When I first looked at Firefly Farm in 1985 its 13 acres were overgrown with broom sage, vicious blackberries, and two foot tall cedars. I had walked it, carefully avoiding rusty barb wire fencing, truck parts, rows of abandoned dog houses and a three sided barn that was home to a very skinny holstein cow. The back pasture was a wide swale of about eight acres with a spring at the bottom of it and when I squinted my eyes enough I could imagine my horses grazing peacefully on its lush green pasture. It had a 1920’s asbestos sided farmhouse with no central heat, an old hand dug well and a two seater out house in the back yard. I was single, a wet behind the ears Realtor with five horses, a dog and a cat. This place looked perfect. A property I had just sold had a tractor I could buy. It was a 1953 Ferguson TO35 and came with a bush-hog, a blade and a boom. I got everything for $2500 and proudly drove it down Route 20 from Stony Point to Barboursville.
The first job for “Fergie” and I was with the boom. The boom attaches to the three point hitch and you can raise and lower it with your hydraulics. By attaching a good chain you can pull a fence post straight out of the ground and you can drag great loads out to a burn pile. Ours was over the out house hole. The boom is a simple implement and one of the most useful. After weeks of clearing old fence lines and pulling out what debris I could find among the three foot high broom sage it was time for the Bush-hog.
The Bush-Hog is a brand name that is used for just about any rotary cutter. It attaches to the three point hitch at the rear of the tractor and has a shaft that attaches to the PTO (power take off), which powers the bush-hog or any other implement that requires mechanical power. My bush hog was five feet wide with two heavy blades capable of cutting everything from grass to baby cedar trees and even occasional rock outcroppings. I still had no idea what my fields looked like under all the scrub so I carefully ventured forth with the bush hog in a fairly high position. I marveled as I glanced behind me to see clean pasture emerging pass by pass as Fergie chugged along in second gear. Finishing that back field was one of the most rewarding moments of my life as I gazed at the neat mowed rows with nary a blemish. No rocks, no unwieldy ditches, hardly even a bump as this hidden gem showed itself once more. I patted Fergie on her cowling as I would a horse after a good ride and marveled at my luck.
I lived at Firefly Farm for thirty years and raised two great kids in our old farmhouse which also cleaned up nicely. It really was perfect for that time in my life. One year I forgot to put antifreeze in Fergie’s radiator and a hard freeze cracked the block. I felt guilty for being a poor steward for this hard working tractor but she was done for. A neighboring mechanic took her for parts. On my 50th birthday, (2003), I gave myself a brand new Kubota L3400 (34 horse power). It’s a mid sized diesel tractor and came with a front end loader and a new bush-hog. Unlike Fergie, this Kubota is tinker free and now twenty years later still serves as well as when it was new. The front end loader is indispensable now and I could not imagine getting a tractor without one. I guess I’ve never named this “new” tractor but I have given it many pats on the neck after a good work out.
Today, Gaby and I live at lovely Somerview Farm just 10 minutes from dear Firefly Farm. We’ve just two horses now and grown, well settled kids and our first grandson. I still have pasture to maintain and firewood to cut and move and fences to take care of. Of all my passions and hobbies, those moments of working on our land, man and machine, with my tractor are a favorite.
I did not mean to tell a story but really just wanted to offer advice to anyone contemplating their first tractor. It means much more than just buying a tool. It means a new lifestyle. Congratulations if that’s you!
You’ve been living the urban life for thirty years and dreaming of retiring to the country someday. Every weekend you drive down country roads and imagine that it’s you on that tractor, riding that horse, tilling that garden. Now it’s time to make it happen and you jot down your priorities. They have mostly to do with peace and quiet, character and charm, reaping what you sow.
Here are a couple of things I’ve noticed that are sometimes overlooked:
Soil: It’s easy to be impressed with bright green grass jumping up from freshly raked soil or golden grasses swaying in the summer breeze. It could be that green grass is just winter rye enjoying a heavy dose of fertilizer and that golden grass may well be broom sage indicating acidic soil.
If you are planning on using the land in some specific way, planting grapes perhaps, raising livestock, growing Christmas trees, the soil underneath it all is a critical component. Grapes need well drained soils and elevation, livestock need good pasture and water, Christmas trees can thrive on marginal soils found in the mountains.
There are excellent resources available to help you understand the soils best suited to your requirements. There are detailed soil maps available through your local extension service office and Virginia Tech has volumes of information on agricultural suitability.
It’s pretty safe to assume that if you are in an area where horse and cattle farms are common that the soils are suitable but it makes sense to do a little research and confirm what lies under all that grass. Here are a couple of links that can help. https://www.soiltest.vt.edu/ https://www.ext.vt.edu/
Location: It’s easy to be wooed by a low price per acre. You can find farmland for $3,000 an acre but you may not be getting the bargain you think you are. Marginal areas are slower to appreciate and if you over-improve your property with a nice house and stable you may have a harder time recouping that investment.
There are lots of reasons to appreciate rural Virginia but make sure you weigh the importance of having access to amenities like those found in Charlottesville and any of the charming small towns within her sphere of influence. It may make more sense to settle for less acreage in a great area with good resale potential than a larger property out in the boonies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boondocks
Want a horse?
All land is not equal when it comes to keeping horses. It is possible to find land in the Charlottesville area that is absolutely perfect for horses. It would consist of a nice deep soil with few if any rocks. It would be gently rolling and well drained and it would already be in good grass, your horse’s favorite food.
This is horse country and a horse can thrive here and live entirely off the land for most of the year. It’s not all horse country though so do your homework. Up close to the mountains the pasture will be rockier and harder on your horse’s feet. That beautiful flat bottomland along the creek looks great when dry but will often be a wet soil that can also be unhealthy for hooves.
Clearing woodland to make pasture can be done but it takes years to build up the grass to compare with established pasture. If you want to breed horses you’ll want to look at the type of grass growing in your fields. The fescue grass found in much of this area needs to managed if broodmares are grazing on it. Finding a place that is already fenced and has existing stabling is usually the best buy and finding a place that allows riding off the property can be a huge benefit in how you can enjoy your horses without trailering. https://pubs.ext.vt.edu/418/418-050/418-050.html
Historic Somerset: A Rare Opportunity to Own a Piece of HistoryWhen Frascati was completed in 1823 in Orange County, Virginia for Phillip Barbour who had just retired as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Somerset was already a pretty good...
A rare opportunity to acquire a significant historic estate in a superb location just 30 minutes from Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. The house is described in the Virginia andmarks Registry as well as in the National Register of Historic Places...
Dutchmont: 100 Acre Estate Situated in the Heart of the Keswick Hunt in Orange County, VAHow private is private? A private back yard might be nice, a private wooded lot with some space between houses might be perfect or even a little acreage with where you can be away...
An extraordinary offering in the heart of the Keswick Hunt Just prior to the year 2000, three 100 acre parcels were created from the stunning 18th century plantation known as Windholme in southern Orange County, Virginia. A carefully conceived conservation easement...
For anyone who has been waiting patiently for the perfect property to come on the market, it’s been worth the wait! Stilwin with 183 acres, nestled in a private valley less than 20 minutes from Charlottesville is available for...
Gaby and I are thrilled to present Maple Crest as a delightful short term rental less than 15 minutes from five wineries, great antiquing in Orange and Gordonsville and just 30 minutes from Charlottesville and UVA. We would love to host you for a weekend or a week....
Little more than a year ago my clients were getting a 30 year fixed rate mortgage at 3%, a 15 year fixed at 2.5%. Sellers were getting stacks of offers and the most challenging job for a listing Realtor was determining which offer was truly the best for their client, Buyer’s agents were pulling out all the stops to get their client’s offer to the top; full price + with escalation clauses, inspections waived, appraisals waived, free leaseback for sellers for months after settlement… Sound to good to be true?
I guess the Fed agreed because as soon as inflation started becoming the word of the day, the Fed started bumping rates up hoping to slow the worrisome inflation by closing the damper on the real estate rally. Real estate has historically been a benchmark for wealth accumulation and consumer confidence among home owners fueling spending on all levels, creating high demand for both necessities and luxuries. When supply can’t keep up prices rise as we have witnessed in the grocery stores, gas pumps and car dealerships over the last two years.
Is it working? Housing starts, the resale market and loan applications are down to pre-2008 levels nationally which is when the last fan got hit. The stock market has dropped and exuberant home buyers are now crunching serious numbers as they compute monthly payments over the breakfast table. Inventory is still low but we are seeing price drops as sellers understand that realism is setting in and buyers are being much more careful.
Some say the Fed has acted too quickly and has not allowed the first rate hikes to have effect. Some say they should have acted earlier. There are many factors influencing our economy. Some are controllable and others are not.
Interest rates from the Fed are one of the few controls that can be manipulated and we are witnessing the impact on the real estate market in just six months. Inevitably, rates will level and probably even lower for a soft landing at which time the refi business will be the in full swing again.
The overall real estate market needed a re-set. 22% annual appreciation was not sustainable. Changes don’t occur overnight but you can expect buyers to have more choices and more negotiating room soon. There are opportunities in every market. What kind of opportunity are you looking for?
Historic Somerset: A Rare Opportunity to Own a Piece of HistoryWhen Frascati was completed in 1823 in Orange County, Virginia for Phillip Barbour who had just retired as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Somerset was already a pretty good...
A rare opportunity to acquire a significant historic estate in a superb location just 30 minutes from Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. The house is described in the Virginia andmarks Registry as well as in the National Register of Historic Places...
Dutchmont: 100 Acre Estate Situated in the Heart of the Keswick Hunt in Orange County, VAHow private is private? A private back yard might be nice, a private wooded lot with some space between houses might be perfect or even a little acreage with where you can be away...
An extraordinary offering in the heart of the Keswick Hunt Just prior to the year 2000, three 100 acre parcels were created from the stunning 18th century plantation known as Windholme in southern Orange County, Virginia. A carefully conceived conservation easement...
For anyone who has been waiting patiently for the perfect property to come on the market, it’s been worth the wait! Stilwin with 183 acres, nestled in a private valley less than 20 minutes from Charlottesville is available for...
Gaby and I are thrilled to present Maple Crest as a delightful short term rental less than 15 minutes from five wineries, great antiquing in Orange and Gordonsville and just 30 minutes from Charlottesville and UVA. We would love to host you for a weekend or a week....
Financing country property can certainly be a maze to navigate. A buyer looking at a lovely home on 75 acres near Charlottesville may be thinking that the timing is perfect. Prices have finally leveled off and inventory is coming back. Rates have bumped up lately but are still at record lows historically.
Just ask you parents if they are still around. Financing country property is not the same as financing a residential property. Are you a non-conformist? Quite possibly you are and if you are hoping to pick up a sizable chunk of land, your loan probably will be as well.
Country property, farms, estates and raw land do not fit the standard criteria on the application for a home loan. Whenever the ratio of land value to improvements value exceeds 30% it becomes a non-conforming loan and will not fit neatly into the packaging of loans for resale to the secondary market.
Unfortunately, few lenders will explain the non-conformity issue at the pre-qualification stage so buyers who believe they are ready, willing and able don’t realize that the property they seek may not be.
The nation’s largest lender for rural properties is Farm Credit. Farm Credit has been around for about 90 years and was originated to assist farmers with reliable financing in good times and bad. Today, they still are in business to assist farmers but also make loans to rural land owners, country home owners and agribusinesses.
Traditional lenders also participate in country property financing but usually need to be creative. They may originate two loans, one for the residence and another for the surrounding land which may carry a higher interest rate.
Personal bankers who can keep a loan in house may choose to finance country properties for clients whose assets are known and respected and seller financing is more prevalent in country property brokerage than in the traditional residential market.
The best strategy for financing country property is to be prepared. Make sure you explain to your lender that you are interested in purchasing a property with some acreage and make sure they understand the nuances. We will be happy to refer you to some excellent lenders who know how to work with country property. It is indeed a perfect time to consider a purchase of country property and we’d love to help.
Historic Somerset: A Rare Opportunity to Own a Piece of HistoryWhen Frascati was completed in 1823 in Orange County, Virginia for Phillip Barbour who had just retired as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Somerset was already a pretty good...
A rare opportunity to acquire a significant historic estate in a superb location just 30 minutes from Charlottesville and the University of Virginia. The house is described in the Virginia andmarks Registry as well as in the National Register of Historic Places...
Dutchmont: 100 Acre Estate Situated in the Heart of the Keswick Hunt in Orange County, VAHow private is private? A private back yard might be nice, a private wooded lot with some space between houses might be perfect or even a little acreage with where you can be away...
An extraordinary offering in the heart of the Keswick Hunt Just prior to the year 2000, three 100 acre parcels were created from the stunning 18th century plantation known as Windholme in southern Orange County, Virginia. A carefully conceived conservation easement...
For anyone who has been waiting patiently for the perfect property to come on the market, it’s been worth the wait! Stilwin with 183 acres, nestled in a private valley less than 20 minutes from Charlottesville is available for...
Gaby and I are thrilled to present Maple Crest as a delightful short term rental less than 15 minutes from five wineries, great antiquing in Orange and Gordonsville and just 30 minutes from Charlottesville and UVA. We would love to host you for a weekend or a week....
Waiting for spring to pop. Warming temps have sent the crocuses up and the daffodils are poking up and looking around as well, not quite sure if they can trust these early 70’ days. The horses get their blankets off during the day and revel in a good roll. The Blue Ridge rise almost purple some days. Daylight savings cost us some sleep but gives us a little more time after work to enjoy the outdoors.
Another dreary day in January; overcast, 34 degrees and muddy underfoot. I was contemplating this morning as I was squishing back to the house in the near dawn after feeding the horses and chickens..they’re sleeping. All the barren trees, the pruned back shrubs, the wilted fronds of the summer’s hostas, lillies, irises, mums and bee balms. This is their night as they rest in their roots and branches, snuggling in under a blanket of leaf mulch and soft soil, enjoying a well deserved rest after an energetic summer during which we enjoyed their fruits, flowers and fragrances. Sleep well friends, we’ll see you in the morning!
BTW, there is no better time to look at country property than in the winter. No bugs, no brambles and you can see through the woods. Call me for an update on new listings!
The C’Ville Expert is authored by John Ince, of Charlottesville Country Properties,
John Ince – Listing Agent in Charlottesville VA
specializing in the sale and marketing of farms, estates, and country residences within 50 miles of Charlottesville, Virginia. Apart from his 35-year career in Charlottesville real estate, John enjoys being an ambassador for one of the best places to live in America. For anyone who places a priority on “quality of life”, Charlottesville and its surroundings must be on your shortlist of where to spend the rest of your life. The town of Charlottesville is remarkable, a true melting pot with cultural venues not found in cities ten times the size. The countryside is breathtaking and just scant minutes from downtown with lush farmland and historic estates many tracing back to original land grants. The Blue Ridge Mountains rise to the west moderating our weather and providing endless recreational activities with hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and fly fishing for native trout all within 20 minutes of downtown. We hope you’ll enjoy some personal insights into the lifestyle one can enjoy here from these posts and that you will refer to Charlottesvillecountry.com for more information on real estate in this wonderful area.
