This reminds me of my farmhand days. There was a subdivision at the back field
of my boss' 400 acre farm. One day, as the boss' son and I were working ground,
the son pulls his sweep plow out of the ground and hauls ass. At the time, I thought
he was heading back to the house for fuel, but when he got back he told me the
whole story. A gal from the subdivision had been riding her horse on the freshly
tilled ground. He had drove up to her on the tractor, a screaming match ensued:
"You're scaring my horse!" "You're on my land!" foul language followed. "I thought
this was State land." "Listen lady, you're on freshly turned ground and the State
doesn't farm...THINK!! Besides, you didn't even bother to ask, either. Look where
the fence goes." That ended her visits, but didn't stop them all. That's all that
most land owners want, just ask.
After that, the boss' son told of an incident months before where some kids on
ATVs were doing the same thing. One stalled as they were trying to run from the
boss' son. The kid that was riding the ATV that stalled, hopped on another and
rode away. The boss and his son loaded the ATV into the pick-up and hauled it to
the Sheriff's Office with instructions that they wanted trespassing charges pressed
on whoever came for the ATV. That evening, the Sheriff notified the boss that they
had detained the parent who owned the ATV. The boss went to the office, had a
discussion with the parent, and let him go with the understanding that they should
ask first.
My incident occured while working that same section. One of the residents of the
subdivision came out of his house, leaned on the fence, and stared me down every
time I went by on a round. I had finally had enough, went over and ask what his
problem was. He replied with "Your farming is spreading rye into my pasture."
Snidely, I replied, "Sir, for one thing, that's a plot (2.5 acres) not a pasture. Number
two, this rye was there before the white man! If anything, your rye is getting into
my wheat." Never did see him again.
Been on both sides of the fence, and still say that the best policy is to ask first.
Mistakes do happen, and most will forgive, the others generally shoot. So, keep
your distance.
"Swede"
----- Original Message -----
From: swede1037
To: stevens@...
Sent: Tuesday, February 05, 2002 6:11 PM
Subject: Fwd: Re: [DSN_klr650] NKLR unused land, question from the digest?
--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "marshall" wrote:
Devon,
The old 80/20 rule applies here to, 80% of the people get screwed out of
using what few land resources there are, because 20% are a$$holes and
won't treat someone else's land with respect. I have had to post our land
in Oklahoma, because people used it without any regard for the land
owner's rights. I would spend at least one extra hour cleaning up someone
else's trash before I could mow the grass. I have not ever been able to walk
from one end of my own place to the other without having to stop several
times to pick up trash left behind. On more than one occasion, I have had to
stop what I was doing and go inform some idiot, that the land he was doing
donuts on, ripping up my nice Bermuda grass in the process, was private
land. They all reply the same way, "I didn't know". Pure hogwash! I'm sick
of trying to be the nice guy.
Off my soapbox now,
Marshall in Slidell, La
95 KLXC3 "Blackhorse" (in honor of those who served)
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