Real estate suggestions please

[ian_brown]

Odd semi-off topic question:

My younger brother is going to start a dairy, and he's considering central PA. He's looking for cheap land, and it doesn't need to be highly productive because he'll be grazing cattle. Still, it probably shouldn't be entirely wooded.

Here's the FF hook (pun intended): I want to suggest locations that are near good fishing, to make weekend visits a little more fun.

I'm not very familiar with central PA, so I'd appreciate any suggestions of areas to look, people to contact, or actual farms for sale.

 

[tomgamber]

My aunt's got a dairy farm in Northern Lebanon county with a farm pond full of big bluegills. There are other along the bottom of the same ridge just east of fort Indian town Gap. They are right across form Monroe Valley GC. Take a drive out that way and look for RE signs...They haven't done much milking in the last several years. I think they knock up cows and send them overseas to calf more than anything these days. Others might be looking to turn over as well.

 

[pcray1231]

For fishing, State College is the obvious place, and its a nice area to live. However, he'll have some stiff competition there, the PSU creamery and Meyer's Dairy are famous and "well-entrenched."

 

[tomgamber]

That could be good. Those kinds of places don't produce all their own milk. All my aunt's milk used to go to Hershey.

 

[MattBoyer]

tomgamber wrote:
My aunt's got a dairy farm in Northern Lebanon county with a farm pond full of big bluegills. There are other along the bottom of the same ridge just east of fort Indian town Gap. They are right across form Monroe Valley GC. Take a drive out that way and look for RE signs...They haven't done much milking in the last several years. I think they knock up cows and send them overseas to calf more than anything these days. Others might be looking to turn over as well.

Hell Tom, that's right over the hill from me. I know exactly which farm you mean. The nearest creek is the Swattie, but it's not far from Clarks, Stoney, or the upper Tully.

Boyer

 

[MKern]

Most dairy farms here in Mifflin County work through Land-O-Lakes.

 

[tomgamber]

Name's Martin...

 

[pete41]

More power to him but I worked thirty years in a Dairy processing plant[4/10s] and remember the farmers grousing about 24/7/365s.lol
No Nicer Group of people to work for than a Farm Co-op.

 

[littlejuniata]

Huntingdon County would be perfect, many abandoned farms and the best overall fishing in the state

 

[gulfgreyhound]

Go strictly organic .Big demand for organic grown and I see more of it on the grocery stores every day. I think that there must be some sort of organic certification state? or? that qualifies a dairy or farm to market products as such. They aren't cheap.

 

[ian_brown]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Gulf - That's the plan. He's looking for about 100 acres, which would hopefully let him make a living. The interesting thing is that my youngest brother might go into business with him making artisanal cheeses, which can be very lucrative.

Also, as for the 24/7/365, if they make it a joint venture, in theory they'll be able to give each other a vacation once in a while. It still sounds too much like work for my taste, but that's why I'm not a farmer.

 

[sandfly]

the valley here is for sale i think 400 acre's with 2 barns. right on pine creek.

 

[tabasco_joe]

Not to mention a local fly shop. :-D