The 4L Stick Farm
Thornton, Texas
1972 to 1996
In 1972 we purchased a 55-acre piece of deer-hunting property in the middle of a 640-acre section of raw land (all woods - closest neighbor being three and a half miles) located in Limestone County, Texas close to Lake Limestone while I was still in the Navy stationed in Houston, Texas. We named the place "The Stick Farm" because when I described the property to my Dad, who had been an Illinois farmer all his life, he told me the only thing the land would be good for was raising sticks thinking of how we were going to farm the land (My Dad never got to see the property because of health problems). We named it "The 4L Stick Farm" in 1978 in honor of the men in the family after a couple of grandsons had been added - Myself, Son Michael, & Grandsons Steven and James.
On July 19th of 1990 (Barbara's 55th Birthday) we both retired and moved onto this property. Before retirement we had cleared 5 acres and moved in a 16x80-foot mobile home, dug a pond (Tank) and put in a well. We thought at the time that we had easements all secured to have an electricty line, and phone line on the same poles, going back into our cleared area. However it was not the case, when the electric company started setting the poles across a piece of land along the way. The farmer's wife had a bone to pick with the electric company and would not let them run it across her property. We had cleared it with her husband thinking he owned the land and later found out the wife owned the land and he had not told her about our request for the electric easement. She stood her ground and it took nine months to get easements and the poles set to come in a different route. Thus we went ahead and lived on the property without electricty and phone for the nine months. (Cell phones would not work in the area at that time.)
We soon found out we could not make any money raising sticks so we built up a small animal farm with fowl of all kinds, rabbits, goats, miniature pigs, Barbado sheep, etc.
We had T-shirts made up (see below) and would give one to anyone who would come visit us, but they had to spend at least one night in the "Woods" to get one. A total of 46 T-shirts were passed out during the time we lived in the woods.
After six years of trying to raise sticks and feeding small animals our health went south and at the same time our family in Illinois were needing us more so we "Sold The (Stick) Farm" and moved to Missouri in the general area where two of Barb's sisters lived in order to be one day away from family in Illinois and one day away from family in Houston, Texas.
Below are a few photos starting in 1972 and up through the time we sold the property in 1996: (Click on the thumbnails to see larger photo)
The Early Days
Gate to drive Picking out place 1972 - 1st deer 1972 - Inside
back to property to clear trail to camp. camp - Barb 1st Deer Camp,
over bridge - 3 looking for deer, Mike & Barbara,
tel poles with 8x16 Morgan bldg. Camp fire pit.
planks on top.
1975 - Deer Camp 1979 - Deer Camp Evening grub
Grandson Steven Steven - moved in on the camp fire
& Barb - Air Stream Old Travel Trailer
to replace Air Stream
before insects and mice
got the better of it.
Grandsons - Is it lunch The Woods 4L working - Harold
Time Monster Mike, Steven & James
(The 4 L's)
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The Retirement Years On The 4L Stick Farm 1990 - 1996
While living on the 4L Stick Farm upon retirement we found there was no money to be made raising sticks so we turned five acres of the property into a "Small Animal Farm".
While living here we raised the following breeds of fowl and small animals:
Geese (Embden, African, Chinese, Toulouse, Tufted Roman)
Ducks (Mallard, Muscovy, Pekin, Apple Yard, Mandarin Wood Ducks
Call Ducks, Runners, Crested, Rouen, Khaki Campbell, Blue Swedish, Buff)
Pheasants (Golden, Silver, Lady Amherst, Jumbo Ringneck)
Guineas (Pearl, Lavendar, White, Buff)
Peacocks (Blue, Pied, White)
Chickens (at least 30 different breeds of Bantams & Standards)
Turkeys (Broadbreasted Bronze, Royal Palms, Black Spanish, Bourbon Red, Slate, Eastern Wild, Rio Grande Wild, White)
Quail (Bob White, Button, Red)
Chukars
Goats (African Pygmy & Alpine)
Rabbits (California, New Zealand, Tan, Rex, Mini Lop-eared
Pigs (Pot bellied pigs and Durock hogs (the three Durock hogs were named Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner)
Sheep - Barbados sheep
Also had 2 dogs (Black Lab & Great White Pyrenees) and 3 cats
Fish (Pond full of Flordia Hybrid Bluegill & Blue Channel Catfish)
Pond being Mobile Home Pond filling, 1st overnight Elec - bring Elec - Barb
dug moved in & set bulkhead built guest in mobile it on, Harold in charge
by grandson, home, oldest
friend & I sis & bro-in-law
Elec final Telephone Area cleared Firewood 1st Babies, 1st trio of connction coming at last for home & cut for coming duckling, Chickens -
animal farm Winter BB Red Bantam, Black Old Tan Bunnie English
White Crested Goose sitting Young geese - Turkey pair - Turkey sitting
Black Polish on eggs, Gander Can Barbie come Broadbreasted on eggs
breeding stock standing watch out and play Bronze
Harold with Pet India Blue Male Golden Golden Pheas, Pygmy Goats Grandson
White Turkey Peacocks Pheasants Mr. Tom & Jumbo & Mr. Tom James
who always Ringneck Male Inspecting
wanted a ride the animals
James Inspecting Pot Bellied Pigs Our Critters Muscovy Drake - Fall colors
Rabbit cages Elvis, Priscilla at Market Only critter we in our woods
and Babies we had to get rid
of due to being
mean.
Winter in Grandson Steven Harold & Barbara Harold & Barbara
the Woods - returns to the 4L First day inside Last day at the
Only 1 snow while on leave from "Woods" home 4L Stick Farm
that stuck from the U.S.
around a while Marine Corps
At the 4L
Yes, we and others did see and hear many UFOs
in the night while living in the "Woods"
We be gone.........
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Author's (Web Master) Note: The time spent living on the 4L Stick Farm in retirement was the best and most enjoyable time of my life. I can't speak for the "Better Half" but I thank her from the bottom of my heart for spending this much needed time alone in the woods with me for all those years.
Look for another page in the near future covering the retirement years at the Golden Anchor,
- on Table Rock Lake - Golden, Missouri
Note: Page has now been posted. Click on Golden Anchor Tab below:
