canadian Perkins engine; u.s. for the rest. . it seems
to run best when temps are below 45F. . it's not
multilingual, though -- just american. -- j
.

So it's a mixed breed with part border tractor?

we did that with the aussie;;; the massey just
obeys manual commands. . it can herd logs! -- j
.

Did you do its obedience training yourself? Can it herd?

clever! . it's a massey 245 and it loves the woods. -- j
.

That's what happens when you have a tractor with elbows.

we have one acre here, 13 there and 20 somewhere
else. . we wish that they were all underfoot here. . I was
just imagining. . the tractor downstairs is lonely for its
distant acres! -- j
.

"Can man derive any personal benefit from living in a human society? Yes—if it is a human society. The two great values to be gained from social existence are: knowledge and trade. Man is the only species that can transmit and expand his store of knowledge from generation to generation; the knowledge potentially available to man is greater than any one man could begin to acquire in his own life-span; every man gains an incalculable benefit from the knowledge discovered by others. The second great benefit is the division of labor: it enables a man to devote his effort to a particular field of work and to trade with others who specialize in other fields. This form of cooperation allows all men who take part in it to achieve a greater knowledge, skill and productive return on their effort than they could achieve if each had to produce everything he needs, on a desert island or on a self-sustaining farm.

"But these very benefits indicate, delimit and define what kind of men can be of value to one another and in what kind of society: only rational, productive, independent men in a rational, productive, free society..." -- .Ayn Rand, "The Objectivist Ethics"

A part of the implied Gulch creed is to do for yourself. So the idea of being self sufficient should be accepted in this society. But any one who has taken macro economics, you will realize that to better your standard of living you need to produce a product or service better then everyone else in the world. In so doing, you trade your product/services with someone else who is doing the same, thus both parties are able to lift each other up in standards of living because both as the best producers in their field are able to reduce the amount of time it takes to produce their product/service. It is prudent to have as many skills as you can in life, but you also need to have the ability to out perform everyone in the world at something to enjoy some free time.

The size just right for my landless micronation of Rawelandia!

Most do not require that. You must have very large elbows.

A 4 or 5 acre lot is good privacy for a house lot, but usually too expensive in urban or suburban areas.

40 or 50 acres is nice in rural areas to be able roam in privacy to your favorite spots.

I'd say maybe 50 acres. . elbow room is wonderful ! -- j
.

Freedom to create also requires tolerance of others creativity.

If you want an interesting look at what's possible, read Frank Lloyd Wright's idea for Usonia, his idea for a modern city.

There is a difference between being self-reliant and being self-sufficient. The former embraces and recognizes the advantages of the division of labor and the latter does not.

I'm for a community where there is free barter. After all we can't all build a water system or highway systems just for our self's. I can't build anything so all I have is my labor and it's worth just what I think it is and what someone is willing to go along with paying me. BUT once I preform the labor I have no other claim to the product. I didn't design it or sell it.

My interest in the gulch would be to have an environment where productive people could create and implement innovations free of the drag of a bureaucracy, a place where we could leap-frog into the future without being held back by the regulatory overhead and the drain from the looters filling their pockets.

I don't see it as everyone spinning their own clothes and planting a garden. Think "The Jetsons".

Depends upon what you might do with the property, ie, growing food, fruit, manufacturing or hunting. I don't like close living so I'd prefer at least 4 acres but someone might be just as happy with 2.
I also despise cities...they by nature make the cultural liberal and unproductive; they might be relegated to amusement, knowledge or entertainment only and not a place to live.

I have read a number of "Gulch" discussions on this site and have a nagging recurring thought that keeps bothering me in the back of my head about the whole concept and proposed solutions. That is, no matter how well the thinking seems to be regarding the creation of a Gulch, the inhabitants (with a few exceptions) need to be willing to accept an early 19th century standard of living in order to escape the looters and collectivists who seem to be hell bent on driving us back into... an early 19th century standard of living!

Am I the only one who has these thoughts? I would like very much to live in and help build a Gulch, but hey, at least let's plan to have a late 20th century standard of living.

Minor edit: "live in and"

Self sufficiency might work for the young and healthy, but what about everyone else? The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker, the doctor, lawyer, Indian chief? Some of the self sufficient may need to trade for services other than their immediate needs. You're going to get individual lots for tha 3 bedroom house. But there are those who prefer condos or apartments. As humans are infinitely variable, so are their needs and desires infinitely variable. That is the beauty and the curse of homo sapiens.

I would say there is a peak in terms of quality of life and self sufficiency. Today we are past the peak- we are too dependent on others for almost everything that we enjoy. I grow no food, generate no electricity, make no gasoline for transportation, make no cars, do not provide the internet, and am dependent on the banks and credit cards. Its gone too far, and we have let the government control all these things already. We need to be more self sufficient

I think it is a bit more complicated than that. Members of the Gulch society succeed because they can produce something of value to other members and can exchange these goods or services with their fellow citizens. If you want to establish a winery you will need many acres but if you produce computer software you only need a house or business location large enough to house your necessary equipment. A viable society has many producers of a wide range of products and services. Each has its own unique requirements.