When my adventure began

For me it all started when I was in my twenties, I was living on my father-in-law’s 5 acres and later on 6-2/3 acres he had. Years later I remember sitting at home one evening looking through the Penny Saver, I saw an ad for 40 acres of land $10,000 outside of Del Norte Colorado with owner financing for $100 down and $110 a month. Though we were living from week to week I believed that we could afford that. I called the owner and arranged to go see the land, asked for a week off from work. The week before we were going, Nancy went to Phoenix for a church meeting and met some friends of ours from Oregon who told her that there was land for sale like that near them. When she got home her mind was set on Oregon not Colorado so we went to Oregon.

I had communicated that I wanted 40 acres of land for less than $20,000 owner financing preferred, when we were going to meet the realtor she didn’t show, after a call from our  friend we were told she would meet us the next day. Showing up late she informed us that she didn’t find any listings that met my criteria but she found a 35 acre parcel, a 30 acre parcel, and a 20 acre parcel, I wasn’t feeling happy, but I decided that the 35 acres might be ok. She then went on and on about some 5 acre parcel that would be good for us, I made it clear that I wasn’t interested in 5 acres.

I told her we would like see the 35 acres, looking at the map I knew it was south of town. So when we left town going north I knew something was up. We arrived at some semi nice 5 acre parcels; this time I made it really clear that I wasn’t interested in 5 acres…

Next we ended up at the 20 acre parcel $21,000 which I feel in love with instantly the plot was on a hill overlooking a lake the fir trees were huge close together and beautiful. There was one problem it was in the roe river charter, huh. Basically it was a home owners association which had to approve any building plans, one dog or cat no livestock, cars had to be garaged…etc. NO THANKS.

The 30 acres $18,500 were next, no road access, zoned F2 only farming or forestry, you could build with a permit, if you cut down a tree it had to be replanted where the old tree was cut down….etc. NO THANKS.

The 35 acres 18,000 which didn’t look at was zoned F1 forestry only, no building no camping no no no…etc. NO THANKS.

Plus the property tax in Oregon is their main source of income, not good for someone who wants homestead.

Needless to say I wasn’t happy (understatement).

When we got back home Nancy was sharing details of our trip with a neighbor who gave us a copy of United Country Reality catalog. There I found places all over the country that fit what I was looking for, time for some thoughts about what it was I really wanted.