Farm Dreams
Homesteading, Organic Gardening, How to Farm, Preparedness, Self-Reliance
Building Restrictions
We have begun our search for land but are running into obstacles with local and state governments. We put a high value on buying the right land but little value on what we live in the first few years. We are finding that most counties have square footage requirements for new housing and will not allow alternative housing like travel trailers or yurts. In order to get power you must have a septic permit. In many areas you can put a travel trailer on your land but you can't live there year round. We would also consider leasing land but are afraid of running into the same red tape. We have lived a very rustic lifestyle in the past, out of country, and do not feel we need a big house or lots of mod-cons.......but they seem to be required! We currently live in Georgia. I do know people who have broken the rules and lived in small " Home Depot" sheds and gotten away with it! Any suggestions or wisdom? Have others encountered this? We don't consider ourselves " bring down the neighborhood" types and keep a pristine low impact farm.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Jeff Love on -
If you are willing to relocate, Idaho county here in Idaho has no building codes. You can pretty much do what you want. There is a growing community of preppers in the area because of this.
-
Permalink Reply by Steve Kemp on
-
Are you only looking in Georgia?
My wife and I have been looking at land for the last year in OH, WV and VA and there are lots of farms or partial farms out there with singlewides or run down farmhouses on the property. Even if you are quite particular, there are enough out there that you may find one with acceptable land. You pay a very small premium over the cost of just the the land for such a property (you can even ask for a discount off the land price if you can convince them it's a teardown to you). These types of properties will often have a septic and well water already plumbed and the seller rarely values these items highly (they cant take them with them). Instead of looking for just a plot of land, this might be a good solution for you. You could fix up and live in the old property, or use it as an outbuilding and erect a nearby yurt.
P.s. Don't undervalue having a warm and comfortable place to relax after a tough day, it could be the difference between sticking out a rough patch and throwing in the towel - even tough old birds like a feathered nest. Good luck with the search.
-
Permalink Reply by Kim Gates on -
Yes Steve.....I believe you are right. We have looked at some that are fixer-uppers, and some are tearer-downers! Certainly getting something with a well and septic would be a big advantage. We have not seriously started a search but have been kicking tires over locations! Even a rickety old house is grandfathered in and can be renovated. I have parents, a brother, children and grandchildren in the Atlanta area so we won't go too far.
Tough old birds...thats us! Ten years ago we bought a farm in the interior of Costa Rica in the mountains. We lived in a non renovated house/milk barn. I learned a few things about comfort.....hot water, a sound roof, a good mattress, and a heavy quilt can do wonders!
-
-
The farm in Costa Rica must have been quite an adventure, I'd like to read that story sometime!
Having to stick to the area around Atlanta is a little restrictive, but if you have the time to wait until you find the right spot, you'll find it.
Kim Gates said:Yes Steve.....I believe you are right. We have looked at some that are fixer-uppers, and some are tearer-downers! Certainly getting something with a well and septic would be a big advantage. We have not seriously started a search but have been kicking tires over locations! Even a rickety old house is grandfathered in and can be renovated. I have parents, a brother, children and grandchildren in the Atlanta area so we won't go too far.
Tough old birds...thats us! Ten years ago we bought a farm in the interior of Costa Rica in the mountains. We lived in a non renovated house/milk barn. I learned a few things about comfort.....hot water, a sound roof, a good mattress, and a heavy quilt can do wonders!
-
Permalink Reply by Cindy Watson on -
If we didn't already have our land, I would snatch this up in a heartbeat... http://www.georgiamls.com/search/propDetail.cfm?LN=3162310
8.37 acres, fixer-upper 1914 farmhouse with well and septic for $55,000.
About an hour from ATL, but also convenient to Macon which has a growing local foods movement. Mulberry Street Market every week has local produce, honey, meat, etc. and accepts foodstamps, it's AWESOME!
Plus the schools in Monroe Co are amazing.
Just a little shameless plug for my hometown ;)
-
Permalink Reply by Kim Gates on
-
That looks like a good one! Tell me more about the Mulberry street Market. We are looking at some land nearby tomorrow but we are worried about how far out it is. Macon Roots with its ties to Georgia Organics looks like a good start. Schools are no longer an issue for us!
Steve- Yes, Costa Rica was an adventure! We loved it there. We came back so the youngest child could finish High School here. Now the older children have returned with the grandchildren in tow so we feel like it would be to isolating to move back right now. But its still there and being managed so maybe someday! We lived in a town settled by Quakers near the Cloud Forest Reserve," Monteverde." Its a very special place.....kinda like living in the US a hundred years ago.
Our first choice would be to stay in S. Appalachia.....W. North Carolina, Eastern Tn or North Ga....but we are open. I learned along time ago to let go of the reins a bit, keep your eyes open, and let life show you the way!
-
Permalink Reply by Cindy Watson on
-
https://www.facebook.com/MulberryStreetMarket
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4EV_kUP0Uw
It's an awesome place! We try to get out there and shop as often as we can. I hope to one day have my own little booth there :) Although, they seem to already have a little bit of everything!
-
-
Kim,
I know just what you mean about not wanting to be isolated from the kids/grandkids, west coast/east coast is tough, but Costa Rica! My wife was worried we would be isolated from the kids by moving to southern VA, but she came around when I pointed out that they will probably end up living where they go to college and that could be anywhere. One great thing about a farm is that it's a magnet for grand kids to come stay for a summer, but you can't be too far away. So are you guys looking to homestead, farm, retire or some combination of the three?
-
Permalink Reply by Kim Gates on
-
A combo of all three. We are naturally farmers. It has been our passion our whole lives, and for the last few years it has been a living! Although we loved Costa Rica ...... everytime the grandkids come, ages 4 and 10, we know we don't want to leave them. Cecilia, the oldest, has always lived close by or on the farm with us and we are very close. Elijah, the little one seems to have the same interests as we do and asks the best questions! Not only do we enjoy them but we feel we have an important role in their lives. After being raised on the farm my daughter is now a "house" person. Her husband called soon after they were married and asked,' my wife can milk a goat, but couldn't you have taught her to cook too?" As adults none of the children want to farm!
We spent the summer in South Boston starting a garden for a Guest Ranch. Are you near the mountains?
Latest Activity
Cara Randall replied to Tamara Suber's discussion Hello Friends! Looking for advice on getting funding to start a sheep and goat farm!!!
© 2013 Created by Dusty Bottoms.
