Project no more looking at my Ghetto neighbors

[Taylortractornut]

My neighbor sold 2 acres that bordered my salvage yard. Part looked like a park and the other like salvage yard. They made a few complaints to the neighbor that sold the place but they knew it when they bought it. I do agree that a straw bale house can be nice. There was a couple built one near here but used hay and that rots. They had a nice start but it lasted only a few years.

 

[creekbend]

That must be one heck of a fire hazard in the dry season (The straw house)?

Some basic facts are included in the following regarding fire hazards related to that type of building structure. Conservation Showcase - CSP | Missouri NRCS

 

[jokergerm]

Nice work ^^^

 

[creekbend]

Ya its a long story. Short version is we don't like them, and don't want to have to look at them everyday. I understand that straw bales can be done nicely if you do it right. However this seems not to be the case, and the 60 year old woman walks around in a ****** top all the time.

So fence it is. It will be nice to have over 3 acres totally enclosed and private. Now im going to go back to my 2700 fence boards

That is quite a fence, and you should be proud of it. Especially since you spent a considerable amount of money to erect it. Hopefully, you set back your fence far enough from the property line in order to not trespass on your Neighbor's land while building it. You most certainly wouldn't want to trespass on someone else's property, would you? Another thought to consider? If the fence was erected directly on the property line, are you going to ask permission to gain access to your fence from your neighbor's side to stain it? And then, there remains the matter in regards to maintaining it. This would involve damage due to wind, weed and grass growth control, replacement of boards; etc. Every Castle requires maintenance especially the "Moat". I sincerely wish you the best. I sincerely hope that you will find an amicable solution.

 

[Domush]

Wow, at the price of that fence, wouldn't buying more land be less expensive?

I find fences makes slightly less visible neighbors and distance makes them good. I'm of the experience 7 feet high is 10 feet too low, especially if the land has a slope. I once had the same fence, but beyond blocking me from walking around freely, it blocked pretty much nothing and made my property look more like a fish bowl than a private compound. Never again for me.

Hope yours gets you what you're looking for, mine didn't. Moving to more land, however, worked perfectly.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using TractorByNet

 

[RoyJackson]

Indeed. The OP may find that the neighbors aren't that bad now that he doesn't have to looks at them. I live in a straw house and no neighbors can see my place so my wife and I can dress however we like or not at all.

How about a pic of your house? Best to start a new thread...others might be interested too.
I saw one in Vermont several years ago...nice place, actually!
Of course, my first thought was of the old childrens' story about the Three Pigs...

 

[familyman]

...the fact remains, that we as Humans should learn and discover better methods to coexist, than to isolate one's self behind a fence. Just a thought?

The fact remains that after centuries of civilization, higher education, diplomacy, organized religion, the U.N., etc., etc., people do not always get along. We functioned as hunter-gatherers for far longer than civilization has existed and it's in our nature to not only be different from one another but to want to protect what we have from neighboring hunter-gatherers.

People will mistreat one another until the end of time because "right" is all a matter of perspective; every single living human has a different perspective than all the others.

Some separation is necessary and healthy.

 

[LBrown59]

well im only 28

That explains it.
Wait 40 years and you will see things differently .
BTW you will ask your self where did that 40 years go so fast?

I know i've been there done that.

 

[Steave]

This was or is an interesting tread. Good points on both side of the fence (pun intended).

I know of 3 neighbors surrounding someone they couldn't tolerate so they each built a fence between
them and the intolerable neighbor and fenced "them" in and left themselves open to the neighborhood
except a fence down one side of their property.

 

[jokergerm]

With 3 acres i really dont mind being fenced it, there really is not a whole lot to see other than some more grass and i can still see all the trees. So it works for me, and now we dont have to keep our dogs locked up in the back yard. They can rome around where ever they want and not get away. And our coatimundi can be outside sometimes now also

 

[TripleR]

With 3 acres i really dont mind being fenced it, there really is not a whole lot to see other than some more grass and i can still see all the trees. So it works for me, and now we dont have to keep our dogs locked up in the back yard. They can rome around where ever they want and not get away. And our coatimundi can be outside sometimes now also

Glad it is working out for you, having that much acreage can sure make a difference.

 

[jokergerm]

I know 3 acres is nothing to you farm guys but for my first house its a lot to me

 

[TripleR]

I know 3 acres is nothing to you farm guys but for my first house its a lot to me

Don't sell your place short, I lived in town for well over twenty years and would have given anything for a three acre plot. I was in my late forties before we were able to move onto a large place. If we had to buy now with these high prices now, we couldn't do it.

 

[GLyford]

Fences and distance make great neighbors.

I had a neighbor who went to far as to plant trees in my yard "because they looked better." A lot of the foolishness stopped abruptly when I put up a 3' chain link along that property line (well, 6" in), and we actually got along for a few years. They've now moved out and we get along even better...:laughing:

 

[jokergerm]

I had a neighbor who went to far as to plant trees in my yard "because they looked better." A lot of the foolishness stopped abruptly when I put up a 3' chain link along that property line (well, 6" in), and we actually got along for a few years. They've now moved out and we get along even better...:laughing:

lol, nice. i set my fence back 6 feet so i have room to work on it and such and so i can get my tractor around the property without being on there side

 

[EddieWalker]

Interesting range of comments. I find it sad that so many want to critisize for building a fence on his own land at great effort and personal expense. He doesn't care for straw houses, or what he has to see over there. I respect the fact that he didn't post pictures of his neighbors, and it doesn't really matter how bad it is over there, all that matters is that he doesn't care for what he has to see and he chose to take on the responsiblity of doing something about it that didn't affect or cost anybody else anything. I respect and admire this and wish there where more guys out there like him instead of the whiney soap box cry babies who want to tell him what to do on his own land.

While I'm offending the busy bodies out there, I don't care for straw houses either. They are inferior to stick frame in every regard, they are prone to mold and health issues. They decrease the value of the land and there isn't any resale value to them. I would rather have a neighbor put in a double wide then a straw house!!!

As for the pros of a straw house, all you can say is that they are more energy efficient. That's great for the part of the wall without a window, but the R rating of the windoe negates all energy ratings of the walls. Doesnt matter if you have a R 60 wall, putting a R 4 double pain, super energy efficient window in the wall means that's all your walls are good for. Air movement and sealing is much more important then how thick the walls are. The straw is just a false feel good justification without any return. Add to the much greater expense of making everything custom, and you really have to dig deap to want such a building to ignore all it's limitations.

It's a free country and I support doing what you want with your land and living in what you want to. I'm all for trailers, mobile homes, cement, log and cave houses. I even like staw houses, but I do not want to own one and will do all I can to talk a friend out of buying one.

Eddie

 

[RoMad]

Your a wise one Eddie Walker. Well said.

 

[Lava Rancher]

Your a wise one Eddie Walker. Well said.

I actually don't have much of a problem with Eddie's opinion. Straw definitely has its downsides. On the plus side, my house is:

1. Very, very quiet.
2. 17-18 inch thick walls I find comforting. I know it's not a fortress but I like thick walls.
3. Mold is a problem is homes with indoor plumbing. I'm not sure how straw walls makes any difference.

Now if I were to build a straw house I'd design in functional shutters to help with the window issue. I lived in southwestern France for a time and found shutters to be an amazing way to regulate the temperature in my home there. Why they aren't common in tge western US baffles me.

I'd like to build a small straw structure for fun to complement my home but I wouldn't necessarily replace my home with anothe straw walled structure.

 

[Domush]

I find it sad that so many want to critisize for building a fence on his own land

I see a bunch of people who question why he would put forth such an effort instead of taking a different route. There are many ways to deal with the situation he is facing, why are you name calling those who bring up different approaches "whiny soap box cry babies"? Do you see your personal attack post as one of the positive, non-sad, approaches you "respect and admire"?

he chose to take on the responsibility of doing something about it that didn't affect or cost anybody else anything.

Who are you to say it doesn't affect anyone else? I see a big wall of a fence to be an eye-sore which blocks the beauty of nature. Sure, he has the ability (not the right, as rights cannot be taken away, and there are plenty of places you cannot build a fence like that). People have the ability to be jerks, calling people "whiny soap box cry babies", but the simple ability to do something hardly makes it the best approach to solve a problem.

While I'm offending the busy bodies out there

You mean the people who have spoken up for those neighbors who aren't here to speak for themselves? I know if my neighbor pulled this stunt I'd be very unhappy, just as my neighbor would be unhappy with me if I did it to him. And before you begin to think I'm taking this personally, reread my post, as I didn't give one bit of advice. I stated my experience with fencing, hoping to pass on some knowledge so others wouldn't have to go through the same expensive lesson I did. You are the "soapbox whiner" in this discussion.

I would rather have a neighbor put in a double wide then a straw house!!!

Well, seeing as you stated busy bodies should stay out of the lives of other people, who cares what you think. In fact, why bother sharing what you call soapbox, busy body whining?

I don't care for straw houses either.

I even like straw houses

This is what is called talking out of both sides of one's mouth. Honesty is a virtue.

As for the pros of a straw house, all you can say is that they are more energy efficient.

All they did say.. That hardly means that is the only positive to a straw house. If you don't like them (but you do like them.. but don't..?) then don't build one. Easy concept, huh? No busy body soapbox whining needed.

 

[phiferpharm]

I have been following this and have just re-read it and only see one individual who is "calling out" anyone individually, and it is not Eddie, whom makes a blanket statement. I wonder if this is a habitual thing or just a one-time slip.