Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[mtncats <mtncats@yahoo.com>]

Hi Bobby,

 

No expert, but I've bought land, successfully.  There are books about buying country property, with which you should have already familiarized yourself.

 

First order is to examine carefully for any signs of dumping toxins.  Once you buy the land, whatever's there you own.  Unlikely there's a problem, but look carefully.  Your title search should identify any easements, separation of mineral rights, or other encumbrances.  Beyond that, local zoning is something you should understand fully. 

 

I presume you're familiar with access to the electric grid and phone line, if you want them.  In Virginia, access is not guaranteed and must be secured by an easement across neighboring property, at the discretion of the neighbor.  My closing on our current property was delayed a full year until I figured out how to frighten the hell out of a neighbor I wanted an easement from.  We were good friends after that.

 

I know absolutely nothing about your area.  You couldn't touch anything around here for that price.  Not even parcels that are 100% flood plain.  Sounds great.

 

What do you want to know about woodlot management?  We have a tax program here, the only way we would stay, which allows us to pay a small percentage of fair market value taxation.  It's a reward for not developing the land.  To enroll, we had to file a forestry plan which included a timber survey from the state forester.  Without it, we'd have to come up with an extra $4600/yr for real estate taxes. 

 

I was all ears, wanting to learn what I could from a professional forester.  Asked what sustainable yield I could expect.  The question floored him, had never been asked before, didn't even understand the concept the first time.  After much discussion he admitted he hadn't a clue.  What I wanted to know was how many trees I could cut, per area, forever.  So I'm learning on my own.

 

He also couldn't understand why I wouldn't want to sell logs.  I pointed to a large red oak (36" B.H.) and asked how many board feet and what grade.  From there we progressed to what I'd get at the mill versus what I could get if I sawed the logs, dried the lumber, and sold boards.  His jaw hit the ground.  Major difference.

 

To me, it's simple economics.  You have a resource.  How best to utilize it?  I'm also a furniture maker living a life of luxury, surrounded by the best lumber selection I could imagine.

 

Yell if you've got questions.  Congratulations!

Tom (in central Virginia)   

Bobby G <bobbyg53211@yahoo.com> wrote:

> we've found what looks like the best parcel(s) of land
> for our land co-op so far. this realtor has divided
> land from an old farm into several different parcels
> (he calls them lots). these are west of the Wisconsin
> River in an area surrounded by a (private, nonprofit)
> wildlife protection area.
>
> he's got 3 15-acre parcels that are about 50-50 field
> and woodlots. i walked the land yesterday and was
> pleased to find it gently sloping off to the south,
> apparently just in hay crop on the farmed portion. it
> looks well-drained.
>
> the woodlot goes to the back of the property, 1/3 mile
> away from the county road that runs along the front of
> the parcels. there's a lot of fairly mature trees
> (some 18-24 inch diameters), both conifers
>  (hemlock,
> firs, mostly) and hardwoods (maple, ash, yellow birch
> etc.).
>
> then there's a transition zone between woods &
> hayfields, with lots of blackberries growing. 
>
> so i'm thinking, this offers all sorts of
> possibilities for both intensive mini-agriculture plus
> permaculture (berry patches/fruits etc.) plus
> sustainable woodlot management and wildlife habitat.
>
> so there's probably 8 acres on each parcel suitable
> for ag. right at the start. we're thinking, 2 parcels
> together (30 acres) makes more sense. the good thing,
> in that township, no further divisions smaller than 15
> acres will be allowed (no tract housing
> subdivisioning).
>
> anyone got thoughts on this? any experienced woodlot
> management people onlist?
>
> bobby g
> p.s, oh the cost is $2400 per acre. that's typical
> now for farmland in our area.
>
>
>
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