So, you've always wanted to live in the country? It's a wonderful life, I'll agree. When we moved out here many years ago, we learned everything the hard way. It's a good idea to think a bit before you jump to the country side of the fence. Here's the first country living tip. Well, maybe I'll give you a more than one to start.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/Suzanne57/prairie-house.jpg
You've plunked down $180,000 cash money to buy 2 1/2 acres of previously prime corn and soybean field. Good start. Then you've cobbled together another $600,000 or so to build the house of your dreams. Let's be sure that dream doesn't turn into a nightmare, OK?
First off I see you got a tree there. Well, you might need to find a grower that's got some big, big trees he's looking to sell. You might need 30 or 40 of those big trees. That might (just might, mind you) help block the 50 mile an hour winds that rip across the Illinois prairie 12 months of the year. And call your architect and your contractor and be sure that the they have placed all the water pipes away from the outside walls, or you're gonna be mopping up when the water pipes burst in January.
I know you've picked some fantastic Uba Tuba granite for those kitchen counter tops, but you might want to rethink that choice. Get the next one down the price list, and take the money you've saved and buy yourself a generator. Get a BIG ONE. It's probably too late to install an underground gasoline tank, so just buy yourself a bunch of those 5 gallon plastic gas cans. Fill 'em up. All the way up to the top. Store them in that beautiful 3 1/2 car garage. But be careful....you woudn't want any accidental fire, 'cause by the time the volunteer firemen get the tractor back to the barn, and get to the firehouse where they keep the 1,000 gallon water truck - your house will be toast.
Anyway, it sure looks like it's gonna be a swell place.
I've got more tips, but they'll wait. You've got enough to do right now.
P.S. Welcome to the neighbor. Signed....the country folk and the coyotes.
Hi Ruby:
I live in a "rural" county where the number one industry is agriculture. We are equi-distant though between two major metropolitan areas 35 miles away in both directions so I have the best of both worlds. Even though my grandfather had a dairy farm and I am used to animal manure smells, I am telling you, that when the wind is right, the odor in the air is RIPE!
As agriculture has gone more corporate wih huge agribusinesses developing it is interesting how animal manure impacts the local environment. We had one dairy farm which milks over 1,000 cows whose manure pond contaminated the water table and the ecoli count in neighboring wells made the water undrinkable.
The joys of country living can be greately exaggerated.
All the best,
David
One of your biggest fans
Posted by: David | November 17, 2004 at 11:34
Are you sure about the wonderful results of the hard work? It's possible that this may be wrong but I don't think so. BTW, would you like to know what my swamp looked like back in 1977? (easy, looked pretty-much as it does now!)
woops. Can't code html on comments. The URL that 'this' was supposed to show is http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v63/Bogdaddy/Suzannesbackyard.jpg
Posted by: The Rev | November 16, 2004 at 21:00