly graded dirt you have there....:coffee:

[Kali Komrade]

Looks like everything there is coming along nicely... Wish I had the time and space for more critters... Think I'd be raising a few calfs for beef...:thumb:

[mrkubota]

Ben,
Its lookin good!How many horses you got?I see 3 of them over there in the back.Horses are alotta work and expensive huh?
P.S. My R/C trucks would love that freshly graded dirt you have there....:coffee:

The horse stuff is as expensive a hobby as the firearms!

We've got 6 + 1 new filly this year! Feed costs are way up with the rise in energy costs so we hope something starts to ease up soon. Thankfully, the Arabians don't eat as much as the big Holsteiner. Vet bills for the new filly and my dog's emergency surgery aren't helping much either! So long as everybody stays healthy the rest of the year we should be able to manage OK.

[dotchoy]

Ben your my hero. Place looks sweet. You wont be getting me up in one of those planes though:shock:

[rugman59]

Horses,dangerous on both ends,and nervous in the middle!Not my quote but true.Also very expensive! Where's the shooting range!Did I just look right past it?!Nice place.:beer::beer:

[mrkubota]

Horses,dangerous on both ends,and nervous in the middle!Not my quote but true.Also very expensive! Where's the shooting range!Did I just look right past it?!Nice place.:beer::beer:

You've got that right!

The range is over on my AZ property:
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=st+johns,+az&ie=UTF8&ll=34.742741,-109.394817&spn=0.060231,0.096302&t=k&z=13

That ridge in the background is the SW corner of my section there and is a old cinder pit that forms a natural berm for shooting at from the northern side of the property (1mile) or from the ajoining BLM section at 2miles max)

http://www.daplane.com/properties/az/redskyranch/redsky_center_west.jpg

[rugman59]

Contact lens?:coffee:

[mrkubota]

Contact lens?:coffee:

:green:, No... that's my youngest sister worrying about getting clay on those nice white shoes she chose to wear...

[mrkubota]

.....

Also finished the barn retaining wall and have installed the new pipe corrals on that side as well.

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/barn/Barn%20Retaining%20Wall/images/cv08_corral_03.jpg


We got around to doing some of the barn's landscape work over the long Labor Day weekend.
Trenched in about 60' of new irrigation pipe, added 3 new valves and timer system, and planted two trees, roses and lavender. Still have to run the actual drip lines from the risers to the plants.

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/landscape/trees_plants_barn_03.jpg


http://www.daplane.com/ranch/landscape/trees_plants_barn_06.jpg

[tedbo]

Good work! I haven't done much at my place as I have refurbed a MF12 baler from scratch and been in the hay for the last 2 months!

[GUNRUNNER5150]

yeah bud, looks pretty good.

I hope your soil out there is better than the crap we got down in the southwest phoenix, had to dig a irrigation ditch for my drip system and did a drainage ditch as well by hand when i did my front landscaping (keeping a job from illegals :saluteflag: ). Fricken summer sun is killing my plants tho, no matter how much water i give em - hope yours are fairing better.

GR

[mrkubota]

Good work! I haven't done much at my place as I have refurbed a MF12 baler from scratch and been in the hay for the last 2 months!

Excellent! With the price of feed these days that's got to be a big savings overall!

We're running 17.50 for a 120lb bale of alfalfa right now. 13.00+ for grass hay.

[mrkubota]

yeah bud, looks pretty good.

I hope your soil out there is better than the crap we got down in the southwest phoenix, had to dig a irrigation ditch for my drip system and did a drainage ditch as well by hand when i did my front landscaping (keeping a job from illegals :saluteflag: ). Fricken summer sun is killing my plants tho, no matter how much water i give em - hope yours are fairing better.

GR

Thanks.... yeah that heavy clay soil around Avondale/Goodyear is tough when it gets dry. My sister's always had a hard time keeping her plants alive there too.

The soil here is fairly sandy and drains well. The property used to be a peach/cherry orchard. There was a patch of gravel near the last tree that was hard to dig through, but it only went down 10" or so. That was about as hard as it got for me.
Temps/humidity here have been high this year and the plants have been looking wilted, but haven't managed to kill any of them yet.
We did add in a mix of vitamin 'B' and water when they were first planted on the advise of the nursery to mitigate transplant 'shock'...

I planted some new cherry trees and a couple of citrus earlier as well. The citrus are doing great, the cherries are still looking poorly, but hanging in there.

Bumper crops of apricots, cherries, and peaches from the older trees this year!
Looks like there'll be lots of pecans in the fall too.

[tedbo]

Excellent! With the price of feed these days that's got to be a big savings overall!

We're running 17.50 for a 120lb bale of alfalfa right now. 13.00+ for grass hay.


My square baler makes the 50-70 lb bales,depending on the grass. I am just making grass hay until I get in better shape to seed for timothy and orchard grass. Last year folks were buying at 5-8 bucks a bale and 125 bucks a roll. I was blessed in that I had some from the last year that saved our butts. Now you can get squares at 3 and 4 bucks a bale.
The baler paid for itself this year after the first 100 bales. Everything here on out is profit when I am doing my neighbors.Lord knows we need to show a profit after losing money in the last three years when it comes tax time.

I want to put in some apple,pear and peach trees.The MIL has some that sprouted this year. Last year the drought messed it all up.

[Phalanx]

What are you guys doing for the Strong Barn Tin siding ?
That crap is way out of control now , I can remember when it was 8 bucks a sheet 8 feet long . Now the cheapest i can find it is 3 bucks a foot.

[mrkubota]

There are a lot of former horse ranches, chicken ranches and dairies in my area that were sold off to developers before the housing went bust. They're selling off all the old out buildings and pipe corrals, feeders, stock tanks, etc. for scrap these days.

Much of it shows up in the 'Craig's List' postings and horse boards. We got four 12x24 shelters and 1000' of 3-rail vinyl fencing from one place for 'free', but we had to go and take everything apart ourselves and truck it out.

Those 24' 5-rail panels I put up in the pics above, came from a horse farm that was scaling back. We paid 75.00 a panel for those.

[mrkubota]

Cathy went to the feed store to buy some grain for the horses, but came back with a couple of 'free' laying hens too.

Of course, that means I get to build a coop for them now...
Not just any coop either. Has to look like the chicken mansion she saw in a web catalog as built by the Amish back east somewhere...

Oh boy...:wink:

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/chicken_coop/

At least I get to use up some of the scrap lumber we've got stacked up in the tractor barn.

[mrkubota]

Global warming strikes again!

I got to spend the day driving my Kubota up to my brother's place in the mountains to help dig him out of the latest snowstorm....
The most snow they've seen there in the last 20yrs! The town doesn't even own a snowplow. They depend on the county to clear roads, so my brother's been snowed in for 3 days already.

http://www.daplane.com/images/jon_snow_plowing00.jpg

[1919_4_ME]

Gotta love snow, looks like you had things pretty easy with your little tractor.:green: How far was the road you had to clear?

[mrkubota]

He's in about 1/2mi from the main road. Mostly just need that smoothed and packed down.

The drifts piled up around his driveway and cars were the biggest problem.

Wish I had a dozer blade for my tractor, that would've made it a lot easier.

http://www.daplane.com/images/jon_snow_pan_2008.jpg

[1919_4_ME]

Thats awesome. Man I wish I was still a little kid so I could have a reason to go play in the snow...:cool:

[GUNRUNNER5150]

i hate driving in the snow, scares the shit out of me - but mobbing a kubota thru it looks like fun :green:

its funny how many people dont believe me when i say it snows in AZ

[rugman59]

I kind of like driving in the snow,at least with my work van.Damn thing just goes and goes.Its the "other" drivers that scare me.It never fails,,,some buttplug will whiz by doing 50 in his 4x4 and smash into something.
Using the tractor beats the heck of a snow shovel don't it!?
My dad has the same rig as yours,looks like.He saves the big tractor for heavy work.I actually haven't seen it move since the change from raspberry to Christmas tree farm.:beer:

[mrkubota]

Yes, I do love having the tractor!
I really don't know how I managed all the projects around the place before I had it.

Here's an interesting take on the growing weather 'crisis'. Al Gore will soon be demanding action, I'm sure....:green::lols:

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/12/something_else_for_al_gore_to.html

[mrkubota]

Almost done with the coop...
Just need to finish the door, another chicken entry/ramp on the opposite side, window trim and paint.

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/chicken_coop/

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/chicken_coop/images/coop_19.jpg

[rugman59]

Yes, I do love having the tractor!
I really don't know how I managed all the projects around the place before I had it.

Here's an interesting take on the growing weather 'crisis'. Al Gore will soon be demanding action, I'm sure....:green::lols:

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/12/something_else_for_al_gore_to.html

That was funny as hell!!:rofl:

Really nice chicken coop there! I have a friend who's bedroom is not that nice.:abused1:

[mrkubota]

Almost done with the coop...
Just need to finish the door, another chicken entry/ramp on the opposite side, window trim and paint.

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/chicken_coop/

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/chicken_coop/images/coop_19.jpg

Most of the finish work and paint all done... need to attach a couple of door latches and drag it onto it's pad where a small enclosure will be attached:
http://www.daplane.com/ranch/chicken_coop/images/coop_46.JPG

[rugman59]

Now that's just too purty for them old chickens!:wink:

[anm2_man]

That coop is to nice for a bunch of chickens that Sh*t all of the time.

[mrkubota]

That coop is to nice for a bunch of chickens that Sh*t all of the time.

:)
Just like the horses... it's what they do!

I covered the floor with some fitted stall mats and everything is caulked with 30yr silicone and two coats of latex paint over two coats of primer mixed with Penetrol.
The egg box slides out so we can easily remove the mats, then hose the whole thing out.

Cathy uses the manure to fertilize the garden and fruit trees.

[Farmboy]

I'm new here so just read this whole thread. NICE WORK!

[mrkubota]

2010 and Global Warming strikes SoCal yet again...
The last big storm brought about 3-4" of snow starting around 0200-1300.
That's the most snow I've ever seen at this elevation (2800ft) since moving here in '87.





http://www.daplane.com/ranch/cvsnowday2010.jpg


The following week, Cathy's mare finally foaled too... guess she was waiting for the rain/snow to stop first...
Here's the new arabian colt out of Numiracle (mare) and Betys (old spanish stallion) Really big foal for an arabian...

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/newcolt_00.jpg
Here he is 3 days later out in the sun for the first time.

http://www.daplane.com/ranch/newcolt_01.jpg

We ended up naming him "Brio".