• Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • John F Dean
  • Timothy Norton
  • Nancy Reading
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • Pearl Sutton
stewards:
  • paul wheaton
  • Tereza Okava
  • AndrĂ©s Bernal
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
gardeners:
  • Jeremy VanGelder
  • M Ljin
  • Matt McSpadden

What to look for in a lot? (Western MT)

 
Posts: 8
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
Hello all

I'm hoping to one day return to MT and build my own permaculture paradise. Eventually.

I understand that there's the Wheaton labs and plenty of other independent permies in western Montana. I would like to get some hard earned wisdom from this community on green flags and red flags when picking a property. Feel free to ramble on any lessons you've learned that are regionally apropos.
Are there any indicator plants or ecology that telegraph a plot that's more suitable for homesteading? What are some things that one might want to avoid?

For now I'm running on the assumption that healthy/thick grasses indicate sufficient water and sun exposure. And to avoid low shady spots in valleys.
A lot of cheap land is very sloped and wooded, on the sides of mountains. I've seen terraced projects in warmer areas like CA and OR, but I can't help but feel like such a setup would be much more challenging and undesirable in MT; because of the winters.
Rarely are lots mixed. Typically they're fully wooded or wide open field. Would you recommend against either or to try and hold out for a mixture lot with trees and good gardening spaces (before or after clearing)?
It's not a deal breaker, but I'm prioritizing natural water sources like springs or creeks. Do you find this unnecessary or savvy?


Thanks in advance
 
author and steward
Posts: 55878
Location: missoula, montana (zone 4)
hugelkultur trees chicken wofati bee woodworking
  • Likes 1
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
like this?

https://www.makeitmissoula.com/2015/05/quest-for-land-my-advice-for-permies-and-homesteaders-part-1-of-3/

 
Who among you feels worthy enough to be my best friend? Test 1 is to read this tiny ad:
montana community seeking 20 people who are gardeners or want to be gardeners
https://permies.com/t/359868/montana-community-seeking-people-gardeners
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic