Coming to Maine What to see in September? Prospecting for a home (Stetson: college, fence) - (ME) - Page 5 - City-Data Forum

starwalker · 09-05-2007, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

some people see that wood and see dollar signs....it is sad! At the same time though, the land was for sale, it didn't sell, maybe something happened where he really needed the money so he had the wood harvested.

I had that happen to some land that had belonged to my ex- and myself... he had a land contract on it and I got the contract in the divorce. It had the tiny cabin where I raise my kids buried in the woods. The folks who were buying it cut some trees to make room for the addition (doubled the size of the place) but then went hog wild and just started "thinning" beyond belief and reason to "bring in the sunlight" just before the bailed on the contract and I had to take the place back. It was terrible after that. If you want sunlight, don't buy in the forest, folks, was my most printable thought.

I ended up writing a long, very emotional poetic lament from the point of view of "Gaia"... the land...

Reading about this property brought back all those feelings.

Starwalker

Zymer · 09-05-2007, 07:10 AM

It was terrible after that. If you want sunlight, don't buy in the forest, folks, was my most printable thought.

Yes, one of my primary reasons for buying a piece of land with trees and animals and natural beauty is to KEEP it that way.

When I was looking at one parcel, I was asked if I was planning on putting in a sub-division. I was horrified at the thought, that's what I want to get away from.

mollysmiles · 09-05-2007, 07:24 AM

just sad....starwalker I can only guess the horrible time that was for you!

mollysmiles · 09-05-2007, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zymer

It was terrible after that. If you want sunlight, don't buy in the forest, folks, was my most printable thought.

Yes, one of my primary reasons for buying a piece of land with trees and animals and natural beauty is to KEEP it that way.

When I was looking at one parcel, I was asked if I was planning on putting in a sub-division. I was horrified at the thought, that's what I want to get away from.

I'd like to think this guy that you talked to Zymer is one of only a handful of people like this, I'm just not sure that he is....I would think though that many people that are selling their land would be happy to sell to you knowing that it would be cared for and appreciated for what it is, and not the dollar signs!

Zymer · 09-05-2007, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mollysmiles

I'd like to think this guy that you talked to Zymer is one of only a handful of people like this, I'm just not sure that he is....I would think though that many people that are selling their land would be happy to sell to you knowing that it would be cared for and appreciated for what it is, and not the dollar signs!

I think he was relieved that I was not planning on doing that, and I suspect that if a potential buyer answers that question in the affirmative then there will be no deal.

starwalker · 09-05-2007, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zymer

Yes, one of my primary reasons for buying a piece of land with trees and animals and natural beauty is to KEEP it that way.

mine too! I need a clearing somewhere for the veggie garden... but that is it. In my mind's eye I see something with a small building (800-900 sq ft... less rather than more would be ideal) near the front of the land... maybe it has been mostly cleared between the building and the road... in which case that would be the garden. I am not a "lawn" person... and the rest can be for the trees and the other wild things. I'd probably fence something around from the back door, so I can just open the door and let the dogs out.

Submariner · 09-05-2007, 09:39 AM

I have one neighbor, who has been looking at the ever increasing land prices. So he has decided that he wants to divide his 20 acres of land.

He marked off a 50'X50' lot and put in a well, it was thick forest, and he put a for sale sign on it. He got a few bites, curious folk. So he cleared the lot, and spent a week driving a bulldozer all over it. Now it is very ugly and rutted, with no trees. And he has doubled his price.

Now he has marked off a second 50'X50' lot and is putting in another well on this new lot. This guy now is trying to sell two 50' lots and wants $45k per lot.

Immediately behind where he is located, the fellow behind him wants to sell his land, he has hundreds of acres and is asking $350/acre.

???

Submariner · 09-05-2007, 09:48 AM

We have 42 acres of woodlot, our house is centered on that.

A long driveway sets us back away from the road.

We have chickens that run loose. Goats and a pig. The chickens do have coops that they go into at night, but during the day they free range in the forest. The pig is living with the goats, he has his own pen, but he likes to live with the goats, so I do not care. We pen them up at night. But otherwise they all run loose in the forest during the day.

It greatly lowers my feed bill, when they all feed themselves. I only give them a small token of grain at sunset as I pen them all up.

We do have one clearing, alongside the driveway where we have tried gardening. This fall I am putting in 16 small raised beds for apple trees [both sweet apples and cider apples].

Out underneath the forest canopy I do have a ginseng plot growing, I hope one day to be able to begin harvesting ginseng.

Immediately behind our house is a marsh, where we keep two kayaks in the water. For easy access to fishing and fiddlehead picking.

20 paces into the forest in any direction and you could easily find yourself lost in that fairly dark environment.

starwalker · 09-05-2007, 11:16 AM

Forest, that sounds delightful! I might not want to be quite THAT far back in the woods but the idea of going 20 paces in any direction and possibly being lost amazes me. I don't think I have been in a forest quite like that in years... not since a long-ago vacation in Michigan's upper P.

I can see how you can let the critters run loose and forage! Yeah, that would have a big effect on the feed bill. Do you milk the goats? If so I wonder if the pig lines up and wonders why you don't let it up on the stanchion too! One of my neighbors had a pig that thought it was a horse. It hung in the pasture with the horses and when the kids would take them out to ride, pig just tried its best to go along and keep up. The folks got a call from neighbors, miles away, after the porker got tired and couldn't keep up "come get your pig. He's under the tree in my front yard. The kids and the horses just kept going..."

I expect that my kayak will be getting some good use, too, once I move up there.

Submariner · 09-05-2007, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starwalker

... I can see how you can let the critters run loose and forage! Yeah, that would have a big effect on the feed bill. Do you milk the goats?

We milked goats for money to support ourselves while going through college. We do not milk goats now. I do not desire to milk again.

In theory, our goats help us by clearing some of the underbrush and providing meat. In practice, I find it hard to really see anywhere that they have cleared much.

We need to mingle some sheep into the herd, and then maybe double the number of animals.

My point in explaining our herd, was to point out that our 'backyard' is not fenced in, and I see no need to fence it in.

Our dogs are generally loose.