Next dumb question (Emmett: rent, appliances, houses)

[DESERTRYDER]

For all you Idahoian's that have a bigger piece of property.
One of the Emmett Houses that we like has 3.5 acres of what used to be pasture. It has not been watered or cared for for over a year.
It looks to be over grown. What are my options in taking care of it and trying to get it into shape? I am told that water rights come with the property.
How do you folks take care of that much area if you have no livestock?
Tractor is all down? Water it and hope it comes back??
Turn a bunch of goats loose ?
For that matter does pasture go bad or am I just looking for trouble

[Haakon]

I would walk it first to make sure there isn't anything left in the tall grass (assuming it is tall), things that might damage a tractor - cars, appliances, etc - then mow it all down with a tractor. A small tractor with a 4' brush hog should be able to mow that down in just a couple of hours. If you want to leave it pasture just mow it every month or so.

[DESERTRYDER]

I am assuming I don't have to rake it all up afterwards >????\
Just Mow & Go ??

[Haakon]

I would just leave it, the brush mower will kind of mulch it up. If the grass is really tall just go over it an extra time or two and it will chop it all up reasonably well.

[DESERTRYDER]

Haak thanks for your advise.
The place has a big field and now I am a little less intimidated by the proprty size.

Now tell me with water rights just how often do I lay out the water on a pasture during the summer

[Greensleeves]

Why not make some money and rent it out to someone with a couple of cows or horses until it is under control?

[DESERTRYDER]

Thats a good idea too but I am not sure after a year of no attention that it is worth paying for. It looked like real dead pasture last June when I saw it last.
Now if the animals would eat it they could just stay on the acres untill it's manageable.
We are going back up to emmett again real soon and get a real good look this time.
I am going to walk the whole field looking for cars and refrigerators laying in the tall grass

[Haakon]

It's terrible how some people will treat others property, someone ditched an old stove at my parents place.

I'm far from an expert on how you should water the pasture, I'll let someone who knows about it answer that question.

[shades_of_idaho]

I would NOT recommend tilling or disking it up even if it is not good pasture.It could just make for more weeds. Lots of times you can mow it and start watering it and it will come back to grasses. If you mow it then drag it ,harrow, and top seed it you might even bring it back to good grass fast. Keep in mind if it was alfalfa you can not re seed it back to alfalfa with out a couple years growing something else on it first. Watering will depend on the type of irrigation you have, flood or hand lines. Flooding usually lasts longer but your land has to lay right for it. Sort of hard to get water to run up hill. You really only need to water the top 3 to 6 inches. Over watering is just a waste and will ruin your stand.

Three acres is not so bad to care for. One of the cemeteries we mowed was three acres. We mowed it in a few hours and we had to dodge head stones so that took longer and concentration= no beers while mowing. A brush hog will take it down fast. Gives you an excuse to buy a three point tractor. Consider it a toy.

Chris

[Trace_Rinaldi]

Another excuse to get an ATV! I plan on getting something along the lines of this DR. Its a DR too!
The ATV with snow plow and one of these is gonna come in handy big time Im thinkin.
DR® Tow Behind Field and Brush Mower - pull behind ATV or lawn tractor. For Fields and Driveway Edging