Homesteading risks

I just read a story about a woman who was found stuck in the mud on a remote trail near Backus, MN after being missing for three days.  To stress the point, her body was stuck in the mud and she sunk…up to her face.  After 3 days I imagine mosquitoes and Deer Flies ripped her apart.  On day three a couple of men happened to come by on ATVs.

I used to live in the region.   Once a new school bus driver lost his bus in the mud. Yes, the entire vehicle submerged in the mud.  

To broaden my point,  when you get into remote areas of this country, there are dangers not readily identified by newbies. And many people on this site have dreams of living in one of those remote areas. Do understand there are real risks involved.  Do talk with the locals about the risks.   Always ask yourself, “What can go wrong?”

I was once told that the first rule of life is “Don’t do dumb things.”  The problem is hindsight is 20/20.

I learned stuff like this living in California for ten years around all the ways there are to start a fire when it's tinder dry.  A trailer dragging a chain. A lawnmower hitting a rock.  A hot chainsaw muffler.  Parking a car in the grass.  A bottle laying out in the sun. A pile of hay or compost that is too big. Enormous wildfires have been started by all of these causes and others.  It's really kind of crazy, compared how people function in moister climates.

This is where the permaculture design principle of observation will come in real handy.

We have always looked at the contour of the land such as placing our house on the highest elevation of the lot.

This house was already here so we did not have that option and were lucky in the placement of our gardens.

When it rains part of my yard turns into a wash and the creek has risen out of its banks.