This is a great reminder for all of us with tiny cabin in the woods fantasies. That said, $4,500 a year actually sounds... low? Maybe that's the New York City in me talking?
As far as numbers go it's not bad. I agree. But I can't begin to guess what the number would be if we outsourced all the work we've done. WAAAAY higher. And the ratio of time spent working vs time spent enjoying (even though there is some overlap with those) is the other big factor. We pay a lot in money and time/labor relative to the hours we, or friends, spend just "using" the place.
And to your point, Laura, I think we steer toward DIY as a default and it would be worth possibly overcorrecting in the other direction as an experiment. Hire out for a bunch of stuff--more than seems sustainable, maybe. Learn from it. Intentionally leaning in the other direction for a while would be a good data point. It's easy for us to get stuck in the mindset of "Well, I guess *we* have more work to do."
There is such a delicate balance between “I can do this (so I should, for both values and money reasons)” vs. deciding where to ruthlessly prioritize. It is a balance I have not found, unfortunately, erring toward the DIY on almost everything — to the point that important projects never get done.
Totally. That reckoning of "This isn't really getting done or going to get done" is important to me. Too many times I've seen "Doing it right" get in the way of "Doing it at all" and often "Doing it right" is defined as "Doing it myself."
Clocking what's really going on and just accepting that maybe it's worth outsourcing something so that it happens at all feels like an important skill to hone.
Maybe! There's certainly more levers we could play with pulling. But I'm not sure there is a clear answer beyond "There's no free lunch and it's all more messy and complicated than it might seem from the outside." Though flatter ground and fewer trees is tempting.
It's also hard to know how it'll evolve going forward on a much longer horizon... the years after the wildfire skewed things--a lot more trees and dirt giving way, which you'd figure would have to taper off eventually!
Enjoyed this article! I manage a good sized forest and I felt like you described the experience perfectly…. And then you wonder, how do I make it more sustainable in effort and cost ?
Oh, the hidden costs of wild land! Great to hear a candid take on it. Thanks for sharing! I’ve always wanted land to build mtb and hiking trails but that would be even more upkeep if we didn’t live onsite.
Greg! Yeah, the difference between living onsite and off is immense. I can’t imagine how different our relationship with the work would be if we were around full time.
This is a great reminder for all of us with tiny cabin in the woods fantasies. That said, $4,500 a year actually sounds... low? Maybe that's the New York City in me talking?
As far as numbers go it's not bad. I agree. But I can't begin to guess what the number would be if we outsourced all the work we've done. WAAAAY higher. And the ratio of time spent working vs time spent enjoying (even though there is some overlap with those) is the other big factor. We pay a lot in money and time/labor relative to the hours we, or friends, spend just "using" the place.
Oh absolutely. And you made that clear. Maybe the answer is to spend a little more on pro help, so you can enjoy more?
And to your point, Laura, I think we steer toward DIY as a default and it would be worth possibly overcorrecting in the other direction as an experiment. Hire out for a bunch of stuff--more than seems sustainable, maybe. Learn from it. Intentionally leaning in the other direction for a while would be a good data point. It's easy for us to get stuck in the mindset of "Well, I guess *we* have more work to do."
There is such a delicate balance between “I can do this (so I should, for both values and money reasons)” vs. deciding where to ruthlessly prioritize. It is a balance I have not found, unfortunately, erring toward the DIY on almost everything — to the point that important projects never get done.
Totally. That reckoning of "This isn't really getting done or going to get done" is important to me. Too many times I've seen "Doing it right" get in the way of "Doing it at all" and often "Doing it right" is defined as "Doing it myself."
Clocking what's really going on and just accepting that maybe it's worth outsourcing something so that it happens at all feels like an important skill to hone.
Maybe! There's certainly more levers we could play with pulling. But I'm not sure there is a clear answer beyond "There's no free lunch and it's all more messy and complicated than it might seem from the outside." Though flatter ground and fewer trees is tempting.
It's also hard to know how it'll evolve going forward on a much longer horizon... the years after the wildfire skewed things--a lot more trees and dirt giving way, which you'd figure would have to taper off eventually!
I've never maintained anything more than a houseplant but still found this deep dive incredibly interesting. 🤔
That's simply not true. But thank you.
Enjoyed this article! I manage a good sized forest and I felt like you described the experience perfectly…. And then you wonder, how do I make it more sustainable in effort and cost ?
Thanks. How much forest and where? How’s it used?
Oh, the hidden costs of wild land! Great to hear a candid take on it. Thanks for sharing! I’ve always wanted land to build mtb and hiking trails but that would be even more upkeep if we didn’t live onsite.
Greg! Yeah, the difference between living onsite and off is immense. I can’t imagine how different our relationship with the work would be if we were around full time.