WWYD with 27 acres.....

nana-san · #1 01/23/10, 02:05 AM

Just for fun I would like to hear your ideas on what you would do with.....

27 acres of soft and hard woods, two building sites, over 2000ft of creek that runs along the southern border and empties out into a river along the western part giving over 400 ft along the river. No wetland that needs protecting, no llood zone, but there is hydric soil during the summer
oh, and a 22,000 State Forest across the road.

VERN in IL · #2 01/23/10, 02:18 AM

5013c it into a incorporated Church, then the CHURCH actually owns the land, not the Government.

Build a community and live with NO money. With several folks, it's easier than you think and will benefit you in the up coming future when our economy and living standards go back to pre WW2 condition! Not too many are prepared for that!!

uncle Will in In. · #3 01/23/10, 05:55 AM

If you couold fence part of it where you want your home down to the creek and riverbank. then run a few cattle in there during the summer, they would trim up the under brush. This would make a more park-like portion for your enjoyment, and still leave a thick hard to see through area around most of the perimiter.

insocal · #4 01/23/10, 09:54 AM

What would I do with 27 acres (in place with rainfall)? Die of happiness.

pfaubush · #5 01/23/10, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by insocal

What would I do with 27 acres (in place with rainfall)? Die of happiness.

I second that!

Joshie · #6 01/23/10, 10:17 PM

Thanks, guys. I needed to hear that. We just moved to a place with 26+ acres. We have a small house, large barn, lovely creek, fenced pastures, and 10 acres in hay. We don't have forest preserve across the road but across the road there are a number of ponds and people buy memberships so they can fish there. It's nice and quiet out here but we do have some neighbors.

**Shrek** · #7 01/24/10, 01:13 AM

Same thing I am doing on my current acreage. Enjoy myself on the two acres around my shack while the remainder insulates me from irritating neighbors as much as possible and provides me with logs and added organic wastes as required.

Old Vet · #8 01/24/10, 02:43 AM

It all depends on where it is. I have 27 acres with a couple of creeks on it. It is too steep for much of anything except for about 10 acres where I have a house and a garden. It was fenced at one time and with a little work could be again. But I like to garden and let most of the rest raise trees. If I was in better health I would have some hogs, goats, and cattle along with a bigger garden.

badlander · #9 01/24/10, 01:16 PM

We are taking possession of another 19 acres on Friday from the Amish family that we bought our homestead from. YIPPPEEEEE!!! It is mostly timber with half a pond (possession is shared by a neighbor next door as the pond sits directly in the middle of the property line) and some minor pasture land. Our original 9 acres is our home site. (As soon as I can figure out how to post the pics I will) barn and pasture. We took possession of 8 St Croix cross ewe lambs last week, two months early. We is now sheep herders!!! YIPPEEE AGAIN.

I have the potential for a large garden, lots of harvestable firewood. My husband has a huge workshop.

I think the potential is endless for you. You need to take stock of your land, how much is tillable if any, how much you can put in pasture, where is your best building site and then start planning.

We are going to increase our sheep flock as time passes and the sheep co-operate. Probably eventually add some milk goats and a guard donk to the herd and I hope in time to add a horse or a mule to the property. Needless to say, I need chickens...lots of chickens and maybe a goose or two to keep the weeds down that the goats miss...see, the possibilities are endless.

Best advice. Don't bite off more than you can chew, plan plan plan and remember to have fun.

ForestCoCabin · #10 01/24/10, 04:33 PM

You said it Badlander Plan Plan Plan.

Start by writing down your goals, what you can afford, a timeline and pretty soon you'll have the outline of a plan. Be flexible, plans change - your goals might even change too. Always be on the lookout for people who have done similar projects, ask for a tour, people are usually happy to show off their sucesses and if your lucky you will see their failures too.
If there are small steps you can take toward your goal, such as planting trees or cutting trees, do it; before you know it ten years will have passed and if your goals were well thought out you will be pleased with what you have done.
Start small, don't bite off anything bigger than .......(you know the rest).

Too bad your not closer to Wisconsin. Here is a great FREE seminar:
http://wildlife.wisc.edu/extension/C...ge/program.htm
Maybe there is one like it in your state.
Regards, ForestCoCabin

nana-san · #11 01/29/10, 08:17 PM

Thanks for all your replies... We are still newbies at all of this. We have a general idea of what we want we want to do but will be overseas again. This will be our hpmestead since we have lived a gypsy life.

We may considered maybe letting someone live as caretaker while we are gone.

What could we do little by little with limited time? Plant tree?

More advice please.

BTW, don't know if it matters but the land is in Adirondacks

nana-san · #12 01/29/10, 08:46 PM

Thanks for you reponse Rose, I dont post often and I'vve been on a hiatus here for a bit but I am back. I read your posts and they are always sincere and uplifting, Thanks again.

We will only have thiry days while in transition from one base to another. I know thirty days is not a lot but the challenge is doing the most in that short amount of time.

I am surprised I haven't gotten many suggestions.

nana-san · #13 01/29/10, 09:05 PM

we will be getting in touch with the DEC and the Forester to make appointments with them to check some things out for us. We will also have the surveyor come out again and walk with us so that we can mark over the iron that was placed.

It is just so overwhelming and we don't know how to prioritize. We will able to return once a year for thirty days at a time.

lamoncha lover · #14 01/29/10, 09:20 PM

We are possibly 6 months away from getting to our 32 acres. We bought the first 20 acres about 4 or so years ago. We bought the last 12 adjoining acres last year.I LOVE the idea rose had about the fruit orchard. I think that I will start right now to plan mine. I always loved the idea of a hummingbird garden. I wonder if they could be incorporated? I do have a black thumb so I will need hardy!
How awsome to be next to a large wilderness area.
Every person has different dreams. For me I would be planning a cabin or some sort of shelter. But that is just me.

lamoncha lover · #15 01/29/10, 09:23 PM

We did spend much time out on our land. Just enjoying the dark nights and bright stars, Imagining where we would want our house..where a garage and barnmight go. What area felt best. where the animals would go. Where the deer come through. There is something to be said about getting the feel for your property. Maybe don't feel pressured to do anything. Just enjoy?

nana-san · #16 01/29/10, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamoncha lover

We did spend much time out on our land. Just enjoying the dark nights and bright stars, Imagining where we would want our house..where a garage and barnmight go. What area felt best. where the animals would go. Where the deer come through. There is something to be said about getting the feel for your property. Maybe don't feel pressured to do anything. Just enjoy?

LL,

hubby and i took a quick road trip to the property needless to say we were not prepared, just so excited to go we didn't have the proper gear on. Needless to say, it rained while we were walking the woods and of course i had to use the bathroom and skeeters thought the buffet was open. The only thing we had was a can of orange spraypaint to mark how to get back out the woods. Today we laugh about my. My friend did not look to cute after we walked back out. Good times..

sgl42 · #17 01/29/10, 11:59 PM

since you'll only be there occasionally for now...

this year:
1) map the landscape, noting contours, existing trees, etc. use this as you dream over the coming years, planning where to put a cabin, best place to put an orchard, barn, road, etc. which trees you want to keep, which to take down, what existing plants you already have, soil conditions, etc etc.

2) plant a few fruit and nut trees, since they take 5-10 yrs to produce

3) scatter a few seedballs of plants you would like, and hope they start growing wild (eg, onions, garlic, tomatoes, basil, whatever) maybe some medicinal herbs too. plants did manage to survive before mankind came along and planted seeds all the time.

4) meet your neighbors. find someone trustworthy that can watch the property for you.

5) put a shipping container, or tool shed, or tiny cabin, RV on the property, time and money permitting, if it's likely to be unmolested.

then i'd spend the next year planning what i wanted to do with the property over the coming years.

--sgl

**Cabin Fever** · #18 01/30/10, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shrek

Same thing I am doing on my current acreage. Enjoy myself on the two acres around my shack while the remainder insulates me from irritating neighbors as much as possible and provides me with logs and added organic wastes as required.

I agree...this is more or less what we've done on our 40 acres.

On your couple acre building site, plan a garden, critter shed, some fruit trees, etc. Leave the rest wild....that's your lumber and firewood lot....a place to go hunting and hiking...and it's your buffer from the outside world.

Hopefully your building site is smack dab in the middle of your 27 acres.

lamoncha lover · #19 01/30/10, 08:39 AM

For us putting a small camper on our land made it nice to use. You can keep it stocked so that you dont have to pack each time you go to your land...and that takes out all the hastle. Put bug spray in there:>) maybe some rain gear.At the very least you will camp in comfort the month you are stateside.
I also think its good advice to look in the middle for your building site. Thats what we did. It cost more to get electricity in and water run in..but if I wanted to live right next to folks with a view of the road I would just stay here in town.

ChristieAcres · #20 01/30/10, 03:39 PM

On planting trees, as that is a real priority only being there 30 days at a stretch per year... I would plant fruit trees that were at least 3 or 4 years old. You won't have time to probably get the deals we find locally on Craigslist. There are always ads running to "come dig up our fruit trees FREE." These are usually trees up to 10 years old and bearing prolifically. The people are usually putting in landscaping and don't want to bother with the trees. I'd also go with the largest nut trees and all other berry bushes you can find. You would need to protect your young trees/bushes/etc with proper fencing that is appropriate to that area. If you could enlist a caretaker, that would be an excellent way to insure they are watered/cared for when necessary. Since you wrote 30 days, I wouldn't worry about a garden, unless you have a caretaker who is willing to care of it.

How long will you be overseas? That plays are large part in what to concentrate on. I knew a couple who lived in CA who spent a few weeks per year in Oregon & often weekends there. They had a home built there for their retirement. All of it was done out of pocket and when they retired there, it was paid off.

If you will be overseas for long, possibly a yurt or small cabin dwelling would suffice until you are ready to move onto the property.