# Looking for opinions/feedback - Location



## grakita (Dec 13, 2013)

Hi All, and Merry Christmas.

I am just looking for opinions on our retirement/bugout location. It is located in Eastern SD, only access is dirt road with nearest "town" - 1200 population at 20 miles. Nearest location of a greater population is 50 miles in any direction. Our nearest neighbor is 3 miles and we are on high ground and can see anyone approaching. The house is 1200 SqFt with a full basement, various outbuildings including a machine shed, storage building, and quanset(sp) building for animals. Property is 10 acres that is fenced and cross fenced. Rural water but does have a well, I just need to figure out how to make it work as the windmill attached to it is toast. Currently on grid and heat is propane. We will be putting in a multi-fuel stove this summer (we don't currently live there). I also have 7 fruit trees and will be putting in a few more along with berry bushes this spring. Garden - hopefully - will be in this year. Thought and opinions welcome


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

Is the land next to you for sale!!?!!
It sounds like a great place no matter what happen in the next 25 years or so.:congrat:
Great find, can we see pictures?
Are the out building in good repair?


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

I think that there are many pluses to your location. South Dakota is one of the least populated states, and there are no income taxes. South Dakota has a good business base for retired people who register to live in the state, but travel or live in other places due to the taxes.

East river South Dakota has better farm land, and especially along the James River which runs through Huron. They grow great melons. Asparagus can picked in many places. I have relatives who fill their freezers in the spring picking wild asparagus. 

You already know that South Dakota can have some wicked storms in the winter. When I went to college in Aberdeen for a couple years, it was some of the coldest weather I experienced, as Aberdeen is one of the coldest places in the state. 

South Dakota has some of the most productive wind farms in the United States, so a wind mill of some sort would be productive. I know many people there who had their first electricity using windmills and batteries. Due to the wind, many people plant shelter belts to trap snow for moisture in the winter and to keep wind down around their homesteads.


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## grakita (Dec 13, 2013)

Everyone, thanks for the replies. I have pictures and will post when I figure out how. The town is Clark SD, ~ 50 west of Watertown, ~50 east of Huron, and ~50 South of Aberdeen. The outbuildings are in adequate repair. I have one single car garage that I am converting into a canning kitchen. Machine shed is in good repair, I would be happier if it were on concrete and insulated, but can't have everything. The livestock building is in good repair and also has an auto water inside. Forgot to mention there are 2 autowaters as well as 3 outdoor spickets (the tall ones that are freeze proof). Shelter belt to the west and north. I have no idea how a windmill works/worked but bet I can learn here someplace. The windmill structure is still standing but the blade part is gone (I still have parts of it). All outbuildings have electric.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

grakita said:


> Everyone, thanks for the replies. I have pictures and will post when I figure out how. The town is Clark SD, ~ 50 west of Watertown, ~50 east of Huron, and ~50 South of Aberdeen. The outbuildings are in adequate repair. I have one single car garage that I am converting into a canning kitchen. Machine shed is in good repair, I would be happier if it were on concrete and insulated, but can't have everything. The livestock building is in good repair and also has an auto water inside. Forgot to mention there are 2 autowaters as well as 3 outdoor spickets (the tall ones that are freeze proof). Shelter belt to the west and north. I have no idea how a windmill works/worked but bet I can learn here someplace. The windmill structure is still standing but the blade part is gone (I still have parts of it). All outbuildings have electric.


Sounds like this place except for the cold 

Windmills are simple, awkward but simple. If you need to do a lot of repair work lay it down then stand it up again. We always put them up with this in mind, two legs stay loosely bolted to act as a hinge, then we use an A frame cantilever system and something heavy as the anchor, tractor or car.


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

I have been to your area on several occasion and have considered a move there. The cold should not be a problem with some enhancements.

You found almost the perfect location assuming the well is OK?

I would put a solar green house in to increase food production and extend the growing season.

When the EOTW happens, you may not even know about it other then the news you can get from the populated areas of the country.

Stay there!


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## mosquitomountainman (Jan 25, 2010)

Sounds like a great place! Do you have a sustainable source of heat for the house?


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Have you had the well water tested yet? Is it safe? Congrats on the new place! It's awesome when you can find a place that already has a lot of what you need in place!


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## grakita (Dec 13, 2013)

Well, based on the replies that have posted, I found a pretty good location. I will be checking on the wells production once we get moved there. Worst case is it has to be redrilled but am not concerned due to the location. My goals for the coming year are: 1- chicken coop and chickens - I am comfortable with raising and butchering them, 2- 2 Dexter cows bred, 3- Berry/Grape area set up, 4 - 5 additional fruit trees, 6 - converting the small garage into a functional canning kitchen (needs new roof, a window replaced, and just general clean up and appliance installed), 6 - start getting the raised beds in place for the garden, 7- multi-fuel stove installed 8- checking fence line/posts and replace/repair as needed 9 - try to figure out solar power and "possibly" start a small solar back up system.

These aren't in any order just my to-do list. To all who have replied, thank you very much.


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## grakita (Dec 13, 2013)

I figured how to put pictures in, I think. They aren't great but you will get the general idea, let me know what you think. Again thanks for all the feedback.


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## jeff47041 (Jan 5, 2013)

Looks like an awesome place. Congrats! The 1 car garage looks like the perfect canning room. Wouldn't happen to be setting it up as a butchering area too would you?

let us know how the windmill repair goes.


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## mojo4 (Feb 19, 2012)

Since the area is known for wind farms you should check out making your own electricity with wind power. There are probably several companies in the area that do that on a smaller scale than the gigantic eagle killing wind turbines. Looks like a nice place to set up camp!


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## grakita (Dec 13, 2013)

jeff47041 said:


> Looks like an awesome place. Congrats! The 1 car garage looks like the perfect canning room. Wouldn't happen to be setting it up as a butchering area too would you?
> 
> let us know how the windmill repair goes.


No, not for anything other than chickens. I know how to do those and can send my DH away for a few days. He is sure food magically appears in Walmart... don't even ask. I grew up on a farm, he is from Brooklyn NY. I would like to learn how to handle a steer or hog, but don't see that happening there. FYI to the south of the machine shed there appears to be an area they used for butchering/hanging a large animal, or that is the only thing I can figure they did. About 10 foot tall 4x4 supports and large metal rod between them.


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## Norse (Jan 30, 2010)

Sweet spot......the only thing I can see wrong with remote locations is......the ability to defend it alone against smart, well armed and numerous marauding human vultures.

While your odds are far better in remote locations, the events following a worst case scenario will include well organized, well armed scumbags going to where they know the food is......out on the farms.

This is possibly one of the few drawbacks of remote dig ins, too few friendlies to help in the event of coordinated attacks of marauding *******s, and other emergencies that are better faced with larger groups of people. 

I would select a well hidden place to dig a couple of hides for such events, as well as scattering your provisions in accessible hides that are distributed in easily located spots.


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## GrinnanBarrett (Aug 31, 2012)

If your wind mill is truly shot they still make them at places like AEROMOTOR in San Angelo, TX. Your tower looks to be in okay condition. Investing in a new unit to top it off might be a really good investment. The other thing you will need to check is the condition of your pipes going into the well. You may also want to invest in a water tank tower to put next to the windmill. an elevated tower for your water supply will assure you of constant water pressure without having to have an electric pump. GB


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

I have spent a fair amount of time in your area at an uncle's place. All those pheasants in the area are mighty tasty and could be easily added to the menu. You will likely have to pull the cylinder on your windmill and replace the leathers but the repair of the windmill would be on my list if it was mine. Have you tasted the water? At my uncle's it was perfectly safe but tasted awful (it was an artisan well).


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## Tweto (Nov 26, 2011)

I would not worry about gangs for the 6 months of winter. After the first few months of the collapse all the gangs will be heading to the south where it's warmer. You will be fairly safe where you are. 90% of the people I've meet have no idea what it's like on the plains in zero or colder temps with a 40 mile per year wind. Very few people would be able to survive in this. As soon as they get a taste of the cold they won't be back.

Also, I would build below grade blinds in the tree lines and stock them with a few days of food and water, ammo and firearms and extra clothing. If you see approaching groups of even just a few people, leave the house and go to the blind. If they are invaders, you will have the advantage.

For advanced warning you could mount radio battery operated motion sensing detectors on the roads (some are good up to 1/2 mile away).


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## grakita (Dec 13, 2013)

hiwall said:


> I have spent a fair amount of time in your area at an uncle's place. All those pheasants in the area are mighty tasty and could be easily added to the menu. You will likely have to pull the cylinder on your windmill and replace the leathers but the repair of the windmill would be on my list if it was mine. Have you tasted the water? At my uncle's it was perfectly safe but tasted awful (it was an artisan well).


Could you expand on the windmill statement? I assume the leathers are the fin things, what is the cylinder? We haven't actually had the well water as the house is currently on rural water, it may be safe but not tasty, however I am sure we will adjust and survive. We have pheasants in the shelter belt and fields, as they are intent on startling me everytime I walk thru...:2thumb:


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

The shelter belt looks dense and mature. 

I was wondering about the possibility of a place to get firewood? I don't know if you have a plan to use wood or not. Parts of South Dakota have no native trees growing. When my parents were growing up, there was no wood to burn because there were no trees. The used to gather cow chips for heat. Maybe there are some places where you can go to harvest wood. Waubay Lake is not that close, but maybe in the big picture, not that far. The Black Hills is a place where people who live West River get wood, but that just seems to far to get wood. 

Pheasants! Yes, that part of the state has lots of pheasants, and a few years ago, lots of deer. In Spink County (Redfield), west of you, they were a danger to anyone driving, especially truckers who began driving in caravans which seemed to help with deer accidents. 

There are many Hutterite colonies in South Dakota. When I was going to college in Aberdeen, we would see them when we went shopping. Their lifestyle, similar to Mennonites, is cooperative and somewhat communal. They speak a German dialect, but they might be a resource if one of their colonies is close to you.


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## BillM (Dec 29, 2010)

*Your immediat consern*

Your immediate concern is going to be burglars . It won't be an armed gang coming head on, they will come while you are away.

Don't put a lot of gear and supplies there until you are ready to move in and live there.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

grakita - the cylinder contains the leathers and is in the water inside the well with a pipe and a rod going down to it. the rod is what the windmill makes go up and down to lift the water. Here is some information on one.
http://www.indiamart.com/saifindustries/hand-pumps-cylinder-assembly.html


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## grakita (Dec 13, 2013)

BillM said:


> Your immediate concern is going to be burglars . It won't be an armed gang coming head on, they will come while you are away.
> 
> Don't put a lot of gear and supplies there until you are ready to move in and live there.


We currently have tenants in there for that reason


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## grakita (Dec 13, 2013)

weedygarden said:


> The shelter belt looks dense and mature.
> 
> I was wondering about the possibility of a place to get firewood? I don't know if you have a plan to use wood or not. Parts of South Dakota have no native trees growing. When my parents were growing up, there was no wood to burn because there were no trees. The used to gather cow chips for heat. Maybe there are some places where you can go to harvest wood. Waubay Lake is not that close, but maybe in the big picture, not that far. The Black Hills is a place where people who live West River get wood, but that just seems to far to get wood.
> 
> ...


No, we don't have a ready supply of wood, which is why I am leaning toward a multi-fuel stove. We may not have wood but we sure have corn and soybeans! While we have an abundance of Pheasants, I have not seen many deer, certainly not like what I am used to here in NE. I pass 2 fields each day coming home from work with upwards of 20 deer in each and deer strikes are pretty normal on my drive. Up there I think I may have seen 2 deer, dead or alive, in the times I have gone up, but that may be seasonal. I am familiar with Mennonites, as we have a large population of them back in De where I am originally from, and I know we have 2 Hutterite Colonies within 15 miles of where I will be so we will see how that goes.


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## Grape Ape (Oct 28, 2008)

The animal hanger you mentioned near your machine shed may be for more than that. It can also be used to pull an engine in a vehicle or to lift any sort of thing you need to work on with a proper hoist whether a cable come-along or a chain hoist. 

Looks like a nice place. Outside raised water tank will be great in the summer but will freeze in the winter. As mentioned before you should look into a wind generator for electricity. Pair the power needs down to a minimum and use the generator to charge batteries and you will have a good setup for future off grid needs.


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