Looking for our homestead...

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We are a family of four... ( mom , dad, two girls )...trying to get away from the lights, sounds, and gunfire of the city. Mom and Dad are hard working , outdoorsy, and STRESSED. Need LARGE acreage ( 100 + )... in cold climate...Must be able for dad to travel to work ( 50 miles or less)...( Daddy is a diesel mechanic for last 13 years ).....Must be reasonably priced...( prefer owner finance )......and have good hunting and fishing in area...If you know where this property is PLEASE!!!!!!!!! respond....( will build cordwood house on acreage.. Do the whole homesteading thing...cows goats, chickens, pigs, garden ect...) THANK YOU!!

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002

Answers

Kristean,

100 acres is a HEAP of ground. Unless you are already wealthy, up keep on it will suck you dry. Taxes, fences, brush controll, etc.... We made the same mistake and started out with 95. We managed to pull it off but it was just as stressful as living in the rat race..... You can get the same homestead, privacy, and good life on less ground and do a better job. Just make sure of the location..... rural with good people around you. Our 95 had horrendous neighbors so we were not only stretched too thin, we were miserable trying to avoid the neighbors.... Now we have about 25 acres but it sits on the egde of a wildlife refuge. We have neighbors but they are elderly and happy to have us. We get more homesteading and gardening done here than we ever did on a bigger place.

-- Tana Mc (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), January 17, 2002.


You say you want to get away from the gunfire? Well if you have a hundred acres or more you will probably still hear the gunfire. Unless you can keep all the hunters out, which will cause STRESS!!!!

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), January 17, 2002.

shot-gun fire and drive by shootings are two COMPLETELY different things.....ps...would put up no hunting signs...cant have someone shooting my cows...LOL

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002.

110 acres? Have you read 1000 Acreas by Jane Smiley. Think again. I am pleased with my 8.

-- Susan in Northern Michigan (cobwoman@yahoo.com), January 18, 2002.

I believed that No Hunting - No Trespassing signs would work. We find that during hunting season you have to keep the cattle & goats in the barns because the hunter ( both local & the city dwellers)come out to the country,get a hunting license & don't care if the property is posted. We never both leave at the same time during hunting season, we've found our signs tore down and boot tracks leading into woods, not only do they put our livestock in danger but they leave behind all their garbage like beer cans,plastic bags, etc. We have almost 40 acres and find it hard to 'be everywhere', I totally understand your desire for alot of land. We moved from a 5 acre farmette to almost 40 but we found we did more & had more success with the livestock & orchards on the smaller property. Like everyone told you, really check out the neighbors, not just how they act but really talk to them about things like; do they hunt,fish,trap on the land you're looking at, do they have children & if they do watch how they act, it's unbelievable how difficult it can be to have the neighbor kids harrass your animals especially when the parents know the law won't help. I was raised on a farm, still love country life but have found that nowadays many people don't have any respect for property lines or take responsibility for their kids. We lost $600.00 worth of fencing 3 hours after unloading it- way back in the woods, someone must have seen us go down the road with it; we unloaded it & went back to town 10 mile away for fence posts. By the time we came back it was gone!! Good Luck in your search. Kathy

-- Kathy Aldridge (snowdancer42166@yahoo.com), January 18, 2002.


Kristean, You didn't really say WHERE you need to live. Is you family willing to relocate to a new area, or looking to stay near the current employment? Please email me privately, I may be able to help.

-- Margaret (mboyc73@yahoo.com), January 18, 2002.

We are interested in the land. This is the top priority. Employment is usually not hard for hubby to find...as long as there is a major highway close...( ie: an interstate, or state road)...will live in any COLD region..thnks

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), January 18, 2002.

We are considering selling off 40 acres in Parshall, CO. This is a colder climate with warm summers. It's within 1 hour of several major Colorado resorts and is on the Hwy 40. The Colorado River is within view and has 1/4 mile of BLM access. Hunters frequent this area every year. The propery is south facing with at least 9 sun hours daily. The property taxes are currently at $1600/year. This land was also part of a Ute Indian hunting ground, so we've found arrow heads and neighbors have found other neat artifacts. We would need a modest down payment and could carry the rest. I am currently researching the past year of sales to come to a selling price. More than likely, the range will be between $2500/acre and $4000/acre. If you're interested, please email me and I can get some pics together for you to view. Having to move on, David Nixon

-- David Nixon (arfg@rkymtnhi.com), January 18, 2002.

Lots of cheap(err inexpensive) land available in NW Minnesota near the towns of Warroad and Roosevelt. (Send me an e-mail for a lead). As cold a place you'd ever want to see in the lower 48. Good diesel mechanics are hard to come by (maybe one per town), but that being said, you'll need to have that skill handy when it comes to homesteading. That and a lot other skills. Living out in the country does not guarantee you peace and quiet.

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 18, 2002.

I agree that north central Mn is the place to go for affordable land. However, most of my neighbors are city folk who buy the places for hunting and spend the rest of the year in civilization. So do not expect to find a lot of neighbors that you would want to invite over for dinner. In addition, expect to drive a lot more for activities, socialization, and church than you will in the city. So get a car/truck that gets a lot of mileage per gallon of fuel.

Also, if you do not hunt, rent out your place for hunting season and find another place to go...it is only two weekends a year, and can be a money maker as I have a list of hunters who want to give me a fair amount of money to sit in a tree in the cold with a gun....doesn't make sense to me but I do not hunt...just take the money.

In regards to 120 or larger compared to 5 acres or smaller, the smaller places are called hobby farms and fall under recreational property and the tax rate is two to three times that of a larger place which is zoned as agricultural land.

I bought 120 by accident and only found the extra land stressful in the first few years I lived here. After you get past the point of "trying to keep up with the Jones's", and start giving yourself "permission" to live as you care to inspite of whatever somebody else says, you will be happy with the extra land.

I always have the option of selling off the extra land and making a profit, or just leaving it idle. There is no law which says just because you own 120, 80 or 40, that you have to utilize every part of it. I enjoy just watching the native grasses return, and if I ever need some extra hay, I know that I can cut it or fence it and rent out the pasture.

My daughter calls the pond in the back: Lake Dad.

I like your idea of building your own house as it is sometimes better than trying to renovate an existing home.

-- Gary from Mn (hpysheep@midwestinfo.com), January 18, 2002.



Gary: If the land's in CRP, most of your mortgage payments are taken care of. The area I mention is prime fishing and hunting and some of the property owners are from Duluth, the Twin Cities and points south.

-- matt johnson (wyo_cowboy_us@yahoo.com), January 18, 2002.

Minnesota sounds pretty good....also like to mention... I was raised on LARGE FARM....larger than the one i want...so i am completely aware of the work and responsibilities required in maintaining a large parcel...also...i dont intend on putting every square inch to good use...well unless you count hunting...fishing...and hiking...ect....LOL...Kristean

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), January 18, 2002.

Hello Kristean,

Plenty of inexpensive land here in the Ozarks, though work is sometimes hard to get. Have you considered living in South Central Missouri or North Central Arkansas, (Ozarks)?

Sincerely,

Ernest

-- http://communities.msn.com/livingoffthelandintheozarks (espresso42@hotmail.com), January 18, 2002.


Ernest....describe the term "inexpensive" on land in the Ozarks. What is average per acre costs????

-- Gary from Mn (hpysheep@midwestinfo.com), January 19, 2002.

I have 80 acres in cold climate that has 120 + surounding acres that are free of human occupants. This is as close to a wilderness setting as you may find and yet be within 50 miles of a larger "Metro" area. Local critters includes deer (lots,) bear, ducks, grouse, geese, moose, wolves and more. Tax is very low. Will sell before long to someone.....I am getting up in age. Price will run around $60,000 and includes equipment now here. Will consider any offer but only to serious inquires. There is a diesel repair place (truck engines) within 20 miles) that may or maynot be looking for mechanics.

-- Bob S. (tundra@rangenet.com), January 19, 2002.


I live in west central MN. Land here goes for about $750/acre in larger parcels, more per acre in small ones. I am 35 miles from two towns of about 12,000 each and jobs seem available. Lynn

-- Lynn Haagenson (lrh@prtel.com), January 20, 2002.

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