20 Almost wild Acres S. of Lawrence Ks, unfinished Alex Wade inspired PostnBeam

Started by Flataland, October 23, 2013, 11:43:00 AM

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Flataland

search for N799 rd, Douglas Co KS if link does not work  https://maps.google.com/maps?q=N%20799%20road%2C%20douglas%20co%20ks&hl=en&ll=38.854581%2C-95.291677&spn=0.005138%2C0.006899&sll=38.973489%2C-95.250927&sspn=0.16415%2C0.220757&t=h&z=17

I started this semi-passive solar super-insulated house over 25 years ago. In fact, I had to special order TYVEK house wrap as it was brand new. The incomplete house sits on a Frank Lloyd Wright "modified" Rubble foundation that settled about a 1/4 inch the first 10 years. The Foundation has 2 foot square concrete pads in the bottom of the footing ditch (with drains) anchored to 5x5 PT posts with 2x10s surrounding the Dow Blueboard topped with PT 2x12s as the Sill. There are 6 dump-trucks (220,000 lbs) of sand in the floor over 2 inches of Dow blue board covered in plastic with a positive slope to drain if there is ever a water accident. This thermal mass is surrounded by three inches of Dow blue board clad in painted galvanized sheet metal buried to 4 ft.

The Glue nailed laminated post and beam frame features a 12 inch North wall, 9 inch sides and 6 inches on the south which is mostly glass, The 2X12 roof purlins span 12 feet each on three spans on top of the exposed Beams with 2x2 furring between the sheet rock and an extra inch of bead-board foam insulation. The house 36' by 28' with a Trapezoid glass enclosed porch east off the kitchen. and a brick and wood spiral stair leading to the upper redwood deck (unfinished) that is level with the second floor east entry door. 

There is a garage with concrete deck added to the North side of the house that is appx 16 by 24 with a dilapidated double garage door. and a south facing entry door to the west and a framed, but unhinged as yet, double swinging 8 foot door for a lawn tractor exit so you don't have to move a car to get it out to the west.

The house sits on an L-Shaped 20 acres 1 mile west of what was Old highway 59 about 6 miles south of Walmart, exit at 1000 road and go South to 800 road and turn west 1 mile, then back south to the grassy drive by just before the second bridge that heads SE past the old house, by the meadow and up to the house 800 ft west in the woods.

The adjacent 10 which are wooded in a 660 foot square on a Hill to the south of the house, controlling the view in perpetuity, (unless you would prefer to sell to neighbor to the south who would like to "square-up" his property). The north 10 acres  is 330 feet wide, fronts on E 1150 road and is 1320 feet long to the west,
There is also an old farm house about to fall down near E 1150 road (800 N), and a dilapidated storage trailer that so far is keeping some things dry. Nearby is a dug well and a root cellar.

If you look up on Google maps you will see that I have had multiple areas under cultivation, the main house, my 34 foot residence travel trailer with sliding glass doors to an entry solarium, a 24 ft camper trailer where my mom lived, (both are tied to phone line, septic and electricity but only a water tank at grandmas in the meadow) are about 800 feet west from 1150 road, along with a chicken house that has a rear hatch to gather eggs from outside the shelter. Two hutches I used for Quail and Bantams are on posts neare the main garden by the house. There is also a mobile chicken Tractor that is about 8x16 along with a galvanized 8X8 dog run and an Igloo doghouse. Over near the fruit trees are two small shelters designed for Quail and an 8x16  metal garden shed with an insulated roof and an enclosed insulated west facing greenhouse for starting plants.  We are starting to list things on Craigs list, so speak up if you are interested.

The Ponds, which only are designed to slow down the water, will only show after a rain. There are 3 producing Bartlett pears, a couple Winesap that have finally started producing, a sad Macintosh, a sad Granny Smith and a prolific Red Delicious. There is also an Asian style pear that was called a "Pineapple Pear" (tastes a bit like pineapple) that is also prolific next to what became a decorative Bradford Pear after the graft died. There is a River Birch, a few Maples, flowers and a small stand of Horseradish I have planted.
There are wild Black Raspberries, Blackberries, Gooseberries, Mulberries a few Strawberries and lots of garlic that have gone native. Scattered are Black Walnuts, Kentucky Coffee-bean, multiple varieties of Oak, Hickory, Shagbark Hickory, Toothache Tree, Rough leaved Dogwood, Redbud, Osage orange, Eastern Red Cedar, Hackberry and others.
Iris line a good portion of the 800 ft driveway and provide erosion control in the main garden that has cattle panels in a U shape to grow vertically. There are Peonies that were planted in 1928 according to an ex neighbor. There are Deer and Wild Turkey residing along with the occasional Raccoon and Bobcat.  I have seen the 18 inch tall Pileated Woodpecker 3 times now.