In 2014, Spice and I purchased an acerage (30 acres m/l) in an extremely rural part of North Missouri, with the idea to develop it as both a prepper’s retreat should we need it, as well as a recreational area for us and our family. I will be sharing updates, at first going back in time and eventually going forward as we make improvements.
This is an introduction to the project.
2014: Purchasing the retreat
We purchased a small rural plot of land for the dual purpose of building a vacation / camping / hunting / fishing area and a fallback retreat. The 30 m/l acres is down rural paved road in northern Missouri, and is at least 100 miles from any town larger than 17,000 people. It has rural water and grid electricity at the property boundary, for use if we so choose.
The nearest neighbors are 1/4 mile away on either side east/west of us, but north and south we don’t have any neighbors for a good couple of miles either way. I was working on the fence area Sunday by the road and in the two hours I was there, not a car drove past.
A rural location (to say the least)
The land, at time of purchase, with one small old cattle pond. For those of you unfamilar with this type of pond, they are shallow (4ish feet m/l in the middle) designed to both provide water and a cool spot for the cattle to stand in extreme heat.
These ponds tend to erode quickly due to the cattle tearing up the shoreline and bottoms of the pond. The “old pond” as we call it is partially overgrown with cattails (excellent for prepping purposes).
There are two “clearings” one about 100×100 yards and the other about 20-30 yards wide (varies) by 250 yards long. All the rest of the property is forested, with several deep draws. The neighbors who have cleared their land use it as pastureland. The soil is good enough on the top of the draws to garden.
First up? The Pond
Our first projects were as follows: We built a good sized pond (the story of this is here: Part 1, Part 2 & Podcast) specifically deep enough to be a good fishing hole (15 feet deep at least).
We also leveled off about 3 areas… one area for a shipping container (secure storage), one for camper parking and one for a “bunkhouse” style cabin (cold harbor, no water or electricity). Eventually that cabin will have solar power in it, and wood heat (we have LOTS of wood, LOTS of it… a good selection of dead trees here and there that need to come down).
Also, first year, we are started planting the orchard.
Here are on view of the land as we were purchasing it back in May, 2014.
The “big clearing”
Looking towards the “old pond”
Claring where the cabin now sits
The “old pond”
I will be sharing details on what has been done and what we are doing as time goes by here on 3B&Y.