Opinions needed

dragonfly1113 · #1 12/19/08, 04:06 PM

After we bought our land and the deal was all final the man we bought it from came by to bushhog it because the place was all grown up. We had already started fencing and got the utilities ready for our camper. The man told us there used to be a small pond in a certain area that had dried up. We knew that a double wide had been here once and burned up. What wasnt told to us until after was that the metal from the double wide was hauled off and all that was left was pushed into the pond area and covered up. He didnt bushhog that area because the ground is soft there. Needless to say I was PO. Since the ground is soft there I cant build anything over it. Would that area be okay to plant fruit trees. Do you think it would be safe? I know there is vinyl siding in there because I have pulled it up out of our yard. With plastics in there, what do you think? I cant think of anything else to do with that area. I figured fruit trees would be okay to be there. Opinions.....
Susie

Sawmill Jim · #2 12/19/08, 04:22 PM

If it burned an the fire dept was as slow getting there as it is here can't be much left "" might be some spare .Here low spots in wet weather stay wet till summer.Would plant something that likes damp soil.

Cheribelle · #3 12/19/08, 06:20 PM

If you're building a house, footing or a basement or septic system all require digging and dirt work. A low spot is easily taken care of.

Rocky Fields · #4 12/19/08, 08:50 PM

Hey.

Fruit trees don't cater to wet feet for extended periods of time. You could plant willow, swamp white oak, aspen, or river birch to name a few...they will survive extended periods of overly wet soil.

Also, buried carp could be excavated and it turned back into a pond.

RF

**Terri** · #5 12/20/08, 02:58 AM

I have a seep on my place. The things that I have planted there have not done well: in wet weather there is standing water and in dry weather the plants do not have a good root system to nourish themselves. The only thing that has lived long is grass.

Last spring I planted a few Louisiana iris and onion sets, and going into fall they were still alive. We shall see if I have better luck with these! I am very hopefull!

In other words, you might try one tree to see if it lives or if it drowns. I personally like the idea of dumping any excavated dirt in the hole, first!

fantasymaker · #6 12/20/08, 08:36 AM

Watercress?

DW · #7 12/20/08, 09:04 AM

pay someone to dig it up and get rid of it...then start again.

Maura · #8 12/20/08, 11:32 AM

If your area is wet in the spring, you might want a low spot so the water has somewhere to drain to.

Beeman · #9 12/20/08, 12:43 PM

We're all guessing as no one has any idea of how your land lays, how big it is or where anything is situated. There's no telling what or how much is buried in your ground. I'd bet the owner has been dumping there for a while especially after the burying of the mobile home. I'm constantly unearthing new finds whenever I dig around here. unrestricted areas, especially in the south are full of dumps.

dragonfly1113 · #10 12/20/08, 01:05 PM

Okay a little more detail. Where the pond used to be starts a little water way that runs across the property and then down a hill to a creek. I call it a branch but my husband calls it a wet weather water way. It is about 15 inches deep. I have thought about digging up all that crap and putting the pond back BUT am scared of what all I will find once I begin. I think the only thing buried is what was left of the mobile home. It is probably a lot of junk that I will have to haul off. I know I want a pond on this property. So I am tossing around the idea of either planting some fruit trees in the spot or just digging it all up and making the pond back there.
Susie

Raptor · #11 12/20/08, 08:40 PM

Are there no disclosure laws where you live when purchasing property ? I don't think is legal to sell you the property without telling you about things like that unless you agree to accept the land that way. If you do have these laws he would be responsible to pay for cleaning the debris out of the pond and hauling it away.

Country Lady · #12 12/20/08, 10:05 PM

Around these parts where I live, it's so hard to get rid of old delapidated mobile homes. A lot of folks have a bull dozer come in, dig a huge hole and they bury what they can. You have to remember, some mobile homes are 80' long and possibly that frame to the mobile home is underneath there. You're talking some cost to get that thing dug up and taken away.

dragonfly1113 · #13 12/21/08, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor

Are there no disclosure laws where you live when purchasing property ? I don't think is legal to sell you the property without telling you about things like that unless you agree to accept the land that way. If you do have these laws he would be responsible to pay for cleaning the debris out of the pond and hauling it away.

I think we do have disclosure laws here. Would we have to get a lawyer?
I would be happy if we paid to dig it all up and they hauled it off. I want my pond back anyway.

country lady... I was told that someone came by and got the metal parts for scrap. I hope they did. I sure dont want to mess with that big ole thing.

I was really mad when they told me but I kept my mouth shut because they live down the road and i didnt want to start some trouble just moving here.
oh well.

agmantoo · #14 12/21/08, 11:10 AM

Be careful what you volunteer to pay to have hauled off. I worked on a stump grinder at a site just recently where the previous owner was being forced by the EPA to clean up a gully that had construction trash dumped into it. The bill at that time to remove the debris from the gully and to haul and dump it into an approved land filled had reached $90,000 and they were not finished. The best thing that I have found for brick, block, concrete debris is to bury it in the road bed on the property. In NC it is illegal to bury any construction materials other than masonary. If the EPA finds buried materials the fine is so significant that the waste will get cleanup pronto. The person paying for the cleanup referenced above was the original land owner. He did not dump the material however he owned the land when the incident happened. At closing, there is now a form that the seller signs stating the land is free, to his knowledge, of any hazardous waste or unapproved buried material. If you want to stir everything and everyone in an uproar just call the EPA. As a thought, you did not get what you paid for IMO as the debris was buried and the previous owner knew it was. You paid for that area thinking it was useful and it is not. I think I would give him the opportunity to correct his mistake. Obviously someone in the community is not going to be happy. Why should it be you?

Yvonne's hubby · #15 12/21/08, 12:32 PM

I would sow that area in grass, use it for pasture and not worry about the buried trash. Dopr down a hundred feet or so and put in the pond where the water is actually running in and have the problems all solved, no hard feelings in the neighborhood and a nice little farm to boot. Can you legally do anything about it due to disclosure laws in our state? yep, you can stir up a heckuva stink for three counties around you, (chances are this guy is kin to most folks around) and your life will be be miserable for as long as you live there, You might even get some results in forcing the previous owner to clean it up, but thats unlikely. Welcome to Kentucky btw, I been here for 30 years and love it, including the clannish nature of the local folks. Once you learn their ways I think you will like it here too, they are fine folks.

Sawmill Jim · #16 12/21/08, 01:06 PM

Yvonne's hubby has got it right on .First thing land owner will do is back track so fast your head will spin . E P A can eat all of you before they are done .And when folks wave at you going by you'll think they got lots of missing fingers on their hand as you want see but one .

dragonfly1113 · #17 12/21/08, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

I would sow that area in grass, use it for pasture and not worry about the buried trash. Dopr down a hundred feet or so and put in the pond where the water is actually running in and have the problems all solved, no hard feelings in the neighborhood and a nice little farm to boot. Can you legally do anything about it due to disclosure laws in our state? yep, you can stir up a heckuva stink for three counties around you, (chances are this guy is kin to most folks around) and your life will be be miserable for as long as you live there, You might even get some results in forcing the previous owner to clean it up, but thats unlikely. Welcome to Kentucky btw, I been here for 30 years and love it, including the clannish nature of the local folks. Once you learn their ways I think you will like it here too, they are fine folks.

lol yea, I know KY folk. Born and raised here. I really like the people we bought the place from and I dont want to make them mad but it does make me mad that they did me that way. But oh well.

Use Less · #18 12/21/08, 03:31 PM

I would talk to the agent and or lawyer who participated, presuming hopefully that you had same. The former owner would be obligated by law here in NY to reveal stuff like that in advance. Not having done so, you would have legal recourse for him to be required to pay for the removal of the trash. Plastic or metal is one thing, but there was surely insulation, maybe asbestos, wiring, glass.... Don't just take this lying down or try to fix it on your own. Sue

Sawmill Jim · #19 12/21/08, 04:11 PM

Don't know zackley where you are in Ny or zackley what part of Ky we talking bout

But for fun reading look up the Hatfeilds an McCoy's them old boys were from Ky and parts of that area are most the same till now .Lady said she lived in Ky all her life so far

If she is from East Ky lots them folks an't for got the WAR yet . Think they look at outsiders an lawyers the same .Now when i go to those hills i talk real southrern got plenty face fur though some them coalminers was going throw a welcome home party .Here we forgive an move on but never forget . But planting junk is the proper hilbilly way gitting rid stuf

Yvonne's hubby · #20 12/21/08, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sawmill Jim

But planting junk is the proper hilbilly way gitting rid stuf

Yep, its just as common as wipin yer feet before steppin in the parlor. Most likely the ol boy that sold the farm never give it a second thought till something reminded him, like bushoggin around the wet spot. I have dealt with these boys fer years, always got along, and have yet to have a one of them deliberately try to hide something or do me wrong on purpose. We also have a lot of other folks who have, like myself, moved into the area. Folks from parts south of here generally get along well, yanks,,,,,, due to be watched, many of them get right fussy with the way things is done here and will pull a lawyer outta their hat in heartbeat. fortunately, most of them kind find life too unbearable and head back north before too long.