This has been a very busy week! Not just with land stuff, but also with work. I do think that this is just a taste of what is coming … On Monday I begin coaching soccer (high school girls), we have a bunch of big things coming at church, and hopefully we will be closing on the land in a few weeks and then getting things set with the building loan and building itself. But, before we get into all of the craziness I thought I would throw up a few more pictures of the land and why we like this places so much.
On the left is a picture of the highest point on the property. It is in the Northeast corner and the land slopes away towards the South. This is one of the other places that would be a possible building site, but we like the idea of being closer to the trees rather than out in the open waiting for trees to grow. Also, it might be a good spot for cattle facilities or other things in the future. I will say that I do enjoy the view from up there and like to look out over the surrounding farms!
Here is a picture of the “CRP” land that we are leaving in the program. As you can tell from the picture it doesn’t exactly fit all of the guidelines for inclusion in the program, but we will take it … like I said yesterday, “it is what it is”. After the land comes out of the program we are considering using some of this area as an orchard or berry patch, but we will just have to see what would be best over time. It is kind of a pretty hill and I think it will be a good place to do a little hunting!
This is one of the reasons we like this place. There are only two houses beyond where we would like to build and then the road becomes what you see in the picture … a class “B” road. That means no maintenance and little traffic. The only people going down there (and they could come from another direction not past our building site) are a couple farmers who own the land and maybe some hunters. We are not secluded on a dead end road, but in some senses it may feel like it. As I may have mentioned earlier, the location just feels right for what we want to do and were we see our family moving.
I hope you have enjoyed this week long look at a 40 acre piece of land. Hopefully in the weeks and months to come I will be able to discuss some progress and shamelessly ask for more help! I do know one thing … this “beginning farmer” thing is about to take on a whole ‘nother dimension…
When you are considering a building site, trying to decide if you should build on the highest point of the property with a view, or a spot near the trees, don’t discount the future value of your grandchildren being able to tell their kids that the giant trees around the old homestead on the top of the hill were planted by their great-grandparents.
Trees grow quicker than you think, views are hard to build, and there is a value in family stories and personal histories.