Posted: 12/31/2007 8:06:36 AM EDT
| Okay through weird quirk I have obtained some acreage in the middle of nowhere, yet only an hour from home. This is raw undeveloped land that shares three borders with state conservation land. The wife and I began cutting a road into it this last weekend and started working on a plan for making it usable. My question is this - Does anyone recommend a book or guide for the best practices and techniques for land development? |
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Many, many things to consider. If it was me, I would first obtain a USGS Topographic map of the area. This link can get you one for free. You may need to start with the tax map or a plat. Terraserver Check the land for flood zones: FEMA Floodplain Maps Don't build in the flood zones. Texas can have some serious floods. Myself, I'd build on a hilltop. Aside from that, need for info for land use. |
| hub, not a book, but a wealth of knowledge is available on this website's forums. everything from purchasing/running/maintaining a tractor to building a lake/house/pole barn. essentially the arfcom of rural living. |
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Back to Basics has a good introduction on a wide range of topics. It isn't thoroughly exhaustive on anything, though, and I after reading it I only consult it as a quick reference regarding vegetable gardening and fruit trees. 5 Acres and Independence is an OLD book that is currently being reprinted and has information on lots of small farm topics from greenhouses to machinery to chickens to windbreaks. This would be my first recommendation. The Foxfire series books contain eyewitness accounts of digging wells, building cabins, gardening, making moonshine, and other things. What do you want to do with the land? Build a cabin? Hunt deer or other game? Plant fruit and nut trees? Put in a well, develop a spring, or create a pond? Pasture some goats or cattle? Selective harvest lumber? Figure out what you want to do and there will be lots of specific books on those subjects. |
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I know that in Kentucky if you own 10 or more acres you can inlist the help of some agency. I forgot the name but I will look it up when I get home from work. I found it with just a little searching here at work. This may not help you since you are in Texas but for the Kentucky folks, try this site. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/hipinfo.asp?lid=628&NavPath=C117C147C301C547C177 |
I think you might be refering to the Stewardship Program thru the KyDept of Forestry. |