homestead... what do you need?

[rockriver]

i've been reading the campfire thread about groups.
great post..
on a similar line of thought..
what do you need at group bol.

one family is going to live there. 'you' and your immediate family.
what else will you want to acquire as money becomes available.
you've got 4 couples that you are tight with.
your place has 10 acres. 11 month a year stream. 1 metal butler building about 1500 s.f.
1 house 3 br and 2 bath. brick. no basement. additional land can be bought. farmland or grown up diversified woods. yes neighbors, but solid quiet, mind their own business neighbors.

what will you and friends work on first to get the place ready?

i'll start..
i'd like a hand operated well. maybe solar operated.
there's a natural spot for a 2 acre pond.
fruit trees.

[EX121]

Not sure what part of the country this BOL is in, but I would add an off-grid method of for heating & cooking, probably wood, with propane backup.
Then I would get seperate but close by housing for each family. You may be tight with the 4 couples until you start living together in close quarters.
A garden spot, and chickens.
So you have the basics, shelter, water, food, & heat. With security being a ongoing process.

[MustangGal]

What type of weather does this location have? And what geographical region?

[Irish-Tech]

Pick up a few more acres of each. woods for hunting and wood, and farm land for the garden. 10 acres is good amount but i would get more.

if your stream is dry 1 month a year, then you need enough 55 gallon barrels for that one month, or even better 2.

[610Alpha]

I second what ex121 said, you will want more housing for those additional families. Lesson learned from "Patriots" upgrade your septic or add out houses now, LP/OP, foxholes/ambush spots, and range cards (Matt in Oklahoma).

[arcangel911]

Toliet paper..... that or more phone books ;)

(Will post more later- I am at school for the moment...)

[610Alpha]

excellent point arcangel911, I would go to Sams or Costco or online and get a couple cases of those big rolls of tp that you see in bathrooms in schools, dept. stores, etc... Might even be more cost efficient :)

[Bearman202]

Just a thought I've been tinkering with. Rather than relying on fifteen packs of the 12-24 roll of TP from Wally World, how about buying some older, used diapers from a diaper place and making some wipes with them? Make them slightly larger than your average pot holder, and hem the edges so they don't come apart. Then you use them, toss them in a bucket, then wash them. I know that sounds nasty, but I'm thinking that after a bit, you're going to run out of TP. Rinse the wipes really well, maybe dip them in a mild chlorine solution, hang them on a line, and you have a source of never-ending, (or at least not for a LONG time) TP. Thoughts?

[rockriver]

this location is in the southeast. it's hot. but you can make it be your location. feel free!

we found a bud with some equipment. the dam for pond is going in. i called the dept of nat. resources. they've signed me up for some
little fishies to stock the pond.
found some scrap lumber real cheap. gonna build a chicken coup.
a house that adjoins the property is going up for sale. also brick. but up on the road. about an acre lot with lots of grape vines and fruit trees.
a low offer has been made.
a farmer next door wants 4000/acre. too high. most of it is in rough pasture. made a 2,000 offer per acre for another 10.. trying to do it gently.
we don't want to make him mad, but we heard he lost his day job and wants to sell out completely. he's got about 300 acres and a small but well built frame house way back off the road. wish we had a rich guy in the group!
some fema trailers are being auctioned off nearby. they are going for about 3,000 each. considering this to help with short term housing.
one couple thinks we need a milk cow and calf. i'm staying quiet. we had one when i was a kid for about 3 years. i didn't like milking it then..
but i did it. i think it's a good idea. but i'm gonna let the group make the call. no one else has ever messed with cows. i want them
committed to the idea.
(that will be fish, chickens, milk)
the metal building has one room about 400 s.f. that used to be a craft shop. insulated, and commercial carpet. hmm. if we insulated the other area, about 1100 s.f. it could serve as living quarters in an emergency.
a gate would be a good idea.
x10 has a video surveillance system one couple wants the group to order. i don't know much about these, but the price looks cheap.

[arcangel911]

rockriver-

A DNR (Dept of National Resources- NOT a Do Not Resuscitate (got into trouble a while back ;) )) supplied pond??? Tell me more...

Also, x10 as in home surveillance and home automation program??? If so, be cautious a while back I looked into x10 and the reviews and the programming with support were not good. (Sam's Club though has some nice surveillance systems for a decent price....

[rockriver]

arc,
dept of nat. resources (i think that is correct name) in our area have some "fisheries." actually i don't know if they grow fish for distribution into
public rivers/lakes or if the public can go buy or obtain fish from them...
thanks for the x10 comment arc, yes.. they have a website that another couple have recommended. if you've heard negative stuff about them, do you have a recommendation of where we can get cameras and monitors. ... hey do you know tim... yeah... the guy that does all that bank work? i've seen boxes full of old cameras etc.. in his warehouse. you know him better than i.. good guy and he'd know how to wire them up,
but you know his idea about survivalism.. "with my weapons, i don't need to store food" that philosophy concerns me. but would you ask him
if they could sell you some workable cameras, wire and monitors... i think your church needs some equipment don't they.. i believe you and i could rig up the wiring. probably best not to have tim out here. good guy. great 2nd amendment supporter, but he doesn't have a single extra can of beans.
--
guys, we've all seen that foundation that's in place.. it's about 30 x 30..
i'm thinking that as money is available, how could we build a real strong chapel/meeting house/defensible structure/bol safe house?
any ideas.. i've dug down around that foundation. it is real solid with wide and deep footings. ideas?
--
by the way.. consider this offer for the land. farmer has a small 40 hp john deere. he just used it around the house. not in his farming operation. it only has 500 hours. he's got a finishing mower, rotary mower, fertilizer spreader, 4' tiller, box blade and a boom pole that all go with it. he'll take 3500/acre if we close soon, for 10 acres and he'll throw in the tractor and gear. at new prices that's probably 16,000 worth of equipment. used maybe 11- 12,000. should we go for the 10 acres and the tractor? i've checked. the engine is a yanmar.. sips fuel.

[610Alpha]

rr - get more details about the tractor, model number etc, same goes for all the attachments then call up the local JD dealer and ask them what used would retail for with all the details.

"He who has the most information and patience wins the negotiation" - Quoting Dave Ramsey who quoted someone else.

Sounds like you are getting somewhere....Depending on the details for the tractor you might go up to 2750/acre. Is the tractor Diesel?

What do the 10 acres look like? Who pays to have it surveyed and carved out? Lots of little details still to be figured out.

[rockriver]

elittle,
great suggestion.
the tractor is a 990 by serial number it was mfg in 2006 the equipment is varying ages and conditon, but all functional. the tiller is 06 also.
the next time you come by notice that garden behind his house.. that's all the tiller was ever used for. shoot, that garden's only about 100 by 300 ft.
the Floalaga jd dealership does the work on his equipment. i know them through my work. they said all equip. was in great shape except the 5' rotary mower. the gear box leaks bad. it is an off brand from italy! they advise total package to a good customer would be 17000 o.t.d. new.
used. they could get 12,000. quickly. by the way the farmer has 300cx front loader that looks new in his hay barn. the only thing he has that can use this is the 990.
the tractor is diesel.
the 10 acres is mostly open pasture. gently slopes downward toward the road. on the back side, there is a small head of mixed trees. mostly overgrown. it's boggy back there. a small stream comes out of the boggy area and spreads into the pasture that we are talking about. farmer says
it's an artesian ?? i don't know what that means. but i know that boggy area puts out water year round. keeps the first 5 acres green. the deer come and out of there regular. i've seen a few hogs too.
--
i'm holding up talking to the farmer again. i want everybody to check out the land first. gotta find out what an artesian is. good thing? or bad?
farmer acted like i should know. he seemed proud to have it. that water soaked area didn't look like a positive thing to me!
--

[rockriver]

i got "into the story"
and forgot the list.
water

.. the stream is too dry.
big berkey water filters and clorox. and finish the well!

[><>WisconsinUtopia<><]

Living in Wisconsin, I am completely accepting of incorporating dairy cows. I am familiar with milking techniques. Besides producing milk, cows would have other benefits. They really wouldn't require food besides grasses if they are available. Plus, their waste is good for restoring soil.