Sorry :(

The silver lining is that you would lose the neighbors you were trying to block out, right? :)

Tree, I think it could be a great adventure, but I do understand why you don't want to move. If y'all do move, then I hope it all works out well and you are happy.

You absolutely can build a pond on 5 acres. We have 5 ponds on 14.4 acres, but they're all up in the upland area, not out in the lower-lying woodland in the creek hollow, so they really are all within about a 2 acre area. You cannot, of course, have a 6-acre pond on a 5-acre piece of land, but if you want to build a big pond that takes up an acre or two, that still leaves you lots of land for other uses. An important thing, though, is that you need to have the right kind of soil for a pond bottom that will compact and hold water. If you don't, there's ways to fix the soil, but they can get pricey....the bigger the pond, the more expensive it will be.

We're in the process of filling in two of our ponds now that the droughts have become so common that there's never enough runoff to fill a pond. much less 5 of them, and the groundwater no longer recharges well enough to keep the springs running. A spring-fed pond is a wonderful thing until the spring quits running and leaves you with a big empty hole in the ground. If the land your DH bought doesn't have a spring or a running creek to feed a pond, you may not catch enough runoff from rain to keep a pond full.

You won't know about the soil until you can look at it and check it out. Normally the kinds of red soils we have in OK are very rich and fertile and can be turned into great gardening soils with the addition of organic matter. My red clay is difficult to work with until I amend it heavily with the addition of lots of organic matter to improve its texture and tilth, but then it is perfect. My brown sandy-silty mix looks so much pretty when your break the land and see it but it is much harder to fix because it is very low in fertility compared to the clay and drains too fast. So, don't let red soil scare you off. Since it is shale, I'd start with a soil test so you know its pH and fertility levels.

Dawn

just to be nice I told him I'd move if he put in a storm shelter,pond, fence, and pool(For my broke spine).raised beds and irrigation for my gardens.Oh and give me back my Honda to put to town on if need.

I kinda screwed myself cuz he agreed. Never thought he would cuz he's lived here his whole life and he's cheap.

I think I'm good to go for a bit. I was just starting on my greenhouse here with Moni's windows.
I'm going to make up a contract for proof.
I know I'm trowing a fit but I thought I was home.
PLUSS THERE'S NO TREES IN SIGHT!
Tree

Tree, I am laughing because you said he agreed to your list of demands. Uh oh. Now, tell him he has to do those things BEFORE you'll move. That way, you're not stuck out there without all those necessities in case he just doesn't get around to doing them all.

I understand that you thought you were home and now he wants to uproot you and have you start over at a new home. When we moved here, Tim and I both were in agreement that this place was our forever home for as long as we live here on this earth, and I don't think I would have moved here otherwise. For someone like me who spends so many hours a day outside in the yard and garden, starting over yet again with a new place and having to spend years planting trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, etc. to get the property to be what I want is not something I care to do again. We have been here 15 years now and my little tiny 'stick' trees that I planted early on are now as tall as or taller than our two-story house. I don't want to ever move again and have to start all over from scratch, so you do have my sympathy.

Dawn

Tree, I was just reading about desert willows for Oklahoma. I thought they said they are excellent for western OK. Vitex is supposed to be drought tolerant as well once it is established. Add a PS to your list :) Tell him you need a plant nursery budget to get some trees!

Lisa thank you.
The only trees I do see around here inbetween all the wheat and canola fields are a type of willow. They are all 4 foot tall and bent towards the North like giant bonzi
trees.
I call them willow bushes cuz I didn't know the name.
Do you think I could dig up my trees I planted last late summer?
None of this matters the clock is ticking here anyway healthwise. I think he's trying to kill me.
I won't leave tell the water is turned off.

Heck I own 200 acers in Pawnee Co. and 30 in SE Arkansas. Why don't we move there?

Still madd still in fit mode. I'll be downgrating house wise from a 2 story to a tralior but up grating landwise.(sorry lost my glasses in the yard yesterday) My keys are a BLUR.

Tree

Tree, I don't like to move either, but fixing up a new place can be fun. We have been helping our son with his place and adding trees. He took the day off work today and he, Al, and I planted 100 trees. During the week we planted a windbreak, a property line and lots of little trees along a creek as erosion control. We had a productive day then drove back home.

I'm not fond of Arkansas, but that 200 acres in Pawnee sounds pretty interesting. HeeHee

hanks everyone for being so supportive of this non gardening BS.
DH is a lot younger than me(yes I'm a cradle robber)
How this happened? I was at one point 50LB less and well and made more $ than him. A bad accident changed everything.
I'd just rather put a new place up in green country
He's so young he'll find someone new.
Tree

Tree,

But he'll never find another you!

If moving to the new place he bought is something you're 100% opposed to, then tell him so. Make sure he understands that you believe you'd never, ever be happy there. I'm wondering if he thinks that once y'all move out there, then you'll adjust and be happy? If so, you need to tell him that you don't think you ever could be happy there. Ask him if he is willing to cause you all that unhappiness. I can't believe that he is.

Anyone who is married to an avid gardener surely understands how important gardening is to the gardener. When a person is an avid gardener, gardening is not just something they do---it isn't a hobby, it isn't some little thing they do in their spare time---gardening is a integral part of who they are.

In this state, to ask an avid gardener to move further west or southwest to a part of the state where it will be significantly harder for them to garden in the way they wish to garden....well, it is just too much to ask.

Every time you mention your accident, I think of how lucky you are that you survived it, but I do understand the frustration it has caused you.

You're a wonderful person and my hope for you is that y'all can negotiate a solution and work this out in a way that makes both of you happy.

Dawn