Your Own Little Slice of Heaven

The Back 40

When I was a kid, and I'm sure many of you can relate, my grandpa had a sort of a farm. Not a real farm, more of a back forty: a big piece of property with a few horses, some broken-down old outbuildings, a picnic area,  a bunch of old tractors and the 70s shaggin' wagon that my uncle parked there before drifting around and getting into trouble. We spent every summer exploring every square inch of that place and we had our favorite hiding spots, climbing trees, go kart tracks, bmx jumps, you name it. It wasn't luxury, necessarily, but it was OURS. What we built stayed there for us to enjoy. 

Nowadays, most people live in fairly congested neighborhoods and are surrounded by entertainment, shopping, and all that combined with electronic media. It gets overwhelming and people start to feel disconnected from their roots. When my son was born, I got the itch to have something like my grandpa's property for my kids to enjoy, a place to make memories and focus on the simple things. 

Finding Your Slice

People are so focused on status symbols and conspicuous wealth that they get distracted and forget that what most people really want is PEACE. They search for it by buying fancy boats, big houses, ATVs, and all the other toys. They buy the boat, not because they're cocky show-offs, but because they believe that the boat will be a fun reason for the family to get together for some quality time. It's a noble cause and good times will be had. But sometimes a boat, jeep, or ATV just isn't enough, there's still a nagging desire for "something more". I propose that this "something more" is freedom. See, that's the thing about the nice boat: it carries with it the responsibility to keep it nice. You can't just thrash on it and not give a damn. You have to keep up with the service, winterize, clean it thoroughly after every use, fill it with gas, try to get your friends to actually chip in on gas once in a while, and on and on and on. Yeah, sometimes it's worth it, totally. But often it's just exactly the pain-in-the-ass that I was going to the lake to avoid. When I look back on the memories from my dad's boat, there was a lot of yelling about shoes off and no dripping and don't touch this or that. When I remember my grandpa's boat, though, it was jumping in with muddy feet, dropping nightcrawlers and a few incidents of falling, or being pushed, out. So which boating experience was better? Well, as a little kid I enjoyed them both (one a little more stressful), but I'll bet my grandpa had a more relaxing time than my dad did! Point being, it's very unlikely that complicating your life further will bring you the peace you're looking for. Just sayin'!

Time to Cut Back

Cutting back is hard. That's why when I was looking for my first slice of heaven, I looked for a place way out in the sticks, where I could build only what I needed and not end up with too much. I wanted to be able to drive there easily after a stressful day of work, and be able to arrive before dark. I settled on a place, Bourbon Bros. Ranch, just about 2 hours from home. Far enough to feel away from it all, but close enough for spontaneous trips. It's great to have a big property attached to your house, but when the phone rings or the TV is on, its tough to ignore it.

If you're like me, you need a place with barely any modern "conveniences". A place to sit quietly at night, stare at the bright stars and breathe deeply. For me, a day in the wild can make all the difference in the world. The only things I really need for my slice is a warm, soft bed; a nice big firepit; a shaded area to relax during the day, and lots of area to roam around in and have adventures. A sweet bar area is, of course, a big plus!

Claim Your Slice

It might take you some time to find the perfect one, but recreational property is actually really easy to come by and is cheap compared to lots of other toys and distractions. Any other toy you buy will depreciate over time, but beautiful land rarely diminishes in value. And, it will likely cost you about the same each month as a boat or another vehicle. Buy only what you can afford and what will satisfy only your most basic NEEDS, not your wildest dreams. Low cost equals low property tax too. Keep it simple! The dream version will probably end up being a pain in the ass anyway and the last thing you need is another pain in your ass, right?

I have a little slice for sale here in Utah: Bourbon Bros. Ranch. If anything I've said resonates with you, then I think you'd love Bourbon Bros. Ranch. Check it out and let me know what you think.

What is Recreation Land?

Recreation Property

So, you're looking for a place to relax on the weekend, build a campsite, shoot some guns, hunt, or just spend quality time with your friends and family? That's basically what recreation land is for. Recreational property can be used to do pretty much anything you feel like doing, within the bounds of the law. You can make loud noises, run around naked, yell and scream, or if you have kids they'll being doing all that while you sit under the shade of a tree and sipping a cold drink. Owning recreational land feels like freedom. Plain and simple.

Owning Recreational Land

Like Camping, Only Better!

There's no better feeling than jetting out of your house right after work on Friday to go camping and not needing to worry about loading up the car. It's bad enough if you're by yourself, but if you have kids forgetaboutit! Owning recreation property is just like owning your own campground. If you bring in a trailer or storage unit or build a shed of some kind, you can keep pretty much everything you need right there on your property. 

The Perfect Campsite

If you're anything like me, when you go camping, you like to tweak the campsite just a little bit to make it just a little more comfortable or convenient. You build up a nice fire ring, rig up a solar shower, set up a bar area, etc. When you've got your own property, it's easy to make everything just how you like it and there it stays until you're ready to change it. One of my favorite things is to set up a sweet bar area with all the makings of delicious summer cocktails and rig up a blender to a battery or solar setup. A nice "bathroom" area is awesome for showering, shaving, etc. At Bourbon Bros. Ranch, I set up a mirror and small shelves for toothbrushes, etc near our water barrels. Great campsites are all about simple solutions. Give yourself a few luxuries but don't go too crazy. Keep it simple; you're out in the wild, soak it up!

Games & Activities

The very first thing I set up for my property was a nice, safe tire swing to keep my 4 year old out of my hair while I got the rest of the camp ready. He loves it, and makes a beeline to greet it every time we roll into camp. Ladderball is another great campsite game. You can even make your own version using branches, etc. Those badminton/volleyball sets are great for camping. They're kind of a pain to get set up and down and most people just never end up using them. But, when you set them up on your own recreational property, just leave it up! To me, camping is all about getting out, relaxing and spending quality time doing only the things that I enjoy. In today's world, you need time to yourself and quality family time. 

Freedom isn't Free, but it IS Pretty Darn Cheap

The best part about owning your own recreation land is that it doesn't cost much. Recreational property for sale in Utah is very affordable, as it is in most states. Add a cabin to the mix and the price goes WAY up! But really, do you need a cabin? Especially a fancy cabin with all the comforts of home. To really soak up the benefits of spending time outside, collecting your thoughts, focusing only on what you enjoy and not getting bogged down in the same BS you left at home, I would argue that you're better off keeping it really simple. All you really need is a warm, comfortable bed and a place to get out of the weather and play some games by lantern light. Everything else is pretty much overrated. Living simply is the key to feeling "connected" to the land.

Buying Recreational Property

If the feeling of being free and connected to the land appeals to you, you're probably a great candidate for a recreational property. If you're looking for recreational property in Utah, Bourbon Brothers Ranch is located in a beautiful part of Utah and is likely just the thing you're looking for. If you're looking for property in other states, I've found that Craigslist is about the best resource. Or, search for recreational property listings on Google and ask around to real estate agents who may have a great listing or pocket listing. "Pocket listings" are properties that may be sort of casually for sale if the right buyer comes along. It may be a friend or personal property that the owner may be willing to let go for the right price. Recreational property is cheap and affordable, so many owners will hold on to it for a long time unless something prompts them to sell.