Over the past year or so I’ve taken probably a dozen classes dealing with small-scale agriculture. They’ve been handy for networking, comparing notes, bitching and camaraderie, but not a lot else. Many classes set the bar pretty low, i.e. if you can read a book (and choose to do so) you’re better off than many in the class.

Also it seems organizations offering classes contort themselves to not offer actionable suggestions for fear that when your farm fails and the bank forecloses, you’ll come looking for the teacher who said “sheep! go with sheep!”

With that in mind, I’d like to offer some concrete facts based on my 1+ years living “out.” The following evolving list is based entirely on experience. Your mileage may vary, but I had good results with the following businesses after having bad experiences with their competitors.

 

How much rock will I need? More. Always more.

Uh, ok… where should i get rock? Rich Cruso: 541-261-1239

Will I need a tractor? Yes. But i’m not actually farming i’m… You’ll need a tractor, with a bucket loader. But i’ve only got… You’ll need a tractor with a bucket loader. Start shopping for one at least a year prior to your anticipated close of escrow.

You’ll also need at least one trailer cart. At least.

What pump company should I use when my well craps out? Siskiyou Pump.

My cell phone service is sketchy., what provider should i use? US Cellular.

Century Link is horrible and Charter laughed when i told them my address? How the hell do i get internet? Excede/Wildblue with some caveats. First, VPNs will not work over satellite. Period. Second, there is a laughably small data usage cap; goodbye streaming videos of any quality. If you have kids and they insist on being connected, forget it. Online gaming won’t work. Actually it will but the latency is such you’d be dead in a FPS before you even raised a weapon against an enemy. Rural internet is basically fucked. Keep that in your mind when companies like Apple and Google seem bumfuzzled about how best to spend their hundreds of billions of dollars of cash sitting around gathering dust.

My roof is leaking! Pressure Point Roofing.

I think i need some pipe and hose connections and other supplies. Should i go to Lowes or Home Depot? Neither: Grover Electric and Plumbing Supply. Take a number, wait patiently, be nice to the person who calls your number. Learn from them.

Help! I need a plumber! D&D Plumbing – (541) 772-2111

I’d like to add on a deck to my place and some other stuff. Know a good builder? Yes, several, but the best are always booked months and months in advance. The one exception to that rule is Lenny Thornton, 541-890-8217. He’s great for windows, doors, decks, siding.

Feel free to drop my name with any of these folks. Won’t get you anything, but might add some positive karma to the world.