Property Development

[Green Acres Homestead]

We have 23 acres overlooking a bay in beautiful Cape Breton Nova Scotia. It was part of an old farm that is largely overgrown so I am using my l4740 with a backhoe attachment, logging winch and tiller to develop it. Part of my project is to become self sufficient by building a log cabin and put in some gardens. I already starting clearing the property and made a road to the beach. Here is a video of moving a huge rock with my backhoe when I was build the network of roads. huge rock removal during road build

 

[ning]

Good work!
When I was up there about a year+ ago I noticed there was a lot of storm damage in the forests; does your land have much of that and what are your plans for the land?

 

[two_bit_score]

Looking forward to following your development plans!

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

Good work!
When I was up there about a year+ ago I noticed there was a lot of storm damage in the forests; does your land have much of that and what are your plans for the land?

Thanks for your reply. Yep there is always storm damaged but 90 percent of the softwood tree damage was caused by the Asian bark Beatle. Back in the 80ies we had an infestation of the spruce bud worm. They did alot of damage but they sprayed them and got rid of them and the forest kind of recovered. The spray killed alot of wildlife in the process but the forest made a good recovery. Now with the Asian bark beetle, they cannot be sprayed because they are inside the tree. I think the beatle has run its course but did a lot of damage to the spruce and fir. Apparently it only takes a few bark beetles to kill a tree.

My land does not have much spruce. Maybe 15 cords. I only have 23 acres which is part of the family’s original 200 acre land grant. The spruce was harvested on the remainder of the other 180 acres. The little bit of spruce I do have is pretty sound. It is its own little pocket of wood that has not been effected yet.

My plans is cut the bushes and some trees and build a network of roads. There is about 21 acres on the lower side of the road which leads to its own beautiful beach. I am planning to develop three, seven acre peace’s on the 21 acres below the road. Each peace will have its own smaller house, garden, green house and garage. My two daughter will likely be the receiptant of this development. With the world like it is today it would be nice for them to have someplace sustainable for them to retreat to.

Here is a pic of the property. The picture was taken from my couch on the upper side of the road. I will later send a pic of the lower side of the road.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

Looking forward to following your development plans!

Yep I have lots of plans. I suspect the plans will proceed fairly slow as I am doing most of the work myself, I have other initiatives like my music and I am now considered a senior.

Thanks for your comment.

 

[Thomas]

Glad the weather in your favor,keep the updates coming.

 

[Green Acres Homestead]

I have concerns about the supply chain. Here in Cape Breton the Grocery shelf’s are sometime sparse and for a couple of days the gas stations were out of gas in North Sydney. I wonder if home heating oil will be available or at what price so I have a push on to have 5 cords of wood available. A byproduct of developing the property is firewood so I’m saving every bit I can save.

 

[EddieWalker]

A few years ago I lost power for a week from a winter Ice Storm. At that time, my only way to heat my house was from electricity. Once Summer hit, I bought and installed a wood stove and started cutting and storing firewood. Now my house is only heated from firewood. I feel sorry for everyone that is relying on electricity or natural gas, or oil to heat their homes. If you can get it, what will it cost?

 

[two_bit_score]

If you burn up all the wood on your land what will you do if elect and natural gas are unavailable?

Kidding just a little bit.

It is a real issue and a lot of people can’t change their circumstance.

We have been lucky to have options of reliable electrical power + wood burning stove at the main house but not a huge supply of our own wood.

Second place has plenty of wood but no WBFP or stove (at least not yet anyway) but has reliable electric power (so far) and very reliable natural gas.

But these places are 5 hours apart.

 

[Carl_NH]

Beautiful property and looking forward to following your project. Want to get up Cape Breton area way one day - closest I've been is Amherst NS.