Brantz Farm



Ground Breaking - Getting Access September 2016

Finally, things are happening and we are getting access to the land. Paul has taken his equipment out and has started to make the driveway. After the driveway he will start "grubbing" the land. Grubbing is the term they use to describe when you get some big equipment in there to remove stumps, branches, roots, logs, rocks and whatever else might be in the way to prevent planting a good pasture. It sure takes a lot of BIG equipment to get those things out! The stone driveway is looking pretty good but the pile of "garbage" that got pulled out is huge, it's hard to image the pile created from grubbing the planned 10 acres.

December 2016 -Well the septic system got installed (rated for 4 bedrooms) and inspected. They also installed the septic hookups for the RV sites. Tommy (our hired general contractor of sorts) says to hold off on the well until we get electric. There is no electric at our road frontage. We are located on the line between two different electric companies, Dominion and Southside so the sturuggle is to find out who "owns us".

July 2017 - It finally got settled that Dominion is our electric provider (our planned house site was smack on the line of the two providers). However, they will not run electric until a home foundation is in place. So until then a generator will need to be installed to power the RV's and the well pump. Some good news came about electric, Dominion acquired the right-of-way from the neighbors to run the electric lines and Dominion will run the electric, when the time comes, underground for free. Also working with local farmer to get the land seeded but summer is too hot so that will happen this fall. He is also installing a gate for the driveway and installing a bit of fencing to prevent anyone from just driving around the fence.

August 2017 - We finally have more progress! Monte got our gate installed on the drive for us. A neighbor recommended we get a gate to prevent people from entering the property and running over our septic pipes and septic bed. Monte did a pretty nice job for us, gonna have to save his number!

November 2017 - Monte planted our fields with a grass and wheat mix. It rained some right afterward and it looks green and great already. We took a trip down to check it out and to meet with the well driller. Well coming soon, deep well was our choice..I hope they hit water.

March 2018 - The well is in, not real great flow. 1.5 gallons a minute and it's 400 foot deep. They assured me that's quite normal for that area and we can have a large pressure tank to make supply large enough for average demands.

August 2018 - FINALLY found someone to pour a slab and lay block on it for a well house. Finding someone looking for work is harder down there than I tought it would be.

September 2018 - Contacted well driller and had him finish by installing the pump, pressure, etc. Initial installation they had installed the tubing and tank exactly where I didn't want it. After a discussion they admitted it did not meet the drawing layout I sent and would do it over. Honestly they did a great job the second time around, far more professional looking than the initial installation.

October 2018 - Two trips, a lot of work, digging and expense that we did ourselves. But we now have RV style electrical hookups and a lawn hydrant at each RV site. For now the electric comes from a 12000 watt generator down at the well house but it can be replaced by grid electric once we start building. The week long late October trip was beautiful! The weather got surprisingly cold at night (heavy frost even) but little rain. The scenery was like something you only see in magazines at someone elses house.

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August 2016 Start clearing
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August 2016 Big equipment
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August 2016 what they are digging out
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August 2016 gonna be driveway
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August 2016 driveway at road
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August 2016 jeez BIG truck
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August 2016 driveway wannabe
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August 2016 grubbing
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August 2016 driveway to be
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August 2016 driveway10
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August 2016 lots of steel
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August 2016 laying stone
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August 2016 laying more stone
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August 2016 RV park area
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August 2016 Both RV park area
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August 2016 stone driveway
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August 2016 Tommy is checking it out
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August 2016 piles of stuff
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August 2016 out back view
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August 2016 Todd, Mari Ann & Deb
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August 2016 out back view
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August 2016 dug deep
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August 2016 checking it out
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August 2016 old culvert pipe from loggers
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August 2016 Land for Sale, elsewhere
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August 2016 Holding bucket down
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August 2016 grubbin's
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August 2016 Big toys
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August 2016 the bosses
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August 2016 Stumpgrinder from hell
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August 2016 The BEAST
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August 2016
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August 2016
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Sept 2016 Septic install
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Sept 2016 Septic install
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Sept 2016 RV Septic hookup
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Sept 2016 RV Septic hookup
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August 2017 The drive gate
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August 2017 The drive gate
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August 2017 The drive gate
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November 2017 The drive gate squatters
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November 2017 Green Fields
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November 2017 New Grass
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November 2017 Newly Planter Grass
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November 2017 Northeast Corner
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November 2017 North View
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November 2017 East View
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November 2017 Southeast View
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October 2018 New Wellhouse
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October 2018 Install Water & Electric Lines
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October 2018
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October 2018 Closing the trench
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Oct 2018 Supervisor
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Oct 2018 Wellhouse
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Oct 2018 Inspector
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Oct 2018 We got water
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Oct 2018 Parked RV's
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Oct 2018 Parked RV's From Road
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Oct 2018 Parked RV's Lane View
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Oct 2018 Fire Ring (jets are watching us)
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Oct 2018 We Got an Airshow Fly-By
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Oct 2018 Roasted Peacock..our favorite
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Oct 2018 Mari Ann protecing her tree
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Oct 2018 Moon rise
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Oct 2018 Moon rise
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Oct 2018 Northeast Meadow
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Oct 2018 Sun rise
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Oct 2018 Sun Rise West
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Oct 2018 Sun Rise West
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Oct 2018 Sunset