The Sula-Richards Farm

The Sula-Richards Farm consists of 136 acres located in central Texas, in Milam County. The farm is approximately 15% open pastures and 85% woods. In addition, there is one pond on the property at this time, a man-made tank that we call Turtle Pond.

The woods on the farm are consistent with the region, known as the Post Oak Savannah, with the large amount of overgrown understory that is common for the area. Most of the understory consists of yaupon, American Beauty Berry bushes, and small cedar trees; however, other bushes, vines, and trees can also be found in the understory. Other than the clearing done many years ago to create the pastures, there has been relatively little development on the Sula-Richards Farm. This history has made this land very well-suited for conversion to a Wildlife Management Plan.

Wildlife Management Plan

When we bought the farm from Joni's parents, we decided to pursue obtaining tax status for the farm under the Wildlife Management Plan provisions. This allows us to keep the equivalent of the agricultural tax exemption that the farm had for the many years during which Joni's parents raised cattle on the land. There's significant work involved in both preparing the Wildlife Management Plan and in implementing it. However, I can say that once our plan was approved by the county tax offices, we have found the work involved both interesting and rewarding. It's definitely a continuing learning experience.