Promise Acre: Our Journey

[Pastor Dave]

@farmerjan, Grandpa and Grandma used to make syrup out of sorghum or cane back in the day on their dairy farm, but I never heard that they mowed or baled it. I imagine it would be pretty sweet and the cows would have loved it. They were both abt 59yrs old when I was born, so getting close to thinking of retiring. I never really got to see any of their operation, but remember as a small boy walking with Grandma to throw some slop or bucket of corn to some hogs in a pen. The cattle were already gone. I believe as Grandpa got closer to retiring, he did some row crops and hogs. Must have been done making hay by then. Now that Dad is gone too, no one left to ask.

 

[farmerjan]

@Pastor Dave ; The sorghum/sudan grass is different from the cane sorghum that syrup is made from. It is a hybrid grass, looks a little like corn when it first comes up, but is sown much thicker. It does have a little bit of a sweet smell and I imagine taste. They especially like it when it is baled and wrapped so it will "ferment" in the bales. We use it in a rotation to renovate hayfields as it grows so fast and so thick that it basically smothers out the weeds and we are using alot less chemicals. It is strictly warm weather so we use a barley or wheat or rye to overwinter on the ground and provide an early harvest crop then put the sorghum/sudan in and usually get 2 cuttings.

 

[greybeard]

@farmerjan, Grandpa and Grandma used to make syrup out of sorghum or cane back in the day on their dairy farm, but I never heard that they mowed or baled it. I imagine it would be pretty sweet and the cows would have loved it. They were both abt 59yrs old when I was born, so getting close to thinking of retiring. I never really got to see any of their operation, but remember as a small boy walking with Grandma to throw some slop or bucket of corn to some hogs in a pen. The cattle were already gone. I believe as Grandpa got closer to retiring, he did some row crops and hogs. Must have been done making hay by then. Now that Dad is gone too, no one left to ask.

They probably had something like what I have one in the front yard too, to press the juice from the cane. This one isn't mine but looks just like it.

 

[promiseacres]

I may be sick... Mom's last lookers are asking more questions... sounds like they're going to make an offer.

 

[Bruce]

Mom's offer was countered on the property...they want the lp in the tanks paid for

That is pretty standard.

sicklemowers

That worked. Nice video. Love the boat sailing by in the background.

here you go Jan..this is the one I used in the 1960s. It's now yard art in my front yard.
View attachment 50186

Neighbor across the road has a similar piece of art.

 

[Latestarter]

Hope the potential purchase and possible sale all work out for you guys. As for paying for the propane... how are you going to determine how much is actually in the tank? Have the provider come out and lift/weigh it? Take their word for it? Congrats on the 4H and tractor pull successes. Glad the rabbits made it through OK with the heat. Seems heat is an issue pretty much all over...

 

[promiseacres]

I had the thought too, how do you determine the at of lp in a tank.... but we decided that the extra 1800 for lp was worth it as the asking price was reasonable for the land and property alone (not including the house). So Mom accepted the counter offer.
We just got home from our camping trip. Good time by all. Now to catch up on the garden, mowing, house cleaning, riding.... bunny selling.... and 99 other things that have sat.

 

[Bruce]

Um just how big IS that propane tank? At the approx $4/gallon (actually higher) that I pay $1,800 is 450 gallons which is huge, 250 is more common). If you know the tank size you should be able to estimate how much is in it using the "percent full" gauge on the tank. IF she is going to pay for the propane, the one way to make sure you pay only what is due is to have the current owner have it filled then pay them the entire amount at current prices to the seller. BUT make SURE you know how big the tank is. Some people are liars. Like the guy we bought this place from said he owned the buried propane tank. The propane company said they owned it. I asked him about that at closing. "Well then I guess they own it" Which leaves us stuck buying from that propane company. Since they own it we can't buy from anyone else. Lousy deal.

 

[promiseacres]

There's 2 lp tanks, 1 large, 1 giant... not unexpected as they have a grain dryer set up. And they are asking a reasonable rate per gallon, 1.55 is the current going rate. But they are rented.... from the company I prefer to deal with. We own a tank...so may take with when we sell. But yeah the tanks are huge, so we'll be getting plenty of lp.

 

[Bruce]

$1.55/gallon

$1,800 is like 1,200 gallons!