Hobby Farms in Nebraska

[roots'nbulbs]

Have a couple CA transplants around Harlan Reservoir who just love it, here. Look at websites for acres that are for sale--Zillow, et c. Towns to consider run along the Republican River: Red Cloud, Franklin and, especially, Alma, have great facilities, for towns this size. Alma and Republican City are right on the lake and are, by Nebraska standards, resort-like with beaucoup hunting and fishing.



A great author, on the subject of Nebraska, is Roger Welch. Or, look for a copy of Nebraska Life magazine. Good Luck.

Some love it, here, and some continue on their way, looking for more city-like pop.

[SCGranny]

A friend of mine lives in Merriman, NE; she is from California. She takes in foster kids in her beautiful old saltbox-style home, raises her own vegetables, and runs the cafeteria at the senior center. She moved here for the same reason we did - clean air, clean water, and good honest decent people.

[Giesela]

I lived near Omaha for 3 years after most of my life in southern Michigan. I was surprised by how different gardening conditions were (the midwest is the midwest right? wrong!). I thought it was far more difficult, generally, in Nebraska. Weather wasn't worse, just more sudden and extreme. Drought was an issue. Clay was worse (Michiganders think they have clay - LOL). Wind was definately an issue - it is very drying to plants. I planted a Viburnum and had to move it behind a retaining wall after the leaves turned crispy. Fruit trees struggle or don't grow in many areas.
I'm not trying to put you off. But things are going to be different and its a big learning curve. Be very careful with your land purchase, not just general location but terrain (something with a little hill for a windblock maybe) etc. It will take a lot of research and planning to be successful.

[SCGranny]

True, Giesela. I am in experimentation mode right now; trying a bit of everything.

One thing I've noticed (at least in my area) is that people don't mulch. I am a devout believer in mulch, compost, and manure. We live in the Sandhills, which means NO clay. None. It is a welcome relief; clay is a real bear to try to keep composted and worked!

When we moved here from SC I dug up many many MANY plants and brought them with me. MY entire pickup truck bed was full of plants, up over the roof of the cab, tarped and kept watered until I got them in the ground - finally finished at the end of June. Everyone told me that the winter would kill them. But before I planted, I mixed up horse manure, water, and straw in a slurry, and poured it in the holes. then I covered everything with mulch, leaves, straw - anything I could get my hands on. I did the same thing in the vegie garden this spring. We'll see what grows. I've even planted wheat and oats, and mangel beets for winter chicken feed, so...

Almost every plant I brought with me not only went wild last summer and fall, but has come back this spring. I have put in blueberries, gooseberrries, cherries, apricots, apples, and plums this year, against a fence line to help break up the wind. The wind here SWOOPS down our hilly pasture, and is quite pushy on trees and even yard art. (My beautiful 8 foot tall arbor has guy wires on either side, fastened to metal stakes, to keep it from blowing over!) My friends tell me that, because of sudden and late frosts and freezes and even snows, you can get about two to three harvests in five years. I told them I hoped that seeing plastic tents in my yard didn't offend them... because I plan on using plastic as mini-greenhouses and even as 'hoop houses' for my plants. I started many indoors (over 1000) in seedling pots, and am trying seed as well.

The one thing that won't go outside (except maybe in July!) are my dwarf orange trees. They do very well in the huge, floor-to-ceiling, south-facing window, however. They are just starting to bloom...

[melora1812]

Giesela, don't worry about putting me off. Hearing more about people's experiences of an area, positive or otherwise is a good way I'll get any idea of a place before actually going there.

And SCGranny, I don't have any plants I'd want to transplant.I onlly wish we did. Our yard seems to be the kiss of death for most things. Too much clay and hardpan in this immediate area. I'd want to bring some pomegranate seedlings, but I'll do the research on growing areas first. For most things, though, I'll just start over.

roots'nbulbs, I'll look for the Nebraska Life magazine and books by the author you mentioned.

Maybe we'll take a trip out there in the foreseeable future to get a feel for how good a fit Western Nebraska would be for us and how good a fit we would be for the area. From what I've read and experienced online so far, the people there are helpful and approachable. Thanks, everybody.

[roots'nbulbs]

Sorry, I misspelled the author's name that I was trying to recommend. It is Roger Welsch. His books can be found on Amazon and they are entertaining....even if you never came to NE: Forty Acres and a Fool (and)
It's Not The End of the Earth, But You Can See It From Here....and others.

[Gunluvver2]

Originally Posted by roots'nbulbs

Sorry, I misspelled the author's name that I was trying to recommend. It is Roger Welsch. His books can be found on Amazon and they are entertaining....even if you never came to NE: Forty Acres and a Fool (and)
It's Not The End of the Earth, But You Can See It From Here....and others.

************************************************** *****
I have been a fan of Roger for many years. I am not sure of the dates but the little town (Dannebrog) that Roger calls home is the site of a LIARS FESTIVAL every year. I love tall tales, true or not, and I want to visit this event sometime.

GL2

[JustMe_T3K]

Originally Posted by Giesela

I lived near Omaha for 3 years after most of my life in southern Michigan. I was surprised by how different gardening conditions were (the midwest is the midwest right? wrong!). I thought it was far more difficult, generally, in Nebraska. Weather wasn't worse, just more sudden and extreme. Drought was an issue. Clay was worse (Michiganders think they have clay - LOL). Wind was definately an issue - it is very drying to plants. I planted a Viburnum and had to move it behind a retaining wall after the leaves turned crispy. Fruit trees struggle or don't grow in many areas.
I'm not trying to put you off. But things are going to be different and its a big learning curve. Be very careful with your land purchase, not just general location but terrain (something with a little hill for a windblock maybe) etc. It will take a lot of research and planning to be successful.

Nebraska >

IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER

WAIT 5 MINUTES

IT WILL CHANGE