And the Verdict is...

[Snag]

I bought dead strawberry plants . Pulled all I could find yesterday , no sign of root growth , no sign of green on top . I guess if I want berries this year I'll have to buy 'em at the local Kroger . The wild strawberries , however , are doing great in my lawn . And the ones in the empty lot next door are doing even better ! Too bad they're the size of 00 buck shot and taste like crap . Due to our employment situation I'm hesitant to plant any perennials here now . Luckily for us we have a pace in the Ozarks that's paid for , and may end up moving into our camper up there - especially if the wife can find a teaching position up there . Not much hope for me though , between my age and the construction industry being so dead slow . Upside is that there's a half-acre clearing on our land that's perfect for a garden ... and wild blueberries , muscadines , and other edibles scattered in the 11.5 acres that's still heavily wooded .

[The Cook]

Sorry that your strawberries were dead.

You are correct to wait until things are more settled to start perennials unless you just like to give the future owners a gift. And that assumes that the new owners would actually like strawberries and asparagus.

Your property in the Ozarks sounds wonderful.

[Snag]

I seriously doubt the bank will harvest anything I plant ... this neighborhood has been in decline for several years , there are as many empty houses as occupied . And nobody's buyin' here ... Serious downside to moving up there is that I'll have nowhere for my machine shop and all my tools, unless we get a windfall ... can't stuff 30+ years of stuff into a 25' camper !

[Derald]

If your real estate in the mountains is at all accessible, think "shipping container". Except for what we use daily DW&I store 36+ years' "stuff" in a

20-footer. It is secure and weather tight. Properly broken down for transport, our entire lives together can be moved in one felled swoop, relatively inexpensively, on the back of a single flatbed truck.

[Snag]

Actually , we have a 12x21 metal carport in the back yard that I bought last year as an addition to my shop . It will be disassembled and move with us . Fairly simple matter to close it in and use it for storage/shop space , but I'll want a slab poured before I move it . Might be a good time right now to start checkin' on that ...

[Snag]

Our land is in an unincorporated area in Stone County Arkansas , where they may have heard of a building permit, but few have seen one . With the exception of those who have moved up there from Memphis to get away from such things. Right now berries are the least of my worries , as neither my wife nor I have a job as of the end of June (I've been unemployed for 16 months). Seems the new administration of the school district where she's been teaching for

12 years have decided to ignore the law and not renew her contract . Can't say more due to pending legal action .

[Derald]

Yeah; it's never to soon. More time the 'crete has to cure the better. Reads as if your move may be imminent. Be sure to check with the local zoning code enforcement people beforehand, if the new jurisdiction has building code. Easier to do the silly dance now than to tear the project down on the sayso of some dweeb in a county truck and rented shirt. Sorry to read about the berries. That's something with which I have no experience.

[Snag]

Follow-up as regards permits - the only permit/inspection required in that area is potable water plumbing in new construction . I called the office that has that responsibility . Side note , there's an opening for a teacher up there ... makes my li'l heart go pitty-pat !!

[Snag]

Bwahahahahahahhaaa !! While there is a problem in that area with people growing "cash crops" out in the national forest , it got that name because it "grows" rocks . Much of the Arkansas field stone sold comes from that part of the state . A good portion of hard and soft Arkansas sharpening stones also come from that part of the state. I'm still chucklin' ...

[Derald]

"Stone County" suggests a possible cash crop retirement plan ;-). I'd say I'll keep my fingers crossed regarding the teaching position but am afraid it'd jinx it.