It's y'all (the contraction of you-all...y'all)... and yes, I say it all the time, though my accent may be slightly heavier than most others around here.

As for growing alfalfa, western Oklahoma is the place to do that. The land out there is very flat, rainfall isn't a whole lot and the weather (aside from that freakin' wind that blows all the time out there) is perfect to sustain alfalfa. Most of the farm land out there that is not being used for grazing is alfalfa. My sister-in-law and her husband live in Cheyenne, Ok... if you're looking at a map, follow I-40 almost to Texas and look a little north (it's about 15 miles north of I-40 and about 7-10 miles east of Texas).

http://www.cheyenneokchamber.com/

One thing to be aware of though, there is a HUGE natural gas boom over there right now, so you and/or your friend need to be aware that when purchasing land over there, you are buying SURFACE RIGHTS ONLY, no mineral rights... in other words, you can buy 500 acres from Joe Blow, and in ten years, if Joe Blow (or you for that matter) finds out there is a huge natural gas well under you... you get none of the profits... Joe Blow gets them all.

If your friend has kids, he would be happy to know that Cheyenne is one of the best funded schools in the state (do to all the Natural gas wells), even though the average class size out there is less than 20. Also, my experience with the community has be very pleasurable, even as a guest, people were very welcoming to my wife and I.

A couple of draw backs, because the ground is flat for miles, and miles, and miles, and miles and miles.... well, you get the point, the landscape can become somewhat boring and the wind blows all the time, a sustained 20 mph wind is common on a good day (and trust me, you don't even what to know about the wind in the winter time). Also, due to the dry climate, grass fires are a constant scare, even in the winter. Another... Cheyenne is in the middle of no-where, really. I mean, the closest Wal-Mart is 40 miles away (and it's not even a Supercenter... the closest Supercenter is about 70 miles), in fact, they don't even have a McDonalds. Cost of living is a bit higher out there too... just an idea, if gas is $2.75/gallon here in Claremore, it probably going to be about $3.00/gallon there... and that goes for many things other than just gas.

To sum it up, Oklahoma is a great state, we've got everything Texas has only we're modest about it... we don't get big heads about ourself's (one thing you'll learn, Texans will really get on your nerves!)

STan

P.S. Rattlesnakes are a little more common out there due to the arid climate... but still aren't "all over the place".

 

gee gas is 2.75 there..i havent seen prices that low for about a month now. Its a 3.09 here.

I hang out in a town called tahlequah. If you read a bit into there history you'll find its cherokeen indian heritage. And now adays...its just an excuse for people to live off the goverment...
Went to school with aguy that blew his motor running from the po-po and the keetoowah (dont ask how to pronounce you haft to hear somebody say it) paid for him to get a new motor (3500 bucks)

but tahlequah is pretty safe. The land will go flat for 300+ acres then go up into rolling hills and on the other side its the same. The town isnt very big. We got a walmart, a reasor. fast food everywhere. 2 casinos. And more police than you can count.
and there jurisdiction overlapps.

Lighthorse (indian police)
OSBI (oklahoma FBI basically)
city police
cherokee cnty police
nsu police (northeastern state university)
marshals

The lands pretty fertile. But alot of people out here just rather do cattle. Im not really sure what alfafa is. My neighbor next to me grows it for her cattle and horse but im not really sure what it is, she has a bunch of acreage and ive never seen the field (100,000 acres)

We just cut hay, sell the bales and be done with it.

 

well alfalfa is a type of hay, and he is fairly set on the eastern portion, so we will have to do more research into that end, another question that I just heard rumor of, is that there may be more railroads coming? if so where would that be? and for some background on why the eastern part, where we grew up is surrounded by trees and mountains, so it would be kinda hard to have NO trees at all but I guess it will depend on where provides the best of all needs

 

I've lived in both west and east and I feel you can do more with the land here in the east.I currently have alfalfa and it does pretty good here. The problem with out west is lack of rainfall you get into irrigation areas out there.

 

so what type of soil do you have? and what kind of yield do you get?

 

We have a pretty good black soil here in northeast area,not near as good as farming country but real good for Okla.This year the alfalfa made 4.5 tons to the acre,it was a decent year could have some better and some worse.

 

so what town is close to you? and have you heard of anyone getting more than 5 tons per acre, cause some of the info that we found on the web said that some farms down there are getting anything up to 8 tons per acre , and we both kinda question that, also when do you start planting/cutting? we were thinking that due to your more moderate climate(compared to eastern washington) you would be able to begin your growing season before we would up here, but thats just our halfbrained crackpot theory talking and probably has no bearing on what really happens down there

 

I'm close to Vinita,northeast of Tulsa.I suppose you could get could get 8 ton on a perfect year or on irrigated.Our first cutting is around april 15-25,usually 5-6 cuttings a year.Plant in spring or fall and it should last 5 years.

 

If you and your friend could afford time off, and money wise, I'd suggest to come down for a week or two. Travel around and check it out.

 

I would love to do just that, but its kinda in the air for me to do that, it will depend on if I can save up enough money to cover a whole week down there, I already scheduled my vacation time so that I can spend time with my brother(extended family) when he comes up here from cincinatti ohio, and I had to take one of my weeks worth of pay to cover a couple bills, but if I can save up some money to cover a week I would do it in a heartbeat, anything for the betterment of my family, and a better environment for my little girl to grow up in...

I cant imagine that people there are anywhere near as selfish, rude and otherwise obnoxious as they have become up here, I just want to live life at a slower pace where I get to spend time with the ones that I love, not being stuck in traffic for an hour just to get to a job that is full of arseholes, and then spend another hour in traffic to go home

one question more, how many, if any, "goth" "emo" "gangbanger" kids are there in that area? I cant stand much more of that crap, I dont mind the occasional one, but to see forty kids "being an individual" while looking EXACTLY like the kid next to him, just drives me batty.

how about the Muskogee area? apparently my friend found a farm there that he likes, so what is it like? I cant tell much from my Atlas, other than there are QUITE a few toll roads, what is the going rate on a toll road? and are there backroads that get tot the same destination?

 

hey OKfarrier, what is the going rate for two horses to get their feet done every 6-8weeks? my wife has a quarter horse and a paint, and my friends wife has at least one horse and his mother currently has a paint ranch up here so they would be needing some shoeing as well, just trying to get an idea of how much better life would be down there

 

Don't know to muck about Muskogee except that there was an okie from Muskogee There is a great state park near Fort Bragg. One of the beat small malt shops is there!! Muskogee is also the heart of the Cherokee Nation. Lots of Indian history in that area. As far as the kids your asking about, I feel that there aren't many around here. With that said, you'll probably find some no matter where you go. You certainly can bypass most of the toll roads. The famous Route 66 uns between Tulsa and Oklahoma City. I believe Highway 51 will take you from Tulsa to Wagnor and then down to Muskogee. Highway 69 should take you to Texas.

 

Rates for horses depends on area,the closer to big cities the higher it gets,northeast area 45-$60 for shoeing,cand cost up to $85 around Tulsa ,Ok City.

 

Tolls from Muskogee to Tulsa are $1.50, Muskogee to I-40 $1.50.

STan

 

muskogee well. My fiancee used to live there. And apparently from what shes says its a relitively nice area. But now...its become overrun with with people that think there gangstas...its getting kinda ruff down there. But muskogee is the tulsa for people living in tahlequah. So i get drug there atleast once a month.

They have mall..and well thats all ive ever been to...But it fairly large about the 1/4 size version of tulsa.

Tulsa area. Theres not much farm land except on the outskirts but i believe that deemed flood plain. i left because it was becoming ruff...i even got shot.

Emos..yea we have em. But out 1500 kids i went to school with there was prolly close to 100-150 emos/goths. All of them where rich kids that wanted to kill themselves because life sucks...while there rolling around in a porche and brand new cars. Have a couple ipods 1k cell phones...ahving house partys and what not. Stupid stupid cliche.

Tulsa has a large music sceen so theres a quite of few emo looking people around.

muskogee isnt the heart of the cherokee nation. Its creek i believe actually. tahlequah is the heart of the cherokee nation. After all the cherokee nation headquarters is in tahlequah. The cherokee indian school (sequoyah).

yes theres backroads that will get you there just as easily maybe not quick. very narrow curvy roads. and some flood out quite alot.
Toll roads are a quarter. and you can get a pikepass. Which allows you to drive right rhough. Charge it up with 40 bucks and your good to go. gives you a discount. I have one and so do my folks. they travel to tulsa every day and it lasts a couple months.

Wait hold on its a quarter for 2 axle cars and it goes up from there. trailer with tandem axels was like .75 cents.
from what i hear ill be getting dragged to muskogee again, if its not dark illt ake some pics.

IF YOU LIke the muskogee region take a look at tahlequah. Briggs, Lowrey, Moody, peggs, and a coupel of other small towns around muskogee and tahlequah.
Most small town schools will go from K-8th and then you transfer to a highschool in a bigger town.
For instance peggs was k-8th and then you had a choice from 3-4 highschools
Locust grove
Tahlequah
Little kansas (4 people in last years graduating class)
and sequoyah if you have an indian card or proven indian blood.


i dont know that i missed anything or can add anything else.