About to purchase a property. Am I crazy?

Miles Flansburg wrote:Howdy Todd, welcome to permies!
You all get some rain in those parts don't you?

If permies like Lawton are growing stuff in the deserts I think you can have a really nice place there without surface water. Are there trees and shrubs in the area that are growing"wild" ?
That would be a pretty good indication of the potential. Look around the area for other gardeners/ farmers. See what there places look like.
Keep us updated on your place and your schemes!

John Saltveit wrote: You're probably going to get completely increased water cycles running through every part of your terrain if you do it well, permaculture style.

Lorenzo Costa wrote:I don't know if having a stream is important or no. there will be someone that will always have different ideas.[/qoute]

Yup. That is what I am finding.

I can tell you that if you like the place, the views, if you have daydreaming images of what it will be then go for it.

Well... this place is "picturesque". Which is awesome, but it gives me pause because I don't want it's beauty to overshadow my rationale. And yeah, we have all kinds of unschooled daydreams for what it will be someday.

you'll have to do some earthworks but that is normal. having rain during the year doesn't mean you have a drought free climate. we have situations where there is to much rain in only a few months of the year and then nothing. yeah maybe on an annual scale one can say you have enough water but that ain't true. you have to see how to stop water on your land.

That's a bit daunting for me at this time. I am familiar with the whole earth-working thing, but I really need to study more now. We'll probably sit on the property for a year before we do anything. Just to get a sense of the place. We're leery of "digging" before we really understand what we are doing.

is it a flat o smooth slope? that can change a lot of things. any piece of land can become awesome. I brought a piece of land not having water on it, I have a nice watershed but it's on a significant slopy area, it's terraced and I'll have to think how to manage to stop water on it. you just have to imagine different solutions.

It's rolling hills with a hill and 3 valley bottoms with a 2 acre pond in one of them. 3 pastures on 3 slopes. One of the valleys is wet pasture as well (future pond, likely). The shadiest pasture (northern) is also the steepest. All are suitable for horses, sheep, etc. (prior owner rotated her horses through them). This rolling hill nature suggested to me that it was more malleable. Plus, it is just more interesting.

one thing that I have learn't here on permies though is don't improvise on earthworks, and see what regulations your county, or state, has remember you may pay to have a pond built and then have to pay double because the army come's and says you didn't ask their approval, I read this absurd story about the fact in the states you have to have the army some sort department of there's that says your pond is ok. study and ask advise to who can give you some professional answers.

Yeah, I loath the prospect of making earth-moving mistakes and having to involve regulatory agencies in the process, hence, we'll likely sit on the property for awhile and study the situation. In the meantime, we can probably experiment a bit with smaller things and play with some designs.

Thanks, everyone. I am resting easier now.
-todd

Martin Miljkovic wrote:Hi,
forgive me for asking but what is the price of land there? I got no clue and here it is 500-1500e for Ha.

Todd Warner wrote: We'll probably sit on the property for a year before we do anything. Just to get a sense of the place.-todd

Lorenzo Costa wrote:

Todd Warner wrote: We'll probably sit on the property for a year before we do anything. Just to get a sense of the place.-todd

that's the best thing to do. I've been watching my place for nearly a year and I have seen so much. observe, observe,observe and maybe you'll find that water is just under the surface.
all the best!!!

Michael Bush wrote:I have a friend near where you live and having spent time in SW Oregon where it is very dry, growing up in San Diego and living in Sacramento, all places that are near desert, NC without a stream seems like a rainforest! It also seems rather idyllic! Streams are nice but a 2 acre pond with fish seems like winning the lottery! Beauty is something you can enjoy every day and I think you scored!