Jr Hill

Every morning the wife and I discuss headlines and the news of the day. We are far off grid. We could easily disappear and actually have done so, but we have kids. So we keep current to discuss with the Gen (whatever) children. And to sharpen our priorities, morals and ethics.

It's not all about worms.

What does one do to bring in outside air for the rocket stove? Our house is so tight that opening a door or window definitely affects the fire in our airtight Quadrafire. Fortunately it was easy to fashion the duct to bring in the air from outside directly to the air intake on the stove. The rocket stove is interesting but, for me, space is tight.

As for the house, its 1800 of log, new in 2010 with 5" of spray foam above T&G ceilings. In heating season we light a fire around suppertime each day and it goes out before morning. PNW in the rain shadow so it does get cold here but below 0 (f) only a few times per year. So about 2.5 cords of mixed fir and oak.

This is an interesting conversation for someone looking for rural land. Here is something I'd like to point out: it depends where you want to buy and who is helping you, professionally. When I lived in the midwest, as you drove down the highway, you saw county roads on a one mile apart grid. the exception was land features like a lake or river, a railroad track, an interstate, etc. It's gonna be kind of unusual to get land locked inside of a 640 acre square surrounded by corn or soybeans.

In other areas such as the plains, foothills and mountainous ranges, things are completely different because the land use is different. If I was looking at a parcel in a far rural area I sure the heck wouldn't want to deal with a realtor who didn't understand the area. When I bought the land we have now the realtor we contacted should've known the simplest of details -  like how to get here but she was just lazy and I doubt she had even seen the properties. We contacted someone else and that gal met us at a nearby land mark, led us to a given place and had her GPS and survey pins and L/L. She scrambled up a 60% boulder strewn grade stopping for us (mainly me) to catch up and on top opened into a plateau from where we could see Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood and Mt St. Helens (obviously a good sales person). She walked us straight to a survey pin with her GPS. The story goes on from there. But my point is that this realtor knew and gave us details that we didn't even know to ask - like the easements on the private trail that went through 3/4 of a dozen 40/80 acre parcels to get here. Guess who represented us as buyers?

Upon us making agreement that she would represent us she reviewed and provided an abbreviated abstract and the latest survey. In her investigation she found out that two adjacent parcels had been listed but were not in the MLS system yet (the non-resident owners didn't know each other were selling). She advised us for an initial bids on each. All three parcels closed at the same time before anyone knew what was going on.

At some point, and especially if its for sale by owner, your gonna have to get professionals involved. Choose wisely.

I left the city in the early 90's and a primary reason was to escape mowing. I do weed whack along a few paths after the spring growth to give a buffer zone in case Mr Timber rattler is lying in wait. We enjoy the native grasses so much more anyway.

I can't think of a topic that falls more into the 'In Depends' category. When we bought our 1st three parcels in south central WA (two 40 and one 20 acre contiguous) they averaged $2k per acre, 17 years ago. We have since added another contiguous 20 and a 40 that touches corners. The devil is in the details though: zoned 'Open' land or 'Recreational', totally off grid as in zero utilities available, no cell service by any provider, access via ancient logging road via easement through private parcels, zero county services except for emergency services. The land is mostly fully treed with PPine, Douglas Fir and Oregon Oak. Substantial grades in a north facing canyon. There has never been any structures in the past, maybe a teepee or two. In other words this land would be considered 'special purpose' as it has little attraction for the average city person who wants all the conveniences of modern existence. But it is perfect for us.

Right now and within a few miles there are a couple of 10 acre parcels on mostly prairie but at least those have a cell signal that are on the market listed for $8k/acre. I wouldn't give $1k for either. And these are unusual parcels as there are restrictions to subdividing anything to less than 20 acres. But they'll probably sell for the asking price or more. But that's here. Take these above attributes and compare them placed in each of the other 49 states and the prices are all over the spectrum. So the only way I can answer the topic question is it depends where and how badly you want the place. And really - how badly others want the same place. That's when it becomes completely unpredictable.

For us the first step after we bought land was to have a water well drilled before we could decide on where to place the future homestead. Where we live in south central WA, in a forested off grid canyon, the water can vary to a huge degree in a very short distance. If you hit ground water it could range from a few gallons per minute to an underground river. It can range from sweet and crystal clear to tasting like you're sucking on a rusty iron bar. We were fortunate on the 1st attempt and got 11gpm at 200' deep and it is absolutely delicious and cold even though it has a high colloidal mineral content which is for the better. If there was no water or its quality was poor the project would be over before it started. You have to have water.

As for the pooper, according to State law an outhouse is prohibited. So if you are a lawfully compliant permie it gets expensive real fast. A formal septic system on a steep canyon side is possible but it can get complex real fast. There are no willows around here but I can tell you that the Ponderosa Pine, Douglas Fir and Oregon Oak like the human waste just fine.