I'm excited to produce my own food

**Chris** · 10-23-2012, 05:20 PM

I'm starting a project soon, it will take me many years, I am making my dream home, on my dream lot. We're moving to Chattanooga TN and I bought 20 acres up on a mountain. The lot is gorgeous, about 10 acres is hardwood, sloping, and the point of the ridge, good soil. The other 10 acres is limestone, won't be growing much there.

The trees are amazing though, hundreds of mature oaks and hickories. There is also a big mature persimmon tree, and a grove of large maples including a big 36 inch diameter mama. It also seems like I have idea habitat for wild ginseng, though I only just learned about that and so didn't look when last I was there.

I'm really excited to get down there and live, I'd like to be able to go plant my apple trees and whatnot now, to let them get a couple years of growth in (we're moving in 2015). But I'm just really excited about the maturity of the lot already. I won't have to plant nut trees and wait years and years for production, or maples hoping that, maybe in my retirement, I could make syrup because it would take so long to get them big enough. Plus all the free heat from the firewood provided by the forest. I'll have no shortage of hickory for smoking.

Instead of having to wait, I'll have more nuts than I could ever eat, maple syrup, and persimmons from day 1.

**grrlscout** · 10-23-2012, 05:59 PM

Congrats! I was just in Chattanooga, and it is definitely beautiful country.

**hunter63** · 10-23-2012, 06:12 PM

That the way to do it....took a long time to find our "Place" but was worth the wait and trouble....Congrats, everyone need a dream.

**1stimestar** · 10-23-2012, 06:30 PM

Congratulations. I'd be super excited too.

**crashdive123** · 10-23-2012, 07:54 PM

Congratulation! Looking forward to meeting you at one of our Jamborees that are usually in that general geography.

**Pal334** · 10-24-2012, 02:07 PM

Great!! Glad is a dream come true for you

**nell67** · 10-24-2012, 05:02 PM

Thats awesome Chris,all those reasons you listed are awesome,and on the plus side,you also have the resources there to help pay off the land early,selling firewood or logs from downed trees or if you needed to thin down the trees,plus ginseng can be very profitable IF the land hasn't been dug in years,ginseng is much more valuable now than it used to be,I would LOVE to find 10-20 acres of undug ground.

**Chris** · 10-24-2012, 07:51 PM

I only learned of the value of wild ginseng a week ago watching that new show "Hillbilly Blood". I have no idea if any is on my land, I know it can look like small hickory seedlings so I may have seen it and assumed it was that. But I did read it likes mountain slopes facing the NE under mature hardwoods, and I do have exactly that. Next time I visit I'm for sure going to look around.

**nell67** · 10-24-2012, 08:20 PM

I have hunted ginseng since I was small,tagged along with my grandfather and made a little pocket money for the summer,back then,there was not a hunting season for it,and as soon as it cam up,it was legal to hunt,now,at least in Indiana,and I am sure most other states where it grows,it cannot be dug until after september 1st,and it must be at least a 5 year old plant,and if it still has seed on,they must be planted back into the same soil as the plant was dug,using only your finger to push it into the ground. however,on your own property I do not think they enforce the laws but it would be crazy to not replant the seed where you dig it. Good luck with the new property!

**rebel** · 12-27-2012, 10:46 PM

Chattanooga, home of the Moonpie. Beautiful country. If the locals ask we're you're from, say the next county. Just sayin.

**finallyME** · 01-18-2013, 06:48 PM

That's wonderful Chris. I still need to clear out a few school debts before I can start looking for my "place" and h63 calls it. Make sure and give a good report of the progress as it happens.

**crashdive123** · 01-18-2013, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by Chris

I only learned of the value of wild ginseng a week ago watching that new show "Hillbilly Blood". I have no idea if any is on my land, I know it can look like small hickory seedlings so I may have seen it and assumed it was that. But I did read it likes mountain slopes facing the NE under mature hardwoods, and I do have exactly that. Next time I visit I'm for sure going to look around.

I don't get the channel that the show is on, but one of the "stars" (Gene) is a member here.

**Chris** · 01-19-2013, 12:08 PM

My next step is having the building site cleared. For the house and plethora of gardens. It does amount to around 200 hardwoods 14" in diameter+, and tons of smaller pulpwood logs, I hired a forester to administer the timber sale, I hope to clear a good amount from it.

**Winnie** · 01-19-2013, 12:34 PM

Good for you! Nothing like a dream coming to fruition.

**Wildthang** · 01-21-2013, 06:46 AM

Congrats and good luck on the new homestead!

**Yves** · 01-28-2013, 05:56 PM

Originally Posted by Chris

I'm starting a project soon, it will take me many years, I am making my dream home, on my dream lot. We're moving to Chattanooga TN and I bought 20 acres up on a mountain. The lot is gorgeous, about 10 acres is hardwood, sloping, and the point of the ridge, good soil. The other 10 acres is limestone, won't be growing much there.

The trees are amazing though, hundreds of mature oaks and hickories. There is also a big mature persimmon tree, and a grove of large maples including a big 36 inch diameter mama. It also seems like I have idea habitat for wild ginseng, though I only just learned about that and so didn't look when last I was there.

I'm really excited to get down there and live, I'd like to be able to go plant my apple trees and whatnot now, to let them get a couple years of growth in (we're moving in 2015). But I'm just really excited about the maturity of the lot already. I won't have to plant nut trees and wait years and years for production, or maples hoping that, maybe in my retirement, I could make syrup because it would take so long to get them big enough. Plus all the free heat from the firewood provided by the forest. I'll have no shortage of hickory for smoking.

Instead of having to wait, I'll have more nuts than I could ever eat, maple syrup, and persimmons from day 1.

That's great. I'd build my house on the limestone (easier to carve than granite) and use the rest of the land for whatever I want. God, that sounds like paradise. I'd go nuts with building all sorts of things out of that stone that you have there.