why does property in rural NM have so much junk in the yards? (HOA, appliances)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have lived a lot of places and traveled everywhere that people have the reputation of having "junky" yards full of appliances, half-worked-on cars, trailers, and other objects. West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky (Appalachia) does have this deserved reputation in rural areas. But nothing like my new home of two years.
I don't know why, but rural New Mexico (including VERY small towns of less than 1000 people) seem to all have a TON of junk in their yards. I'm not a HOA association snoop, not a rich snob or a neat freak, and I've always been live and let live. But thank god, because I'm on the edge of town and not in it, that I'm not surrounded by neighbors that all look like their having a bankrupt farm equipment auction, or a used appliance/junk truck part sale. The whole town (and every town near) where I live is like this, and all down the road for miles. Has everyone just gotten used to it?
Is it because of the weather, stuff doesn't rust, and there's no grass to get wrecked? And "I'll just get to it this weekend" was said back in 1979? And entire towns (like mine) seem to be one humongous junkyard.
Rich, poor, farmer, cowboy, hippie, townie, it's across the board. Though it does seem to skew towards older folks.
Anyone else notice this? Maybe it's because I come from back East where everyone gripes about neighbors' grass or leaves. And that OCD stuff always made me roll my eyes too. But it is absolutely unreal here. Old railroad boxcars, falling apart junk vehicles, old tractor trailers, construction stuff, etc etc. And it's everywhere. On my street in my little town, 8 out of ten houses look like salvage yards. And these people have nice property and money. A house just sold for example, but surrounded by junk ten feet tall against their neighbor's fence. Are people just oblivious to it?
When did I move to a pick-a part?
Sounds a lot like the outskirts of the cities in CA I used to live in.
Junk sitting out in the desert sun to eventually succumb to thermal elements and break in to pieces over time.
There's not enough water to rust it and there's not enough vegetation to hide it.
I think this is very true, junk of any kind sticks out more in arid areas with lack of vegetation. Also, it's not called "junk" it's yard art. You never know when you'll get around to putting in a new tranny for the 1980's Datsun in the side yard. What are you going to do, throw it away? .
Part of it could be working on projects. Another part could be the poor people can't afford to have it hauled off.
Four years ago, I purchased land in VERY rural Wisconsin to follow my dreams. There are about a half dozen regular helpers for our projects and a dozen or so others that come out semi-regularly. It's a commune of sorts I guess. I bought it to share with trusted friends. It has largely been a success, but it definitely looks a lot like what you're describing. We're a distinctly different demographic from most rural folks with junk. We're all young, educated, poor (of the student debt plus bad job market type, not for lack of trying), living in the city, busy, and responsible. Part of our problem is stuff gets brought out for various projects and what's left doesn't get cleaned up because the people who worked on that project are busy with a different one now. Part of it is that our extended community of eccentrics is well aware that we're poor and we need stuff, so they bring stuff out expecting us to appreciate it and use it. Most of that doesn't get used because we never end up needing it, so it sits around for years until we take time away from our projects to decide what to do with it.
I suppose our situation overlaps the situation of the typical rural yard with junk to a certain extent, so it helps shed some, but not all, light on why theirs are junky too.
Part of it could be working on projects. Another part could be the poor people can't afford to have it hauled off.
Four years ago, I purchased land in VERY rural Wisconsin to follow my dreams. There are about a half dozen regular helpers for our projects and a dozen or so others that come out semi-regularly. It's a commune of sorts I guess. I bought it to share with trusted friends. It has largely been a success, but it definitely looks a lot like what you're describing. We're a distinctly different demographic from most rural folks with junk. We're all young, educated, poor (of the student debt plus bad job market type, not for lack of trying), living in the city, busy, and responsible. Part of our problem is stuff gets brought out for various projects and what's left doesn't get cleaned up because the people who worked on that project are busy with a different one now. Part of it is that our extended community of eccentrics is well aware that we're poor and we need stuff, so they bring stuff out expecting us to appreciate it and use it. Most of that doesn't get used because we never end up needing it, so it sits around for years until we take time away from our projects to decide what to do with it.
I suppose our situation overlaps the situation of the typical rural yard with junk to a certain extent, so it helps shed some, but not all, light on why theirs are junky too.
It's not this at all. It's not out for immediate use. It's just "stored" outside. Much as I hate snoopy neighbors and HOAs telling folks what to do, it's just ugly. I live with it, and now I'm even getting used to it. Kinda-sorta.
It's not this at all. It's not out for immediate use. It's just "stored" outside. Much as I hate snoopy neighbors and HOAs telling folks what to do, it's just ugly. I live with it, and now I'm even getting used to it. Kinda-sorta.
I guess that's where the weather comes in: here in New Mexico, you can store a lot of things outside for an extended period of time without worrying too much about them getting destroyed by the elements. There's construction wood stacked outside at my grandfather's cabin that's been there 20 years with no adverse effects beyond a little dry rot. It would still be useful for a lot of purposes.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
