Best Lake area to own a small farm, Lake Ozark or Table Rock Lake (Ava: for sale, Home Depot) - Missouri (MO) - City-Data Forum

JDGreen · 10-11-2007, 04:47 PM

I've got the state narrowed down for a move, now I need to narrow it down to an location.

What is the best lake area to own a small farm, Lake Ozark,Table Rock Lake, or maybe even Stockton Lake, taking in consideration, soil for cattle and milder climate. THANKS!!!

2beamissourian · 10-11-2007, 06:00 PM

What kind of cattle? (yes I am trying to be smart here ... lol)

No seriously beef ? dairy? .. Ava area and ... Texas are where the dairy end is ..
I am in Illinois and were looking in the area as well... We looked at the above to have a dairy farm .. but that fell through ..and I washed the idea! I dont want to work 24 -7

JDGreen · 10-11-2007, 06:10 PM

Possibly beef & dairy, but it's a hobby farm not a commercial operation except for raising a few beef cattle for friends for freezer beef. Just need an area with some good grass land mixed with some woods, not a rock pile.

Ava area is out of the question, not near any of the lakes I mentioned.

Cali BassMan · 10-11-2007, 06:32 PM

I'm watching this thread..... Gotta have me a bassin lake

JDGreen · 10-11-2007, 07:03 PM

Hey Cali BassMan,

Table Rock claims to be the best, but it's their claim from all I've read, but stay tuned, you never know, one of these Ozarkians might give up a good spot!

Cali BassMan · 10-11-2007, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDGreen

Hey Cali BassMan,

Table Rock claims to be the best, but it's their claim from all I've read, but stay tuned, you never know, one of these Ozarkians might give up a good spot!

Well as far as fishing goes, Clear Lake and the Cali Delta are hard to beat. But these fine folks here in Mo. more than make up for it.........

8 SNAKE · 10-12-2007, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDGreen

I've got the state narrowed down for a move, now I need to narrow it down to an location.

What is the best lake area to own a small farm, Lake Ozark,Table Rock Lake, or maybe even Stockton Lake, taking in consideration, soil for cattle and milder climate. THANKS!!!

The climate is going to be a wash among the three...too close to notice any discernable difference.

Soils is better the farther north you go, but there is plenty of grass around any of those areas to graze a few head of cattle on.

How close to the lake do you want to be? Stockton is going to be the least developed of the three lakes, so you might have an easier time finding cattle property close to the lake (or at least cheaper). The trade-off is that Stockton is a much smaller lake than the other two. That might be good and it might be bad, depending on your tastes.

Lake Junkie · 10-12-2007, 10:41 AM

That's for sure, the areas immediately surrounding Table Rock Lake are going to be pretty to very rocky...the further north you go the more soil you'll find. Also it's a bit colder the further north, of course...

There are some people running cattle around the Galena area...

And pricing will also be affected by how close you are to the more popular lakes.

Then there's lifestyle, which also varies from place to place. Lake of the Ozarks is generally known as the party lake...and Table Rock Lake is a Corp of Engineers Lake and as such is tightly controlled to keep the lake from getting too commercialized. They also are great about watching out for water quality and land use. Table Rock Lake is more of a family lake...although there's a bit of partying that goes on from time to time also. Or so I've heard.

JDGreen · 10-12-2007, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 8 SNAKE

The climate is going to be a wash among the three...too close to notice any discernable difference.

Soils is better the farther north you go, but there is plenty of grass around any of those areas to graze a few head of cattle on.

How close to the lake do you want to be? Stockton is going to be the least developed of the three lakes, so you might have an easier time finding cattle property close to the lake (or at least cheaper). The trade-off is that Stockton is a much smaller lake than the other two. That might be good and it might be bad, depending on your tastes.

Been to Stockton and was not on the top of my list, however I did like the town with the nice size lots, it just didn't seen congested, just kinda' far from a home Depot etc. or large retail store for shopping, if there were any farm stores I didn't see them, my wife actually liked it better than Cassville until I told her I read that a tornado hit there a fews years ago and did a lot of damage, however not a concern for me, you have to live somewhere, and now a days there is some kind of crap just about everywhere

With all the good information I've been receiving from a couple forums I think I'll be spending Jan. in MO. I need to see just how cold it gets and hopefully not windy.

mrschilicook · 10-13-2007, 03:40 PM

My dad had a cattle farm (hobby farm more than commercial) on Table Rock Lake for years. There are still several of them going strong. He's out between Carr Lane and Golden right on the lake. He raised several breeds including a few buffalo. Also raised watermelon (regular and giant) which he sold in the local produce stand.

His farm is/was on the Kings River arm of Table Rock. Bass fishing is abudant in the spring (White Bass) and fishing in general was available right down the hill from his house.

There are several cattle ranches out around the Berryville ARK, Golden MO area.

Take a drive out Hiway 86...I know that there are at least two cattle ranches for sale out there now.