Market Farming

["Rick Williams" <mrfarm AT frontiernet.net>]

Rosie wrote:
> Growing up in a ranch community, I know what footwear served us
> best... I'm
> just starting to go the market-farmer -gardener route.  I wonder what kind
> of boots (or shoes) you all find best serves this need?

When I was growing up most of us wore barn boots or similar. I mostly wear
them on the farm but I notice a big change in footwear selection with
younger people (people under 50:). It seems that they will wear even
althletic footwear. And that includes dairy farmers. I still prefer the barn
boot due to the cork sole or at least a smooth sole that you can scrape off
easier and doesn't harbor so much mud and manure as boots with a grip tread
on them. They have a rounded toe which makes them relatively comfortable and
go high enough to protect the ankles. Todays boots have a lot better padding
for comfort but I do add a jell type insert or at least some kind of
additional padding. I have had problems with socks slipping into the boot
with the jell though.

Where in the B.H.'s are you located? We made a decision 7 years that we
would either buy land in the Hills or in our own area for retirement. We
even went back in the fall of 95 to make the final decision. The land prices
were moderately high then at perhaps an average of $3000/acre from the
parcels we looked at. I recently was talking to some folks who said that
land prices were much higher than that now. I know that you can only buy
ribbons of land along roadways since the government owns practically
everything else. But then you don't have to worry about anyone buying behind
you:) And actually, I wonder if it is really less expensive to buy land
there because you only have to buy a small acreage to wind up with a lot of
frontage on the road.

The one downside would be the small market potential due to such a small
population with really only Rapid being a modest potential. Are there other
market farmers there too you know?

We have friends who live near Crazy Horse. You turn down the road opposite
from "The Fort". I wonder if that place is still in business:)

Sincerely,

Rick Williams