Hello Gene and all
>
> Chris and I have just moved back here to the
> Ozarks from Phoenix.
In addition to wanting to get away from the city (well
huge suburb, Phx doesn't even have a city, but that's
another issue) I also am coming home after 40 years.
Now what is your excuse...lol....
> From that I would guess you are in the eastern part
> of the state
> south of St. Louis. I think Missouri had an
> abandoned coal mine
> program. Is your property the result of that
> program? Is any coal on
> your property usable for heating
I am in Randolph County, in the heart of "little
dixie" The nearest town Huntsville has a honeycomb of
old shafts underneath. My birthplace fell into the
cancer of strip mines and we had to abandon the home
place.
> Well, you didn't ask, but my strong advice is to
> build a shop first,
> so you have a place to keep tools and materials. I
> am finally
> building such a place and I regret I didn't do it
> years ago.
I am fortunate there are a couple of sheds 3000 sq ft
total. they are built on larger slabs that must have
been part of mining equipment. So I already have
stored there, need to fix door locks to store vintage
VWs.
> Lots of new opportunities in niche ag these days.
> How far is your
> land from a good-sized market for products?
We are about 35 mi from Columbia a small but thriving
metropolus.
So that things wouldn't get out of hand we made an
early committment that anything had to start as a
hobby. So we get interested in alpacas, so far
haven't found any breeders less than $10000 may be to
expensive to call a hobby........ LOL.
I'm drawn to ideas that I call "value added". example
raising goats spinning the wool and making weavings,
and or making gormet cheese, and or making some
product of the meat.
> Just be involved and don't
> get uptight about
> differing views. We are each unique, thank goodness.
I tend to be very tolerent of others points of view.
At least those who are tolerant of mine.
> So how do you prefer to be addressed: Van, or Van
> Dell?
with a name like mine one learns very early not to
make an issue of it but I do prefer "Van Dell". Thank
you.