First Freeze in Spicewood 2020

The weather guys guessed wrong. It got colder than expected. I left the faucets around the house dripping, but one above ground water line froze anyway. Plus, I forgot the landscape watering timer that comes off the well house. The faucet is fine, but the timer itself froze and blew ALL its gaskets.

plumbing

Deleted

Goats back in my life.

Thank you to Jamie Craig, my neighbor in Spicewood. She asked me to help find her a couple of goats just about the same time that Angela in Missouri asked me to find a home for her last two does, as her human kids had grown up, and the family no longer needed goat milk.

It is with GREAT JOY that I hauled Louise (born in Ganado) and her daughter Gypsy (born in Missouri) south to Texas.

Having goats down the road is a blessing. They make me smile.

No More Goats

Not long after the barn building post, I stopped owning goats. It was a sad and stressful time.

My two favorite goats had become ill with different unexpected and non-preventable diseases.

Their daughter/grand daughter perished.

I was through. Finished.

Some of my dear goat friends took the remainder of my goat family. Bless them always.

Barn Buildin' in the Ozarks

After accumulating a nice assortment of farm equipment, primarily for bushhogging, road and driveway maintenance, and hay production, it was time to have a barn built. I looked at local ads in the Ozark newspapers, asked around, and settled on having H.E.L.P, owned by Alan Stocki, build my barn. We agreed on a turnkey price of $10,000 for a pole barn, 24' x 30'.

Thanks to the weather, construction activity was restricted to early morning hours. The crew started arriving about 6:30 am and usually shut down before the mid day heat became dangerous.



We went from a bare field at the top of the hill between the Cabin and the old log barn to corners and posts. One *really* impressive fact is that the barn is within 1/8th of an inch being square. This is impressive measuring and attention to detail.



Just a couple of mornings, and the girts were on. Then the trusses were placed by Ash Flat Truss. Awesome!



Sheet metal goes on next!



TA DA!



Interior details. Trusses on 2 foot spacing instead of 5 as in most prefab or turn key buildings. The perimeter band board is 2" x 12" for extra strength. All connections are screws or lag bolts. No nails. Gutter along front roof edge to prevent wash out at the doors. Double posts between bays for additional strength. Alan and his crew did a wonderful job of site clean-up. No screws or trash left behind. Dirt leveled and rocks removed.

Some equipment has already found the new home.



I highly recommend H.E.L.P. (Alan Stocki) for your pole barn needs. He also does remodeling, home repair, electrical, and air conditioning. His number is 417 778 1731.

Oregon County, Missouri

(Rented. Move in date is Sept 15, 2014)

I purchased this home and farm a year ago. It was rented by a very nice disabled veteran, but she had health issues and had to move. Now, the home and hobby farm are again for rent or for sale! I need someone with homesteading experience and some equipment, please.

The nearest town is Alton, Missouri. Nearest city is West Plains, Missouri.

The Earth Bermed House is approx 2000 sq ft, with some of that being a screened in porch. The house has a new metal roof that was done after the pictures were taken. Four bedrooms, two bathrooms. Central heat and air conditioning. There is currently a hearth in the living room with a wood heater. Good well and well house.

The twenty acre property has two large barns, a small raised bed garden, hay fields, two ponds (one with bass), chicken house, one three sided animal shed. The barn that has a concrete floor needs a new roof.

Land is mostly open, in hay fields, with some cross fencing that creates paddocks. Small wooded area. Fruit trees, raspberry bed and strawberry bed in place. Fenced on three sides. North side fence needs to be replaced. Lagoon septic system, which is legal in Missouri. The west side adjoins another property that I own.

I will consider owner financing. Terms will be determined by the amount of down payment and duration of the loan.

Asking $150,000.

Rental would be $700/month.



More pictures:
http://quirkygoatfarm.blogspot.com/2014/08/underhill-pictures.html

Five miles from the Eleven Point River Scenic Waterway
http://www.exploretheozarksonline.com/

Demographic info:

Alton, Missouri. 10 miles from the house.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alton,_Missouri

Oregon County, Missouri
http://www.city-data.com/county/Oregon_County-MO.html

Nearest large-ish city is West Plains, Missouri
http://westplains.net/index.php

Underhill pictures

The "Underhill" house at Many Springs, Missouri. Ten miles east of Alton, Missouri.