New Hampshire want to farm and go solar (Nashua, Conway: home, live)
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Thanks everyone. To answer GregW. Just me and a couple of dogs, and hopefully a few goats and chicken. Not a big garden. Although, maybe I'd like to branch out (no pun intended) to sell berries. So, only one working the land would be myself. I don't need a big house, a bungalow perhaps. Now, where I live in NY my prop. taxes are 10,000. Solar would be to supplement whatever house is hooked up to. Is there a lot of cloud cover in NH or is it the snow that's a factor with solar? Do most people have it on the roof or on the side of the house where they can brush it off. Thanks again. Must someone be in a certain zoned area to do this? Would I have to call all local govt to find out?
Just me and a couple of dogs, and hopefully a few goats and chicken. Not a big garden. Although, maybe I'd like to branch out (no pun intended) to sell berries. So, only one working the land would be myself. I don't need a big house, a bungalow perhaps. Now, where I live in NY my prop. taxes are 10,000.
How about a +6 acre horse farm for $200K? Just $7K per year in property tax, plenty of barn space for goats and chickens. One of many such properties near Milford/Mont Vernon/Lyndeborough/etc.
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Solar would be to supplement whatever house is hooked up to. Is there a lot of cloud cover in NH or is it the snow that's a factor with solar? Do most people have it on the roof or on the side of the house where they can brush it off. Thanks again. Must someone be in a certain zoned area to do this? Would I have to call all local govt to find out?
Outside of the cities and certain historical districts, the idea of "zoning" controlling what you put on your roof is alien to NH. Most people put solar on their roof because it's convenient and that's where they have space, but if you have the land to spare then putting your "solar farm" out on poles in a field is definitely more productive. We have net-metering, so anything you produce goes to reduce your electric bill. I've done the math, you do better (over 20 span) by spending the money on high-efficiency appliances and upgrading insulation.
Yes, most towns do have zoning laws, but they're usually minimally intrusive and only really enforced in the "compact area" or if you really annoy the neighbors.
We have used solar heat in our condo since we moved in. Instead of fancy collectors we have 12 feet of sliding glass doors facing southeast. We do not heat the entire house during the nights in winter (electric heat) so it can get real chilly (50 deg or so) over night in the main room. On a sunny winter morning that room will warm up to 60+ in a couple of hours.
I believe, but call the Londonderry zoning board for confirmation, that some light farming including livestock like chickens and maybe a horse, are allowed on any property over two acres in an agricultural/housing zone. IIRC land, without a house, is running around 100k per acre.
Aside: I do not believe the animal deaths on the horse farm were in any way related to spraying apple orchards to control insect pests. I do not know what killed the horses but if orchards chemicals were responsible there would be thousands of dead horses every year. Also none of the horses near other orchards were killed.
IIRC land, without a house, is running around 100k per acre.
Londonderry area is $100,000 per acre for buildable land? Definitely better to look further out if you want land for agricultural use. I assume those prices are due to commutability to MA?
Sometimes more land is better and cheaper than a small plot, especially with the "Current Use" tax break:
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Undeveloped farm land, forest land, certified tree farms, may all enroll in current use. Other land, such as wetlands and other sites unsuitable for agriculture or forest products are also covered by the law. Typically, land holdings must be at least 10 acres, but owners of smaller wetland parcels or land devoted to agriculture may also be eligible. Buildings and other improvements, such as driveways and septic systems, or “curtilage” land that is needed to support surrounding structures are excluded from current use.
Londonderry area is $100,000 per acre for buildable land? Definitely better to look further out if you want land for agricultural use. I assume those prices are due to commutability to MA?
Sometimes more land is better and cheaper than a small plot, especially with the "Current Use" tax break:
yeah - same with Derry, Auburn, Chester, Salem, Windham and any of the towns in the golden triangle.
Aside: I do not believe the animal deaths on the horse farm were in any way related to spraying apple orchards to control insect pests. I do not know what killed the horses but if orchards chemicals were responsible there would be thousands of dead horses every year. Also none of the horses near other orchards were killed.
the court agreed with you - there was not enough proof that they died from the poison sprayed over them
So, I am thinking to move out of New York and into a "Live Free or Die State". I want to grow my own vegetables and fruit shrubs without neighbors complaining to any town boards (that will mow them down) And I want to put solar panels on my home without consequences. I'm also thinking (just dreaming) of having a goat or two.
No, I am not going to have cows or a windmill. I want a town, preferably not too far from a hospital and library. Any suggestions?
Lonely are we? What exactly is it about the goat that makes it more preferable than the cow? Personally I would never go to either place but I must admit, you've piqued my curiosity.
RVC you can grow things to eat here, and you can own a gun for the wanting.... Solar will be what you invest. I suggest you go with that slowly and find out what you need. I have a buddy that bought too much solar and makes too much power for his needs which is a hassle. he is way off the grid and can't dump the power.
DO NOT Bring NY with you! The more rural you are the better off you will be. Less busybodies.
I have a garden that will feed 3 from harvest to harvest, passing harvest for some items. I shoot next to the garden, sometimes from inside the barn if the weather is poor, and also next to the house.
The state has some foolish notion I need to be 300 feet from the occupied dwelling, but the state can go pound salt. In any case while a few may hear gunfire at times no one says a thing because I hear their gun fire too at times.
We are about as 18% gray as Ft Ticonderoga is..... We have at least as harsh a winter if not more so in the mts areas.
Don't bring NY with you! Did I mention don't bring NY with you yet? Well don't
What exactly is it about the goat that makes it more preferable than the cow? Personally I would never go to either place but I must admit, you've piqued my curiosity.
Having raised both cows and goats, I can weigh in on this with my opinion (for whatever that's worth) We currently raise Boer Goats, which are a meat variety of goat.
The conversion rate from the amount of feed they eat to the amount of body weight they gain is much better than the beef critters we have had.
A goat is ready for the freezer in less than a year but beef is a at least 2 years which means getting them through winters.
Our goats are friendly and easier to handle and they eat a larger variety of vegetation.
Oh and did I mention how tasty the goats are. A family favorite in this household.
My youngest son, who is 6, thinks he wants beef critters for a 4h project when he's old enough. So we may very well have cattle here again in the next couple of years but if it wasn't for his desires I'd stick with the goats.
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