Rural Areas (Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks: to buy, to live in, shop)

[wpcp]

hi, i will moving to north dakota so. probably about this time next year. i will own like 20 or so acres here and like 5-7 horses. does anyone have any places that they would recommend? i seem to like the drift plains area. thanks.

[wpcp]

sorry, i mean drift praire. wasnt paying any attention.

[Roloff1976]

Sorry wpcp that no one is responding...but am just curious as a native North Dakotan...what part of the state is the "drift prairie"??? I've not heard of areas in North Dakota called this? As far as 20 acres to buy, I think if you check with a local realtor in the area you are looking at, would be able to assist you. Farmers are not likely to just give up 20acres so someone can move in (they like their space and privacy)...you would have to look at a development near a larger town like say Bismarck, Minot, Williston, Dickinson, Fargo, Grand Forks, Jamestown, etc... where a farmer has retired and has decided to sell off quarters near growing towns. I know in Bismarck, you can purchase 10-20 acres (developments) within 10 miles of Bismarck. But I would pick the part of the state you are interested in, contact some realtors in the area, and let them shop around for you.

[fourwinds]

The "drift prairie" region is also commonly called prairie pothole country, which is immediately west of the Red River Valley. See the second map with elevations of 1200-1800 ft.

North Dakota State Map - Cities, Roads, Counties, Rivers, Lakes, Topo

The main parts of the Sheyenne, James, Souris and Devils Lake basins are all in the Drift Prairie region.

"The Central Lowland portion comprises the Red River Valley and the Drift Plains. The Red River Valley lies along the border of Minnesota and is one of the most fertile agricultural areas in the world. The region receives up to 50 cm/20 in of rain a year. To the west of the Red River Valley is the Drift Prairie, which rises from 60 m/200 ft to 600 m/2,000 ft over the Red River Valley. Shaped originally by glacial drift, the land rolls gently and is well suited for small-grain farming and livestock raising. It is also superb breeding habitat for wild waterfowl and is on the nation's central flyway for migrating birds.

The Missouri Escarpment separates the Drift Prairie from the Great Plains. The North Dakota portion of the Great Plains is called the Missouri Plateau. The withdrawal of ancient seas from the area and subsequent erosion carved the topography of the Badlands in the southwestern part of the state. Canyons, gorges, ravines, bluffs, and buttes mark the land. Deposits of lignite coal, oil, and gas underlie the land."

[Roloff1976]

Thanks Fourwinds...very good information. Learning something everyday.

[Fischer_girl]

Maybe the question should be "What part of ND is NOT 'Drift Prairie'?"

[magiccity]

WPCP,
the best way to purchase some acreage is to determine the area you want to live in and then contact a local Realtor. They will have the best resources to tell you what is available.