Newbie rancher, prepper

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Gazrok

A True Doomsday Prepper
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
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Location
Florida
Hello all,

I'm a newbie rancher, prepper in Central Florida. My wife and I own a 5 1/2 acre horse ranch (have been there a year so far) in the country where we board horses, sell tack (horse gear) out of a shop, and both commute to work in nearby cities. We got into prepping mostly for hurricanes at first, but after a bout of unemployment, we realized there can be some real practical applications for having food and other supplies stored. We also decided it would be nice to be a bit more self-sufficient. We plan on adding a vegetable garden, an herb garden this fall, and some chickens next spring. We are also looking to add backup power for the well pump, more food and water storage, and of course, to start home canning any harvest from our garden. We keep rabbits too.

We're constantly learning more and more about country living every day, and really enjoy our new life. Even if nothing ever happens, we'll be happy knowing we have those preps in place, and we're also pretty sure that whether a storm, unemployment, a water leak problem, etc., at some point again, those preps will come in handy. I'm kind of a jack of all trades, master of none, which comes in handy on the ranch. I've learned the basics of construction, plumbing, electrical work, animal husbandry, horse care, vet medicine, etc. I'm also a firm believer in firearms (what rancher isn't?) and I'm a pretty decent shot. Recently, my stepchildren (both newbie adults) moved in, and we have a friend who is our ranchhand, and she lives there and runs the shop while we work. Add to that, a bunch of dogs, cats, a couple of birds, our own horses, border horses (even a border pig), and rabbits, and it's a pretty full place!

Glad to make your acquaintance.
 
Hello all,

I'm a newbie rancher, prepper in Central Florida. My wife and I own a 5 1/2 acre horse ranch (have been there a year so far) in the country where we board horses, sell tack (horse gear) out of a shop, and both commute to work in nearby cities. We got into prepping mostly for hurricanes at first, but after a bout of unemployment, we realized there can be some real practical applications for having food and other supplies stored. We also decided it would be nice to be a bit more self-sufficient. We plan on adding a vegetable garden, an herb garden this fall, and some chickens next spring. We are also looking to add backup power for the well pump, more food and water storage, and of course, to start home canning any harvest from our garden. We keep rabbits too.

We're constantly learning more and more about country living every day, and really enjoy our new life. Even if nothing ever happens, we'll be happy knowing we have those preps in place, and we're also pretty sure that whether a storm, unemployment, a water leak problem, etc., at some point again, those preps will come in handy. I'm kind of a jack of all trades, master of none, which comes in handy on the ranch. I've learned the basics of construction, plumbing, electrical work, animal husbandry, horse care, vet medicine, etc. I'm also a firm believer in firearms (what rancher isn't?) and I'm a pretty decent shot. Recently, my stepchildren (both newbie adults) moved in, and we have a friend who is our ranchhand, and she lives there and runs the shop while we work. Add to that, a bunch of dogs, cats, a couple of birds, our own horses, border horses (even a border pig), and rabbits, and it's a pretty full place!

Glad to make your acquaintance.
Welcome and thank you for taking time to join Doomsday Prepper Forums.com. Your presence here is much appreciated. We look forward to your posts, and hope you enjoy the community!

Please feel free to ask (post) and questions you may have in the proper area, as the members on here are extremely knowledgeable and more than willing to help!

Thank you again for taking the time to join Doomsday Prepper Forums.com!
 
Thanks. Hopefully I don't drive you all too crazy as I poke around, share what I've learned, and ask questions too.
 
Oh man Im jealous of your ranch!!!! Im saving moolah to buy some land but its sloooow going. Oh, and welcome to the forum I love it here and hope you will too! :)
 
Thought I should include a pic of the place. I know, I know, Opsec and all, but seriously, if a fellow prepper makes it down my way, we'd likely welcome the company.
My wife and I call it the "Storybook Ending Ranch". In a SHTF situation, we'd likely convert half the shop part to another bedroom, as well as half the garage to another (have to keep my shop bench and all though).
You can't see in this pic, but recently, we fenced in the side yard dog area, so we can just let the dogs out without leashes and let them run around and play.
Before the end of the year, we'll actually split the Main Pasture into two different ones (helps in the pasture rotation and in keeping some horses separate).

Our 3 horses and 1 boarder's horse are in the Main Stables, and 2 boarder's horses and 1 boarder's pig are in the Secondary Stables. Behind the Garage, there's a couple of bunny hutches for the rabbits.
The house that is kind of "cut out" of the property is an elderly neighbor. We're about 3 miles outside of town (and out of the city limits), but it isn't a very big town.

TheRanch.jpg
 
Welcome to the forum. We run a spread just a bit bigger than yours, lol. The only thing that makes me nervous on your set up is that your pasture is right up on the road. When things go to hell, I'm sure you plan to make sure everything is back behind the house.
 
One of the reasons we are splitting that pasture...so we can use some of it without using the part by the road. It's not a busy road, and it's an 8' high fence, so nobody can really molest the horses through it.

Still, we only use that pasture in the cooler months, when we put them out during the day, and when someone is at the ranch (and due to the shop, someone is almost always there). We'll be putting the fence up before the end of the year (along with another gate there, so I don't have to walk so darn far to get in the pasture). The new fence will pretty much continue the line through where the words "Storybook Ending Ranch" are in the pic.
 
The pic is a few months old. Since then, the grass is nice and green, and the dirt areas are now grass. Also, it doesn't show the new fencing for the dog area. I had to put a large gate there, so the power company can get a cherry picker truck to the transformer, when a critter inevitably fries itself and knocks our power out. (happens every couple of months it seems)...so we're getting good practice...as it often takes them hours to get out here.

We run a spread just a bit bigger than yours, lol

Sounds like it from your posts. How big? (if you want to answer).
 
What were you doing prior to the ranch life? Sounds like you are in a place I'd like to be but I'm stuck in the Burbs!

Lived in the city, office type job. Still do that kind of work, just commute to the city. We do have a good friend who has a ranch that we've gone to over the years, so at least we weren't complete strangers to it (and prior to having our own, that ranch was pretty much the bug out destination). Plus, my wife's uncle helped us get our feet wet with it for a couple months when the big transition happened. I've always been kind of a jack-of-all trades kind of guy growing up, so that helps. For some reason, my wife assumes I innately know how to do just about everything. Unfortunately, or fortunately (jury is still out), I usually can figure most things out, so it then just perpetuates the myth.
 
Thought I should include a pic of the place. I know, I know, Opsec and all, but seriously, if a fellow prepper makes it down my way, we'd likely welcome the company.
My wife and I call it the "Storybook Ending Ranch". In a SHTF situation, we'd likely convert half the shop part to another bedroom, as well as half the garage to another (have to keep my shop bench and all though).
You can't see in this pic, but recently, we fenced in the side yard dog area, so we can just let the dogs out without leashes and let them run around and play.
Before the end of the year, we'll actually split the Main Pasture into two different ones (helps in the pasture rotation and in keeping some horses separate).

Our 3 horses and 1 boarder's horse are in the Main Stables, and 2 boarder's horses and 1 boarder's pig are in the Secondary Stables. Behind the Garage, there's a couple of bunny hutches for the rabbits.
The house that is kind of "cut out" of the property is an elderly neighbor. We're about 3 miles outside of town (and out of the city limits), but it isn't a very big town.

View attachment 1379

Sweet set up!
 
Funny part is, the mortgage is only about $30 more than our rent was in the city.
 

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