I was given this site by a co-worker. I am interested to see if there are any US gov't grants that could help to purchase land by agreeing to not allow it to be developed for a certain number of years or something like that. I realize if there are, any contract would need to be severely scrutinized to ensure no gov't meddling or implied control of the land. I was just curious.

Thanks, Jimmy in VA

-- Jimmy (weedons@juno.com), November 30, 2001

Answers

Hey Jimmy, What was that site you referred to? I'd love to have a looksee... Thanks

-- Willy Allen (willyallen2@yahoo.com), November 30, 2001.

He is talking about this site. He thinks countrysiders can tell him how to get this very few strings attached land.

-- Mark (toymeister@hotmail.com), November 30, 2001.

Sounds like a fairy tale to me.

Let's see now you want the government to give you a grant to buy land (or just give jou some land, same thing). Then you think that the government is going to agree to NOT interfere with your activities on the free land, no meddling, or implied control uh huh, yes sir eee.

The days of the homesteader not needing to pay for the land are over, it's all gone. So to be a modern homesteader you will need to "buy your own" land, and as a bonus the government will interfere and meddle every chance that they get. Even government employees have to have a place to work (and I use the term lightly), so interfering with you will be as good a project as any.

Now there may still be a few BLM (that's bureau of land management) leases in places like the Nevada desert, that one can get free or at very low cost. The leases allow use of the land but not ownership, and as a bonus there is a liberal (no pun intended) amount of government interference on a continious basis. They too may be all gone.

Anyway, Jimmy; happy homesteading.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), November 30, 2001.

Jimmy, we had a thread like that on here a few weeks ago, but I think it was for getting a low interest loan to do upgrades/repairs not to purchase property. Check in the older posts at the bottom of the Forum page in "Homesteading (General)" Herb.

-- Herb. (herbmsmith@aol.com), November 30, 2001.

Thread you mentioned:

http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0074c6

-- ME (foo@bar.com), November 30, 2001.

Jimmy, I don't think a program for BUYING land exists but a program for lowering taxes does when you agree to certain conditions to preserve farmland.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), December 01, 2001.

The best thing that the government has to offer along those lines would be "THE LIMITED RESOURSES FARMER OWNERSHIP LOAN"its a loan but has a very low interest rate and is for those just starting out. the Farm Servise Agency also makes loan garrantes.But to tell the truth each county is its own little kingdom and they tend to take care of thier ownshop arpnd fsa's till you find one you can get along with then buy land there.

-- Lew (pilot_34@hotmail.com), January 06, 2002.