"Settlements" & Farms in Nebraska? (Omaha, Lincoln: for sale, real estate)

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by Golanus

I'm pretty much set on the SE corner of the state,

If you are set on the SE portion, here are a few links that might interest you.

Southeast Nebraska Tourism Council

Southeast Nebraska Resource Network

Visit Nebraska - Southeast Nebraska Tour

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Southeast Research & Extension Center

[kosnebbear]

What you are being told here is correct. Beatrice and Fairbury to include the counties around them both have zoning ordinances that you will have to deal with. So if you are looking for someplace close to Beatrice or Fairbury keep this in mind you might want to do something but the zoning codes might not let you. Check with the county clerk of the county where you want to settle in to see about any zoning codes before buying.

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by Dave1215

If you are open to other areas, Sandhills Guru is correct. The mid-portion of the state contains the SandHills area. There is no other land like it in the United States. The western part of the state has the PineRidge area, also a very unique area.

Check out these two links.
Visit Nebraska - Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway
and
Visit Nebraska - Loup Rivers Scenic Byway
Visit Nebraska - 385 – Gold Rush Byway
1) hopefully the videos comes up.
2) note the routes marked in red on the map below the video.

The region surrounding the three red links will give you the remoteness.

This is a link from that same sight that has a SE Nebraska related video. Again, for reference see where the red route is.
Visit Nebraska - Heritage Highway

[Golanus]

Thanks! You guys have given me plenty of research to do, and lots to think about. Don't think I was ignoring your comments about nitrates and zoning because I have been thinking about them.
As for zoning, I don't know beans about it and wasn't sure what to ask. If you were to take over an already established private home or small farm, what affect might this have? I wasn't intending on using it as a place of business, but as I do some mechanical work, etc. I can't rule this out. The only other thing that I can see that it might affect would be the wind-power issue. Some places view this dimly. But if it's not affecting any neighbors, then what?
As for nitrates, we've had that problem even here if someone uses too much fertilizer on their garden it can get in the well. Does anyone know if would be cost-effective to do your own water-treatment? I would be willing to invest in filtration/reverse osmosis or whatever unless it's outrageously expensive. Of course there's always bottled water. We only use less than 5 gal/week for drinking & cooking anyway, the rest is just bathing, wash & dishes, etc...

[kosnebbear]

If there is zoning laws for an area you would need to see how the zoning laws effect the land you own or want to buy to see what you can do with it or can't do with it. If it is zoned for residental purposes then you can not operate a business there without gaining permission from the zoning commission or the governmental agency who controls the zoning laws for the area. So again before you decide on an area you need to check to see what they will and will not allow without getting the permits or rezoning the area. Again Gage County (Beatrice) and Jefferson County (Fairbury) is where you would need to go to find out the answers to your questions about zoning laws for these areas. Also once again in Pawnee County I think you will find out is easier to deal with than the two areas that you seem locked into.

The wind power issue is no big deal. You can have a wind generator if you want one.

As for the nitrates in the ground water. Nebraska has "gardens" that are just a little bit bigger than what you might be use to. Like several hundreds of acres that get the old nitrate treatment here. My step-father was a farmer before he died. His "garden" size was over 1900 acres of production land, irrigated and dry land and over 800 acres of pasture land, in four different counties. You see Nebraska has been a farming state since it became a state in March 1867. Now that they are making ethanol as the additive for our gasoline there will be a increase in the use of nitrates by the farmers in order to increase crop production so that the farmer can sale more corn to the ethanol plants, so they can increase production as well. As far as the treatment issue you need to ask someone who is trained in how to do this. As far as I know about the only way is to just stop using nitrates for a time and allow it to just reduce itself on it's own.

In reading your questions you are in for a very big culture shock when you come to Nebraska. I hope that it will not be a bad experience for you.

[Dave1215]

Actually I made the zoning comments based on what Sandhills Guru mentioned. That had to do with subdividing land down to 5 acres, which is the size originally mentioned in this discussion.

Zoning in Nebraska also controls subdivision of land. There are some areas in the state that control the minimum size of an acrerage. Some say nothing smaller than 25, or 10, or 5, of 3.

It wasn't as much a discussion on land use (commercial, residential, etc) as it was on subdivision of land. Zoning controls both.

[mattpoulsen]

The nitrate issue has a lot to do with the underlying soil and water table issues. I believe its a bigger issue in eastern Nebraska than in western Nebraska. However, its hit and miss anywhere you go and just look into it before buying the property. You should be able to get nitrate info at the county courthouse or the nearest extension agency could probably answer your questions.

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by mattpoulsen

You should be able to get nitrate info at the county courthouse or the nearest extension agency could probably answer your questions.

Also if you do decide to buy and there is a well, just be sure that the purchase is contigent on succesful well tests (both capacity and quality)

[Golanus]

Thanks all! Unless someone has something else to add (I'll be watching), then I'll be out there in a few weeks to have a look around. If things really work out I may spend the winter, which will give me more chance to look into things and places. I will certainly do some checking into Pawnee county to see things down that way. Great advice, glad there are people willing to help!

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by mattpoulsen

The nitrate issue has a lot to do with the underlying soil and water table issues. I believe its a bigger issue in eastern Nebraska than in western Nebraska. However, its hit and miss anywhere you go and just look into it before buying the property. You should be able to get nitrate info at the county courthouse or the nearest extension agency could probably answer your questions.

The nitrate issue is a problem in rural Illinois, too. It has to do with run-off from fertilizing cropland, as kosenbbear explained. When I was a maternal-child nurse there, new moms were told not to give their babies well water until one year of age because of that. They were told to use bottled water until that age to prepare formula, etc. I would guess nitrate is a problem anywhere in rural America.