For a minute there I thought I had to get off my couch, when all the while the fact is we don't have to do anything much but keep things afloat for just a few decades more! In fact, we'd best shut up about PO, because if our offspring finds out we knew about it all along, they'll turn and wring our necks come 2036!
Joined: Sep 09, 2004 Posts: 383 Location: Upstate New York, U.S.A.
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:07 am Post subject: Land! Finally.
My wife and I put a bid on a piece of property. Offers and counter -offers ensued, and then...nothing. No movement for 6 months.
I was prepared to put that one to bed, but alas, the tide did turn, and after one last small bump in our offer, it was accepted. 48 acres of land for me! 1/3 young forest, 1/3 scrub growth, 1/3 old farmland. 1 known spring and a small creek. Good potential for wind energy if we go that route, and a fantastic view.
Tests for septic passed, no zoning in the town.
As soon as we close (pending a staked out survey provided by seller) the real work begins.
This eases my stress significantly when it comes to preparations.
At last.
Olafr _________________ "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:30 am Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Congratulations!
Just out of curiosity: Your avatar is a wolf which is the meaning of your wiking name "Olaf". Just a coincidence?
Anyway, my mane is "Olof" which is the modern Swedish spelling of the same name
I'm living' in a villa close to Stockholm, but own 1/2 a farm with forest and all, 200 km north of Stockholm that I have recently inherited since my wife’s mother past away. Anyway I'm selling it since I believe technology will save the day when peakoil strikes with full effect in 5-10 years. I hope I’m right… :-/ _________________ Me Tar sands, you Jane
Joined: Oct 03, 2004 Posts: 515 Location: Washington State
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 11:19 am Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Cool!
My advice (learned the hard way)
go slow. it costs a lot of money to develop and build. Much more if you are in a rush. _________________ This is where everybody puts profound words written by another...or not so profound words written by themselves
Highlander 2007
Joined: Sep 09, 2004 Posts: 383 Location: Upstate New York, U.S.A.
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:22 pm Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Olle wrote:
Congratulations!
Just out of curiosity: Your avatar is a wolf which is the meaning of your wiking name "Olaf". Just a coincidence?
Anyway, my mane is "Olof" which is the modern Swedish spelling of the same name
I'm living' in a villa close to Stockholm, but own 1/2 a farm with forest and all, 200 km north of Stockholm that I have recently inherited since my wife’s mother past away. Anyway I'm selling it since I believe technology will save the day when peakoil strikes with full effect in 5-10 years. I hope I’m right… :-/
It's derived from the Old Norse. I'm a big fan of 'viking age' Scandinavian culture and I also like wolves. So not quite accidental. I get dressed up and participate in armored rattan stick fighting a few times a week. In fact, and unfortunately, broke a friends forearm just last night when he missed a sword block and took it on the arm instead.
Anyway, well met Olof. Someday I hope to actually get to visit Scandinavia.
Olaf _________________ "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau
Joined: Oct 18, 2004 Posts: 1722 Location: kiwibush
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 3:50 pm Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Olle wrote:
Congratulations!
Just out of curiosity: Your avatar is a wolf which is the meaning of your wiking name "Olaf". Just a coincidence?
Anyway, my mane is "Olof" which is the modern Swedish spelling of the same name
I'm living' in a villa close to Stockholm, but own 1/2 a farm with forest and all, 200 km north of Stockholm that I have recently inherited since my wife’s mother past away. Anyway I'm selling it since I believe technology will save the day when peakoil strikes with full effect in 5-10 years. I hope I’m right… :-/
You in on any secrets, Olof? _________________ Bugger me, I hear oil's runnin out mate!
Joined: Sep 09, 2004 Posts: 383 Location: Upstate New York, U.S.A.
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 4:15 pm Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Pops wrote:
Good for you!
Sounds great, tell us your plans.
Well, it will probably be a three year initial process. I'll work to get a small camp structure built on the property this year, clear some, plant more trees (mostly maple, oak, and cherry, as well as some fruit trees) get a driveway of some sort put in for better access, and prep some of the soil for gardening purposes. The woods on the property will be a fantastic way for us to harvest our own firewood. We've been gardening on our current 1 acre plot for a few years now, and this past year was our most succesful to date. We're getting better at it.
If the spring water is potable, we plan to divert a portion of that for our use and also to dig a pond which we'll stock.
The property is sloped and has good ratings for wind energy, so if that is feasible, we'll be looking into that, as well as implementing passive and possibly active solar for the house we'll build.
I've got so many ideas I hardly know where to start. So much to do and so much to learn.
Olafr _________________ "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
NICE
this puts you ahead of most of the population, even in here
good luck, get to work _________________ If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--for ever."
-George Orwell, 1984
Joined: Jun 21, 2006 Posts: 1205 Location: Burgundy, France
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 5:51 pm Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
First off, congratulations!
Secondly, wait before you dive in and do stuff. It takes a while to get to know the land. Wait at least a year if you can. Apart from the usual Permaculture stuff, I can recommend "Edible Forest Gardens" (both volumes). It'll really help you to re-evaluate your potential. Thirdly, welcome to the crazy club! _________________ All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become. - Buddha
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Congratulations!
Will you move permanently at once or will you stay in your old place first and go only on weekends for doing some work? In which climate zone are you in?
Devep do you really suggest waiting one year on a property before doing anything? That's a long time, especially as the chaos will hit maybe soon, second most can't afford living on the land while still going to buy food.
Joined: Sep 09, 2004 Posts: 383 Location: Upstate New York, U.S.A.
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 8:45 pm Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Thanks for the congrats. I'm beyond excited about it.
Davep thanks for the book ideas.
I'm pretty sure the new property is in 4b for hardiness zone. We're 5a right now.
We'll be living where we are for while we get started. It will probably be at least a year before we actually start looking into building a house.
Olafr _________________ "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." - Henry David Thoreau
If you can, you might want to consider nuts, as the weather will continue to get warmer, and a tree that produces healthy food with little work will beat out an ordinary tree any PO day...
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:07 pm Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
Olaf, that's cold!
May I ask if you are retired? (It's only I try to convince my husband doing the same but we're NOT retired and will have to get an income).
I think this is maybe a very good idea, how you did: buying land without house, I think it's cheaper, getting it developed a bit and then moving. You hold both possibilities for a period of time.
Joined: Sep 14, 2004 Posts: 6143 Location: Rural Virginia
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 9:44 pm Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
How very exciting, Olaf! I know EXACTLY how you feel, and a good feeling it is indeed. I'm so happy to see that you've been able to follow through on your plans.
Nothing like owning your own piece of ground, especially one with "room to roam" like yours.
Davep is right, get to know the place really well before making any major financial commitments (beyond the one you've already made in buying the place, of course). Wander all over the place again and again. Camp out. Talk with neighbors.
OTOH, the time to start planting some trees and other plants for the future is approximately now. Be sure to protect them (I recommend circular welded-wire cages, staked to the ground) or you'll just be feeding the deer.
A few types of fruit trees might have a bit of trouble in your location (and I have a sense of where that is, as you know). Frosts are very late there and may tend to wipe out the flowers. The trees will grow well but fruit production could be zero in some years. Look into that before you plunk down $$.
You might consider a mobile home. You can add on to it, attach wood siding with extra insulation, and reinforce the roof. A smart and relatively inexpensive way to go, with a customized and cozy result.
Meet with your county forester. Get a management plan going. Get into state programs that give you money toward improving your own forest.
Who knows, one of these days I might join you in Upstate. Wish I were your neighbor; I'd love to lend tools and a hand. _________________ "Actually, humans died out long ago."
---Abused, abandoned hunting dog
"Things have entered a stage where the only change that is possible is for things to get worse."
---Me and my brother
Joined: Dec 26, 2006 Posts: 242 Location: Eastern Washington
Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: Land! Finally.
I'm really excited for you too! Please keep us up to date about your adventure with your new property! And if at all possible pictures would be very appreciated!
48 acres is a good chunk of land (and yours sounds nearly perfect-mine is a little on the dry side)!
Goodluck! _________________ "Those who long for exaltation look upwards, but I look downward for I am the exalted."
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I get dressed up and participate in armored rattan stick fighting a few times a week. In fact, and unfortunately, broke a friends forearm just last night when he missed a sword block and took it on the arm instead.
