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
