Pink Fox: its Raining...IN MY HOUSE! :/

[pinkfox]

I even ran it all by a frined whos ow working as an ACO in NC...she said 9 times out of 10 if everything seems generally safe for the anials and the claim seems unfounded they don't bother going back out...
im going to prep as if he will come to check on the buns...but she and you guys and some frineds on a group im on all say im over thinking...

Dads also going to give him a call Wednesday about the brush offer and hopefully get chatty and friendly with him...itll be nice to network a little, good for him to make a frined...and its never a bad idea to have ACO on your side

 

[Denim Deb]

Pinky, I wondered if you were right w/how much you needed to make, so I looked it up and you are. That's nuts! This is a quote from the official act.

Right to Farm Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the protections of the Right to Farm Act, a farm must meet the following eligibility criteria:

The farm must qualify as a commercial farm. This means an operation larger than five acres must annually engage in agricultural or horticultural production worth at least $2,500 and be eligible for differential property taxation under Farmland Assessment. For farms smaller than five acres, the annual production requirement is a minimum of $50,000 and the farm must satisfy eligibility requirements for farmland assessment, other than the farm-size requirement.

The farm (as of December 31, 1997 or therafter) must be located in an area in which agriculture is a permitted use under the municipal zoning ordiance and is consistent with the municipal master plan. If the commercial farm was in operation on the effective date of the 1998 amendments to the Right to Farm Act (July 2, 1998), however, this zoning ordinance/master plan requirement does not need to be met.

The farmer must conduct his operation, or a specific agricultural activity at issue, in compliance with the standards contained in agricultural management practices that have been promulgated by the SADC, or with generally accepted agricultural practices.

The operation must be in compliance with relevant state and federal statutes and rules.

The operation must not pose a direct threat to public health and safety.

 

[hqueen13]

$50,000 is crazy, though I will say that it probably could be done. It would be hard work, but it could be managed. The farmer I work for only farms 2 acres of veggies, and he does have weeks where he sells more than 1000. It's hard work and takes about 6 of us to manage the farm in high summer.
Instead of buying the other 2 acres, can you lease it? Would the neighbor be willing to allow you to draw up a document and graze the goats there in summer or something? Maybe for free, or at last a few dozen eggs or veggies or something to trade?
I agree with the others, you found a great connection from this woman, you never know how it could turn out. He might end up being a good friend in the long run.
My mother was a paramedic for 10 years. Her favorite saying was stupid people were her job security.

 

[pinkfox]

isn't that crazy?! at first I thought it was a typo, a decimal a place too far, an extra zero, something....
ive no doubt with intensive efforts a huge team and dedicating ALL the acreage to something "higher value" it could be done, but it would be a serious stretch, all products sold MUST come off the property in order to count they must be "agricultural" (in other words, I wouldn't be able to claim crafts to count either...)

I get that they don't want every tom dick an harry with an acre getting a couple of goats and claiming to be a farm...
BUT, $50,000 compared to $2500 on anything over 6 acres is INSANITY...
I see the idea behind encouraging farming by making the goals smaller on ag property...but seriously, 5 acres vs 6 an its THAT much of a difference, $10,000 mabe...but 50?!
our property isn't set up to intensively farm anything (hilly, mostly shale, it would cost us a fortune in raised beds/bed amendment in ground to grow...
so wed definalty have to do a "something here something there" type setup...

id have to alk to town about if leasing would count...of if we have to own the farmed property....our neighbor probably would let us if hes not already claiming ag (he doesn't sell anything off his property that I can see and only has a tiny vegitable garden, but he does run his construction business fomr his home...) but getting him to sell would be a diferent matter....hes apparently talked about selling his house/property already and dads inda hoping he does sooner rather than later and will let us buy an acre or 2 before it goes on the market officially, hes got 6 1/4 acres with his, we are just about 4 1/2, you need 6 to meet the right to farm act thing

its so prohibitive, and so frustrating....dad was initially told that the town had RTF was not told about lot restrictions of income reuirments....then was old you need 5+1 (6 acres) to be a farm, but can keep livestock on less as long as neighbors don't complain, which is true apparently, however he was then told that he could "make up" the acreage by purchasing the addtitional 1 1/2 acres elsewhere as long as its in state...so he was going to buy a couple acres as a hunting property....
now were told Nope, has to be continuous acerage so that wouldn't work....
so silly...

anywho...slept yucky last night, but sat witht he piggies this morning seems to have helped, they are coming around and warming up, especially Squeek who this moring was climbing allover me. I love pigs.

got some hits on some bun sales so hopefully thatll also pan out nicely...fingers crossed.

 

[hqueen13]

The rules are silly. We have some of the same issues here, I don't think any state is immune.
Yay for sale prospects!

 

[pinkfox]

I agree, definalty silly!
in PA its 10 acres....OR any amount of land making $10,000 or more form ag products...I could handle the idea of the $10K...that would make more sense, high enough to weed out the people doing ti for a tax break, low enough to be doable on a properly managed small acreage. but $50K...I dun think so...
hes like "well you could sell eggs and stuff" and im like "i highly doubt wed be making $50K a year off 5 chickens lol.
we'll figure this out...
I think if he was gonna give us a citation I would have been there and then...if he was gonna give us hassle for he number of animals I think he would have already called us and said something (the number of animals per acre rule for residential is kinda all over the place...and unclear...)
so now its just a case of addressing the "chilly buns" concern and the shelter for the ducks/geese.
I managed to get most of my tarping done last night, 1 more to do thatll go between the 2 to protect that middle section from rain run off and a back panel...
im going to look into the thin reflective insulative sheeting stuff to line the whole thing with and dad mentioned running a propane heater if we need to...im personally wondering how long a rocket stove would burn, weve got more than enough twigs nd brush and stuff to stoke a small rocket stove very easily...
or heat lamps...im sure I could run a couple wihout much issue....though id prefer a FREE form of heat if were doing that.
itll be deep beededd under the cages too and I can put straw flakes ontop of the cages, heck I can even secure flackes of hay to the backs and ends the buns will eventually eat it through the bars but itll also ad insulation...each will have a straw stuffed hidey house too...but the question is...will that be enough to satisfy him when hecomes back (and he will, im sure lol) he seemed to realy want them in the barn...where its fairly dark and obviously dusty...not ideal conditions for buns....and itll be no warmer in there int he winter if ive got the stalls open for the goats to come and go...so...

anywho.
this morning I did start on the bosy shelter in the goat pen...its going to be a 3 1/2 sided pallet shelter like I had for my girls originally in TN...I need 2 more pallets couple more t-posts and something for siding and a roof...oh and some L-brakets, want to make sure its a little sturdier here given the snow risk.
the walls in there will be stuffed with straw for insulation and itll be deeply bedded down...should be fine in there for them

still debating on the duck housing situation...do we want to spend the money to build them something or simply move the pen 5 ft over hook it to the shed and make a pen inside the shed for them...problem with that plan is first weve got to empty the shed LOL! thts the plan for this weekend...

anywho...having a drink and doing some math...trying to find some free pallets off craigslist and then back to work.

 

[hqueen13]

I could get you pallets, but we are a bit of a drive I suspect. I guess it depends on how far you want to go.

 

[pinkfox]

lol, thanks hqueen13
I think sis can talk her supervisor at TSC to let us take 2 pallets, they have a contract for a pickup crew who buy them...but I only need 2, surely they wont miss 2 lol.
dad doesn't like the pallet idea things itll look like a shanty town and is ow looking at polyhuts...you know cause nothing says warm and cozy homestead than a giant white bucket turned upside down....
I don't een now how those things could be remotely warm in a cold climate

but theres a farm locally that sells them (and says they use them) so they must be k for the cold right?! then why don't I belive them...
why do I feel about $60 in ply and corrugated fiber roofing and a coat of paint would look much nicer than a big white plastic thing and be much mure cozy for them when stuffed with straw?!

well see...
if I can get my pallet plan past him im hoping itll look something like this one
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/563479/1st-pallet-build

only itll be red with white trim to match the barn

I did manage to get all the buns groomed, nails clipped and he last of the tarps situated...and now I ache.

 

[hqueen13]

That's cute and not shanty looking at all!
Besides, if the plastic cracks, that's it. Wood can be repaired.

 

[goatgurl]

pinky I've had 3 of those big white buckets turned upside down for several years and really like them. i put a pallet in them and cover that with hay so its warm and cozy and the goats love it. pee goes thru and pellets are no problem so the bedding stays nice and dry. neither freezing rain, sleet or snow has cracked or warped them. you might want to listen to dad. this is the same hut that the duck has hatched out ducklings and sometimes the hens will hide their eggs in there too. and if you hate the white color spray paint them.