Buying Land

[twomountainlions]

I guess this all sounds a bit bleak, and yeah, it aint for everyone, but the land can be affordable if you are tough enough to overcome the challenges.

And out here, we ARE.

I've been around those parts.
It sounds good as a seasonal place for those who continue traveling a lot or for those who dont want to homestead growing own food and are willing to rely on hauled water. One has to have reliable vehicle for hauling it, future water deliveries or their price affordability arent guaranteed.

 

[twomountainlions]

The lack of water amazes me. Here just poke a hole anywhere & get water. When I was a kid my Dad drove 1.25" wells as a sideline.

I grew up around abundant water like that. Can dig a well and lower 3 foot diameter concrete rings into it. And vegetables grew by themselves without watering. I will be making sure I will have relatively shallow water table. Truly shallow well water isn't ok these days because of contamination from househiolds, industry and agriculture, unless one is in the middle of pristine unpopulated area, but its good to have it as a backup if drought affects primary well, which should be over 100 feet for cleaner water.

 

[Lorelei072]

Not unless you have livestock and crops... in which case you'd be tied to the place year round. People fantasize about many things, but I don't think this would not be suitable for most vagabonds. If you are looking to set up something for the "zombie apocalypse", don't forget the high strength electric fence with razor wire, land mines, and lots of guns and ammo... and plenty of spares of all the gadgets you'll need to run, along with the know-how to repair them.

Smartest thing my Dad did when he took over the family farm was "no livestock". Gave him at least half the year off.

I know a cheap place with a great (by US standards) year round climate, good quality water 300 ft down, little/no codes, etc... less than 30 miles from a very popular growing town with all the "stuff". It's not hard if you look.


Just a note on water... it's the farming and ranching that is taking it... not the "drought". All of this was allotted during a relatively wet period, and the profitability of essentially "free" water for these activities keeps rising. They suck up all they can get, and in the SW it is not unlimited.


If I decide to homestead, I'll get by on what falls on the roof. It'll be a lot more water than I use while camping.

I learned a lot when I attempted to raise chickens in my van. I couldn’t afford the gas to drive 13 miles one-way to the property while working for poor mountain town wages. I’d go to community parks and let the chickens out to stretch, forage, and bask. Unleashed dog owners would freak out. I had 2 hawk attacks and started putting a garden owl on the van roof when I parked. Then there were fiesty young roos crowing at 5 am while trying to stealth-camp
Chickens do pack easy, though. They seemed content to socialize & scratch around in the van-coop although they would get so excited when they knew we were going to the park. I’d use a broom, dried mealworms, and a treat ball if I needed to redirect them or summon them back to the van-coop. Plus they understood the routine. As social creatures they understood a lot.

 

[twomountainlions]

I learned a lot when I attempted to raise chickens in my van. I couldn’t afford the gas to drive 13 miles one-way to the property while working for poor mountain town wages. I’d go to community parks and let the chickens out to stretch, forage, and bask. Unleashed dog owners would freak out. I had 2 hawk attacks and started putting a garden owl on the van roof when I parked. Then there were fiesty young roos crowing at 5 am while trying to stealth-camp
Chickens do pack easy, though. They seemed content to socialize & scratch around in the van-coop although they would get so excited when they knew we were going to the park. I’d use a broom, dried mealworms, and a treat ball if I needed to redirect them or summon them back to the van-coop. Plus they understood the routine. As social creatures they understood a lot.

Lol that rooster can't wait to get outside I can tell

 

[Lorelei072]

Lol that rooster can't wait to get outside I can tell

The gray one in the back always started chattering when we pulled into a park. Once I opened the van-coop door-porch, though, they would stand there a minute to make sure there wasn’t anything that would jump out and eat them.

 

[twomountainlions]

The gray one in the back always started chattering when we pulled into a park. Once I opened the van-coop door-porch, though, they would stand there a minute to make sure there wasn’t anything that would jump out and eat them.

Beautiful birds!

 

[tx2sturgis]

Can't really call it a drought IMO, if rainfall is within long term historic norms. It's an allocation issue

I'm glad you have plenty of water where you are...an allocation issue you called it. I guess that's what it is here also. An allocation issue. A BIG one.

For most of us in the western half of the USA we have this thing we DO call a drought.




The total percentage at the bottom right (Total Area in Drought 53.9%) partially covered by the blue rectangle.

 

[rruff]

For most of us in the western half of the USA we have this thing we DO call a drought.

Apparently where I live (if you are in Lubbock, I'm only a couple hundred miles west), they are calling it a drought too. It ain't. Look up the 100+ year history of where you live, and tell me how much of an outlier recent rainfall has been. Rainfall in the SW fluctuates a lot... which is normal.

 

[rruff]

Not every vehicle dweller is a permanent vagabond. I will have my livestock, birds, and gardens.

Then you will be a permanent non-vagabond. And if you really are prepping for an apocalypse and not just doing it kicks, then you are going to need a lot more than self sufficiency.

You might be surprised how much water you can catch off the roof. 10" per year on a 1,500 sq ft roof is almost 10,000 gallons.

Less than 30 miles from growing town....Im looking for over 50 from declining town.

Even easier to find, then.