Archive for October, 2008

I have previously recommended Northern Woodlands magazine as an excellent resource for information relative to proper land stewardship. Developed by a land owner who did many naive mistakes with his land, it is consistently a very valuable tool for the landowner.  Not only to learn about proper stewardship, but to stay current with relative conservation issues.

The latest offering from Northern Woodlands is a wonderful compilation of articles entitled “A Place You Call Home: A Guide to Caring for Your Land in Vermont” . The title pretty well sums it up.

Now here comes the good part, by going to their website, you will note on the left sidebar an ad for the publication. By clicking on it, you can sign up for a free copy to be sent to you. Hard to pass that up. Well worth doing, and I’m sure that by the time you finish perusing “A Place You Call Home” you will be signing for a subscription to Northern Woodlands. You’ll be glad you did and your land will also thank you.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway

Now that the foliage is mostly off the trees, another world opens up. Thats the magic and beauty of the four seasons of New England. While the woodlands and hillside trails are wonderful areas to study, explore and enjoy during the summer months, the opportunity to see some of these areas in their own context is best this time of year. The terrain of a land parcel is easy to see and understand without the cover of understory. How a building site might be accessed and a driveway built is much easier to see. The local and disant views are in full view. It’s also very apparent that with the removal of just a couple of trees how an  entirely new vista can be opened up.

I have found that over the last twelve years of my real estate career, most of my land sales have taken place between now and early winter,(January). It’s a great time to fully get the picture. As you select a land parcel to view, see if you can pinpoint the property on Google Maps. By using the satellite tab you can switch to an orthophoto. The orthophotography that is used for aerial views is shot during the early fall and late spring, when the foliage is off the trees. It is easy to recognize open fields, ponds and streams. Stonewalls and other property boundaries are easily seen from aerial photos. The different parcels can often be observed by their different tree types, conifers vs. deciduous. And woodland management over the years can quite often be observed.

Currently, the Vermont real estate market is very active with land sales and a good inventory. Throughout the entire Northeastern US, there are very few areas where you can still buy 10 to 500 acres at very affordable prices. The current instability in the financial markets appears to be driving interest in Vermont land parcels. And coincidently, right now is the opportune time to be viewing.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway

No matter how many years you have lived in Vermont, the sight of Fall Foliage is still an utterly humbling experience. And residency is certainly not a requirement to view this seasonal spectacle. Visitors will note as well that each year is different in terms of brillancy and duration. It is always a debate leading up to foliage season whether it be a brilliant year or not. Factors such as amount of rain through the summer season, temperatures and even amount of sunlight enter the debate.

The best place to get answers to the questions of what creates foliage season and reports as to how the season is progressing is Vermont Foliage Information. This is a website hosted by the State of Vermont to keep everyone informed as to the progress of foliage season, and to guide you as to the best locations and drives to take for best viewing.

Foliage by its very nature is not as prone to weather interference as other activities. A planned trip to the beach can be spoiled by a forecast of rain and storms. However, foliage is often better viewed in rainy overcast weather. The brilliance of the colors is further enhanced by the overcast skies. The only detriment can occur late in the foliage season. Almost without fail, we will get a heavy rain or high wind event that overnight can change the landscape from fully foliated deciduous trees to  trees devoid of leaves. So,  no matter what the weather, get out and experience one of natures great shows. This year is proving itself to be one of the best years we’ve had in quite some time.

Posted by Wade I. Treadway