Aubrey Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 1. What does one do with land? I mean...I know you can farm it. You can let animals loose on it & call it a ranch. You can mow it. Is there any other reason to own land? 2. Does everybody imagine a home in a place where you can't SEE other homes? Or do most people dream of homes in nice neighborhoods? Dh & I are talking about what to do next, & when we get dreamy, we talk about owning land. But we're not sure why, really. Dh loves nature; I have a big personal space bubble, lol. But we're not farmers! I have a black thumb, & dh has asthma. I mean...when he plants a garden, it looks more like a farm, but he could by no means manage that level of sustained outdoor activity. I don't think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in Austin Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 We don't long for land. Neither one of us enjoys working outside and when we want to be outside, we head for a park or a trail. We are happy that the places we need to go (friends, church, stores, etc.) are all really close to our house and don't require a lot of car time--something less likely to happen if you live way out. So we are more than happy with our .5 acre lot in a subdivision under our 'forever home.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I waffle quite a bit. On the one hand, I dream of owning land because I would LOVE to not be able to see any neighbors. I love nature. If I had my druthers I'd have a partially wooded lot with a teeny-tiny house and let it just be wild. On the other hand, I have a wanderer's heart. I have lived here on my block twelve years--it's the longest I've ever lived anywhere. There are times I feel the house we own shackles us. It sucks all available $$$ for rehab and upkeep, and sucks a lot of free time too. I think how nice it would be NOT to own a home or land. A pastor at my former church felt the same way. He sold his cushy home in the suburbs and gleefully rented an apartment in the city. He and his wife were overjoyed to not spend time or money maintaining a home. They were happy renters for years before finally buying some land and building a small cottage for their retirement home. He spends his days hiking, riding horses, and philosophizing on the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I am pining for the day, I can have a home on our property. I cant wait to sit on a porch overlooking a lot of acres and in the background looking at Mt. Shasta. I pray everyday the Lord is willing. I wish we could trailer this house and plop it onto that property. We got nice house, but north is much better locale. Its like playing chess, all the pieces are there but just waitin for the next move. Maybe that should be my sig. line. I even have a sustainable house plan already done and ready to go. Just all about the green. In , short, yes, I dream of the day to be on my land , in my forever home. Btw, Aubrey, me and dd love your sig. line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I want to live where I can't see or hear my neighors. We had this in Maine and it was wonderful! I also would like to plant a huge garden, have some laying hens and just plain have land to roam and explore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vida Winter Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 You keep other people away from you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 (edited) 1. What does one do with land? I mean...I know you can farm it. You can let animals loose on it & call it a ranch. You can mow it. Is there any other reason to own land? 2. Does everybody imagine a home in a place where you can't SEE other homes? Or do most people dream of homes in nice neighborhoods? Dh & I are talking about what to do next, & when we get dreamy, we talk about owning land. But we're not sure why, really. Dh loves nature; I have a big personal space bubble, lol. But we're not farmers! I have a black thumb, & dh has asthma. I mean...when he plants a garden, it looks more like a farm, but he could by no means manage that level of sustained outdoor activity. I don't think... You don't have to do anything with land if you really don't want to. Personally, I'd think it was a wasted opportunity not to try to work or steward land well if you have it, but there are plenty of city people who buy places out here and do absolutely zilcho with it. I need land because I don't like being crammed in with other people up my heiney all the time. I think home owners' associations are the biggest piece of fascist hooey I've ever heard of in my life. I'll take the most run-down 100 year old fixer-upper over the slapped-up-in-a-day, every-one-the-same, bland-blank-box of craptacular garbage that passes as "modern housing developments." I also love to be free to romp around in nature (and even au naturel). I enjoy and need good, sweaty physical labour. It's the best therapy around. Aside from what it does for me, I firmly believe that wide open spaces are healthier for children. If I believed in a hell... when I got there it would be a suburb. Edited January 10, 2009 by Audrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I agree with Audrey's last line.I don't think I'd ever be happy in the suburbs. I like seeing my neighbors at a distance.I like having open,unused space around me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 A couple of years ago we bought a house on 7 acres. We have 2 cows, 2 horse, many ducks and chickens, turkeys and goats. Dd has portable electric netting that she uses to rotate the animals around the property. We have wooded sections. When the kids play out there it is easy to pretend that you are a million miles away from civilization. We have a creek across the road where we can catch and release fish. The grocery store is rather far. Dh gets groceries on his way home from work so I don't have to drive. Even so, by the weekend, we are running low. Last night, I found out we were having unexpected company for dinner. It was so nice to grab a chicken I had raised out of the freezer, and get everything for the salad and vegetable side dishes from the garden. I already had some bread rising on the counter, so we ended up having a feast of food we had produced ourselves. It is more expensive to live out here than in town, but for me it is worth every penny. I have my eye on 4 adjoining acres I want to snatch up when the time is right. I feel like we have a very rare and high quality of life, particularly when I compare it to how we used to live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 I feel like we have a very rare and high quality of life, particularly when I compare it to how we used to live. How did you used to live? How did you learn to live the way you do now? I mean, did you already have experience w/ animals & portable electric fences? I have a feeling that if dh & I ever got the chance to live that way, we'd look like one of those slapstick 80s comedies...I can't remember which one, but I'm sure you know what I mean. Kirstie Alley. Really bad hair. Something like that. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 You can just live with space and bask in the glory of keeping developers from building a million condos on it. Around here, people sometimes rent part of their land to local farmers. If I believed in a hell... when I got there it would be a suburb. Ay'uh. Ain't that the truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Dh and I have 3 acres in the suburbs. I love space and we hope to have more land at some point. I don't want to see neighbors. We don't farm, but will probably have a garden. We dh loves go karts and would love to have a little track, we had a small one at our last house. Here it would be too much noise. I have woods in my back yard, my side yard is undeveloped but I love looking into the trees. Nature study is DIVINE in my yard. I have allergies and so does my dog, but I'd rather deal with those that having a deck where I can watch my neighbor grill, KWIM. We'd also like to be somewhere where there weren't so many restrictions. We want to be loud, have a fishing pond, a paintball course, a pool (hopefully) and just have space to be. We have lots of wonderful ideas of what we would do with land. It just has to be somewhere that UPS can find us. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I would love to live in the middle of acreage filled with trees. We would not have to take care of it, but it would be helping the environment. Then again, we could open it up and make a deer lease out of it. Help thin the deer population to keep them healthy, leave the trees, and make a little money. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 We only have a tiny 1/3 acre of land in town with a big trail system behind us. The girls and I want a place where we can have animals. Right now, we have city chickens which have taught us quiet a bit. And they give opportunities for the kids that they could get in not other way. Both the girls have real, actual work that must be done each day or there are real, actual consequences. The chickens must be locked up at night to protect them from coyotes. They must be fed and watered everyday. The eggs must be collected. The hen house must be cleaned. The snow must be racked from the chicken yard so that they can have a place to scratch. They are small jobs, but the girls get to see the kitchen scraps turn into breakfast everyday. In the spring, we will take the composted stuff from the chicken yard and plant vegetables and flowers. It is a connection with food and life that helps them understand the beauty and complexity of the world and they have real work to do in it. Instead of complaints about their work (except for the occasional "do I have to" kind of thing) they know that the work is good. They want a real farm with more animals and understand that it will be more real work. My hubby is more of a city guy, but he loves us and will go with us anywhere he can get a good internet connection. As soon as the housing market is better..... Anybody want a nice little suburban house on Colorado? The fresh air and open space and dark night sky and connection to the food and land are what you get with land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 (edited) We used to live in a 4,000 square foot house in a nice neighborhood that was walking distance to the grocery store, the YMCA, and several restaurants. We lived there for 10 years before we found out that the county was going to buy our house for a great price and pay for us to move as a bonus. At that point Dh and I began to ask ourselves, "What would be our ideal way to live and raise children?" Since we homeschool, we were free to move in any direction without worrying about the quality of the schools. Dh works in downtown Houston, but his company has a van pool, so the commute is not hard on him. At that point, I started to learn all I could about rural living. I joined several message boards, and started asking questions. We spent a year and a half looking at houses. My friends were so tired of my talking about it all of the time, but every property I looked at helped me to refine my mental picture of what I wanted. My last house had a busy road as a side street. Even when we were in our pool, we could hear traffic. I didn't feel safe letting my kids in the front yard unless I was right with them. We were breathing car exhaust every single day. Now, the kids can play outside. they are so strong and healthy from doing several hours of outside chores each day. This morning, we took my 2 year old on a pony ride down the street. This evening, we have 7 roosters to process. We can't see any neighbors from our house, but they are close enough to run to if we have an emergency. My oldest walks to the center where she volunteers each week, and we are only 10 minutes from the church where the big kids take homeschool classes. I could not keep up with the work load by myself, but my kids are older, and take more and more responsibility for upkeep. My oldest wants a commercial kitchen make and sell food we produce. I'm beginning to research how to do that. Right now, it seems overwhelming, but I know my confidence will grow as I get more knowledge. I surely do not believe that this way of life is for everyone, but it has been such a blessing for us in every area. When I go out to pile cow poo on my compost heap, I whisper to myself, "You are living the good life, girl." Edited January 10, 2009 by amy g. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeanestMomInMidwest Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 When we first bought our house, it came w/ 3 acres....then the field behind us came up for sale and we snagged it. Part of the reason was we didn't want to have 10 houses behind us. A neighbor farms a significant portion for us so we don't have to worry about mowing, weeds, etc. He always takes the kids on the tractor when he plants and harvests (bonus!). Its a handshake deal we have w/him because he was already farming some adjoining land. I love, love, love letting my kids roam free in the summertime. They have more adventures in our field, stand of trees, and the neighbor's adjoining land, complete with creek, trails and trees(which we have permission to walk in anytime), and I never have to worry about them rotting their brains in front of the television (that's what winter is for). They bond, discover nature, and use their imaginations. I dream of the future when each kid will build a house on our property and we'll have a compound (like the Kennedys w/o the money, political connections, & accents) or we'll sell it and retire. We have had a large garden in the past. My dh is a hobbiest beekeeper. We have talked about getting animals, but frankly, we have too many pets as it is, and until I'm sure someone else will take over the care, I'm putting my foot down on any more animals. We have planted a lot of trees over the years, and dh has a mini-orchard starting with several kinds of apple trees, pear trees & peach trees. I've lived with neighbors on either side of me, and I prefer the rural setting where neighbors aren't all up in my grill, but are there for help when needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runninmommy Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 We just bought our first house (after 13 years of marraige ) We have longed for and pined for this kind of house/property. We have a large home on 3 acres. There are 27 acres around us up for sale and the nearest neighbors are several acres away. It is so quiet and peaceful. I love not having neighbors close by. We have goats that we milk for soap and cheese and dairy needs. We can garden (organically) and be more self-sustaining, we are building a coop for chickens and fence for horses......I could go on and on but in short, we wanted to have a more simple and peaceful life. We wanted our kids to learn hard work and morals and build character. The property is beautiful and peaceful and helps to keep me centered. I have never loved living anywhere as much as here. It has bonded us together as a family and kept us more centered on Christ and home schooling. I was so distracted at our previous house (on AF base) that I could not think. We felt crammed in like sardines and there was always someone ringing our doorbell. It was more difficult to maintain our boundaries. There is something about having a house on a few acres that is freeing... BTW...even black thumbs can turn green.... :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 1. What does one do with land? I mean...I know you can farm it. You can let animals loose on it & call it a ranch. You can mow it. Is there any other reason to own land? 2. Does everybody imagine a home in a place where you can't SEE other homes? Or do most people dream of homes in nice neighborhoods? We live in the country, on the land we built on and unless I peek through the tree branches I cannot see neighbors. You can always buy land and sell later without having built on it. I see it as an investment. You have virtually no maintenance until you put something on it. If you think you can get your hands on a desirable piece of land, I'd buy it just to hold onto it. In...however many years, hopefully things will look better and you can either sell or live on it. Not every plot of land needs to be a farm or ranch but I have to say that I always see chicken coops when I look across a vacant field. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 You could buy land with trees and just harvest or have harvested those trees that are at peak, replacing them with new plantings over time. You could have a tree farm for Christmas or other sorts of trees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 We live in the country, on the land we built on and unless I peek through the tree branches I cannot see neighbors.You can always buy land and sell later without having built on it. I see it as an investment. You have virtually no maintenance until you put something on it. If you think you can get your hands on a desirable piece of land, I'd buy it just to hold onto it. In...however many years, hopefully things will look better and you can either sell or live on it. Not every plot of land needs to be a farm or ranch but I have to say that I always see chicken coops when I look across a vacant field. :lol: Yeah...as we look forward, we're trying to think more long-term. Debt-free, less transient, etc. I suggested paying cash (that, ahem! we don't have *now*) for some land, living in a trailer or something, & building something. Pay-as-you-go. Dh agreed, adding that he'd like something that's easy to add on to. I'm glad to hear how many just let the wild be wild. I mean, I'd like to use the land well, but beyond a garden & some chickens, my imagination runs out. I just imagine roaming. I'm not a roamer, though, so I imagine sitting inside w/ the a/c, reading a book, & letting the dc roam, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamJH Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 We have 80 acres which we rent to a man who farms it. We still have the run of the place for hikes and such. Our place used to belong to my husband's parents, so we bought it to keep the property in the family. I agree with the poster who said if you have land, you should be a good steward of that land. Our renter practices crop rotation and doesn't use chemical fertilizers (you should have seen the mountain of turkey poo he used last year). My husband clears downed trees to use in our wood furnace, and the hayfield that used to serve as our horse's pen is baled by a neighbor who gives us a share. We don't remove hedgerows so the little animals that share our farm have a place to live. We feed wild birds, just like a lot of other people do. Having a large property means a certain amount of work. If you don't have the time or the inclination, then a house with a yard might be enough. Sometimes owning a lot of land sounds great until you actually have to do something with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 We have a highway coming through our house. We are looking for at least 5 acres, preferably 10-15 acres--even more would be great. I like having room for the kids to roam. Ds rides his dirtbike and makes tracks. The girls and I have horses. Dh wants his pole barn for his car repair. You do though have to think about what YOU want. I have a friend that lives in a condo and LOVES it. It fits her lifestyle perfectly. She would not be as happy on acreage and I would not be as happy in a condo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbie Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 We rent ours for grazing while we are not there yet. So, a local rancher brings his cows in and out for a fee, plus he keeps his eye on things. Than in the winter the one hundred or so elk run free on my fenced prop. Free from hunters. Go elk. No tomatoes please for trying to save the elk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie in IL Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 We finally found our forever home 2 1/2 years ago. After living in subdivisions for 16 + years, we found a house we love, on about 6 1/2 acres of land. It is about 1/3 field, 1/3 grass, 1/3 wood. We (dh, I mean!) mow the grass, but leave the field "wild". Our dc love roaming around; dh and I love the space. We love the privacy, nature, and the peace. It has been a great move for us - we wish we could have managed it earlier in our marriage, but we are thankful now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brehon Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 1. What does one do with land? I mean...I know you can farm it. You can let animals loose on it & call it a ranch. You can mow it. Is there any other reason to own land? 2. Does everybody imagine a home in a place where you can't SEE other homes? Or do most people dream of homes in nice neighborhoods? Our house is smack dab in the middle of 11.5 acres and we LOVE it! In the summer we can't see any other houses and in the winter we only see this multi-story monstrosity. Originally, the bottom land was planted in cotton. As I've never relished the idea of picking cotton, I've been more than happy to generally leave the land as is. We have a fairly large garden/orchard and will expand it as time and finances allow. We're seriously thinking about getting chickens and bees. We've also been waging a multi-prong war against the cedar trees. We plan to get rid of most of the cedar to allow the native oaks and grasses space (sunlight and water) to grow. The most important reason we stay on our land is the freedom our kids have. I can send them outside and not worry about cars (can't even see the road from the house) or anything else. The kids know where they are and are not allowed to roam and stay within those parameters. They're very active and freely running around helps burn off that energy. I do NOT dream of a "nice" suburban home with close neighbors. I'm fairly sure that's one of Dante's circles of hell. My curmudgeonly self enjoys not having to interact with people when all I want is to be alone. All in all, although we are 45 minutes or so from most shopping/cities, the positives far, far outweigh any perceived negatives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 We can't really see our neighbors' homes except in the dead of winter, but I still long for more land. We have 1.25 acres, but with limited use thanks to our civic association. Personally, I want my own mini-homestead, but privacy tops my list. I loved growing up in a typical suburb, but I don't ever want to go back. I had no idea how much of a loner I was until we moved here! My dream property would have huge gardens and orchards, chickens, maybe some goats, a pool, a small guest house, a large playhouse, a barn for the animal rescue program I want to have, and a big storage building for a food bank, including fresh produce from my land. You know. When I win Powerball tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 We wanted land so that we wouldn't have to do anything with it! Dh hates mowing, and I'm no gardener. We got 2 1/2 acres. We have neighbors, but no one is looking in our windows. We have trees, and a creek that's dry most of the time, and lots of wild flowers. We have no lawn to mow, or hedges to trim, or anyone comparing our "yard" to anyone else's. That's one of the main attractions of country living for us. We could do all sorts of landscaping, if we wanted to, but most of what we do is just right around the house (to control mud, erosion, etc.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 My dream home is far far away from people. In the country or the woods someplace with more seclusion. I don't dream of large parcels of land, enough for a small hobby farm to provide for my own family but nothing too big. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgilli3 Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 (edited) We are just finalizing our plans for our dream home back in Oz. We have 12 1/2 acres, and next house is about 4 kms away. The other land around us has cattle + sheep on it, plus fields of grapes, olives and potatoes and grasslands. We plan to build an eco friendly home ( reliant on wind/solar power, rain water etc) Our plans are to just have a few animals on the land, grow some fruit trees ( vegies etc), as well as grapes and olives. Also planning on leasing one or 2 paddocks out to forestry commission to grow certain trees for them. I dont mind about the workload as dh + I like to work outside. As he will be traveling between Oz + here (UAE) there will be weeks (months on end) when I will be running the property alone, but then there will be same amount of time with him home to help also. Looking forward to having green open spaces around us. Edited January 11, 2009 by sgilli3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgilli3 Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 meant to add the link with the pic of land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elise1mds Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 1. What does one do with land? I mean...I know you can farm it. You can let animals loose on it & call it a ranch. You can mow it. Is there any other reason to own land? 2. Does everybody imagine a home in a place where you can't SEE other homes? Or do most people dream of homes in nice neighborhoods? I think it depends on the person. We have 5 acres with a pond. We bought this house/land when I was 7 months pregnant with my son, and we haven't done much with it yet between pregnancy. We keep 1.5 acres mowed/kept for our 'yard' and then rent out the back 3.5 to a couple of ladies with horses. This year we're going to put in a garden, preferably an organic one. I've got a black thumb, though, so we'll see how it goes. If that goes well, I'll expand it and hopefully sell at the farmer's markets one day. I also want to get some chickens, maybe a goat or cow or both, etc. Mostly we got the land so our kids could have more than a yard the size of a postage stamp. It's nice to be able to send them outside to play! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Ive always had a dream of having land so I can have a small farm, a milking cow, chickens, maybe some sheep or alpacas- more small time specialty stuff than a big enterprise. And I would like to build a self sufficient house with solar power and a large permaculture garden and fruit trees. Mmmm. And lots of nature around, with a nice view and a big verandah, and enough money...and I can see myself sittin there on the verandah knitting. Its a dream and it doesn't make or break my life. Dh and I do not want to upheave our children's lives to move to the country. The kids are very well established where we are. We feel it would be traumatic to even move too far from where we live now. We live in a beautiful suburb with lots of nature, but close to lots of resources and opportunities for the kids. But maybe when the kids leave, if they ever do (we dont really want them to :) ) we will move to the country. Meanwhile we rent and I have rabbits, chickens, a vegie patch, and herb garden, dogs, and lots of nature around that I dont have to pay for- it's all free. Its not bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
74Heaven Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 It is more expensive to live out here than in town, but for me it is worth every penny. I have my eye on 4 adjoining acres I want to snatch up when the time is right. I feel like we have a very rare and high quality of life, particularly when I compare it to how we used to live. I suppose it is more expensive in some ways. I feel that the lack of seeing/wanting what the Joneses have balances the costs out. Also, we shop less because we aren't in town as often. We live on wooded acreage and do some minimal land steward-ship/usage. We have had chickens in the past, have lots of woods to play in, heat our house with the downed timber ea year and lots of privacy. We have gardened off and on - we clear brush and work hard to take good care of the land. Dh hunts and we are good neighbors to our area. Mostly, though it is privacy and the amazing gift of being in the quiet, peaceful, beautiful surroundings. I feel so blessed most of the time. It is incredibly beautiful and just a gentle, safe and peaceful place to raise children! It is so nice to give your children such freedom and space to roam safely and creatively. Sometimes we still have to work hard at *staying home* though. It really ruins it if we are trying to life our lives running around all the time. lisaj, mom to 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 (edited) ...dh & I longed for land -- several secluded acres where he could hunt & fish, and we could build a house. We bought 82 acres of wooded land and dh hunted & fished, but we couldn't afford to build a house on it. So we sold that piece of property and bought 17 wooded acres with a house and 2 ponds. We couldn't afford upkeep, so we sold 10 acres with the larger pond, and kept 7 acres with the house and the smaller pond. We've lived here 16 1/2 years now, and we like living where we can't see our neighbors and they can't see us. We don't farm, but sometime we have a small garden. Our house is well off the road (can't see it from the road) and is surrounded by trees. It is peaceful here. We regularly have deer grazing in our yard. We often see foxes, possums, raccoons, squirrels, rabbits, and several kinds of birds. At night in the summertime, you can hear the whippoorwills. I love that sound. Edited January 11, 2009 by ereks mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I haven't read any others posts, but I'll chime in. We always lived in "town". We heard our neighbors, dealt with speeders down our street, etc. By the time dh got out of the Navy, we were totally readdy to just get away from people. When we moved here (SE Nebraska), we just assumed we would live in town. Then we started talking about our goals. We wanted a slower pace. We wanted to grow at least some of our own food (or at least make a pathetic attempt to). We wanted our kids to roam free. I wanted chickens! When we actually came here to look for housing, we both instantly fell in love with an old farmhouse in excellent condition on 8.25 acres. Our nearest neighbor is 3/4 of a mile away. We never see or hear them. We can throw our kids outside and not worry about them. We have chickens! (And all of them have survived. I'm waiting for eggs in the spring.) We plan on getting a cow or two for food. We are currently planning our garden. We don't know if anything will grow or not, but at least it will be a learning experience. We spend soooooo much less money out here (8 miles from "town", which is only 3400 people). We play outside in the summer and enjoy each other's company in the winter. And the view!!! So peaceful. Yes, the grain dryers can get loud. Yes, the invasion of ladybugs after they cut the corn was a surprise. And yes, the snake in our mudroom was somewhat unwelcomed, but I honestly don't think I'd give it up. Now, we've only been here for 8 months, but I still love it. BTW, I have never, ever lived even kinda out of town. It's a learning experience. I would definitely evaluate your family goals with your dh before you make a drastic move. Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted January 11, 2009 Author Share Posted January 11, 2009 meant to add the link with the pic of land. That's beautiful!! Do you have to do anything to maintain it, or can you let nature pretty much just run its course? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgilli3 Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 That's beautiful!! Do you have to do anything to maintain it, or can you let nature pretty much just run its course? We can do what we like with it. Currently it is just grassed, with a few trees. The previous owners put a small shed in one of the corners ( i think for animal protection). We will hopefully start to build later in the year and will keep over an acre as gardens. Some paddocks will be fenced for animals and fruit + veg garden, and other we hope to grow some trees for forestry commission. Our nearest neighbours are about 4 kms away, as is the town ( less than 1,000) Cant wait to start our new life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 We have just bought a house with three acres. Currently, there is a garden area, a paddock (small field) and an area of woods. We plan to leave the paddock area as rough grass, but plant trees in it, including an orchard. We can see neighbours about 100 yards away on one side of the house, but it's fields in the other directions. However, we are actually on the edge of a village, so neighbours are only a short walk away. We would have been happy with a bit less land, but this house is what we found. We did want space for the children to run around and play. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I wanted to say something about black thumbs. When we first married, I read a bunch of books about French intensive gardening methods. Dh built some big raised beds for me, and we had a vegetable garden that was the envy of the neighborhood. When we moved, I didn't want the expense of raised beds, so I would just plant a few tomatoes and herbs in my existing beds. Everything died every single year. When we moved here, I bought a bunch of big pots to plant flowers around by pool. I bought expensive potting soil to fill them, but everything died anyway. Now, I only plant in a soil/compost mixture, and everything I plant grows beautifully. I emptied the dirt from the big pots into my wheelbarrow. It looked so gray and dead. I added compost to it, and replanted. The difference is like night and day. In Texas, most of our land has been over farmed, and the soil is depleted. It has to be enriched to grow anything healthy. I would not give up the idea of having a garden just because you have a black thumb. I have a big organic garden even though I went years without growing anything that lived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I would feel lost without our ranch. I love not being able to see another house, although if the trees are bare I can see one of our other houses on the property from my front yard. I grew up in a large town (Ttown, AL) and I would hate to move back anywhere, even a small, small town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 We live on 10 acres bordered by a river. We lease 3 acres. We did have goats, a horse, sheep but have decided that until we get much better fencing we aren't going that route again- they tend to eat the garden! We loved having the horse and he did great even with the bad fencing but we had to put him down last spring. We have done a lot of gardening. We learn as we go, read a LOT, try not to dwell on failures and keep plugging away. Our kids play outside for HOURS. Their friends love to come over. We live in a valley surrounded by low hills, with a river running through it. It is idyllic, somewhat wild. We've also worked our tails off getting the property back in shape. There was TRASH everywhere (think tractors, batteries, metal, as in trash dump). Dead trees down, etc. We have spent days cutting, hauling, stacking wood, which we burn for fuel. DAYS hauling out trash, burning what's left, spreading hariy vetch and mowing to bring back pasture. Our kids understand what it means to work as a team. They know that one bad attitude can really make everyone feel like cr*p. So, there is peer pressure to work hard with a decent attitude. This has been a good season. Our kids have learned to really work hard. They are comfortable in nature and seek it. They love wild things (we have a lot of wild life from the river- otter, beavers, pheasant, deer, skunks, skinks, coons, fox, etc). They understand the cylce of life and death. We've had lambs and chicks and cats die. It's kind of a given out here. And they are still excited about the next batch of kittens or thinking about chicks again this spring. Our house is beautiful, but needs lots of updates and constant work (80 year olds need that!) My dh is a handy man and continues to learn more about repairs and maintenance. We love it out here tho I'm not sure that I want this to be my forever home (but that's another story:)). It's been a good season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshine Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 (edited) Yes, I dream of land and no neighbors. I dream of puppies and goats, cows, chickens and corn in the background. Cats sunning on a porch, snow in winter and four wheeling in the summer. I dream of watching my girls on horses and tractor cutting the grass. Gardens that are in the sun all day and not shadow from other houses. I dream of silence at night, stars that seem so close I can reach out and touch them. I dream of a home I never want to leave (I have moved an average of every 3 years for 21 years in a 5 mile radius). I want permanency. I want tradition. I want somewhere that is home. Edited January 11, 2009 by sunshine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 I'd love to have land... at least enough land to where I didn't have to see my neighbors. I can't stand the newer subdivisions where you can look out your bathroom window and see into your neighbors'. If we're going to shell out big money for a house, then I want to be completely, totally, 110% happy with it, and that means plenty of personal space. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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