land, space, freedom and maybe a little cash in AL

I've offered this up the past FOUR years and I guess I'll offer it up again this year too.  Doing a little giving back to those who are land poor and willingness rich.

I've spent many many hours in emails and on the phone with "tire kickers" Only a few ever showed up and even fewer stayed any length of time.  But not to sound discouraging though.  Alabama's weather is either hot and humid or cold and raining.  With about a good month of "fall" type weather starting anywhere from October to December.  The trend the past few years is our winter arrives later and later.

So,  ive basically completed the 8x12 cabin.
Insulated, hardwood/ tile flooring installed, gutter installed for rainwater catchment, wood heater in the cabin but not hooked up as of today.

The 12x18 two story cabin is still waiting for me to get around to putting the siding on.

Purchased a used 30'x100' hoop house/ greenhouse.  Plan on setting it up relatively soon.






What I'll provide you with:
municipal water and plenty of wood to cut for firewood.
Materials to build a tiny cabin and possibly a bulk of the labor in the building of a cabin.
Occasional work that pays cash.  This will not be a full time job and will be dependent on your abilities as a worker.

What you will need to provide for yourself:  
your own lighting solar or whatnot.  
Your own transportation   (A gas station is 3 miles away,  town is 15 miles away, and a Walmart is about 18 miles away).
These are not bike/ pedestrian friendly roads.
The majority of your own food.



I have 61 acres in Nauvoo, AL.  1/4 mile of river frontage on the Blackwater River.   40acres was clear cut in 2014 the rest is still wooded.
I work a lot and for the most part would only be able to assist you occasionally until next fall when I plan on transitioning to working from home and for myself again.


The terms are as such.
Don't trash my place.
No drugs.
No cigarette butts on the ground.
Respect of any other guests.
Do not trespass or bother neighbors property.
Along Paul Wheatons lines, this agreement can continue indefinitely as long as both parties are happy.  I have the final say in any disputes.

Anymore questions feel free to post them here, pm, or text me @ two 0 five 53o four six two four

edited for errors and additional thoughts

Bumpity bump


Finished the structure of an 8x12 tiny house.
Cleared about 20acres of the back part of the land for pasture.

Any of those that have messaged me in the past three months and are still interested shoot me a pm or text me at 2o5 5threezero 4six 2four


:::edited to show the correct phone number:::

Jay Grace wrote:Any of those that have messaged me in the past three months and are still interested shoot me a pm or text me at 2o5 53o 4six 4two

It's 4624  😕 Sorry for the typo

I have some personal and legal issue to take care otherwise I would be all over this.  Best of luck and I hope you find the type of person you are looking for and that a good partnership in working is found.

Also this place is right down the road http://mcdowellfarmschool.com

Hi, possibly interested. You have any families with small children there? Any opposition to large families?

Running the pigs through the oak bottoms using portable electric fencing.  As the acorns are still on the ground pig feed is reduced 75% or more.

Of course free ranged deer meat is easier. But a bit less reliable.

.

no takers as of yet this year.  
Planting out 500 Chinese chestnut trees this coming weekend to begin the short term perennial mast crop.  Long term are a few dozen types of white oak as they outlive Chinese chestnut by a hundred years or so.
#thinklongterm

hello,

im so interested in this oppuntnity, i currently reside in birmingham but im not from here my father side is from here saying that to say i am pretty much already use tp this alabama bipolar weather so thats not a problem that will hurt me one question rhough i have a 13 year old that is ready for this next step in our gaining more knowledge on living a greener life style and transitioning into becoming a farmer, isit kid friendly enough or it is not good for my daughter not trying to toltally shock her you know...but again this is very interesting to me because this is what i want to do with my life i just want to get some experince under my belt before i just set off into the woods blind


if this is still an open oppuntunity please let me know

thank you in advance

Sent you a pm Tracy.

Planted out over 400 Chinese chestnut trees this past week, on a little over three acres.

Future fall mast crop here we come.

land updates

This looks glorious. Yes, hard work expected but for the right person... Just right.

Since I'm 50 yrs old, many thousands of miles away and taking care of our own property, I can't take you up on the opportunity.

I would however like to ask: is this your first planting of chinese chestnuts or do you already have experience with them including harvesting the nuts? We're in flat land that tends to get frosted out in the spring so grafted extra large European chestnuts (maroni) don't make it here. I've planted 2 (yes, just two) of the Chinese but they are young still.

What is your impression of the nuts - would they be fine for people as well or are they too small / taste different / whatever?

Also, will they really prosper on what looks like quite marshy land on your photo "The start of the chestnut orchard" or is this an experiment?

Thank you!

Crt Jakhel wrote:This looks glorious. Yes, hard work expected but for the right person... Just right.

Since I'm 50 yrs old, many thousands of miles away and taking care of our own property, I can't take you up on the opportunity.

I would however like to ask: is this your first planting of chinese chestnuts or do you already have experience with them including harvesting the nuts? We're in flat land that tends to get frosted out in the spring so grafted extra large European chestnuts (maroni) don't make it here. I've planted 2 (yes, just two) of the Chinese but they are young still.

What is your impression of the nuts - would they be fine for people as well or are they too small / taste different / whatever?

Also, will they really prosper on what looks like quite marshy land on your photo "The start of the chestnut orchard" or is this an experiment?

Thank you!

Crt.   It had just rained so there was a bit of water in so old dozer tracks.  
This is my largest planting of chestnuts.
I bought seedlings of nine different varieties from route9 cooperative.

The nuts can be pretty substantial.  About half the size of a golf ball.

The nuts taste good and harvesting can be done by hand with the aid of a leaf blower.
(Blow them all into a pile and hand pick)

I have a few 4 yr old seedlings trees that have produced a handful of nuts.

My intentions are to pick whatever nuts I can sell and use for myself then finish my hogs on the rest.

Five or ten trees are not going to cut it.  
I’m trying to scale up larger than just some backyard hobby farm.

I also have about 200 pawpaw seedlings planted out along with literally a 5 gallon bucket of pawpaw seed over about four acres.

Jay, thanks for your reply. I'm glad the chestnuts should work fine for people too. My family likes roast chestnuts and I have to find a way to keep everybody happy

The reason I mentioned marshy soil, apart from the water, was that I thought I recognized some spiky grass that tends to like waterlogged areas. But that's in Europe, yours might be completely unrelated and my glasses might need an upgrade.

I like your wholesale approach to planting. Sometimes when taking care of plants which do not seem happy one is tempted to say "well, how does it survive on its own in nature then?" - The answer is simply that it doesn't. There's no guarantee that every single tree or a handful of them will make it. It's the sheer numbers that are the basis of survival (and successful selection). Taking care of just 2 acres I can't do it on a scale such as yours but it's always worth bearing in mind.

All the best to you in your search for tenants / partners. Wish I was 20-30 years younger and could help. As my 80-year-old father says: in your head you're always 25, just with more and more aching parts.

Crt Jakhel wrote:Jay, thanks for your reply. I'm glad the chestnuts should work fine for people too. My family likes roast chestnuts and I have to find a way to keep everybody happy

The reason I mentioned marshy soil, apart from the water, was that I thought I recognized some spiky grass that tends to like waterlogged areas. But that's in Europe, yours might be completely unrelated and my glasses might need an upgrade.

I like your wholesale approach to planting. Sometimes when taking care of plants which do not seem happy one is tempted to say "well, how does it survive on its own in nature then?" - The answer is simply that it doesn't. There's no guarantee that every single tree or a handful of them will make it. It's the sheer numbers that are the basis of survival (and successful selection). Taking care of just 2 acres I can't do it on a scale such as yours but it's always worth bearing in mind.

All the best to you in your search for tenants / partners. Wish I was 20-30 years younger and could help. As my 80-year-old father says: in your head you're always 25, just with more and more aching parts.

You are absolutely right.  That is a marsh grass. Parts of my property have very thick clay and where ever there is a depression (from say a bull dozer) that area will hold water nearly all year, especially in the spring time.

I have at least four places on my property that do this.  One of which is in my road to get to the property.   At its deepest it’s maybe 20” deep and spans nearly 15’.  Every animal around seems to visit that water hole.  Even though there is a river 300yds away and numerous ponds within a half mile.

So that’s one reason I never just fill them in.

Also, there are thousands upon thousands of tadpoles that make these little pools their home around this time.  At night it’s crazy how loud it is out on the property and how many roads are running around.

Just updating a bit on some earthworks progress.

End results will be four less than an acre ponds (mainly for livestock and watering trees) and one 3-4 acre pond. (For fish)

“Insert hip and trendy wording here”

Just a bit of an update on the progress on the little cabin.  
It's sat practically untouched for the better part of nearly two years.
I'm putting a bit of effort into it now and hopefully will put the final touches on it by the fall of the year.

Reclaim all over.  Tongue and groove walls, hardwood floors, tile!, barn tin siding, 750 gallon water catchment, three 30”x50” windows, full size bed with a twin sized bed on the top bunk, micro wood heater, vaulted ceilings, screen door, 8’x12’ porch.

All packed into 96sqft. (8’x12’)

Micro bungalow in the off season. (Non deer season nov-feb)

The most plush shooting house you’ll ever spend the day and night in!

Airbnb and Cabin Porn bound (as soon as I finish it up)

....well.   The bad news is I’m selling my current place.

The reason!??!!   Upgrading!!!


Moving to just a few miles away.   More land, more pasture, more hardwoods, more river, and more ponds!

Should completely close no later than the first of the year.


So once I have everything swapped over.  This offer will extend to the new place too.


Top priorities will be fencing the current pastures for cattle.

Pond and dam repair.

Moving and setting up the micro cabins from the old property to the new.

Planting out a few hundred trees.

Here is a little drone footage of the property I have for sale.

https://youtu.be/yQietMeIchY

so I moved to the new place.  More land, more river, more of every thing.
AND I still have my old place.
It’s no long for sale as i can float both notes.

Here’s an update in pictures.

it's been really great to see the journey of your land. I would love to get an update of where you are now with things. I'm super interested in going off grid detaching from the "world." currently in the panhandle of Florida. I have not a lot of skills in this area but a lot of eagerness and desire to learn. Would love more information