Multi-acre property question
nanj
7 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (9)
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years agocakbu z9 CA
7 years agoRelated Discussions
New property owner...with question
Comments (3)Therein lies one of the problems of landscaping. What are the homeowners priorities? Aesthetics, functionality, ergonomics, financial, best for the plants, etc etc. If you don't like the 'look', why do it even though it is great for the plants? I have a person who loves the look of freshly shredded, golden wheat straw. Unfortunately for her, it doesn't stay golden after it's been laying awhile. Those leaves are a perfect mulch for plants. I'd be tempted to try running some through a shredder to see if the result is more to your liking. Lloyd...See MoreWater Ring w/yard hydrants for 5 acre property
Comments (4)Thank you for the reply, lehuan13! Although I didn't find very much information or get any other replies, I think I'm figuring out how to do it. I rented a "stand on "trencher (Compact Power Pro)from Home Depot, but it was too small. It took me almost 3.5 hours to trench and 18" deep trench about 40'. A few weekends later I rented a 30+ horsepower Ditchwitch. The first one I rented ended up developing a hydraulic leak (due to nothing I did, two pipes were rubbing together) less than half way through the trenching process. Luckily, the rental place simply gave me a complete refund. I rented another a few weeks later and finished the trenching with only one problem: I kind of got stuck for a while. One of my buddies came and pulled me out the next day, and I finished the trenching. Up to this point, I haven't backfilled yet, and it was a good thing I didn't. I had a bad joint and had to repair it. I purchased another pressure take off of Craigslist, and then I bought a booster pump with an attached flow switch from Harbor Freight. Hopefully the booster pump will work. Im also debating on whether or not to install a transformer in the well house to feed both the submersible well and the booster pump. I ve got 10 or 12 gauge wire run to the well house, Im just not sure if it could handle the two pumps running simultaneously, but on the other hand, at this point Im not sure if the current wire could run a transformer My well house looks like it may just be big enough for the two pressure tanks and the booster pump, but it's going to be close. Within the next few weeks I'll figure out if I need to enlarge the well house. Odds are I probably will have to enlarge it, but we'll see. I also intend to TRY and drill another well to supply the irrigation lines. I've got a buddy that bought a Deeprock hydra drill and is drilling his own well. When he gets done, I'll buy it from him and try and drill my own. My own well is about 330' deep, but the Deeprock only goes down to 200'. I'm not sure how deep I need to go, but I only want go deep enough to get surface water. We'll see--trial by error!!...See MorePossibly downsizing from 44 acres . . . to 1/2 acre
Comments (15)Okay, good information. I am glad to hear that we could easily build a medium-sized house on a lot this size . . . without being crowded. Obviously, I understand that every 1/2 acre doesn't have the same dimensions, but I was having trouble visualizing how big a typical 1/2 acre might be. Yes, I understand the concept of "smaller lot, bigger landscape". When you have only a small amount of space, it "needs to be" landscaped, whereas acres and acres are just kept natural. After all, you can't see all of 44 acres at once, whereas 1/2 acre can be scanned from the porch. Yes, LiveOak, one of our concerns is that we also plan lots of traveling, volunteering, and other projects. We do not want to be tied down to maintenance, nor do we want to pay other people to keep up large areas. Nostalgic Farm, I grew up on 60+ acres and another 200-odd a bit down the road. Thing is, there's always something that needs doing, and sometimes that's welcome . . . but not always. Also, at not-quite 50, I'm perfectly capable of doing a good day's work like I could in my younger days, but it does take more out of me. Looking at my older relatives, I can foresee the day when I can't do it all myself. An orchard is the one project I'd want to keep, if we do downsize. But I don't really want to embark upon a large orchard. One dwarf apple tree gives enough apples for all the canned apple goods my family can eat in a year (and that's with heavy consumption), and we have no interest in selling fruit. I think I could still have enough fruit trees to keep my canner busy. No, I'm not scared of wild animals. I shoot well. Autumn, I understand about keeping part of the land wild and part of it mowed, but the wild part isn't completely maintenance-free. Thanks for your advice, all! I am not sure which direction we'll go, but you've answered my biggest question: It is a choice. This can be done on 1/2 acre. That's the smallest we'd buy, so now we're free to look around and see whether -- when we're looking at real land, not just thinking hypothetically -- it actually feels right or not....See MoreDumb Question: Beachfront Property Values in NJ (Sandy)
Comments (8)Thanks all, your insights are very interesting. Makes sense too. I have a Fl waterfront story, about my husband's uncle. He and his father (husband's grandfather) were small-scale developers in Miami during the post war boom. In the very early 70s uncle and grandpa bought property in Key Largo and moved down there, building side by side modest stilt-style homes next door to each other. At the time the Keys were still remote-they had to dig their own wells for water for example. Uncle raised his family there, parents lived out the last decade of their lives next door. The uncle died a couple of years ago. However the land is going to be somebody's jackpot someday when the property is sold. Uncle (who inherited grandpa's share) owned *9 acres* of oceanfront property. It's actually one of the largest pieces of undeveloped land in the Fl keys, and he regularly got offers from hotels and resorts in the range of 10-15 million dollars. It was always a trip to go down for family parties. You would turn off the main road (US 1 for those who know the Keys) into the property which was just a bunch of scrub, nothing landscaped. Then down the looooooooong drive (crushed shells, never even paved) to the houses. They were small, not particularly well kept up but were directly facing the ocean. The area around the houses was always full of junk; old boats, cars/trucks that didn't run, rusting outdoor furniture etc. All of that next to the most glorious sea vista you could imagine. Amazing. As I said, it will be an interesting process when the property is eventually sold. Uncle had 4 daughters and one son and left everything to sonny. However, my husband's cousins are some pretty strong women and the uncle's plan that his only son inherit and keep everything is probably not going to fly once the big bucks start being offered. Oh, and many years ago my MIL TURNED DOWN a piece of waterfront property down there that her father offered her as a vacation spot. Crazy woman :). Ann...See Morenanj
7 years agowaynedanielson
7 years agonanj
7 years agoatmoscat
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agojaredlawrencefehr
7 years agonanj
7 years ago
Related Stories
SELLING YOUR HOUSE15 Questions to Ask When Interviewing a Real Estate Agent
Here’s what you should find out before selecting an agent to sell your home
Full StoryREMODELING GUIDESDesign Workshop: Is an In-Law Unit Right for Your Property?
ADUs can alleviate suburban sprawl, add rental income for homeowners, create affordable housing and much more
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGLandscape Tour: Two Acres of Rural Hillside in Maine
An orchard of crab apples, a grove of sugar maples, even a hayfield ... pastoral landscape beauty doesn't get more idyllic than this
Full StoryKITCHEN DESIGN9 Questions to Ask When Planning a Kitchen Pantry
Avoid blunders and get the storage space and layout you need by asking these questions before you begin
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSWe Can Dream: An Expansive Tennessee Farmhouse on 750 Acres
Wood painstakingly reclaimed from old barns helps an 1800s farmhouse retain its history
Full StoryEXTERIORSWhere Front Yards Collide: Property Lines in Pictures
Some could be twins; others channel the Odd Couple. You may never look at property boundaries the same way again
Full StoryINSPIRING GARDENSInside Houzz: A Waterfront Property Ditches the Grass for a Garden
New drought-tolerant plantings and outdoor gathering spaces help this California backyard take in the view without wasting space or water
Full StoryHOUZZ TOURSMy Houzz: A Modern-Day Homestead Brings a Family Together
Their 5-acre Washington property, with sports court, swings, pizza oven and gardens, is a labor of love and communal playspace
Full StoryINSPIRING GARDENSWe Can Dream: Lush Life on a Historic Normandy Estate
New gardens surround centuries-old buildings on a 10-acre property in France, creating a beautiful haven
Full Story
Embothrium