- Let's talk about Country Living
< Gentle laughter > Nature abhors a vacuum !
If there's a spot that you're not using plants or critters will move in and try to take over. Seems like it's a constant battle. I only use my yard truck for plowing in the winter. Seems like the mice are always making nests in either the air cleaner or heating ducts while it's sitting idle over the summer.
I was having problems with the septic cause at one time there were about seven people in our family. One newborn, three teens, two parents, and one elderly grandmother in her 80's. That's a lot of water !
The biggest waste water maker was the washing machine. I was doing three to four loads a day at 35 gallons a load. I put in a separate grey water system and that solved the problem with the septic. You're not supposed to but .... i know more than a few folks that just run the water from the washing machine out into the woods somewhere. Just make sure you keep it at least a hundred feet away from the nearest well and don't dump anything on your neighbor's property.
The other big offender is the toilet. They can leak something wicked and you would never know it. It's good to check em' once or twice a year. Just lift off the tank cover and look at the overflow tube. The water level inside the tank should be about 1/2" below the top. If it's quietly running over the top it can waste as much as 50 gallons of water a day. In the city that can double your water bill. In the country it can overtax your septic system and flood it out.
For whatever it's worth .... there are some advantages to getting a new -or- newer place. It's a better,cleaner,warmer, home for your kids to grow up in. The folks that do the factory made homes will usually take care of all of the complicated details like getting power & a road in, sitework,septic, well etc. It's all part of the package price.
There's a thing called the USDA Rural Housing Service. They will help you through the process and sometimes even lend you the money to buy a home if you qualify for one of their programs. The mortgage payments are based on your income and adjusted yearly. What it comes down to is that as long as you are reasonably responsible your home will never be more than you can afford.
~ Just more food for thought. ~
ETA: You guys are so lucky with the bonfires. It can take me weeks or even months to get a burn permit. The granolas are drivin' me nuts. They hate anything that makes fire. A bonfire,an internal combustion engine, a heating system, etc.
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