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Well guys, my land search is over.
Found 30 acres nestled in the Ozark hills, about 10 minutes from a good-sized town and 45 minutes from a good-sized city. The land is gently rolling, but even the slopes are gentle enough to make building sites or garden patches. 20% or so is wooded in mature hardwood, mostly oak, maple, and poplar. 10% is briars and thickets, much of which is wild blackberry. The remaining 70% is good open pasture. There are two wells on the property, one is great and I don't know much about the other, and one tiny spring, which feeds into a small pond. There's power to the property, which I'll use for setting up and running tools but the house that goes in won't be wired to the grid. The best part is I'm getting it for a thousand bucks per acre, which, if you'll remember, many of you told me would be impossible these days anymore.
I'm closing this weekend, and moving onto my land as soon as I can set up a small cabin to overwinter, probably another 3 weeks. Most likely won't have internet there so I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Another couple weeks and you might not hear from me for a while. By the 2010 elections I'll be sitting pretty in my retreat on a permanent home and hopefully within a few more years I'll be downright settled with a good garden and animals and all those cute little fixins that make a real retreat as well as a home. I'll keep the cabin in case one of you assholes needs a place to hole up if you're in my neck of the woods when the shit finally hits.
I do hope yall are getting your ducks lined out, and not just playing with hypotheticals any longer. I hope your own endeavors to get ready for the CHANGE ahead go well.
Found 30 acres nestled in the Ozark hills, about 10 minutes from a good-sized town and 45 minutes from a good-sized city. The land is gently rolling, but even the slopes are gentle enough to make building sites or garden patches. 20% or so is wooded in mature hardwood, mostly oak, maple, and poplar. 10% is briars and thickets, much of which is wild blackberry. The remaining 70% is good open pasture. There are two wells on the property, one is great and I don't know much about the other, and one tiny spring, which feeds into a small pond. There's power to the property, which I'll use for setting up and running tools but the house that goes in won't be wired to the grid. The best part is I'm getting it for a thousand bucks per acre, which, if you'll remember, many of you told me would be impossible these days anymore.
I'm closing this weekend, and moving onto my land as soon as I can set up a small cabin to overwinter, probably another 3 weeks. Most likely won't have internet there so I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Another couple weeks and you might not hear from me for a while. By the 2010 elections I'll be sitting pretty in my retreat on a permanent home and hopefully within a few more years I'll be downright settled with a good garden and animals and all those cute little fixins that make a real retreat as well as a home. I'll keep the cabin in case one of you assholes needs a place to hole up if you're in my neck of the woods when the shit finally hits.
I do hope yall are getting your ducks lined out, and not just playing with hypotheticals any longer. I hope your own endeavors to get ready for the CHANGE ahead go well.
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Utah
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Re: Getting LAND!
Thu, October 29, 2009 - 10:39 PMWay to go man!!! We are pulling for you. W e just finished rebuilding our wood hauling trailor. Nice 5 by 8 with 3 foot sides all made of treated deck boards. Got 10 ply heavy duty tires good for more then I can fit on the trailor. Got the Jeep back as well. Motor smokes a l;ittle but no more leaks and now its time to dig in for the coming winter. Deer season is here and its time to whack and stack. Good luck Thousand. Hey send me an email as soon as you get settled. My email pages were wiped out in the virus attack. I dont have anyones emails anymore and tell Brent to resend his as well. Say Hi to them for us as well. Michael -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Fri, October 30, 2009 - 9:15 AMYou are kinda a dick and a latent homosexual, but damn it sounds like you got it made ! Congratulations on closing that deal soon and I wish you well on making your fortress of paradise a success, man. God Bless. -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Fri, October 30, 2009 - 5:53 PMHey guys look. Sean's almost got a pair.
You wouldn't know Brent, but everyone else here does. He ducked out about the time HR45 was brought to the house. You'll all be pleased to know that he's fine and well, and will be getting a corner of land right over the fence from me, and thus begins the start of our community.
The funny thing is, I wasn't even shopping for land yet when I found this gem. An old lady overheard my wife talking to another woman about why we moved out here. My wife mentioned rural land and this old lady chimed in on the conversation, saying she had some she wanted to get rid of but that she hadn't put on the market.
Apparently, she bought it cheap 35 years ago with good intentions, ended up just putting a trailer on it for weekend getaways or something, and eventually her oldest daughter moved in for a place to stay. The daughter tried to run a meth lab, and blew the trailer up, this was many years ago. So the old lady was all burnt on it, too many bad memories to ever go back, too many fond memories to ever put it up on the market. It's been sitting there, quietly abandoned, for ten years. Presumably waiting for me.
She's not interested in making any profit, just wants what she put into it, even though she knows the land value is quadrupled now. Mostly she's just glad it's going to a young couple who want to do good things with it. A one-in-a-million situation. I just moved across the country, have no connections, hadn't even picked up a classified for land sales or anything, and I find the best survival retreat in ten counties for a song. I'm still basking in the awesomeness of the whole situation. -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Fri, October 30, 2009 - 11:01 PMyou know that u cant build a house on it leagally till the property is cleaned up from all the toxins from the meth lab. or at least thats the rules here or something like that better make sure of your local laws
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Re: Getting LAND!
Sat, October 31, 2009 - 8:17 AManyone who tries to own mother earth is the devil -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Sat, October 31, 2009 - 3:04 PMThat's pretty damn awesome, what a score. All the best to you 1K. Just watch out for the local council, they're pricks over here too. I find the less the local council knows of your business the better. You can grow your beard now lol.
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Re: Getting LAND!
Sun, November 1, 2009 - 10:38 AMCongrats - that sounds awesome. Two wells and a spring! you've got me beat there. Here's hoping youre still here awhile, i still need to pick your brain! -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Mon, November 2, 2009 - 6:47 AMSounds like you found a great spot.BUT I agree with Daniel ,you really,really need to make 100% sure that The EPA has not marked it as a clean-up site. Check with the local Fire folks or the county Emergency Management folks and they can probably give you a line on whether the property is contaminated or not.Also it would be a good idea to have the water tested as a lot of times with labs they dump their left overs chems and can easily contaminate your ground water.Hope everything tests out clean cauz otherwise sounds like you found a awsome retreat . -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Mon, November 2, 2009 - 7:59 AMI'll be looking into that today. It doesn't look as if it'd be a problem, but if it were a problem, it sounds like it'd be terrible. -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Mon, November 2, 2009 - 8:17 AMokay I checked into it.
In MO, apparently, there is NO comprehensive list of properties, no kep registry of meth labs. There is also NO standardized method for cleanup, and they have yet to make a set of laws or regulations about it. I checked with the Missouri department of natural resources and the Missouri EPA, all they have to say is 'if you know or suspect a meth lab environment, clean it up as best you can, air it out, and if you're still concerned, you can get it tested or have a HAZMAT team come out if you want.'
Nobody has anything to say about contaminated soil or water table.
I'll have the water tested at the well, but I know which way the aquifer goes and the well is upstream from the former meth-site, so I'm really not too concerned. The meth trailer was removed from the site after the fire was put out, and sent to a scrap yard. Sounds like legally I'm off the hook, and for my own concerns I just gotta check the well.
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Re: Getting LAND!
Mon, November 2, 2009 - 3:02 PMWow! Sounds great Thousand! Does it seem like it's all coming together?... Have you noticed coincidences leading you forward? This is not an accident... if you follow your intuition you will be led along your destiny path. Sounds like you are well on your way to doing what you were put here to do. Good luck amigo! -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Mon, November 2, 2009 - 7:52 PMIt HAS been coming together. Everything has been slipping together since I got here. However, in the last week or so, I've hit some major financial setbacks. Everything else is waiting in the wings, but, I've run into a financial wall. It's not a very big one, but I'm reduced to a point where it's very big to me right now.
I'll consider it a test of perserverence. I just gotta keep at it till a window comes up and I can get this wrench out of the otherwise smoothly oiled gears of fate.
I look forward to keeping yall updated on future progress and I look forward to graduating to another class of preppers, the ones with real retreats. I hope some of you will be inspired to get off your asses and line up your ducks. Many of you are already doing so, as I am doing so. Some of you are still playing at this like it's a game or a hobby.
Remember, I didn't own a gun or know a clear definition of the word 'survivalist' back as recently as LATE 2006.... And I haven't really pulled my chin up above the poverty line in the meantime, just shifted priorities and used all the resources available to me. Many of you talk about me like I'm somewhat of an authority on the subject now, or at least am a vast resource of knowledge and information, but barely over three years ago, the word 'bugout bag' was new to me, I had to look it up on wikipedia, and I had no idea there was anything going on in this government that went deeper than the local news headlines. Honestly! This is one of the very few times you'll ever see when I'm NOT bragging. I'm trying to tell you that anything is possible.
This is the right path for me, and the right place for me to be. I truly feel in my gut like the clock is ticking and if one could see into the future, one would see the end of the sidewalk within a quickly approaching distance. Sooner than you might imagine, you'll wish you had done ANYTHING you could have, back when you could do it. -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 4:08 PMMy wife and I have been trying to get to the point of self reliance for about three years now. W were able to sell our House in the city just before the bottom fell out of the housing market. I wish we would have sold about 6 months earlier as we would have gotton more out of the old place. We made it up on the lake house and then some. There have been many setbacks however. Money is the key issue to every one of them. I feel your pain and been feeling it for two years now. W e have just now started heating with the new wood stoves and what a relief to get that project finished. Now we are battling the Jeep motor and its one bad cylinder. W e replaced the radiator and all the seals and gaskets so it doesnt overheat now but it smokes out one side of the exhaust. Its oil smoke so we got bad rings in one cylinder. Im thinking about just pulling wire to that plug and running on 7 until I get a new long block for it. The frame is great and the body is good as well. Its in great shape for 1978. Now that is will run without overheating its on to the Plow bracket so I can plow my 1/4 mile long driveway. When thats done its time to settle in for the winter and save some money for newxt springs mile long list of projects. So far we have Rabbits, Ducks, Chickens and the garden is planted with rye and ready to till in the spring. Some day we'll meet up and swap some stories. Good luck . Michael -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Tue, November 3, 2009 - 4:54 PMwell, if it is the rings, then you've got several others on their way out by now. A compression test will tell you more about that. I've seen really worn valve guides that caused those symptoms. And finally, though rare, you could have a head gasket fail directly into an oil passage, but that would be accompanied by burnt oil in the case and overheating issues. I'm kinda sick of engines needing work lately. Two of my three vehicles are completely down right now and I don't have the time or funds to direct at them, although I really need at least two running vehicles. If my last line of transportation goes out, my goose is cooked.
My financial setbacks are hopefully nearing their end this friday. Too soon to know, but there's definitely a glimmer of hope. If things turn out alright, we'll be moving onto the property by the end of the month, though it may be a little 'rough' for a while. Another month and we should be closer to a semblance of comfortable living, and from there we might begin breaking ground on what we can do overwinter for the 'real' home we're building. Also this winter, provided life stabilizes a bit, I will be able to maneuver into a much better position of employment, one that will definitely finance my homestead project and then some. Just gotta hold out a bit longer here.
I'm just about to bust out the hand-grinder and wheat storage so we can at least have unlimited bread lol... Brent left a bunch of spuds in the garden, might go dig those up if he's just gonna let them rot in the ground. See what I can poach around here and we ought to have the groceries taken care of till the other bills are paid and we get more money in. It kinda sucks, and it's kinda stressful, but there's also an element of adventure and freedom at these times in life, it's exciting. I'm trying to get my wife to adopt a similar perspective hahahaha -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Wed, November 4, 2009 - 3:24 PMThe Jeep has all new gaskets and freeze plugs. New head gaskets and its rings because it gets worse as it warms up. Only one cylinder though . Compression is 80 on that one and 100 to 110 one the other seven. It might even be cracked(the oil ring). Im going to toss in some restore and 20 w 50 oil until I can put a new long block in it. I got the thing for two reasons. Haul my wood trailor in and out of the woods and to plow my driveway. Its an Ugly mean looking thing with 35 inch swampers on it right now. Has a body and suspension lift and extra leaf springs making it ride like it has no suspension. (REAL ROUGH) . Even with only 7 cylinders it has more power then I need for what Im doing with it. Ill only put another engine in it if I get all of our other projects done. Right now Im looking for some skinny tall 15 inch snow tires for my other set of rims. Cant plow snow with swampers.
Dont waste your money on ducks if you plan on eating them. Waste of corn. Get turkeys or chickens. This is a bit of advice for when you start raising animals. Ducks are food shovels and we roasted one a few days ago. Not much meat on them . Breasts are not bad flavor wise but not much as far as poundage. I am thinking turkeys will be the best bang for the buck as far as meat birds go. I found a good source of Goats about 1 hour away as well. To get a billy and two nanny goats 75 bucks each and about 500 to build a solid pen and house for them. They eat anything. Anyways shoot me you phone number via email and we can chat some time. I have free long distance so it wont cost you for the call. Take care and good luck. Michael -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Wed, November 4, 2009 - 3:31 PMSounds like a lot of dough for goats... I'll have to do some research, but I think they go dirt cheap around here. Do you have goats already, and if you do, do you find them destructive? Is that why they need to be penned? I don't know anything about goats, but am interested.
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Re: Getting LAND!
Wed, November 4, 2009 - 4:02 PMMetal expands as it heats. Generally if you've got worn out rings and blow by and oil burning, as the piston heats up, and as the rings heat up, everything expands and seals better. Generally when it's rings, at least in my experience as a motorcycle mechanic, the oil smoke lessens the hotter you make the engine, within reasonable parameters. But it sounds like you've been in this engine enough to know better. I'd still do a compression test on that bank of cylinders, it takes all of ten minutes to do the four cylinders -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Fri, November 6, 2009 - 6:34 AMCongrats TH sounds like it is working out for you .Hope you and yours can get moved and have time to get settled in some before it gets too bad of weather. -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Fri, November 6, 2009 - 4:02 PMOh, I will. Don't you worry about that. If I have to, I'll finish building in the storm. This is going to get done.
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Re: Getting LAND!
Sat, November 7, 2009 - 12:45 PMThat is why I think its a cracked oil ring. As the oil heats up it gets thinner and just floods the cylinder with oil. If you rev it when its warm its like a smoke screen behind the jeep. I did a comp test, 80 lbs on that cylinder and 110 on the others. They guys who put it together put 5w 30 in it. Im going to put 20 w 50 and a can of engine honey or restore and try and minimize the smoke. If I keep from revving it up a lot it will help as well. I just found a guy who will rebuild it for under a grand. Im going to get another block and have that one done and just swap it out. . I got the smaller tires on it now and it is really nice to drive. I hate those huge 35 inch swampers. Im going to get rid of them. Michael -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Sun, November 8, 2009 - 5:58 PMsounds like you definitely got it then.
I gotta do a cam set (cam/lifters/pushrods) on my truck, then I should FINALLY have my damn 4x4 utility vehicle. I'm debating on doing the "just what is needed to fix it" job with the engine still mounted, or if I should borrow a cherry picker and just do a whole rebuild and inspection. -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Wed, November 11, 2009 - 3:40 PMI think it is worth rebuilding the motors(both of them) Having good solid running utility trucks is key to being self reliant. W e pushed dirt wioth our jeep last night. It was awesome to see how much power that thing had. The plow bracket held up perfect and all went well. I knocked down all the high and low spots in my drive so Ill not find them when its frozen. Had to chop out a few roots as well. I am ready for for our second winter here. Lots of wood, new stove and a stocked pantry. W e are good on ammo and shooting deer right now . Lake michigan Whitefish will be running in a couple of weeks. Anyway , Im going to add the Engine honey and heavier oil tomorrow. That should slow down the smoking some. Mike -
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Re: Getting LAND!
Mon, November 16, 2009 - 1:59 PMEngine honey and heavy oil slowed the smoke down big time. Only when I rev it up after its warm does it smoke at all now. Nice for plowing. Michael
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