New land owners, what's next?

Arkie71 · #1 04/10/14, 12:37 AM

Hello all, coming to you from the hustle and bustle of NW Arkansas. Going to reach 500,000 people this summer in the the Washington/Benton county area (2014). That is why my wife and I have decided we need to get the heck outta here. To the hills we run. True Arkansan here with many generations of my family living and dying here in the hills. That is important to me I guess. Seems like most of the population surrounding me, including the local politicians, aren't from here and could care less about preserving any heritage of the people that made up the state. They care more about bringing in more revenue than keeping things manageable and at a steady pace. Hard to find anyone my age (42) who was born here. Well off that soapbox. Anyway we began our search last fall.
Well, after much searching we have found a piece of property we wanted.

And after putting up a downpayment and owner financing we are now buying dirt

A ten year note that we hope to pay off in half the time since there is no prepayment penalty. It was suppose to be 3 acres for $16k, but after surveying it was found to be 4.5 acres for the same price. Our payments are "dirt" cheap and now we are in limbo trying to get a handle on what to do next. We are looking at getting ready to move a building on the property in 4-5 years. Waiting for the youngest to get out of high school first. On a county road that dead ends and national forest within 3 miles in a 270 degree arc. Heaven we hope.
The property has a well that is capped. The casing and cap looks like Very heavy pvc. The owner doesn't know anything about it and we didn't get it tested since we were prepared for alternative water methods to begin with and a well is just a plus. The owner has had the land since the 1980's and lives in Florida. Couldn't figure out how to remove the cap anyway. The land is pretty level with nice flat areas. Very wooded but most trees are small. Heavy leaf litter from oaks and hickory, with a pretty solid canopy above, or so I assume as we have only seen it in the winter. The area out there has been timbered over and over for years. But there are some bigger trees, especially along the road and along the electrical easement that runs the length of the southern border of the property.

No evidence of any previous building on the property. We probably won't touch the trees by the power easement since a mistake would be costly, but it would be nice to open up the southern view of the sky. Would the electric company cut thesesince they tell you not cut trees along an easement without contacting them first? The brushy easement will make for a good deer hunting area regardless. We can get a meter put on the pole for under $250, they even said the would run it to a smaller pole up to 100 ft. Just have to get a 911 address first. Thinking of clearing a 100ft.x100ft. area with a 2 driveways to the road to get us started. Anyone from the NW Ark. area able to tell me how much something like that should cost? We like the wooded feel and don't want to touch more than we have to. Wanting a small garden, some chickens, rabbits, and maybe a couple of goats. Rainwater caching for drought preparedness and summer. What should I do about the well? Contact a well business? Crack open the top and have it tested?

Going to run two strands of barbed wire around the property attached to trees and put up no trespassing signs every hundred feet to meet any requirements for expected privacy. We can only get out there once a month right now, the property is an hour away and our car is pretty old. A truck is on our list of things to get and i have a cousin that may be wanting to sell his older truck for a $1000. It isn't great on gas, but seems dependable. He goes on 1-2 hour distant trips a couple of times a month. Any advice, tips, or whatever else is appreciated. Peace.

Waterwheel Farm · #2 04/10/14, 01:32 AM

Congrats on your new place. If there's no electric there, it's doubtful there's a pump down inside that well casing, assuming it's a well. Does that PVC cap had a little metal vent on top of it? (It's actually called a pit-less adapter) Most wells I've seen do. They may have just drilled a hole with the future intent of installing a pump....or you can take the cap off and look inside. It's doesn't screw on. You just tap gently in an upward motion on the lip of the cap from one side, then the other. Look inside the PVC casing. A couple feet down you should see the water piping that goes to the well pump at the bottom, if there is one. Good luck!

Arkie71 · #3 04/10/14, 01:38 AM

Thanks. Thought I was going to need a strap wrench. No vents on the cap that I recall, but there does seem to be a hole in the side of the casing coming out of the ground. About a 1/4" I think. You can see it on the pic.

Waterwheel Farm · #4 04/10/14, 01:42 AM

Now that was just the type of cap that was on mine...there are several different styles. I'll check your pics. But most of them you can clearly see the screws etc. The hole in the side of the casing near the top might be for the electric wires for the pump. Mine had conduit there, but there don't seem to be very many standard installations.

Arkie71 · #5 04/10/14, 01:43 AM

Jus looked up a pitless adapter. Will check next time we are out.

Waterwheel Farm · #6 04/10/14, 01:51 AM

Just looked at the photo. Will be interesting to see if it's actually well casing or not. After seeing the photo, I'd be afraid to venture a guess.

Arkie71 · #7 04/10/14, 02:20 AM

Believe the pipe is at least 6" in diameter, and looks to be schedule 80 in thickness or more.

TnAndy · #8 04/10/14, 05:28 AM

Never heard of a PVC well casing. Usually, casing is driven down a bored hole to the point the driller hits bedrock, plus some, and I doubt PVC would hold up to that. Cut it off and look down inside. Might be a cap for a septic system for a camper or something like that.

Sawmill Jim · #9 04/10/14, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TnAndy

Never heard of a PVC well casing. Usually, casing is driven down a bored hole to the point the driller hits bedrock, plus some, and I doubt PVC would hold up to that. Cut it off and look down inside. Might be a cap for a septic system for a camper or something like that.

Well mine is PVC SCH 40 4" IPS IPS= Iron Pipe Size measured inside diameter .Looks like what the OP has ,most all here are PVC

MichaelK! · #10 04/10/14, 09:20 AM

Congratulations on your purchase. Sounds like site placement is your first priority, so I have a couple of suggestions for you.

Before you start, make an itimized list of what you want, or will eventually want. That is house, garage, gardens, orchards, workshops, greenhouses, ponds, ect.

Next, park the car, and get out and walk, around the whole perimeter of the property. Is that route 108 on your aerial photo? I assume that means you automatically have legal access onto the property. What about easments to put in culverts or bridges to cross drainage ditches along the side of the road. Find out what you will be legally permitted to build.

Next will be the selection of house site. Heres were there are a multiple of priorities to look at. Personally I would recommend the same as what I have, that is a site that is completely screened from the county road. No part of my living area is visable anywhere along the public road. That is a very big plus for personal security. Maybe both from drivers on your local road, and also hunters in that right of way south of you.

Then will be other considerations like building on high ground, and the immediate soil type. I wouldn't want to build on a spot that had the potential to flood after rain, or having to walk hundreds of yards to reach the garden spot that has the best soil.

When we first bought our land, the very, very first thing we did was plant fruit and nut trees. Even before starting our cabin, It took a lot longer for trees to start bearing, compared to our surburban back yard, so I am very glad I made that our first priority.

Another suggestion to make right off the bat is try to meet your neighbors, if any are in the area. Start out by introducing yourself, and then asking them questions about the local area. Things like what peach/pear/apple performs the best there, or what bug problems you're likely to face. Make your new neighbors a source of information to help you plan. Maybe the neighbors have info on your well. Locating gardens and orchard trees somewhere near the wellhead may be a good idea, if you later decide to tap the well during dry years. You may simply drop down a simple solar pump attached to semi-flexible black pipe that drives water into a ground level poly tank.

Good luck!

simi-steading · #11 04/10/14, 09:22 AM

My well lining is also PVC..

If you can't get the cap off, it may be glued on... Take a hacksaw with you..

Arkie71 · #12 04/10/14, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelK!

I assume that means you automatically have legal access onto the property. What about easments to put in culverts or bridges to cross drainage ditches along the side of the road. Find out what you will be legally permitted to build.

that is a site that is completely screened from the county road. No part of my living area is visable anywhere along the public road. That is a very big plus for personal security. Maybe both from drivers on your local road, and also hunters in that right of way south of you.

Then will be other considerations like building on high ground, and the immediate soil type. I wouldn't want to build on a spot that had the potential to flood after rain, or having to walk hundreds of yards to reach the garden spot that has the best soil.

When we first bought our land, the very, very first thing we did was plant fruit and nut trees. Even before starting our cabin, It took a lot longer for trees to start bearing, compared to our surburban back yard, so I am very glad I made that our first priority.

Locating gardens and orchard trees somewhere near the wellhead may be a good idea, if you later decide to tap the well during dry years. You may simply drop down a simple solar pump attached to semi-flexible black pipe that drives water into a ground level poly tank.

Good luck!

The property is downslope somewhat. There are little cuts from the road into the property from the road on our side and a ditch on the other side which is against a hillside. Also a drainage pipe in spot on the east end that goes from one side of the road to the other. Water seems to go through there when it rains and into the pond on the southern property owners pond. I would think that since the land slopes away from us and on down into a hollow it shouldn't flood. We have a few flat areas with the land sloping away. I am including a pic with road crew cuts.
Wanted to put it in an area screened from the road, but I gotta tell ya that when we have been out there in the winter you can see from one end to the other. The widest point from the road to the boundary to the south is around 300ft. and tapers as it goes east to 150ft. or so. Wanted to keep the widest area left alone to have it available for hunting on since you need to be 100 ft. from the road to legally hunt. The further from the road you get the lower you go on the property, but I think I would be o.k with that. The electrical easement is our property and I plan on gating it. Electric Co. said just let them know so they could add their lock to it. Kinda a territorial person by nature, and hopefully with enough signs it will keep people at bay until we get something out there.
Wanted to plant fruit trees now so that they would have some growth on them. But I was afraid they would die since we won't be able to be there to keep them watered. But if you think they might make it, we will try this year then.
Like the solar pump idea. What model/brand?

Arkie71 · #13 04/10/14, 07:36 PM

A Google Earth pic showing the lay of the land in relation to the surrounding properties. Facing east.

big rockpile · #14 04/10/14, 08:12 PM

Ok first to have a Garden you will have to clear out enough area to give it plenty of sun light. At best as far as livestock you might be able to have at most 3or 4 breeder Goats and their kids.

As far as Fence two Strands of Barb Wire tacked to trees is not going to mean anything in that area. Be best not to worry about it until you move there. I sure wouldn't tack it to any trees. Makes a mess.

big rockpile

Arkie71 · #15 04/10/14, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big rockpile

Ok first to have a Garden you will have to clear out enough area to give it plenty of sun light. At best as far as livestock you might be able to have at most 3or 4 breeder Goats and their kids.

As far as Fence two Strands of Barb Wire tacked to trees is not going to mean anything in that area. Be best not to worry about it until you move there. I sure wouldn't tack it to any trees. Makes a mess.

big rockpile

Well the barbed wire is just to establish a "fence", which is required by Arkansas law to enforce the trespassing laws. That and signs. I know that it isn't a physical barrier, but a legal one. Not worried about the border of the property being secured for livestock or anything. Will use 4 ft livestock fencing when we move the 100x100 ft. cleared area. Not wanting to raise goats for breeding, just milk mostly. Rabbits for meat supplement as well as chickens for eggs and occasional frying hen. Small garden. Not planning on being totally self sufficient out there, at least for a while. We plan on clearing it to 100x400ft. over time.

Kasota · #16 04/11/14, 06:27 AM

Congratulations on your new adventure!!!

ErikaW · #17 04/11/14, 09:16 AM

My husband and I bought a fallow field a few years ago. We're building a farm ourselves, so I understand your position to some extent.

One of my biggest suggestions would be this... track the water levels!!! See where the low spots are on your property. This will have a HUGE impact on MichaelK! said, about making a list of what you want and an idea of where you want it.

Wait until you've had more rain than you could possibly imagine, when it's rained heavy and regularly for weeks, and then go out and walk around... everywhere you can.

Have fun and congratulations!!!

dkhern · #18 04/11/14, 09:26 AM

a fence isnt necessary on timberland to post just use posting purple. next thought what is the harn at this point if neighbor kid squirrel hunts across it? the road cuts to talk about are the way the county road graders allow for road ditch water to run off. good luck

**highlands** · #19 04/11/14, 03:24 PM

Bravo on your purchase!

Plant fruit trees right away. Doesn't matter too much about figuring out where your long time orchard will go, just get some trees planted as it takes a long time for them to start bearing. Don't worry about getting the exact best type, just get a variety on the ground.

I would skip barbed wire as it is nasty stuff to man, hog and horse.

Have fun with your new homestead - It's a journey!

simi-steading · #20 04/11/14, 03:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkhern

a fence isnt necessary on timberland to post just use posting purple. next thought what is the harn at this point if neighbor kid squirrel hunts across it? the road cuts to talk about are the way the county road graders allow for road ditch water to run off. good luck

Not all states recognize purple.. Virginia is Silver.. WV has no color.. Some states just a sign is enough, other states it's a fence..

In other words, check your state laws..