As I've mentioned before, we live on 10 acres and plan on eventually building a house and creating a farm out here. So far it's just been all planning and dreaming while we wait for the time to be right, but last week we went and talked to a bank representative about all the details on getting a construction loan.
Whoa! That was the first concrete step we've taken to turn our dreams into something real. It feels like suddenly being switched over to technicolor. It seems so much more... tangible and immediate.
At the same time, it means having to start to deal with real roadblocks and red tape. We had previously planned on clearing about 4 acres later in the year on our own, and then starting construction on the house after that. That way I could be throwing up raised beds and fencing on the cleared land while the construction is going on.
But we found out at the bank that we're in a key watershed area, and disturbing existing growth is pretty strictly regulated. So we have to wait and clear the land at the same time the house construction starts so all the proper water runoff precautions can be taken. SIGH.
At least we found this out BEFORE we just started slicing stuff down. I imagine had we unintentionally done this the wrong way we might have been up for some hefty fines. So we managed to dodge that bullet!
Be that as it may, waiting to clear the land just feel excruciating. How will it look after it's been cleared?! It's like this awesome present is just SITTING there waiting for me to rip off the wrapping paper and I'm squirming around in my chair, being forced to wait. (Can you tell I might need to work on developing some patience?)
Also I've been waiting to plant anything permanent until we have the land cleared. I have a whole LIST - diagrams even - on the stuff I want to plant. A lot of this stuff are fruit and nut trees that only start to bare fruit YEARS after it's been planted.
It's so exciting that we're on our way!
Oh, wow! I didn't realize you needed a permit or lived in a sensitive watershed area. Glad you checked in, and I hope it will all get rolling soon!
ReplyDeleteIf you are not sure yet exactly where to place the house, I will tell you what helped us was at topography map of our property. We placed the house in the highest elevation area, and that way we avoid any possible trouble with flooding due to inclement weather. Once while walking our property, my husband discovered a straight line of mature pines, among the rest of the forest trees. We cleared right up to the line of pines and it serves us now as a utility lane. We run to the back of our property and forward along that line and don’t tear up the grass with a tractor or UTV.
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