Homestead mailing list

[Robert Walton <waltonrp AT gmail.com>]

My land is 35 acres, 10 or 15 open and the rest woods. It's shaped
like an upside down and backward "L". I made a drawing below, if it
comes through OK, you can see that there is a 50' wide strip of land
from the road to the back of the "L".

________________________
|                                        |
|                                        |
|                                        |
|     LOT                             |
|____    ____                      |
    X |    |  X  |                      |
    X |    |  X  |                      |
    X |    |  X  |                      |
    X |    |  X  |                      |
    X |    |  X  |                      |
    X |    |  X  |                      |

A small stream crosses the strip of land to the back. The strip gives
great access to the back part which is wooded. To get there from the
rest of the land involves crossing larger streams. The strip has a
cleared path also. Where I typed the word "LOT" is open, looks like
they used that as a turn around for logging. There are paths from
there into the woods, but mostly overgrown.

I got across the stream today and bush hogged off the back part of the
path and the turn around. It was getting overgrown in small pines.
Some of them were a little big, but I got them. There is maybe a 50'
or bigger square there at the end of the lane that is open.

I'm going to use this as my base of operations for logging. I cut down
a couple of trees and drug them out into the open, bucked one.
Tomorrow, I'll buck the others and start splitting and stacking.

This is the start of re-opening some of the logging trails in the
woods. I want to be able to circle the whole place on these trails.

Also, I have a great, quiet, away from the house place to work on
firewood. There is enough sun that hits the open area that I can stack
it there to dry. I really like to get out into the woods and stay
there for a while, and now I have a place.

A small shelter would be a good addition to my secret place. Maybe
even a simple cabin sort of shelter. It's a really pretty place
overlooking the small stream.  When I first bought this place I wanted
to put a house there, but decided against it so I could be out where
the animals are.

I'm thinking that starting on a little cabin would be a good idea. In
20 years, whatever nephew or niece that decides to live here could
take over my house and I could retire to my little cabin in the woods.
Ah, dreams.

Rob - Va