Bye bye farm land

[Disneyland1084]

When my DH and I bought our house three years ago we knew the surrounding farm land would eventually be built on, but I didn't expect it to happen THIS soon. Now hundreds of homes have been built in the back of my house and hundreds more to come. Although I'm happy that it's bringing up the value of my house and that I'll no longer have to worry about coyotes getting my dog, I still wish I had the view of horses and cows from my bedroom. Is this happening near anyone else?

 

[Planogirl]

Oh yes! Frisco was a small sleepy ranch town. When we moved in, it had a population of about 50,000 and still had many open fields and surrounding ranches. The population is now steamrolling towards 100K and the ranches and fields are vanishing. I guess that's progress.

 

[sugarpie]

The town we live in has doubled it's population in the 4 years we've lived here. We currenty live near a corn field, but it's only a matter of time until the farmer sells it & we're surrounded by houses. It's sad to see all the beautiful land turned into rows & rows of houses that all look alike.

 

[Nancyg56]

The area that we live in was primarily farmland.Lovely acres of corn and hay. Fields with cows grazing and horse pastures. No more. As more and more people moved into the area for the serenity and the view, the land values skyrocketed. Now more and more of the "view" is being sold to developers who are building huge homes and selling them for outrageous prices. Our farmers are selling because it is not profitable to maintain a farm when it can be sold for a developer for more money one would earn farming.

Yes our property values are rising, and we have benefited from this, or would if we chose to sell, but the taxes have gone way up. We have had several farms who have been able to utilize the farm preservation act so we are keeping some working farms in our area, but it is a matter of time when the others give up.

 

[annegal]

Here too......for years, in every direction from my small neighborhood ,we could see fields of crops. No more -lots of homes and no new roads.

For us it means less possums in the yard.

 

[Kitty 34]

The last few years we have watched many many homes take over our little town's neighboring cornfields. My boys call them cornfield houses!

 

[castleview]

I know. Well over ten year ago, DH and I helped some friends move into their newly built house. When we were done, we ate pizza while staring out the front window at the gorgeous pastures across the street. We talked about how nice it would be to just stare out at that land...until they develop that too!

 

[fireplug]

Urban sprawl happens everywhere. I would not be so confident that the coyotes will be leaving anytime soon. I have seen them walk right down main street in many places. Kepp your doggie safe!

Squid

 

[PatriciaH]

Still lots of open space here in Florida but I bet in 10 years it will all be developed I think I would like a house with a few acres back north some day. That way you own the surrounding land and can decide what happens to it.

 

[Blondie]

It's happening here too. Farmland that was in families for generations are being turned into subdivisions and shopping centers. The land owners just can't say no to the big money they're being offered.

The farm in back of us was no longer in operation, but there was a nice size pond and plenty of wildlife. My boys used to love playing back there. Now it's a gated subdivision for the retired.

 

[Redbudlover]

We have been lucky. They have built hundreds and hundreds of home in the fields to the front of our house, but when we picked out our lot to build our house five years ago we chose it because the field behind our lot - which presently homes 7 cows, a 20 year old horse and a young donkey - was too narrow to build on. The whole parameter of Austin is being covered by look alike houses - literally thousands of houses.

 

[dixipixi]

We still live on our family farm. Over 400 acres and only 4 houses on it. But the farm "across the road" sold a few years ago and next thing you know, there are houses all over the place.

They did subdivide it into 5 acre parcels, so the houses are spread out a little bit.

We're in a good school district, so land and houses sell pretty quickly. We have had tremendous growth in the last year with lots of people moving out of New Orleans. We're out in the country, but still within commuting distance.

 

[I Love Pluto]

DH & I were just saying the same thing when we were out earlier. I think our towns won't be happy until they fill up every square inch.

 

[babynurse1]

It's happening everywhere! Just down the road about 100 acres was sold and is now turned into a subdivision. Right now we are surrounded by woods on one side and farmland the rest of the way around. One of the reasons we bought this house was because of the beautiful gently rolling hills . We can ride our horses and just take in the view!

Has anyone ever heard the song by Travis Tritt:
the back 40 was sold to make up for hard times
then sold by the 1/2 acre lot over night
the houses went up and the trees were cut down
there went the best deer hunting in town
Lord everyone's locking their doors
'cause country aint country no more

Every time I hear that song I get a little sad. I wish we had more land than we do. I wouldn't trade it for anything!!

 

[golfgal]

Oh yes! Frisco was a small sleepy ranch town. When we moved in, it had a population of about 50,000 and still had many open fields and surrounding ranches. The population is now steamrolling towards 100K and the ranches and fields are vanishing. I guess that's progress.

This is SO funny. It must be the Texas BIG thing. 50,000 is NOT a small town . Technically a population over 50,000 is a metropolis. My in-laws live in a town of 212 people, THAT is a small town.

 

[Jennasis]

Well there are 200 acres of flat PRIME farmland across the street from my horse farm (which is about 25 acres). The land has been farmed for decades (corn, soy, wheat on a rotating basis). The guy who owned the land died a few months ago and we all know it is just a matter of time before that turns into a housing development. For me, it's a good thing since it will bring in families with horse crazy kids who will want lessons or to own a horse. PLUS it will increase my land value a ton.

In fact, just two days ago the family of the deceased sent over a surveying compnay to identify the property boundaries (they also own the land next to me as well). As it turns out, my fence line (iver 30 years old) is about two fett over onto "their land", according to the survey stakes the company dug up. I really hope we won't have to go into full on battle mode to keep our pasture fence.

ALSO, the stupid surveyors came onto my property without permission, went into my furthest back pasture and RIPPED it down to get onto my property to search for buried survey stakes. how do I knwo this? Well aside from the fact that we found a HORSE in my front yard this morning (he had escaped through the downed section of pasture fence) but the exact spot where the fence was torn down, we found a surveyt marker and pink surveyors tape! I am so mad I could scream!!! Luckily only one horse out of 7 got out and he wasn't harmed.

 

[sha_lyn]

ALSO, the stupid surveyors came onto my property without permission, went into my furthest back pasture and RIPPED it down to get onto my property to search for buried survey stakes. how do I knwo this? Well aside from the fact that we found a HORSE in my front yard this morning (he had escaped through the downed section of pasture fence) but the exact spot where the fence was torn down, we found a surveyt marker and pink surveyors tape! I am so mad I could scream!!! Luckily only one horse out of 7 got out and he wasn't harmed.

My cousin had that happen with her cows. They went across the fields that were being developed and were walking around the next subdivision. It was a big legal mess because that subdivision thretened to sue hr over damages the cows did. Luckily she was able to prove the fence was taken down by workers for the subdivison that was under construction.

When we bought out house 9 yrs ago we had wooded views out the front and back. Now both are subdivisions. Our neighbor (who we bought out house from) tried to buy the land across the street before the man died. Allen knew the mans family would sell it off but the man insisted that his children would never do that. Well I don't think the old man was cold in his grave before the signs went up.