Been thinking about putting this on the forum so I will..

[SidecarFlip]

This should really peak Montville....

Years back I seriously considered building a round bale furnace. Have them in Europe. Basically it's a steel cylinder with one end closed and the other end with a door for loading in round bales. You control the incoming combustion air to control the burn and the cylinder is lined with a water jacket so the burning bale heats the water and a circulator pump conveys it to either a central heat exchanger or zoned heat exchangers in the house and / or shop.

Nice thing about a round bale furnace is, you only have to load it maybe once every 2 weeks and the combustion is very complete so not much particulates are produced and very little visible smoke, much like a bio mass stove.

Because I'm a commercial forage ( hay grower), I always have an abundance of rounds available to burn and I also round bale wheat straw, which combusts even better than dry hay.

I could probably heat my shop and the house all winter on 5 or 6 round bales. the downside of it is the size and placement of the bale furnace and I'd have to refit the entire house for hot water heat or add an HX to the central furnace plus run all the piping underground and have it insulated and filled with either RV antifreeze or a commercial solution that would not freeze like Cryotek.

I considered building one but never did. probably should have but at this stage in the game, I wouldn't.

Just thought I'd run that by everyone.

 

[clancey]

It sounds like a wonderful idea but not at this time of your life..Speaking about myself here---I am set in my ways and figure I only have so many years left and the good years are gone..and life's time table gets to be a b.... on the end of it...If you have family and they are younger let them build a house and put one in on the property not a bad idea and sound like since you grow all that stuff it might very well be a money saver for you especially in the future...To me it would not be worth it at this stage in your life unless someone you love will carry on and let them do the work and thinking about it...All you have to do is putter and maybe go out fishing once in awhile...lol clancey

 

[SidecarFlip]

My son is grown and I have grandkids. He's a Georgia State Highway Patrol Office, K9 officer. Has a nice house, nice wife and is happy in Georgia.

 

[clancey]

People work all their lives to have something for their children but usually their children choose their own type of lives and want nothing to do what their parents worked for and why in the world besides saving money would you want to put yourself through something like that unless maybe you plan on building a brand new house where you could put one in and be proud of it--maybe it could be an investment or something but for what??? Look I took this house of mine from a trash heap to a nice small house to live in and did this over a 25 year period figuring I could help some poor family to have a start up home for people who could not for one reason to another buy a home. In the meanwhile I fixed it up because that was my thing--I loved doing it and seeing the changes as well as making it more efficient to live. After solid days of hard work (when I was younger) I would bring friends over to proudly show them on what I have done and the responses believe me was not fulfilling for my "good job needs" at the time..(they acted like they could do the same thing without knowing what was involved)---nor did they care. In my opinion for me it is time to stop these dreams of having a greenhouse maybe (because I loved my tomato plant for its growing so well) Figured I could incorporate it into my life---but it takes money and time to get something like this started and then there was the swimming pool adventure for exercise of course and the front porch adventure in thinking and on and on--but the point is I have no one to leave it all too--the city will take it so I left it to a prominent young person 26 years old who will take care of all the problems and let me rest in peace...Calm down your thoughts you beautiful person who has worked hard and accomplished something all your life and just do what you have to do day by day and appreciate what you have accomplished and in my opinion for me I will do no more big jobs unless I am forced to more to a quieter place and I dread that especially at my age..We all have our worries but just continue with your life as you know it because you have done an excellent job not only of work but raising a fine family as well...give up on the thought of doing something that should have been done years ago when you were younger...old mrs clancey

 

[SidecarFlip]

One thing a will say and that is who ever said retirement was grand...lied.

 

[clancey]

Isn't that the truth...lol lol clancey

 

[BigJohnfromCT]

One thing a will say and that is who ever said retirement was grand...lied.

Wow, that's pretty sad. Retired in1999. Are there some not so good days, you bet, but overall it beats working and really beats the alternative, i.e. under the grass vs being on top.

 

[clancey]

Retirement is wonderful in the beginning because it does beat work and we can do what we want but as the time goes by there comes many more problems especially in the way of "health" and they keep coming all kinds of health problems sometimes ones that people could not imagine happening. As long as you have good health and strength and help with things when needed retirement could be just great but if you don't have these things you lose strength every year and it sucks..clancey

 

[SidecarFlip]

Retirement is wonderful in the beginning because it does beat work and we can do what we want but as the time goes by there comes many more problems especially in the way of "health" and they keep coming all kinds of health problems sometimes ones that people could not imagine happening. As long as you have good health and strength and help with things when needed retirement could be just great but if you don't have these things you lose strength every year and it sucks..clancey

I'm always working, remember I have a working farm plus my Internet business. The difference now is, instead of having to be at work at a certain time and in a structured environment, I do everything at my own pace and if I don't want to do something, I put it off until a later date
Income wise, I'm actually doing better now than when I worked at a structured job because my expenses are much less. If I had known what I do now, I would have retired years earlier than I did. In fact I might not have even worked for someone else at all. Glad I did for one thing because I had my 40 quarters and I get SS monthly and it's quite a chunk of change actually. I actually squirrel away money every month, I'm a devout saver and my 401 is in the 6 figure balance too. Was just telling my wife that I could totally pay off everything including the rental properties and still have a chunk left.

My wife has her own pension, she's retired Fed, DOD and like me has no financial worries but she has her health, I don't.

if I want something, I go buy it. Problem is, I don't want anything but my health and that seems to be unobtanium at this point.

One nice thing about owning and operating a working farm is all the tax deductions. We write everything off and have for years and we don't take every tax deduction we could. I just want to balance what we pay in taxes with the deductions so we don't owe anything in April. I'm good with that but it does take a shrewd accountant.

Like burning corn, don't really have to. I could stay on propane with no issue. I do it because I like doing it and, I'm frugal and it's an independent thing.

My propane supplier was by yesterday (I hunt with him too) and he mentioned he had some used but certified 500 gallon bottles at his yard, I asked him how much and he said a grand each. Told him to set 2 more for me and I'd write him a check on the spot. Told me I already had 3 500 gallon bottles and they are all full (85%) so I didn't need more. I just chuckled. I* always worry about future prices on everything. Kind of like bacon at 9 bucks a pack now. I have 5 or 6 in the freezer anyway. Not paying 9 bucks for bacon not now, not anytime. Bad enough paying $3.35 for gasoline and $2.89 for off road diesel.

Just topped off the tractors with fuel I bought last spring at $1.89 a gallon for ORD and I still have about 400 gallons left in the bulk tank. Won't be enough for next year but I'll cross that bridge when I need it. If I survive the winter that is. Some days I wonder.

 

[ABMax24]

There is(or was) a series on Netflix called "Islands of the Future", episode 4 is on the island of Samso, they use waste straw to fire a boiler that provides district heating to some of the residents on the island.

 

[clancey]

Yea I imagine you been a hard worker all your life...I think it this way...When a person is used to having not much when they are young and their thinking can be a bit insecure especially about getting a good job and they jump from one to another just to survive it can be depressing for them but when they finally land a good job with security and meet the right kind of person then they can accomplish all kinds of things in their lives but they have to put out the effort as well as realize that the good party days are just a memory when they get old but also there are people and events placed in our lives that give us "that lucky break" where we can maturate and thrive with our dreams and of course we learn to make our money count especially when we get older..We were the workers but we were the lucky ones as well for we got that lucky break to make it...Here I go philosophizing and you and your family has accomplished something to be proud of so now just take it easy and keep cutting the corners so the little money does not become too little for this makes you happy as well as planning and searching for the future and I feel the same way..Just wanted you and all the people on the forum on how i feel about these things--just sharing thoughts here and I tell you all---appreciate the beautiful silence of the night and night skies that you have because you have been blessed..I love folgers instant coffee and its expensive to buy the bigger plastic jar and I bought some years ago for 5.30 cents a steal so that I would not run out--lol..Now i have 20 jars saved and they now cost almost 9 dollars and sometimes scarce on the shelves of the store.. I saved over a hundred dollars and have plenty of coffee for I never want to run out--lol...that's why I enclosed my porch and got this wood stove just to feel secure in my unknown future and I do not want to be cold...lol--ever--God Bless All Of You...old mrs clancey

 

[SidecarFlip]

There is(or was) a series on Netflix called "Islands of the Future", episode 4 is on the island of Samso, they use waste straw to fire a boiler that provides district heating to some of the residents on the island.

I considered it because I get 'X' number of bad bales every year and they are a PITA to dispose of. Easier to roast them in a contained space and extract the heat produced than having to spread them out and let them decompose naturally. 2 issues though. One is the cost of materials and 2 is the conversion of my domestic heating system. the shop is a non issue because it's in floor PEX (liquid heat) but the house is propane forced air so I'd have to modify the plenum to accept a liquid to air heat exchanger plus lay all the insulated piping underground. Have the capabilities and the fabrication tools to build one but at my age, ROI would be marginal at best.

 

[Highbeam]

Retirement doesn't suck, getting old sucks. Way different things. You don't need to get old to retire and you don't need to retire to get old.

 

[SidecarFlip]

Farmers never really retire, they go broke instead....lol

Not working a day job hasn't really impacted me except I don't have to get up at 4AM every day to go to work. Now, I get up at 7, have my coffer, let the cats out, take my pills and get my wife up, fiddle with this computer a bit and then mosey out and get the tractors running and go to some farming. Have to wait for the dew come off anyway.

 

[stoveliker]

Farmers never really retire, they go broke instead....lol

Not working a day job hasn't really impacted me except I don't have to get up at 4AM every day to go to work. Now, I get up at 7, have my coffer, let the cats out, take my pills and get my wife up, fiddle with this computer a bit and then mosey out and get the tractors running and go to some farming. Have to wait for the dew come off anyway.

Sounds like @Highbeam is right...

 

[SidecarFlip]

Somewhat. Would be nice if i wasn't having health issues. then retirement would be great. One thing I never want for is money. Have more than enough of that and excellent healthcare too. We have what Obama called the 'Cadillac' plan.

Never spent money foolishly and bought good investments and that has paid off in spades. I own 3 nice single family rental properties and none of them have a biomass stove. I won't allow them, too much liability. All paid for too. In fact, I have no payments on anything but the new 45 grand round baler I bought this summer and I could have paid cash for it but why bother when I can get 0 percent financing and use someone eles's money. Farm is paid for, land is paid for, up north hunting property is paid for, vehicles are paid for. I pay utilities and RE taxes and that is it.
I'm what my wife refers to as 'Thrifty' Why I have a biomass stove and roast free field corn every year even though I have 3 500 gallon propane bottle that are all full.

 

[Lordtimothy200]

Had a old guy tell me one time "Retirement is wasted on the old and youth is wasted on the young." Think it was a bastardized quote from George Bernard Shaw.

 

[johneh]

The saying around here is that a farmer is land rich
and cash poor
I was forced into retirement by my health now in my 70es
I no longer look for quantity only quality it is so important

 

[SidecarFlip]

I try to maintain a balance between owned acreage and rented acreage and share cropped ground. I own about 165 outright (paid for) and another 50 rented and 45 on shares. The 95 is all in forage crops.

So far, so good but the weather here is screwey this year. I cannot get in the fields because they are just too wet so compaction becomes a big issue, besides, don't want to get stuck. Looking at rain again later in the day. One thing for sure, the mosquito's are having a banner year here. Impossible even to get in the garden to dig root crops. So bad than even Deet won't keep them off.

Wish my health was better, Lots of times, it keeps me from doing what I need to do far as crop management is concerned. I eliminate all the stock earlier in the year. One less thing I have to deal with.

 

[clancey]

I love that above posting theme: "wasted on the old and youth is wasted on the young"..Life seems backwards at times and an older age has a whole bunch of drawbacks here..I am headed towards 80 and each year there is something new cropping up .. Now there is one thing that I am amazed with and I wonder if any of you have the problem...--silly this is---....I am having cord problems for whenever I have a cord it gets stuck up on something. I am also having "drop" problems for I can hold a glass or even a coffee container (like this morning) and drop it open and upside down on the floor...lol You have a bunch of land to worry about and do things with but boy I bet it is just beautiful but I would really "hate the bugs"...Good decision to get rid of your stock for I am having problems even figuring what to do with my 21 pigeons...lol..Each day I wake up and say: Good Morning Lord and I see we might have another day--thanks.. Enjoying the posting..clancey

 

[SidecarFlip]

Now we cannot use DDT to keep mosquitoes in control, but imidacloprid is the new DDT. Wish you have no bees.

I use very little pesticides because we get good winter kill up here. My continuing issue is invasive broadleaf in my alfalfa so I spray with 24-D(B) which is expensive but won't kill alfalfa. 24-D will. It will cause a little die back but it won't destroy the plant and I only plant Vernal Hybrid Alfalfa, no round up ready. Get potato leafhoppers every once in a while too.