If you are a proud Texas rancher you take pride in the value of your property that goes beyond its sheer worth You want it to look good, perform optimally, and, best case scenario, even reflects your personality. You can hire professionals for ranch improvement projects, but, you can save a little bit of money, and enjoy the personal satisfaction of do-it-yourself ranch improvement projects. There are plenty of projects you can do yourself.

Today we will look at some do it yourself ranch improvement projects that will imbue you with a sense of personal satisfaction, and, possibly even raise the value of your property somewhat.

So, without further ado, read on for some do-it-yourself ranch improvement projects!

Rustic Pasture Gates

You may need gates for your animals to pasture no matter what. You can go generic with something that you buy at Rural King, or someplace like that, or you can take the intuitive to do it yourself.

Consider using natural wood from your property to make your pasture gates. This feature serves a functional purpose, and it will also give your property a nice personal touch.

One nice thing to keep in mind is that you can really go as simple or as intricate as you want with this project.

It could be as simple as jerry-rigging some logs (which won’t do anything for your property value but will get the job done), or you could go intricate.

This is really a chance for woodworkers to shine. Treat the workpiece the way you like in the shop, cure it, stain it, finish, and install it to create a beautiful pasture gate that you simply will not be able to find anywhere else.

Livestock fencing and gates can cost you thousands of dollars, so the more that you can do for yourself, the better, right?

Consider Stone

If you really want to increase the eye catching value of your property, consider using stones around the gates and fences.

Stone is durable, affordable, and surprisingly easy to work with. You can use stone to frame your new pasture gate, or simply as an eye catching landscaping feature that you use throughout your property.

You can create a peaceful retreat in your backyard using rocks as landscaping. The Rock Landscaper explains, “My husband decided to use natural objects where the price was right, mostly free. He found that rocks and driftwood could be used for all sorts of projects such as borders, to cover the barren ground where exposed tree roots prevented grass from growing, and as bases for flower pots and such.

Regular Maintenance is Best

When it comes to fencing and fence posts, regular maintenance is always best. You’ll save money by paying attention to your anchor posts at key spots such as corners, curves, dips, rises, and gates. Anchor posts, give the fence its strength and stability. Anchor posts generally are larger in diameter than line posts and are longer so they can be set deeper into the ground. Most fence failures result from anchor posts that are not set deeply enough into the ground, not properly braced for the style of fence being erected, and not set in concrete.

As you are making pasture gates, and considering the overall fencing structure of your ranch property, try to take an inventory of what looks good, and what could use some improvement.

Problems only compound, and when they do, they will become both more expensive and more time consuming to fix.

An ill maintained fence is not just an eye sore; it is also a liability. They may break altogether over time, at which point they are effectively useless. You can save yourself a big head ache in the long run by just biting the bullet and fixing problems as they come up.

Conclusion

Now is a good time for dealing in Texas ranch as real estate values are strong.  Good do-it-yourself ranch improvement projects can help you further bank on a solid market.

Why List or Sell With The Maverick

If you are interested in buying or selling Texas land, James Bigley, the “Maverick,” may be the guy for you. James is a real-estate professional with credentials that you can trust. If you are need of some friendly consultation, he might be the guy for you.

James Bigley serves clients in over 20 counties while focusing on purchasing and selling of land, ranches, and waterfront properties.  In addition, he consults long term for many of his clients in managing their lands or properties.  

Camp Wood in Real County, population 706 at the 2010 census,  lies in the western part of the beautiful Texas Hill Country.  Camp Wood is located on the Nueces River; the beautiful, crystal clear water, enjoyed by all! The spring-fed Nueces flows through the limestone bluffs of the Edwards Plateau as the river winds its way downstream some 315 miles all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. Some say it is the “Mother River of the Hill Country” since it feeds the Frio and Sabinal Rivers. 

Called Chotilapacquen, the river was named “Nueces” by Alonso de León referring to the abundant pecan tree groves. From before the end of the Texas Revolution, Mexico recognized that the Nueces River was historically the border of Texas from the rest of the country. However, the Republic of Texas claimed the Rio Grande as its border with Mexico, citing the Treaty of Velasco signed by Mexican President Santa Anna, who agreed to the Rio Grande border after losing the Battle of San Jacinto. This dispute continued after the annexation of Texas and was one of the causes of the Mexican–American War. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the dispute, with Mexico recognizing, under pressure, the Rio Grande as its northern border.

Texas road FM 337 between Camp Wood through Leakey and Vanderpool to Medina called “One of the fifteen most scenic spots in Texas” by Texas Highways, November 1998.

Camp Wood in Real County

Camp Wood received its name from the United States military outpost Camp Wood. The post was maintained there from 1857 to 1861. The Camp Wood town site officially started in 1920 by Uvalde Cedar Company workers who were moving cedar logs down the new Uvalde and Northern Railroad.

Real county

Real County is located on the Edwards Plateau, in an area of rolling terrain broken by the canyons of the Frio River. Because of raids by Comanche, Apache, and Lipan Apache Indians, white settlement lagged until after 1881. Mission San Lorenzo de La Santa Cruz founded by the Spanish in 1762 near present Camp Wood. The county was created on April 3, 1913, from Edwards, Kerr, and Bandera counties. Named in honor of Julius Real (1860-1944), a prominent businessman and state senator in Real County. Leakey, the county seat, established by John Leakey (1824-1900), was a pioneer settler in the region.

Conclusion

Now is a good time for dealing in a Texas ranch as real estate values are strong.  

Why List or Sell With The Maverick

If you have an interest in buying or selling Texas land, James Bigley, the “Maverick,” may be the guy for you. James is a real estate professional with credentials that you can trust. If you are need of some friendly consultation, he might be the guy for you. James Bigley serves clients in over 20 counties while focusing on purchasing and selling of land, ranches, and waterfront properties.  In addition, he consults long term for many of his clients in managing their lands or properties.  

In the book “The Myth Of The Family Farm: Agribusiness Dominance Of U.S. Agriculture” by Ingolf Vogeler, the author states, “Rural land is a vital resource, even in an urban industrial society. Private and public ownerhip of land influence the prices we pay for food; they control the amount and kind of openspace for private recreational use, and they control the timber supplies. Land resources themselves provide the basic societal needs: food, timber, fuels, minerals, and amenities – and hence owners of land acquire income in the short term and wealth, security, and status in the long term. Land is a means of distributing and exercising power.”

Myths About Agricultural Land Ownership

If you have had an inkling towards the classic American pastoral lifestyle, there is some good news: your dreams are more within reach than you think. However, there are certain pervasive myths about agriculture land ownership that prevent many people from making the leap into land ownership as an investment.

Myth #1 I’ll Need a Degree in Agricultural Sciences to Make Good on my Investment

To a certain extent, you will need to know about agriculture to see the biggest return on your investment. But ultimately, how much you need to know comes down to what sort of relationship you want to have with your real-estate acquisition.

If you want the classic old McDonald (you know, the one who had a farm) experience, then yes. You will need to start learning the ins and outs of the industry.

However, many people view land investments in the same way that you might consider a stock.

You don’t need to know how to build an iPhone to buy shares, right? Similarly, you don’t need to know everything about cotton to benefit from a lucrative farm investment.

It’s easier than ever to hire out modern technology which is making contemporary farming less hands on than ever.

As a result, farming does not need to be the hands on experience that it once was.

Myth #2 Agriculture is a Risky Investment

To be fair, every investment is risky. When you hear someone say that one isn’t, it’s because they are probably trying to take your money.

But agriculture is actually less risky than most investment opportunities. The value of the land itself is likely to appreciate, while crop production is virtually untouched by trends in the economy.

Granted, there are a different set of risks to farming: inclement weather, pests, disease.

But in the grand scheme things, agriculture represents a low risk, high reward investment.

Myth #3 It Takes Decades to Recoup the Principal Investment

Yes and no. As with most real-estate acquisitions, the principal overhead for an agricultural investment is substantial.

As a result, farming is not a great fit for people that need to see immediate returns on the principal.

But, it also doesn’t need to take decades. Depending on how you finance your purchase, you may make up the principal in under ten years.

Myth #4 It’s Going to Cost $100,000

Agricultural investments certainly can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, or even more. However, if you are still only willing to flirt with the idea of farming as a revenue stream, you can buy in for less.

In some cases, you may find opportunities for under $10,000, which can be a great way to dip your toe into the world of real-estate investment.

Modest investments will buy you small parcels of land, which may not yield the same level of returns as larger purchases. However, it will introduce you into the world of Texas agricultural real-estate, which has been enjoying a boom in the last few years.

Conclusion

Is investing in agricultural real-estate right for you? We’d say probably yes. Low risk high-reward investments are usually suitable for most people.

Don’t let bad information hold you back from making an investment that can be potentially life changing.

Why List or Sell With The Maverick

If you are interested in buying or selling Texas land, James Bigley, the “Maverick,” may be the guy for you. James is a real-estate professional with credentials that you can trust. If you are need of some friendly consultation, he might be the guy for you.

James Bigley serves clients in over 20 counties while focusing on purchasing and selling of land, ranches, and waterfront properties.  In addition, he consults long term for many of his clients in managing their lands or properties.