Old house / Brownsville?? (Milo: living, store, gardening)

[OutDoorNut]

Originally Posted by mrs1885

I'll take those nasty little red beasts over the mosquitoes and sand gnats any day! But good info to know! We'll have to do a good sweep of the yard before letting anyone loose out there. The dogs at least could run off, but even though the torties are faster than most people give them credit for, they could still have some serious bites from them. At well over 100 pounds each for the big ones and about 45 for the baby, I'm not so worried that they'd be eaten but they could get a nasty bite if they crawled up their legs into the shell where the head / legs meet. It's soft flesh there and they'd have no way to get them off.

And trying to give a Benadryl to a tortie........not something I want to try!! I have a bad feeling I'd lose a finger. The female - who's extremely loving and affectionate - won't even let the vet do her beak trimmings. We have to give her rocks and she manages for file it down on her own. I have no clue what in the world we'd do if she didn't!

I'd be more concerned about the little chihuahuas. They could pick them up and carry them off to the queen!

Trade in those tortises for a famiy of ant eaters.

[mrs1885]

Originally Posted by AustinB

I hate to say this, but the fire ants will bite the heck out of your tortoises if you let them outside. Sweeping the yard does no good. They are everywhere. Sit on your porch, but don't sit on the lawn...speaking from experience.

Oh, there are areas they can be bit. That's what I'd mentioned, up near their neck. But their legs are covered in hard scales and spikes. Ants can't bite through the scales, they're bone hard. But there are areas where the body meets the shell and such that they could be bitten.

Originally Posted by retiredtinbender

What a buncha light-weights. What would mowing the lawn be without a few dozen red welts and some Benedryl?

Where I grew up in Florida they were horrible. Not just the common every day red fire ants, but there were HUGE red bull fire ants. Things were about as big as my pinky nail. When those buggers bit you, you knew it. We used to dump gas down their holes and set them on fire. Do that a few times and they finally get the point and move on or die off. Quite frankly I don't care which they do. But with dogs and the torties we have to find some way to kill them off without poison. The torties will eat anything they find, so poison is a no-no.

Originally Posted by OutDoorNut

Trade in those tortises for a famiy of ant eaters.

Gah! The shell babies? No!!! I could add an ant eater to the zoo though. I could rent him out after he finishes our yard!

[OutDoorNut]

Originally Posted by mrs1885

Oh, there are areas they can be bit. That's what I'd mentioned, up near their neck. But their legs are covered in hard scales and spikes. Ants can't bite through the scales, they're bone hard. But there are areas where the body meets the shell and such that they could be bitten.



Where I grew up in Florida they were horrible. Not just the common every day red fire ants, but there were HUGE red bull fire ants. Things were about as big as my pinky nail. When those buggers bit you, you knew it. We used to dump gas down their holes and set them on fire. Do that a few times and they finally get the point and move on or die off. Quite frankly I don't care which they do. But with dogs and the torties we have to find some way to kill them off without poison. The torties will eat anything they find, so poison is a no-no.



Gah! The shell babies? No!!! I could add an ant eater to the zoo though. I could rent him out after he finishes our yard!

Invasive anteaters could be the cure for Maine's fire ant problem.

[mrs1885]

Originally Posted by OutDoorNut

Invasive anteaters could be the cure for Maine's fire ant problem.

LOL! There ya go. Thinking outside the box!!

[Jellybean50]

Originally Posted by OutDoorNut

I love old houses, too.

Bu what about nearby Lubec? From what little I know of both towns, Lubec always seemed more attractive to me, with some parts strongly evoking the feeling of a nineteenth century New England fishing village. This Greek Revival, which I believe was built around 1820, is known as the Pike House; it was on the market about 5 years ago for the asking price of around $210K, and it came with that large side yard and some ocean views: lubec, maine - Google Maps

But the houses in Lubec (average price $86K) are generally in the same price ranges as those in Eastport (average price, $80K).

I suspect the culture of Lubec may be very different from Eastport's, though.

I like Lubec too... very pretty, seems very quiet. I also like Milbridge, Addison, Cutler, and Machiasport. Oh, and Winter Harbor

[maineguy8888]

I wonder what the difference is between Lubec and Easport? And how could you have 20 acres in Lubec, doesn't Lubec have a really small land area? I would think land would be really expensive there, esp. if it has a water view. Lubec is losing its school (or has lost it) and I would worry about that kind of thing if I lived anywhere outside of Calais or Machias. (I would also start to worry if I was in Calais because that new border crossing means that people will no longer be driving through Calais itself anymore.....we didn't, when we crossed in October). Those tiny towns downeast are just precariously hanging on, it seems. (Except for the rich folks from away who buy the really nice places on the water, but how much do they really add to the economy there? Don't they just drive up the tax assessments for everybody else? I think that would worry me if I was looking to settle in that area).
That thing about the fire ants in the Eastport area..........I have heard it is really serious and that would really worry me a lot. I like Eastport (haven't been for a while). But they have to do somethigng about those ants. Wonder why they have infested Eastport??
I do like that house in Brownville! It has a good sized lot, which was something me and my wife really needed (we have over half an acre now, with an option to buy another quarter acre right next door). In a place like Eastport or Lubec (or Portland!) it is usually really hard to get a big lot.
I don't know why, but I really like that Millinocket/Brownville area a lot. Cheap houses and really pretty area. Just not enough farms for me though, lol...

[maineguy8888]

Originally Posted by OutDoorNut

I dunno. I can't figure that house out--how much of it is original and how much of it was remuddled (and were any additions properly constructed?). Condition looks pretty rough, too, and does it have any land beyond what the house sits on?

I took a quick look at the area, and pulled this one out of the hat: looks like an infinitely nicer house, in much better condition, and with a heck of a lot more land--and for $15K more: 36 High St Brownville, ME 04414 : RealEstateBook.com

Here's another in Milo that looks promising: 26 Highland Ave Milo, ME 04463 : RealEstateBook.com

Interesting colonial revival, also in Milo, but asking lot more more money: 15 Elm St Milo, ME 04463 : RealEstateBook.com

I knew houses were cheap in Milo, but wow! Those two you listed are awesome. And what steals!! (The first one even has new heating system as of 2009). If I was looking to move north or out of the city, I would be all over that. That Brownville mini-farm is just awesome too.....love that house.
Any of those properties would cost three or four times as much(or more) on the coast or around Portland....


(OOooops, okay just saw someone posted that the first Milo house is under contract. Not surprised, it has new heating and a great big garage. It looks great, too).

[corgis]

I just sent you a DM about the house in Eastport.

[msina]

The Milo/Brownville area is "off the beaten path". It's kinda in the middle of nowhere. There's no easy access to the highway from there, it's pretty much all back roads. There's very little in the way of employment and has become an area of cheaper rents and section eight housing recipients. It would be a good retirement town as there is a hospital in Dover but, just about every service/shopping area is a bit of a travel distance.

[retiredtinbender]

Originally Posted by maineguy8888

I wonder what the difference is between Lubec and Easport? And how could you have 20 acres in Lubec, doesn't Lubec have a really small land area? I would think land would be really expensive there, esp. if it has a water view. Lubec is losing its school (or has lost it) and I would worry about that kind of thing if I lived anywhere outside of Calais or Machias. (I would also start to worry if I was in Calais because that new border crossing means that people will no longer be driving through Calais itself anymore.....we didn't, when we crossed in October). Those tiny towns downeast are just precariously hanging on, it seems. (Except for the rich folks from away who buy the really nice places on the water, but how much do they really add to the economy there? Don't they just drive up the tax assessments for everybody else? I think that would worry me if I was looking to settle in that area).
That thing about the fire ants in the Eastport area..........I have heard it is really serious and that would really worry me a lot. I like Eastport (haven't been for a while). But they have to do somethigng about those ants. Wonder why they have infested Eastport??
I do like that house in Brownville! It has a good sized lot, which was something me and my wife really needed (we have over half an acre now, with an option to buy another quarter acre right next door). In a place like Eastport or Lubec (or Portland!) it is usually really hard to get a big lot.
I don't know why, but I really like that Millinocket/Brownville area a lot. Cheap houses and really pretty area. Just not enough farms for me though, lol...

Actually we keep the ants to drive off flatlanders.