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Where I Would Eventually Like to Live

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Yesterday, I gave you some of my thoughts about the urban life — what I like about it — and the key elements that I think I find enjoyable about it from connectivity and accessibility of products and services nearby by walking or taking public transit.

Peru Farms

Yet, I’m in my heart a country boy, and I love spending time in the woods.

  • Live in a small community, with a small city (of around 20,000 persons) within 15-30 miles.
  • Own inexpensive land in hilly, rocky area, maybe 25-50 acres of woodland/pasture that I could run a couple head of cattle on, ride ATVs around.
  • Hobby farm a little bit, grow some of my own food, kill and eat my own animals.
  • Have no neighbors right nearby to bother me, be able to have fires, and burn my garbage (love fire!).
  • Be able to shoot targets and play with guns in my backyard.
  • Relatively low property taxes and fees so I could afford the land.
  • Have ATVs and snowmobiles, handguns and more long-guns, that I could ride around own land.
  • A big 3/4 ton or 1 ton 4×4 off-road pickup truck with cap.
  • State or federal public forest land nearby to hunt and fish on, along with ride ATVs and snowmobiles on.
  • Places in the boondocks nearby where I can truck camp or tent camp for free.
  • Hilltops and ridges to climb up on, look at wilderness and valleys below.
  • Lakes and ponds to swim and paddle around on, and fish.
  • Low taxes, friendly and helpful government agencies.

Coat Rack

There is a lot to celebrate about living in a quality urban community and living the urban life, I sure do love the wild nature of Rural America and the folks who spend every day of their lives in the wood.

The Deutz-Allis 9170 | Successful Farming

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Collateral Damage: The Deutz-Allis 9170 | Successful Farming

The Deutz-Allis 9170 is a good tractor. Maybe even a great tractor.

But man alive, if you show one to a random Allis guy, there’s a decent chance their head will explode. They’ll call it a traitor because of its green paint. Kick dirt on it. It will get awkward. At the end of the day, nobody will feel real great about it, and the 9170 gets the short end of the stick.

There is a Pennsylvania farm channel on follow on the Youtube that farms with Duetz-Allis tractors. Definitely mutant creatures of 1980s but they still do good hauling the manure and turning over the dirt.

A “Dirty Dozen” Plant – Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

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English Ivy: A “Dirty Dozen” Plant – Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden

English ivy’s most dangerous attribute is that it vines up and chokes trees. Not only does this prevent photosynthesis from happening by blocking foliage from sunlight, but it also damages tree bark by holding moisture against the trunk. Fungal rot ensues, leading to a slow and painful death for infested trees. Under the weight of the vines, they are also more vulnerable to fall over during extreme weather events. As if that isn’t enough, H. helix is a reservoir for bacterial leaf scorch (Xylella fastidiosa), a pathogen that usually afflicts maples, oaks and elms.