Tuesday, June 14, 2011

And we will call it... This Land

The search is over...


It's official, the metaphorical keys to Camp Stranded have been handed over to the clan.

A small 20 acres (m/l) of Iowa County farmland with a nice mortgage attached. 3-4000 young growth walnut, oak and maple trees planted in rows and an odd shaped pond. This year's hay is left to the seller as part of the deal, but I have the esteemed privilege of mowing the trees.

And now I have to find a mower big enough for the job.

I've kept quiet about it since my previous land deal fell with a thud. (I blame me for yapping too much, something about chickens hatching before the egg or something like that.) We have plans and schemes on what to do with it, a target range is high on the list. Maybe a small cabin overlooking the "lake."

It's a beginning and we have a vision of what it can become.

But before anything else, we have some work to do.

Camp Stranded will be a place where freedom lovers will always be welcome, where the laws of reciprocity are honored, and where tranquility will be cherished.

The title's reference:

6 comments:

Jim said...

Outstanding!

Did you pay a premium to own a pond that looks like a Hogarth caricature of Cyrano de Bergerac. :)

YMMV, but my instinct would be for immediate shelter in the form of a classic wall tent over a plank floor.

strandediniowa said...

Thanks, Jim. It took a little doing

I thought the same thing about the shape of the pond, it does look a bit odd. But being stocked with bass, bluegill and crappie makes up for the ugliness.

Good idea for the shelter, also a privvy might be in order. Not everyone in the clan appreciates the alfresco approach to all things.

David aka True Blue Sam said...

Congratulations! I will drive by and have a look the next time I visit Iowa.

strandediniowa said...

Thanks, Sam. Let me know when.

I plan to start spraying to knock the grass down around the trees which will give me the advantage of identifying the rows. If it doesn't rain this weekend, that's what I'll be doing.

I've got a couple lines on tractors and mowers and several pairs of eyes on the lookout for me. If it rains, then I'll be on the road or at an auction.

I just bought a lot of work!

NotClauswitz said...

Congratulations on the acquisition!
You can always change the shape of the pond with the judicious application of a back-hoe and some dynamite!

strandediniowa said...

Thanks, DirtCrashr.

If we get any more rain, I may not have much of a pond after the dam breaks.

With my luck the spillway may not take the overflow.