Ranch Boy Next Door
 
By: Backwoods Boy
(© 2020 by the author)
Edited by: Brayon

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

Chapter 24
Hobby Farm Plans 

"What if you put the barn on your current lot? It would require a little clearing in the back corner next to the thirty acres, but it would leave the six five-acre lots free of buildings. Down the road, it could make them easier to sell. It's closer to the pump house, and it would also allow you to get electricity by extending your current utility connection. It would also make permitting easier. You'd need a forty-foot setback from the adjacent lot, but the removal of thirty feet of the current fence and construction of two sections of new fence will connect the barn to your pasture area."

Dad reflected on what Pete had suggested. "What about vehicle access?"

"The main doors for vehicle entry will be on the end facing your house, although you should put sliding doors on the side facing the thirty acres too for animal and work entry. You can use the dirt road that's next to the pasture fence on your current lot to get direct access to the main barn entry door. The sliding doors on the side will provide direct access to your pasture. A gate in the fence nearby will provide additional access from your current lot."

Dad thought a little more. "I like that approach. Let's set it up that way. What are your thoughts on size? I was thinking about twenty-four feet by thirty-two feet."

"If you have the funds, I'd make that thirty-two by forty-eight. And it should be an open design to give you versatility in how you use it. Compared to other types, pole barns aren't that expensive. At first you're going to feel like you've overdone it, but with a handful of cattle to shelter in bad weather, some hay and grain stored, a tractor and other equipment, it will fill up fast. I'd start thinking now about a separate smaller equipment shed combined with a workshop."

"What about siding and roofing material? There seems to be a choice between plywood and metal."

"Metal for the roof, definitely. For the siding, there are pros and cons. If you like the wood look, Hardie Panels are becoming popular. They cost more than plywood, but they're very durable and don't require a vapor barrier."

"And what about the floor? I was thinking of going with dirt and gravel to start with. Should we put in a concrete floor?"

"I'd start out with dirt and gravel, unless you're going to use it a lot for cattle. If it's primarily equipment and feed storage, that will be adequate. You can add a concrete floor later if you need to."

Pete turned to Rusty and me. "Boys, will you please grab the stakes, five-pound sledge, and long tape measure from the truck? And bring the bow saw, too. We may have to cut a little brush to lay out the barn site."

Rusty grumbled as we headed for the truck. "I wish he wouldn't call us 'boys'. We can do as much work as he does."

I grinned. "Don't worry about it. Pete's just tryin' to show Dad he's an adult. Tonight, you can prove to me that yer not a boy any more."

Rusty laughed as his good humor came back. "I don't gotta prove that. I've done that already."

I grabbed the stakes and sledge. "Well, maybe you could demonstrate it once more."

Rusty grabbed the saw and tape measure and grinned back. "Yeah, I could do that if you insist. By the way, I overheard Austin and Andy talkin', and it sounds like they demonstrated last night that they're not boys either."

I smiled reminiscently. "Yeah, we'll talk about that later, too. I learned a new trick to share, but it requires one more participant."

Rusty's eyes lit up. "I wondered if you'd done something like that. I can't wait to hear about it."

It didn't take long to set some preliminary stakes for the barn. Pete was right. Yes, there would be some clearing and leveling to do.

As we stood and considered the results, Pete had more observations. "One thing I like about this building site is that it slopes gently away in all directions, and that the general slope is towards your house and the road. We only get moderate precipitation here, and the ground absorbs water well, so you shouldn't have any drainage problems."

Dad had another thought. "Should we plan for any rain gutters, at least over the doors?"

Pete smiled slightly. "Don't bother. The snow sliding off the metal roof would take them out the first winter."

"I've got a lot to learn, I can see. Thanks so much for helping me get started."

"I'm glad to help. And keep in mind that kid of yours has learned a lot this summer. He can tell you a few things, too."

I frowned slightly at the demeaning term. "Hot kid", yes. "That kid", no. Rusty grinned and poked me in the ribs with his elbow.

Dad put a hand on my shoulder. "Toby and I have already discussed that aspect of things. I'll take full advantage of his experience. One more thing I'd like to discuss. Let's look at how to make water available to the thirty acres."

Pete had answers. "We had a basic plan when we put in the well and pump house, and that's why it's at the back of the property. If you run a four-inch line down the back of the lots ten feet from the property line, you can put in risers for what pasture irrigation you need, as well as other uses. In the future, that same line will serve the domestic needs of the individual five-acre properties."

Dad smiled. "Thanks, Pete. That sounds like a good plan. I've looked at pole barn sites online, and I plan to go with a package with pre-constructed trusses. Do you have a suggestion for a local contractor to clear the site and put it up? And perhaps a plumbing contractor to put in the water system?"

"I'll email you some links to a couple of local guys that I've dealt with. I think you'll be pleased. And one more thought. If Toby wants to learn how to build a pole barn, you might get the contractor to let him help out informally. Toby can't work for pay because you have to be sixteen to work in construction, as you undoubtedly know. However, as you also know, there are no constraints on doing agricultural work for your parents. I consider putting up a pole barn to be agricultural work. Or maybe you could call it an 'internship'."

Dad and Pete grinned at each other. "I like the way you think, Pete. Thanks so much for your guidance. And you too, Rusty. I'll go ahead and order the materials and line up the contractors you suggest. I've already hired a fence contractor, and Toby would like to discuss that."

Now I could demonstrate that I wasn't a kid. "Dad put me in charge of restoring the fence around the thirty acres. Then we'll have to put in some corral fence and the connecting fence you talked about, and split the thirty acres into two working sections. I plan to do the work myself at first, but Dad said I can hire my friends if I want to. Do you have any wisdom to share for that project?"

Pete had advice. "I'm happy to see your dad making use of your knowledge and skills. The fence around the thirty acres is in fairly good shape. We were using that part for spring pasture as recently as a year ago. A couple of posts may need to be replaced, but other than that, it's a matter of simple wire repair, and perhaps a little more work with the gates. You should be able to do that yourself or with your friends."

Pete paused to think and then continued. "For putting in new fence, I suggest more experienced help getting it on the lot lines and putting in the posts. After that, I have no doubt that you can do it as you've planned. Keep in mind that your friends, and you too, may be busy with other work for the next month or two, so that part may come later. For the corrals, you may want to use the same contractor who puts up the barn. We can plan the details of that later, but it's a job best left to the professionals."

"Thanks, Pete. I hope Rusty will help me. I've been watchin' him repair fence a lot lately, and he knows exactly what to do."

Rusty smiled. "I'll be happy to do that, of course, but I'll be busy for the next several weeks with harvest on our family ranch."

Pete added to that. "Toby, remember that anyone who is younger than fourteen needs written permission from a parent to work in agriculture, other than on the family ranch. And what Rusty said about being busy in the near future applies to Andy, Austin and Nate, too. If you want to get started, you might consider Jason. I'm sure his dads would give him permission to work here. It would give him an opportunity to get started with a part-time job, and you'd have an opportunity to teach him what you learned from Logan and Gramps."

I liked the idea. "Thanks for all that information, Pete. I'll talk with Jason and his dads and see what we can work out. If that won't work, I can get started on my own and get help later on."

Dad's cell phone indicated a text message. "Ellen says dinner is ready. I hope you're all as hungry as I am."

************

The menu was fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and fresh corn on the cob - very fresh, Pete and Rusty had brought it with them. They had also supplied the fresh peaches that went into the pie. Mom didn't have her own garden yet, and the fruit trees Dad had planted were in their infancy, but she was becoming resourceful about making use of local produce, both purchased and shared by neighbors.

There was some further conversation about barn construction, but then Dad had another subject.

"Pete, with your experience in the law enforcement field, have you considered a law degree?"

Pete thought for a moment. "I've always felt that working for the county sheriff was a way to stay in the community and maintain my connection with the ranch. Among other things, they let me take my vacation during the wheat harvest, which is helpful to the family. And now that I've been promoted to deputy sheriff, my position is more secure. I wouldn't want to look at any career that would take me away from here."

Dad considered a moment. "Well, I think you'd do well if you chose to pursue a law degree. You have the right kind of mind and thinking process. Keep in mind that you can do a lot of the preliminary studies online. Unfortunately, the University of Idaho in Moscow has the state program, but the newer law school at Concordia University in Boise is good, and you could commute for the classes you need to take in person. There could be opportunities to practice law right here if you wished. It's a career that can be pursued almost anywhere."

Pete reflected for a few moments. "Thanks for the idea, and the information about how to go about it. I'll consider it."

After we finished dinner, Pete took me aside. "Toby, we'll be starting wheat harvest this week. Dad said he'd talked to you about helping us. Are you still available?"

I tried to keep my excitement controlled, since I wasn't a kid any more. "Sure, how would you like me to help?"

"I'd like you to drive the wheat truck. You can't drive on public roads yet, but like working for Gramps, you can on private property. We have two trucks, one borrowed from Gramps. What we did last year was have Dad run the combine, Rusty drive the truck to the public road, and then I'd drive it to the grain elevator in town. This year, Dad wants to teach Rusty to run the combine. If you could take Rusty's place a few hours each day driving the truck, it would help."

I was pumped, but tried to be casual. "Sure, I'd like to do that."

Pete grinned, and I knew I'd failed at being casual. "Gramps and Dad share equipment and labor. I've already talked to Gramps, and you might be asked to help there the same way."

"Okay. When does this start, and how long will it all take?"

"We'll start this Tuesday. Our crop will only take a week or so. So will Gramps', but he planted later so he won't harvest for a few weeks yet. In preparation, could you come over for truck driving lessons tomorrow morning, say about nine o'clock?"

"No problem."

"Good! I'll see you then."

************

Rusty and I were lying in bed looking at the ceiling. He was recovering from demonstrating that he wasn't a boy, and I was basking in the afterglow of great sex.

Rusty opened the topic. "So, what about last night?"

"The short story is that I was the filling in a twin sandwich."

"They did double penetration on ya?"

"So, ya know about double penetration. I had to be educated."

"I've heard about it, but I don't know exactly how it's done."

I jumped out of bed and sat down at my computer. "Come here a minute."

Rusty looked over my shoulder as I started a video I'd found earlier. "They did that to you?"

"Uh huh. It was the wildest thing I've ever done."

Rusty pulled up the other chair and watched for a while. "Holy shit! Ya wouldn't get me to do that. Not in the middle anyway."

"Two more beers helped."

"I thought ya looked rather mellow when Nate and I got our sleeping bags."

"Yeah, I was. And you could do the top part if ya wanted."

"Would you do the middle part again?"

"Yeah, or the bottom part, whichever worked best."

"Who's gonna be the third person? Never mind, I just figured that out."

Rusty flopped down on the bed again, hard as a rock. I got out the ruler and quickly checked.

I flopped down beside him and turned towards him. "Okay, it is seven and a half inches. I gotta find someone smaller to do DP with."

Rusty stroked his boner and grinned. "I can be gentle, ya know. Here, let me demonstrate."

"You can demonstrate again a little later. How did yer night go with Nate?"

Rusty looked at the ceiling again, tears in his eyes. "He told me everything he told you. And I bet you saw some of it on video too, but we won't go there."

I leaned over and kissed him. "We don't need to talk about it if it's too painful."

"I need to share it with ya. After he filled me in, I held him tight for a long time until he stopped cryin'. Then we talked about all the years we've known each other and we shared the good times we've had. We'd never talked about sexuality. It was a surprise to me that he considered Logan his boyfriend. He'd never talked about it, and then once the abuse started, he didn't talk about anything."

Rusty paused to get his emotions under control. "We made love together for the first time. It was really beautiful. He's very special to me. Afterwards, I felt guilty, like I was cheatin' on ya. I didn't feel that way when I did it with Jace or Andy. Then I thought about what you and Nate and yer mom said about lovin' more than one person, and different kinds of love. It's confusing, but I think I'll figure it out."

I pulled Rusty close and stroked his hair. "You weren't cheatin' on me any more than I was cheatin' on you. We'll all figure it out together. All three of us. Actually all six of us in the ranch boy club will figure it out together. Did he say any more about how his counseling is goin'?"

"No, but he did say he's participating in a support group for the abuse victims that's bein' sponsored by yer dad's law firm."

"I didn't know about that group, but I'm glad he's involved. It's another source of help besides you and me and the ranch boy club."

Rusty wiped the tears from his eyes. "I'm ready for another demonstration. Are you?"

Rusty was usually gentle, but this time he brought gentle to a new level. For a half hour or more, he brought a feeling to lovemaking that neither of us had ever experienced. There was no hurry. We had all the time in the world to enjoy each other's bodies and souls to the fullest extent. When we finally reached the climax, we carefully held on to it as long as we could, and then fell asleep without moving.

************

I woke up early in the morning. Rusty had rolled over beside me. I needed to clear my head. I got up, grabbed a bathrobe, and walked out into the back yard. In the country darkness with no moon, millions of stars were visible overhead. A meteor flashed as it entered the atmosphere, and then it was gone. I realized once more how much I loved living in the country.

I reflected on love, and realized I was now in love with three guys. Nate had a special place in my heart, along with Rusty and Logan. I loved Austin, Andy, and Jason too - to a lesser degree, but each in his own special way. All of these guys were far more than friends now.

The other part of love was how it changed over time. I was sure I'd always be in love with Rusty, but would I? Would he always be in love with me? How was Nate going to fit into this? I'd have to be open to change, because it had already happened and was going to happen again whether I was open to it or not. All I could do was to love others, and enjoy whatever came back to me.

A faint glow began to show in the east, and the stars began to fade. A new day, with new opportunities. New opportunities to show love and caring...

The door behind me opened and closed quietly. I looked around and found Dad walking towards me, and then standing beside me.

Dad broke the silence. "It's beautiful at this time of day, isn't it?"

I smiled at him. "Yes, it is. I gotta get up and watch the sunrise more often."

... new opportunities to show love and caring. I put an arm around Dad's waist and gave him a hug.

"Thanks for everything, Dad."

He put a hand on my shoulder. "You're welcome, Son."

Dad went back into the house, and I soon followed. Crawling back into bed beside a still-sleeping Rusty, I soon dozed off.

To be continued...

Posted: 11/27/2020