On being a Nervous Nellie

It always comes down to money. I get so nervous spending money. I just made my first mortgage payment and I went through a period of worry. I am real good at worry, few things come easy to me but worry is EASY.

I can worry about most anything and if it has anything to do with money I can, most likely will, worry the situation till I drive myself looney. Most of the time when I do this it amounts to nothing, but you never can tell!

So, if you need to worry about something just let me know I'll show you how to do it up in style.


The horses above are not my horses. I wish they were my horses they look strong and able to pull a haywagon and mow the hayfields and pasture. They live on a farm not far from mine. The horse's pictured are named Jewel and Jed.

So, I have this horse drawn equipment, but no horses! I have a cultivator, hay wagon, haymower, and grasscutter. All I need is a horse or two or three. I have to think about this business of getting horses. First of all what horses? The two pictured here could do the job for sure. Then I was thinking of getting a buggy to run errands in like the Amish-that would require a different type of horse than the draft type pictured above. The Amish, I am told, favor the Standardbred horse; this is the same horse used at the trotting race tracks.

If I wanted horses for everything, work/pleasure, I would need to purchase three horses. A draft team and a buggy horse. I also would have to purchase a buggy. What do I know about this sort of thing? Very little, I hope my education doesn't cost to much. Like my father used to say "it costs to get an education, some people just keep on paying".

Of course I could avoid a lot of this by contracting out my hay to my neighbor and have him cut and bale for a share. Then I could get a horse that could pull the buggy, grasscutter and garden cultivator. That sounds like a good idea-I'll have to look into that.

Making Plans and researching

I am getting ready for the move to the farm. I will be saying that over and over to myself for months to come, I'm sure. I have started collecting and gathering together items to take with me on the next trip to Kentucky.

I have started a collection of buckets the 5 gallon white buckets with a handle-they have so many uses, from watering stock to using as a cap in the garden if there is a sudden frost. The buckets are good for storing feed, tools, flour, dog food, odd shaped objects, trash, "stuff for the compost pile. Speaking of the compost pile I making my own compost toilet. The Humanure book has directions for a composting toilet system using a common white plastic bucket. Of course I will have to try this out; I will let you know how it all works. I think I will convert the little house out back over to the composting system. You know that little house needs some decorating too. I'm thinking of a dutch door so one can have a view while conducting business. I think I will put in a hook for the lantern also "never liked doing business in the dark".

I have bought a camping stove that uses LP, a lantern that uses LP and LP canisters. I think I will convert a larger tank to run the stove so I won't have to change the canisters so often, the canister of LP always runs out just before the water boils or the beanie-weenies get hot. I also procured an Aladin Lamp, she's a honey and should give out the same light as a 60 watt electric lightbulb. Of course I have my collection of oil lamps they will do in a pinch.

I have been keeping the UPS driver busy delivering books to my house. I now have books on; raising chickens, sheep, goats, beef cows, composting, rural living, cooking on a wood stove, preserving food, Amish, solar power, living without electricity. There are books coming on how to keep a milk cow.

I dream of having a cow to milk and how nice it will be to have fresh milk and cream. Sure until the bugger swats me with its wet tail, steps on my foot and poops in the pail or all three things in the early dark hours in a cold barn-oh ya I have to see this ;) I can see the point of view of the cow though-here comes some old lady wearing black rubber boots an old coat and who knows what on her head carring a noisy, shinny pail in one hand and a noisy pressure lantern in the other. Oh, ya a cow's dream come true! Then this strange old lady lays her cold old hands on this cow's teats, I can see this getting real interesting.... I never did figure why we milk cows so early in the morning anyway-another of life's mysteries I may never find the answer to.

Will I have cows, sheep, horses, goats, chickens? Chickens for sure they will be the first to arrive. Then either sheep or goats; today I am leaning toward sheep (Icelandic). Then either a horse or a cow. If it is a cow I am thinking Jersey or Dexter as they are smaller and use less feed. I am thinking as far as horses go an Amish trained horse to pull a buggy and the lawnmower. Introducing a horse to the lawnmower has the potential to be very interesting, like a rodeo with the clowns!

Buying A Stove And Meeting The Neighbors

I drove over to the farm from the Post Office. Not a long distance and the country road went past some nice farms and a few that looked a little worse for wear. I drove into the farm and hello'd the house and sure enough the lady of the house invited me in. She was busy cooking and kept right on at her task. after a while she was caught up enough to answer some questions and show me the items that were for sale.

One of the items I wanted to know about was the kitchen stove. The asking price was reasonable and she showed me the features of the stove. Now this is a wood fired cooking stove Amish style, plain, black and functional. No fancy chrome, or designs, this is get down to business cook, bake, heat, make hot water stove. Her demonstration was as basic as well; put wood here, open draft here, to bake pull this, for hot water fill this and draw water there. I had seen other stoves selling at local stores for more money and in similar style. I bought the stove.

The lady took me out side and showed me several pieces of farm equipment a hay wagon rather old and with iron wheels (well you won't get a flat tire) a horsedrawn cultivator, and very nice mower. The mower she showed me was in the barn and it was a dandy. Painted bright red it had about four reel mowers that were dragged by a horse cart and there was a lever that raised and lowered the reel mowers-this looked almost new. I couldn't come to a decision on this so I didn't get it. Sometimes I get that way-I will spend thousands for one item and in the next moment get all tense about spending what is in comparison a small amount of money. I know it doesn't make sense, but that is the way I am- about a half a bubble off as a carpenter would say.

After my visit to the farm I drove over to the neighbors place and introduced myself. His family was on a shopping trip and he was there alone. He proceeded to tell me all about the area and how he moved there,about his family, that his wife home schooled, their seven children, the youngest about six weeks old. He talked about septic systems, electricity, wells, springs, cattle, hay, home schooling, politics, sheep, etc. He also told me about the night they came over to look at the place and after a while one of his sons came in and told him "Dad it's dark outside" he replied that that usually happens at night. A little later on "Dad it's really dark outside" I' be there in a minute he replied. When "Dad" went outside he found out what his son ment. It was absolutely dark; couldn't see the barn dark. There was no moon out and the Amish don't have barn lights; the children are used to the dark now.

I told him I had to go and would come back to meet his wife later. I did returned after dinner and met his wife who is a nice lady; taking care of seven children as though it were the easiest thing in the world. I did find out the telephone number for the telephone company servicing the area. I called the telephone company later and I have been told that I can get a phone put in for less than $250. I ordered that right off before someone changes their mind. When I left my neighbor's farm I was glad they left the door open the light helped me find my truck 'cause "It was dark outside :)".

As I left the neighbors farm and drove along the road in front of my farm I could see the light from the pressure lamps glowing from the windows and I imagined how they must be sitting down to dinner or board game maybe making some popcorn and planning their trip to their new home in Pennsylvania or New York. I also imagined myself inside with my lamps aglow cooking dinner on the wood fired stove with my cats soaking up the warmth under the stove and my yellow lab shelby sleeping on the rug dreaming dog dreams. Then I would be the one making plans, drawing up lists, dreaming of things to come.

Later on after the trip home and discussing the horse equipment with others I decided to buy it all. I figure if nothing else I can loan it out to others to use and maybe get them to use it on my place. If I get a horse that is broke to driving I may be able to use the equipment myself; after some instruction of course. I would like to get a buggy and horse to run errands in. I think that would be fun when the weather is nice. It might even be fun when it isn't nice like in a light rain or a snow shower as the horse clippity clops home to our farm. (sigh)

Tying Up Some loose Ends

August 3oth, 2005

Still raining off and on sometimes heavy sometimes not at all. The news is all about the hurricane and the problems with the whole gulf coast. The weather guessers are saying there will be more rain from the storm arriving all day in Kentucky.

After breakfast I got a late start on my chores for the day. First stop is the water company, I got the bill changed over to my name and asked what the bill was like for the previous year. There was were some high months but most of the time the bills were at the minimum rate of $13.oo. I guess the previous owners irigated their garden with county water? I paid a few months ahead and the usual deposit.

I then went to the county extension agent's office for information about farming in the area. I said something about goats and the next thing you know I am recieving information about goats. Meat goats no less. This getting information thing is going to take some time. I will have to get some soil samples to bring into the office and get analysied to see what improvement is needed. How I will be able to do that is beyond me.

I then went to an area called South Fork, there I made some inquiries about wood cooking stoves and other things. I got referred to a store called the Dutchman's. He sells supplies to the locals. The Dutchman's store doesn't look like much from the outside and at first glance not much inside, until one starts to look around. The first floor is for the hardware and general store stuff like bailing twine, boots, shoes, kerosene stove, kerosene lights, mops, brooms, nuts, bolts, nails, hinges, cleaning supplies, and on and on. The second floor was for used furniture; beds, chests of drawers, tables and so forth.

The man tending store was in a talkative mood and he asked questions and I asked questions we had a rather long conversation about the general state of affairs and felt each other out. He seemed pleased that I had bought the farm and even more pleased that I was not going to put in electricity. The store just happens to sell lamps, spare parts for them and kerosene (!!).

I went about my chores and found the Post Office and had a wonderful chat with the Post Master and rented a postal box. I may find that better than home delivery. I will give it a try.
The Post Master gave me a map of the local area and showed how to get to my farm from there rather quickly. I took his advice and headed the truck to the farm.

Closing rituals

August 28th, 2005
The trip to Liberty KY was long, longer than I remmembered, however this time I didn't have a co-driver and that does make a difference. The weather on the way to KY became worse with rain showers and then heavy rain in patches. Why is it that when you are looking for a sign that is the time the skies open up and the rain is the heaviest? I missed a turn and ended up in diffrent town!
Realizing my mistake I didn't want to try and find a back road to the town I was going to with the rain and darkness falling so I doubled back to where I made my wrong turn and got on the correct route.

My arrival in town went un-noticed as I searched for the driveway to the only motel in town. I got my room and found a place to get coffee. Actually the coffee was surprisingly good even though it was at a convienince store/gas station. I made a call home to ensure that there would be less worry about my where-abouts. I used a phone outside the gas station and as luck would have it I got drips of water down my neck as I tried to talk on the phone. I made the call a short one. When I got back to the motel I used the phone there to call home again in drier conditions. I turned the TV on to catch the news about the hurricane hitting the gulf coast. The news looks bad, if the levees fail it is all over for New Orleans. If the hurricane arrives as class 5 or 4 the loss will be beyond belief. The best thing they can do is try to get out of there and away from the area as far and as quickly as possible.

August 29th 2005
This the day of "closing" on the farm. Closing is a legal ritual to finalize the transfer of property and obligations from one owner to another owner and try to clarify all the details as to who owes who what. I have dressed appropriately for the occasion-I am wearing black.

This morning I slept in because I got into watching the news about the hurricane and stayed up late. The news folks hyped the event and did the usual stand in the wind and rain thing. I got up got dressed and went to a local restaurant called Emma's for breakfast. I have to remmember that they have bigger than usual portions. I asked for ham and eggs. The ham covered most of the plate. I could only eat half of the ham two eggs and three biscuits. Then it was time to go to the bank.

Banks, Churches, and people's behavior.
Did you ever observe how people behave when they enter a bank? They use the same behavior as though they were in church. Hushed tones, and a quiet demeanor is the rule-holding their deposit/withdrawal papers in front of them as though they were praying. Who knows maybe some are praying-please let there be enough money in there, please, please.

Then there are the gate keepers, the gate keeper at this bank was friendly at least and did acknowledge that I was there-she even knew my name. Then again few people can forget a woman over six foot tall and built like a tractor. In due time I was summoned to an office to begin the ritual paper work.

Surprise #1. The lady I had been dealing with was out for the day-because her farther-in-law was having a pacemaker put in.
Surprise #2. It was revealed by the title search that there is a mineral lease on the property. That gave me a start. Seems that this common in the area and as far as the lady at the bank knows none have been invoked. The lease has four more years to go out the ten year life of the lease.
Surprise #3. The usual method of closing is there is a statement of what is owed by whom and the various parties pay a third party to insure that the financial obligations are met. This could be important when it comes to taxes. It seems here that the real estate company collects the taxes due on the property to date from the owners and makes a check out to the buyer for that amount and then the buyer is responsible for the taxes for the current year. This I feel puts a burden on the real estate office that is not their responsibility. However, once again this is how it is done here so that's they way it will be done. The good thing about this is I get to use the full deduction for the tax year, I hope.

The the ritual check writing for the various expenses; lawyers, loan prep, deed registration fee for two counties because the land is in two counties.

Suprise #4. The part where I come up with the down payment, this became dicey when I showed them the checks from my broker at Fidelity. Seems the lady filling in for the one I was supposed to be dealing with didn't know that I had been told to just bring the checks. She had to dash off and talk to one of the bank officers about this issue. It worked out as the bank cashed the checks and made out one for the down payment to the realtor (?) and the balance to me.

"So" I asked where are the sellers? The bank lady explained that there had been a change in times made by the realtor and they hadn't been able to notify the sellers as they didn't have a telephone. Weak excuse, the real estate office knew this and it was their responisbility to get the word to them. The sellers had an appointment for the afternoon. They were being driven in from the farm in a van.

My part was done-sort of anti-climatic; I had a bundle of papers and a mortagage at an outragous rate and I now owned a farm in Kentucky. I had mixed emotions about the proceedings like it needed something, I don't know what. A little song and dance a few bars of "Green Acres" a warm handshake or even a cold handshake. Maybe things are that easy, you pay your money and sign a promise to pay more and pay for a few chores and that's that; stand up straighten your skirt, grab your umbrella and leave.

I did a little shopping and went to lunch at Emma's - where I sat facing the window watching the passing parade of people coming and going from the county court complex and businesses on or near the restaurant. The rain came down harder, the news from New Orleans was bleaker. I left after lunch and returned to the bank to talk with the sellers. I got a list of items they wanted to sell and I made an appointment with them to visit the farm and look over the items.

I went back to the motel and caught up on the news. I had a lot of things to do the following day.