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Woodrow
10-17-2009, 12:23 AM
This is a new thread. My desire here is to show how many Americans actually live and that many if not most Americans do not live in the large cities you see in the movies.

I will begin simple by just opening with pictures I posted in the old thread and later come back with comments as I speak of rural life and the similarities rural living people have, no matter what country they live in.





























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Woodrow
10-17-2009, 01:12 AM
Zeeland is very typical of small town America. Not much different from the old Andy Griffith show "Mayberry RFD" except we don't have a sheriff nor a police dept. Then again crimes are virtually non-existent.

We are in a very cold climate. Not very far from the Western Canada provinces. It is said that the only thing that separates us from the North Pole is a picket fence. We do catch the arctic blasts as there is nothing to block them. We have a very short summer and the rest of the year is winter. We had our first snow of this winter on October 5 and since Oct 9 it has snowed at least a little each day. although it warms up enough every afternoon suficient to melt the snow. But, very soon the snow will begin to accumulate and once it does we will have snow on the ground until late May or early June.

This is a beautiful area, but it can be very harsh and unforgiving. The winter temperatures here commonly reach 50 degrees below zero and have reached as low as 75 below.

Here are some pictures of our recent little snow storms. Soon I will be able to show you pictures of drifts over 20 feet high.










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Beardo
10-17-2009, 01:39 AM
Don't forget the gas station pictures!! I've been waiting to see the cash basket where you throw in your bill.
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Woodrow
10-17-2009, 02:24 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
Don't forget the gas station pictures!! I've been waiting to see the cash basket where you throw in your bill.
I took a few pictures of it as I was walking around town. I'll take some pictures of the inside tomorrow or so. In the meantime here is the outside.





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ژاله
10-17-2009, 03:22 AM
i am asking the question that i asked before and i already know the answer to.
as you mentioned in your old thread grandpa Woodrow, what do people do if there is some emergency, as hospitals are non existent? :><:
you know, i know the answer.
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Woodrow
10-17-2009, 03:39 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Malaak
i am asking the question that i asked before and i already know the answer to.
as you mentioned in your old thread grandpa Woodrow, what do people do if there is some emergency, as hospitals are non existent? :><:
you know, i know the answer.
Emergency care is non-existent if possible you can wait several hours for an ambulance to arrive from Bismark or Fargo. But, in the worse scenario any neighbor who has a plane would probably fly you to Fargo or Bismarck. Many farmers out here have their own planes, they have become as much of a farm tool as a tractor.

But prevention is the best cure and knowing immediate first aide is essential if you are to survive in a rural area. Help is not a phone call away outside of what a person can do themselves help can be hours or days away.
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ژاله
10-17-2009, 03:51 AM
^thanks for your reply..but one thing i dont really understand, why are private planes so common there? one has to be very rich to own one :hmm:
are the farmers there like oil tycoons?
and how do you use a plane in place of a tractor ?lol
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Woodrow
10-17-2009, 04:27 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Malaak
^thanks for your reply..but one thing i dont really understand, why are private planes so common there? one has to be very rich to own one :hmm:
are the farmers there like oil tycoons?
and how do you use a plane in place of a tractor ?lol
Light planes are actually lower cost and cheaper then cars, especially used ones.

Because of the distances and road conditions a plane is more economical to operate then a car. For example it costs me about $42 in fuel cost to drive one way to Fort Mead in our car. It only costs about $17 one way in fuel to fly a Cessna 150 from here to there.

Now the need for a plane on a farm. The Farms up here are typically over 100 miles to the nearest city. In the winter time the roads are not passable, the only way a farmer can get from his house to a city is by plane in the winter time. When the temperatures are near 50 degrees below zero and the roads are covered with snow, you can not go by horseback or car. Up here the farms are predominatly wheat and other grain field.

EDIT: I forgot to mention the obvious. Up here with the gigantic wheat fields being thousands of acres in size, a plane is essential for spraying the fields. A tractor is too slow and the fields too large.

NON TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Over 75% of durum wheat acreage in the United States is located in North Dakota.
from http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crispr...es/202592.html

Down in South Dakota and over in Wyoming and Montana the farms are predominatly beef ranches and the cattle can wander several hundred miles, most farmers there now use planes to keep track of their cattle instead of just on horse back. Through out the plains States aircraft have become a common farm tool.

The planes of choice are Cessna 172 Cessna 150 and Piper Tri-pacers. The Cessna 150 being what I see most often.




Here is a link to a typical 150 for sale:

http://www.myplane.com/ad/2841

It is not very far from us and we may take a drive to look at it. Very reasonable price. With aircraft age is unimportant as long as it has a full og book and meets FAA requirements. To meet FAA a plane is essentially rebuilt every year.

Just for nostalgia here is a link for the type plane I first learned to fly way back in 1954. At that time these sold for about $2,000 new.

http://www.myplane.com/ad/2813
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ژاله
10-17-2009, 05:34 AM
^thanks for info :)... i didnt know planes were used anywhere in the world for farming.
does wheat grow at such tempratures?like -50 C? or anything at all for that matter?
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Woodrow
10-17-2009, 10:06 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Malaak
^thanks for info :)... i didnt know planes were used anywhere in the world for farming.
does wheat grow at such tempratures?like -50 C? or anything at all for that matter?
We have a very short growing season, June to Sept. Wheat is a very fast growing plant as are most of the crops planted here. However, winter wheat can be planted in September and harvested in Nov if there is not much snow on the ground. If there is too much snow in November it can be left as food for cows and horses along with feeding the abundant wild life such as deer, elk, Moose and Bison(American Buffalo).

The commercial crops besides wheat grown here are corn, oats, barley, soy beans, sun flowers and sugar beets. Although there are 224 listed cities only 31 have a population of over 1,000 and only 4 have a population over 25,000 the largest city Fargo has a population of 140,000 and the second largest (Bismarck)has a population of 55,000. The smallest Ruso has a population of 6 (That is not a typo it is 6) Zeeland has a current listed population of 121 but only about 50 actually live in the city. The total population for the state is only 641,481 (Smaller then most of the world's cities.)

Here are 2 sites with some quick facts about North Dakota

http://www.netstate.com/states/alma/nd_alma.htm

While the official coldest recorded temperature is 60 degrees below zero, many residents have reported temperatures of 75 below or colder being measured at their homes.

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/38000.html

Surprising that being such a large food producing state it is actually a very poor state with one of the lowest average personal incomes in the USA. Both Aabidah and myself have retirement incomes considerably larger then the state average earned income.

Sadly, the state has a very small Native American population. Fortunately we are not far from the Native American reservations in South Dakota and Minnesota. We tend to relate better with the Sioux, Chippewa and Cheyenne. Most of our friends and Aabidah's relatives are Native American. Aabidah is Cheyenne.
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Woodrow
10-18-2009, 12:48 AM
North Dakotas claim to fame:

18-Aug-2005 --

The Geographical Center of North America

The Geographical Center of North America is located in Rugby, North Dakota - population 3,000. In January 1931 this location was established by the United States Geographical Survey. You can read how this was determined on the link below. The stone cairn beside Highway 2 was completed in August 1932 by W.B. Paterson and E.B. Paterson. Local Boy Scouts and other community volunteers assisted with the building and the local Lions Club donated the construction materials. In 1971 the cairn was moved to the present location when the highway was four laned. The coordinates on our GPS read N48° 21' 15.8" W99° 59' 53.1".

http://confluence.org/confluence.php?visitid=11375
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Alphadude
10-18-2009, 01:16 AM
its a beautiful place to live ohhh wish i could live there i just love it and is that were you got your new house granpa?
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Woodrow
10-18-2009, 01:44 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by khalid84
its a beautiful place to live ohhh wish i could live there i just love it and is that were you got your new house granpa?
It is actually Granmas old house that she had abandoned about 10 years ago. It has been empty for a long time and needs a lot of interior work.

Here are some pictures of it:







The old wooden shingle roof is nearly 100 years old and needs to be taken off and rebuilt. We will do that next summer as it would not be pleasant to spend the winter without a roof.







On the inside I have to completly rewire the electrical system. The electric lines were installed in 1934 and are now very hazardous. There are some leaks in the plumbing I have to fix and we also need to tear out the old floors and lay new ones. We bought the materials already and need to go down to Rapid City to pick it up.

We just got telephone and internet service on Monday Oct 12, and today we finally got water.

As we are working on the house we are living in the motor home:





We will most likely spend the winter in the motor home as the interior of the house is not only hazardous, it is quite unlivable at this time, but we will renovate it. We will be working on it all winter. we have kerozene heaters to keep us warm while we work on it and have a portable generator so we can use the power tools.

We are also in the process of buying a dairy farm, but that will not be finalized until next spring at the earliest.
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Alphadude
10-18-2009, 02:37 AM
what can say again its beautiful and amazing place i love it as they say old is gold hehe its not that old but needs some work thats all
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gang4
10-18-2009, 06:41 AM
Beautiful Pics...
The first shot reminds me of Oklahoma where lands meet horizon. Not many places in the world flat like that.

During tornado season, many times half of the sky completely black and the other half shines like a diamond.... a cinematic moment for those love taking pictures.

I bet a town like this you may forget your key in the car and hours later, you may find it still intact. Unlike in Manhattan, some places a big sign in their car's shield "No stereo, please do not break the window"
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Woodrow
10-18-2009, 12:28 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by gang4
Beautiful Pics...
The first shot reminds me of Oklahoma where lands meet horizon. Not many places in the world flat like that.

During tornado season, many times half of the sky completely black and the other half shines like a diamond.... a cinematic moment for those love taking pictures.

I bet a town like this you may forget your key in the car and hours later, you may find it still intact. Unlike in Manhattan, some places a big sign in their car's shield "No stereo, please do not break the window"
The first shot reminds me of Oklahoma where lands meet horizon. Not many places in the world flat like that.
In that aspect all of the plains are similar The low plains being Part of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Part of Nebaska The High plains being part of Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, North Dakota. the high plains are called so because they are on the high plateau which are an average of 1,500 feet above sea level the low plains are only about 100 feet above sea level and lower.

I bet a town like this you may forget your key in the car and hours later, you may find it still intact. Unlike in Manhattan, some places a big sign in their car's shield "No stereo, please do not break the window"
Crime is virtually non-existent in Zeeland as it is in most small towns world wide. Nearly all of the crimes that occur in North Dakota are in the 2 cities, Bismarck and Fargo. Perhaps because the people in small towns know each other personally and need to rely on each other for basic needs. Mutual acquaintance seems to run deeper in small towns and people show respect for each others property.
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Eliphaz
10-18-2009, 12:38 PM
Mashallah, nice pics Woodrow. Surprised I missed the thread the first time around!!

So I take it there aren't many Muslims in this area?
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Woodrow
10-18-2009, 12:46 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Omar_21:30
Mashallah, nice pics Woodrow. Surprised I missed the thread the first time around!!

So I take it there aren't many Muslims in this area?
No, but we are growing. The most reverts seem to be coming from the Native Americans. I was surprised to find Islam is spreading among the Ojibwa (Chippewa) tribes in Minnesota and Canada. Aabidah and I spend quite a bit of time on the Sioux reservations and the people have a desire to learn more about us.
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Danah
10-18-2009, 01:30 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Emergency care is non-existent if possible you can wait several hours for an ambulance to arrive from Bismark or Fargo. But, in the worse scenario any neighbor who has a plane would probably fly you to Fargo or Bismarck. Many farmers out here have their own planes, they have become as much of a farm tool as a tractor.

But prevention is the best cure and knowing immediate first aide is essential if you are to survive in a rural area. Help is not a phone call away outside of what a person can do themselves help can be hours or days away.
Dont they even have a small clinic or something like that?

format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Light planes are actually lower cost and cheaper then cars, especially used ones.
Oh!! I never know that they are very common and cheap compared to car. Amazing!!


and wow, I really liked the place, it looks so peaceful and quiet....and I LIKED the motor house. The Gas station looks soo different than the one we used here. I think you have to help yourself when you fill your tank, right? Very inspirational place MashaAllah
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Woodrow
10-18-2009, 02:03 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Danah
Dont they even have a small clinic or something like that?
We do have a clinic here. The doctor is here on the first and third Tuesday of each month. I believe he comes from Fargo. I have yet to meet him, but from what I understand he is Muslim and originally came from either Pakistan or India. I am looking foreward to meeting him. I currently have all of my medical needs looked after at the VA hospital at Fort Mead South Dakota. Both Aabidah and myself are Service Connected Disabled Veterans (Viet Nam/Korea Era) Aabidah is Vietnam only I am Vietnam and Korea era. Believe it or not we both have Muslim Doctors at Fort Mead.

Allaah(swt)works in strange ways although we live far from any Muslim population our Doctors are Muslim.



format_quote Originally Posted by Danah
Oh!! I never know that they are very common and cheap compared to car. Amazing!!
Throughout the rural areas in all of the plains states they are pretty much a necessity.


format_quote Originally Posted by Danah
and wow, I really liked the place, it looks so peaceful and quiet....and I LIKED the motor house. The Gas station looks soo different than the one we used here. I think you have to help yourself when you fill your tank, right? Very inspirational place MashaAllah
Not only is there usually no attendant at the filling station You just help your self and put your money in a cash box inside the door. The gasolline is essentially just a convenience for us. The company actually sells mostly bulk heating oil that is delivered to your house. I doubt if more then 3 or 4 people a week get any gasoline there. Most of us drive to Ashley for it were it is almost $1 per gallon less.

We got the motor home a while back. Actually this is our second one we had a smaller one that we traded in on this one last month. It is quite an experience driving that thing. So far we have only driven it about 2,000 miles. It is cheaper to use the car ;D
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Woodrow
10-30-2009, 12:17 PM
Woke up early this morning to a rather unpleasant surprise. We are snowed in. Aabidah has a doctors appointment scheduled for 11 am at Fort Mead. But that is now out of the question. If we are to get to Fort Mead by 11 am we will have to leave here before 6 am. Currently the car is buried enough that we can not get it out of the drive way. From what I see on the weather sites the roads from here to Fort Mead are a solid sheet of ice. Looks like we are going to be stuck in the Winnebago for at least a few days. I'll post a few pictures after it gets light here. Still have about an hour until dawn.

Although it looks like only about 4 inches of flat accumulation that is deceptive as under that is ice.
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sister herb
10-30-2009, 03:19 PM
:sl:

Thanks about these interesting pictures and information. For me, as European, it looks exciting to know more also about small places there in the USA. Waiting more...

format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
The most reverts seem to be coming from the Native Americans. I was surprised to find Islam is spreading among the Ojibwa (Chippewa) tribes in Minnesota and Canada. Aabidah and I spend quite a bit of time on the Sioux reservations and the people have a desire to learn more about us.
That information were interesting too; actually I know some Native Americans, whose are muslims (from Cherokee tribe).

Thanks again. :statisfie
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Woodrow
10-30-2009, 07:32 PM
Darn weather. I thought I was going to get some good snow pictures. But, the air warmed enough for the snow fall to turn to rain and by the time the sun came up it was gone. But, from the reports we are getting the Roads from the North Dakota/South Dakota border south to Nebraska and Colorado are heavily iced and heavy snow is still falling in the Fort Mead region.
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Iris
10-30-2009, 08:22 PM
The wide open spaces look so nice!!

I always thought living in one of these suburbanlike towns would be so nice and peaceful....but the lack of facilities seem to make it hard.
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Woodrow
10-30-2009, 08:54 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by sister harb
:sl:

Thanks about these interesting pictures and information. For me, as European, it looks exciting to know more also about small places there in the USA. Waiting more...



That information were interesting too; actually I know some Native Americans, whose are muslims (from Cherokee tribe).

Thanks again. :statisfie
Interesting, my second wife was Cherokee. From her I did learn to speak a little Tsalagi. The traditional Cherokee way of dressing is so similar to the Clothing of Arab Muslims there has been speculation that at one time they were Muslim, long before Columbus set foot in the Americas.
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zakirs
10-30-2009, 09:18 PM
Woodrow amazing place you live in .I am jealous.. :) .. Just a little scary that you don't have emergency services though :( .

Can i visit you lol :D

The motor home is awesome :). Is that a cadillac car ?.
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Woodrow
10-30-2009, 10:39 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by zakirs
Woodrow amazing place you live in .I am jealous.. :) .. Just a little scary that you don't have emergency services though :( .

Can i visit you lol :D

The motor home is awesome :). Is that a cadillac car ?.
Yes the car is a Cadillac. An older one, 1999. The advantage is it has the Northstar engine and gets an average of 27 miles per gallon of E-85 gas alternative. Many people here are now using E-85 instead of Petrol. In fact I believe it is next year it will be illegal to sell gasoline in South Dakota. North Dakota is now becoming a major producer of E-85. It is made from corn. The good news is it gives us a low cost fuel source, the bad part is it is reducing the amount of corn that wil be exported as food. In the past nearly all of the corn raised in the Dakotas was exported to other nations. Now, the shift is being that it will be used to make E-85.

You learn to live without emergency services. Or more exact, You learn a lot of first aid and home health care.
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zakirs
10-30-2009, 11:43 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Yes the car is a Cadillac. An older one, 1999. The advantage is it has the Northstar engine and gets an average of 27 miles per gallon of E-85 gas alternative. Many people here are now using E-85 instead of Petrol. In fact I believe it is next year it will be illegal to sell gasoline in South Dakota. North Dakota is now becoming a major producer of E-85. It is made from corn. The good news is it gives us a low cost fuel source, the bad part is it is reducing the amount of corn that wil be exported as food. In the past nearly all of the corn raised in the Dakotas was exported to other nations. Now, the shift is being that it will be used to make E-85.

You learn to live without emergency services. Or more exact, You learn a lot of first aid and home health care.
Hmm yes , I personally believe bio fuel is a very bad idea , since people are finding hard to find something to eat and people use it for fuel in their cars! :(.
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Woodrow
10-31-2009, 12:20 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by zakirs
Hmm yes , I personally believe bio fuel is a very bad idea , since people are finding hard to find something to eat and people use it for fuel in their cars! :(.
It is a catch 22 situation. If we continue to use gasoline, it will mean more food for export, but the ever increasing gasoline prices would render the cost of the food too high for the hungry nations to buy it. It takes a lot of fuel to operate a farm. If memory serves me right it ends up taking a gallon of fuel to produce a bushel of corn.
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Beardo
10-31-2009, 12:27 AM
Gas stations look much different... Could I see the basket where you drop the money?

So you have a car, motor home, and trailer as I see, masha'Allah?

You do the plumbing and all yourself? :X
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Woodrow
10-31-2009, 01:02 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
Gas stations look much different... Could I see the basket where you drop the money?

So you have a car, motor home, and trailer as I see, masha'Allah?

You do the plumbing and all yourself? :X
I keep forgetting to stop in at the filling station. I promise I will keep a camera in the car and will get you a picture.

We are doing the plumbing, electrical wiring and carpentry work ourselves. Up here you do everything yourself if it is going to get done. There are no nearby plumbers, electricians etc. and to try to get one from Fargo or Bismarck we would have to wait until spring. We will hire somebody to do the roofing but we are not going to have that done until spring or next summer.

The wiring is proving to be a nightmare. The original wiring was probably done in the 1930s and is quite a fire hazard. I have redesigned the wiring layout and am doing far in excess of national standards. The smallest wiring I am using is 10 gauge and I am encasing it all in metal conduits with 4 separate ground rods. The basement is getting all GFCI outlets as are the kitchen and Bathroom. I've put in a 40 circuit breaker box and each room is getting individual circuits. In the case of the Kitchen there are 2 separate 110 volt circuits and one 220 volt. The basement has three 220 circuits and 4 110 volt. One will be 50 amps for some of the wood working tools we use for hobby work. The laundry room is getting two 220 volt circuits and one 110 volt. (OOOps, Where I wrote 110 should be 115 and where I wrote 220 should be 230)
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Grace Seeker
11-06-2009, 05:43 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Darn weather. I thought I was going to get some good snow pictures. But, the air warmed enough for the snow fall to turn to rain and by the time the sun came up it was gone. But, from the reports we are getting the Roads from the North Dakota/South Dakota border south to Nebraska and Colorado are heavily iced and heavy snow is still falling in the Fort Mead region.
Woodrow, sorry you didn't get your snow pictures. Would you settle for: The Diary of a Man Who Moved to South Dakota, with picture attached.
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Woodrow
11-06-2009, 06:14 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
Woodrow, sorry you didn't get your snow pictures. Would you settle for: The Diary of a Man Who Moved to South Dakota, with picture attached.
That is too close to the truth to be funny. :D

I do caution any readers to be aware that the language gets to be a little rough, but is actually the sentiments of many who move to the Dakotas.

What is strange is the actual snow falls are not all that heavy. Some of the more southern states get more snow. However because of the extreme cold up here the snow is not the soft fluffy stuff, it is very fine ice crystals that act more like dust. The snow falls aren't bad but the drifts are like in the picture. The snow drifts like sand dunes and you can expect your house to be buried under a drift. Every thing that is not flat level with the ground gets buried under drifts.
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Woodrow
11-06-2009, 08:40 PM
Since we have been having such nice weather for the past week. The fields are dry enough for the grain to be harvested. Yesterday evening I heard a loud noise and realized the soybean field just to the north of us was being harvested. Quite an interest machine. I took some not very clear pictures of the harvester. Keep in mind this machine is about the same size as a typical 2 story house.







The field is about 10,000 acres and by morning it was all cleared. The harvesters do run all night long and it amazing to see how fast a field is harvested.
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Alphadude
11-06-2009, 08:44 PM
wow its amazing and i think thats what i call a normal and peace full life:D
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yasin ibn Ahmad
11-06-2009, 09:35 PM
:sl:
Lovely thread, surprising information.I really liked this thread .Thanks for sharing Woodrow.I wouldn't believe if someone said a state in the US has a population under 1 milion.Is there any other states having low population?
and do you call it a city where you live? coz i thought cities have higher population.
looking forward to more pics and information
:sl:
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Woodrow
11-06-2009, 10:49 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by yasin ibn Ahmad
:sl:
Lovely thread, surprising information.I really liked this thread .Thanks for sharing Woodrow.I wouldn't believe if someone said a state in the US has a population under 1 milion.Is there any other states having low population?
and do you call it a city where you live? coz i thought cities have higher population.
looking forward to more pics and information
:sl:
All of the Central Plains States are very sparsely populated. In spite of the large cities that most people associate with the USA, the USA is really quite empty and most of it is Farmland. The largest exports from the USA are food products. Mostly grain and vegetable products. No matter where you live, if you eat bread the flour most likely came from the Americas either the US or Canada.If memory serves me right the USA and Canada produce over 85% of the flour used in the world. Add to that virtually every corn product world wide comes from corn raised in the Plains States.

The definition of city is defined by each state. North Dakota calls every incorporated area a City. Currently the smallest city in ND is Maza with a population of 5, Ruso held that distinction for a long time with a population of 3. But, Ruso had a big population increase last year and doubled in size and now has a population of 6.

While the USA is the third largest country by population, because of it's large size the population density per square mile is quite low.

With an average population of 84 people per square mile. The USA is one of the least densly popilated areas in the world. For comparission the UK has a density of 650 per square mile.

Check this link: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0934666.html

To put North Dakota in perspective we have a population density of 9 per square mile making it one of the least populated areas on earth.
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Iris
11-07-2009, 06:14 AM
Yeah that's true. I for one, always got the feeling that USA is not very densely populated. UK on the other hand, definitely is!! I doubt they have much of plains and farmland either.

North Dakota sounds like a lonely place...even from the name of it :D But the pictures give such a peaceful image of it all. I love peaceful places :))
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zakirs
11-07-2009, 07:37 AM

The definition of city is defined by each state. North Dakota calls every incorporated area a City. Currently the smallest city in ND is Maza with a population of 5, Ruso held that distinction for a long time with a population of 3. But, Ruso had a big population increase last year and doubled in size and now has a population of 6.
Lol 100% population increase :P.. What could have happened? May be some relatives came for a visit when the surveyor came :D
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Woodrow
11-07-2009, 08:16 AM
North Dakota is one of the last places the glaciers from the last Ice Age melted. Alot of our Ground water is recently melted glaciers. The ice age did much in shaping the topogrphy of the land. Trees are not native to most of North Dakota, so any trees you see are most likely recent (Within past 50 years) plantings by the land ownners.

I haven't gotten out much in the past week to take any picturs but I did find a number of pictures of the surrounding area here.

I uploaded the pictures to photobucket so I don't hot-link to them. These 4 pictures come from the same source. the source is given at the end of the pictures.









Those pictures are taken from the website of NDSU (North Dakota State University)

Visit the site here: http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/nd_geology...ex_glacial.htm

Click on the pictures at the site and you will get cosiderable information about the picture.


In spite of it's low population, ND is not the least densely state it is only number 3 two other states are less Densely populated. Montana has a density of 4 people per Square mile and Alaska has a population density of 1 per square mile. In Area Alaska accounts for nearly 1/4 of the total USA land area.
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Ramadhan
11-07-2009, 12:42 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow

The definition of city is defined by each state. North Dakota calls every incorporated area a City. Currently the smallest city in ND is Maza with a population of 5, Ruso held that distinction for a long time with a population of 3. But, Ruso had a big population increase last year and doubled in size and now has a population of 6.
Did a couple get a triple twins?
:D
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yasin ibn Ahmad
11-07-2009, 03:55 PM
what about education?Do you have school or teachers nearby?
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Fishman
11-07-2009, 03:58 PM
:sl:
One important question: do you have zombies there?
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Woodrow
11-07-2009, 04:50 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by yasin ibn Ahmad
what about education?Do you have school or teachers nearby?
For universities we have NDSU North Dakota State University which actually is very highly rated and has a considerable number of Students from other Countries, at least 1 Forum member is a student there. It has a very active Muslim Student's Association--although their website is seldom updated
http://sites.google.com/site/msandsu/

and a fair number of Muslim Students from The UK, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq and several other Islamic countries.

For Grade School, home schooling is very common. But there are schools, often one school will serve several counties. There is one in Zeeland the students come in by bus from up to 100 miles away. It is a very long school bus trip for some of the students and they spend 4-5 hours on the school bus each way. In the winter time most will home school, the school bus is out of the question when the roads are covered with ice and snow.
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Woodrow
11-07-2009, 05:05 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Fishman
:sl:
One important question: do you have zombies there?
Caution: Fish is the State food. Fishing both recreational and commercial is very popular. The fish usually caught are Salmon, trout, Bass, pike, muskellunge and walleye, walleye seem to be the faorite for both sport and eating.

a fishman would not have to worry about any zombies but might have trouble with fanatical fishermen
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Fishman
11-07-2009, 05:19 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Caution: Fish is the State food. Fishing both recreational and commercial is very popular. The fish usually caught are Salmon, trout, Bass, pike, muskellunge and walleye, walleye seem to be the faorite for both sport and eating.

a fishman would not have to worry about any zombies but might have trouble with fanatical fishermen
:sl:
How can fish be the State food of a landlocked state?
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Woodrow
11-07-2009, 05:41 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Fishman
:sl:
How can fish be the State food of a landlocked state?
Not all fish come from the ocean, some of the best fish are fresh water, especially from the colder regions that have numerous lakes and rivers of unpolluted water. ND is fortunate to have very clear pure glacial water and rivers that connect to the sea providing for an abundance of fish.

The fish most commonly sold commercialy are walleye.

ND has some very complex fishing laws they have international overtones as ND and Canada share quite a few rivers and lakes, so the laws have to be applicable for both countries.
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Fishman
11-07-2009, 08:30 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Not all fish come from the ocean, some of the best fish are fresh water, especially from the colder regions that have numerous lakes and rivers of unpolluted water. ND is fortunate to have very clear pure glacial water and rivers that connect to the sea providing for an abundance of fish.

The fish most commonly sold commercialy are walleye.

ND has some very complex fishing laws they have international overtones as ND and Canada share quite a few rivers and lakes, so the laws have to be applicable for both countries.
:sl:
Have you ever had a fish war? We did with Iceland. It would be interesting to see battlecruisers trying to sail up some little freshwater streams!
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OurIslamic
11-07-2009, 08:59 PM
I recently moved from California to Massachusetts. It's a BIG difference!
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Woodrow
11-07-2009, 09:10 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Fishman
:sl:
Have you ever had a fish war? We did with Iceland. It would be interesting to see battlecruisers trying to sail up some little freshwater streams!
Not exactly little streams The Missouri river that passes through is the second Largest river, by volume in the US and the longest in the US. Actually between the Mo and the Red river there is connection to the sea. I believe in the early 1900s Fargo was a sea port, although it was a 4,000 mile trip down river before they reached the ocean.

But still no big worry about any need for Battle Cruisers. I figure if we took the entire population of ND we would have to talk a bunch of Canadians to join us so we would have enough to man it.
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Fishman
11-07-2009, 09:29 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Not exactly little streams The Missouri river that passes through is the second Largest river, by volume in the US and the longest in the US. Actually between the Mo and the Red river there is connection to the sea. I believe in the early 1900s Fargo was a sea port, although it was a 4,000 mile trip down river before they reached the ocean.

But still no big worry about any need for Battle Cruisers. I figure if we took the entire population of ND we would have to talk a bunch of Canadians to join us so we would have enough to man it.
Our fish war was the only war ever between two democratic states! With zero causualties, apart from fish, of course.
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Grace Seeker
11-08-2009, 01:40 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by yasin ibn Ahmad
:sl:
Lovely thread, surprising information.I really liked this thread .Thanks for sharing Woodrow.I wouldn't believe if someone said a state in the US has a population under 1 milion.Is there any other states having low population?
and do you call it a city where you live? coz i thought cities have higher population.
looking forward to more pics and information
:sl:
The least populated state in the US is Wyoming with less than just 493,782 people. The the city of Washington, D.C. has more people than that all by itself. I happen to live in the state of Illinois. When I mention that to people not from Illinois, they tend to immediately think of Chicago. It is a fairly good-sized city, once the 2nd largest in the USA (now third) with a population of 2,896,016 people. That is roughly the same as Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota all added together. In addition to those 5, Delaware and Montana also have less 1 million people living in them.

But even when you in a fairly large state Illinois with a good sized population and a world class city like Chicago, there is still a lot of empty space most places. Illinois is much more than just Chicago. Most of Illinois is also farmland, just like North Dakota. Our farms are not quite as large and we have several cities (not just Chicago) larger than North Dakota's largest; nevertheless, most of it is NOT urban. Every time I drive somewhere, I have to be careful about deer being on the road. It is nothing to also see raccoons, possums, fox, or coyote. When I used to live along the Mississippi River, I could watch eagles fly overhead from the couch in my living room.

There was a TV show on years ago, MASH, in which the actors used their real hometowns as the hometowns for their characters. One of them, McClean Stevenson, was from Bloomington, Illinois. I remember when his character talked about how small it was because to me it was "the city" -- about 60,000. It took us an hour to drive there, but when we did there were restaurants and movie theathers, and all sorts of things that we never even dreamed of. Eventually I even attended university in that town. But I have to admit, it is still just an overgrown version of other small Illinois towns. It doesn't think like most cities think.

Today, I live in a county seat, the principal governement municipality in our area. And the town is still so small that we have exactly 2 groceries, 3 gas stations, and 5 stoplights.

You asked if there are other rural areas in the US. Well, I know that Woodrow said that North Dakota is the least densely populated state in the USA. I think that Wyoming is the least densely populated state. It might depend on which census you look up. But I can tell you that last summer we drove across it and I went 20 miles (32 km) without even seeing another car, let alone a town. Southern California and the east coast from Boston to New York to Philadelphia to Washington is one gigantic city, even including open spaces it still averages out to more than 1100 people per square mile (450 per square km) -- the cities themselves are 10X that. But once you leave those two coasts and start moving inland you are looking at an average that is less than 1/15th of that even with cities like Chicago thrown in.

In fact, just to give a sense of how the USA really is two different worlds, our largest city, New York City, is only 13th on the list of world cities; but even still, just as a city, it is larger than the population of all but 8 of the 50 United States.
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Woodrow
11-08-2009, 02:14 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
The least populated state in the US is Wyoming with less than just 493,782 people. The the city of Washington, D.C. has more people than that all by itself. I happen to live in the state of Illinois. When I mention that to people not from Illinois, they tend to immediately think of Chicago. It is a fairly good-sized city, once the 2nd largest in the USA (now third) with a population of 2,896,016 people. That is roughly the same as Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota all added together. In addition to those 5, Delaware and Montana also have less 1 million people living in them.

But even when you in a fairly large state Illinois with a good sized population and a world class city like Chicago, there is still a lot of empty space most places. Illinois is much more than just Chicago. Most of Illinois is also farmland, just like North Dakota. Our farms are not quite as large and we have several cities (not just Chicago) larger than North Dakota's largest; nevertheless, most of it is NOT urban. Every time I drive somewhere, I have to be careful about deer being on the road. It is nothing to also see raccoons, possums, fox, or coyote. When I used to live along the Mississippi River, I could watch eagles fly overhead from the couch in my living room.

There was a TV show on years ago, MASH, in which the actors used their real hometowns as the hometowns for their characters. One of them, McClean Stevenson, was from Bloomington, Illinois. I remember when his character talked about how small it was because to me it was "the city" -- about 60,000. It took us an hour to drive there, but when we did there were restaurants and movie theathers, and all sorts of things that we never even dreamed of. Eventually I even attended university in that town. But I have to admit, it is still just an overgrown version of other small Illinois towns. It doesn't think like most cities think.

Today, I live in a county seat, the principal governement municipality in our area. And the town is still so small that we have exactly 2 groceries, 3 gas stations, and 5 stoplights.

You asked if there are other rural areas in the US. Well, I know that Woodrow said that North Dakota is the least densely populated state in the USA. I think that Wyoming is the least densely populated state. It might depend on which census you look up. But I can tell you that last summer we drove across it and I went 20 miles (32 km) without even seeing another car, let alone a town. Southern California and the east coast from Boston to New York to Philadelphia to Washington is one gigantic city, even including open spaces it still averages out to more than 1100 people per square mile (450 per square km) -- the cities themselves are 10X that. But once you leave those two coasts and start moving inland you are looking at an average that is less than 1/15th of that even with cities like Chicago thrown in.

In fact, just to give a sense of how the USA really is two different worlds, our largest city, New York City, is only 13th on the list of world cities; but even still, just as a city, it is larger than the population of all but 8 of the 50 United States.
Peace Gene, You are correct about Wyoming being the least populated and the lowest population density. But, that is for the lower 48 and excludes Alaska. I made an error when I said ND was the third least populated and included Alaska. It is third least dense in terms of the lower 48. Both Wyoming and Montana are less populated then ND.

To those who have never traveled by land through the interior states it is a surprise as to how sparsely populated the US is. To put it in perspective, stop and think there are 12 cities outside the US, each having a larger population then any one of 42 of our states. Or more dramatic, Afghanistan with a population density of 124 per square miles has a population density 1.5 times larger then the average US density.The USA is less densely populated than some of the Sahara Countries. Much of the USA does not look anything like what the movies show.
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Grace Seeker
11-08-2009, 02:36 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Much of the USA does not look anything like what the movies show.
Two of my favorite movies, Field of Dreamns and A River Runs Through It, look remarkably like Iowa and Montana, respectively.
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Woodrow
11-08-2009, 02:54 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
Two of my favorite movies, Field of Dreamns and A River Runs Through It, look remarkably like Iowa and Montana, respectively.
Both of those movies look more like America actually looks than any other movie I know of. If a person were to drive through all of the 50 States that is the scenery they would see most often. So far I have lived/extended visited in every State East of the continental divide (some only for a month or 2) and now putting a good dent in those west of it. I have yet to fail to find one that does not have enough rural and wilderness area to keep a country boy happy. Although, I do have some favorite places such as small towns on the Texas Coast like Sea Drift and Port Lavaca and the Atchafalaya Basin in Louisiana. Beau Bridge comes to mind. The Dakotas and Minnesota also have large appeal for me except for Minneapolis/St. Paul For the time being I am happy to call North Dakota Home.
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Grace Seeker
11-08-2009, 03:05 AM
And sadly, Talledega Nights (the 2nd worst movie I ever saw) also fairly accurately portrays that slice of Alabama (and south Georgia).
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Woodrow
11-08-2009, 03:14 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
And sadly, Talledega Nights (the 2nd worst movie I ever saw) also fairly accurately portrays that slice of Alabama (and south Georgia).
In Alabama my favorite place is Dauphine Island, In Mobile bay, can be reached by ferry or bridge (Bridge is at the North eastern end) Beautiful place. but no place to be in Hurricane season.
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zakirs
11-08-2009, 08:00 AM
Woodrow does living at your grandmas home make you nostalgic ? Do you remember her ? It must be super fun to see that house and go back to childhood ? :D
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Woodrow
11-08-2009, 12:00 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by zakirs
Woodrow does living at your grandmas home make you nostalgic ? Do you remember her ? It must be super fun to see that house and go back to childhood ? :D
LOL Grandma is the pet name for my wife Aabidah, several members here refer to her as Gramma like they call me Grampa.. It was her old house. She bought it about 15 years agao, but moved out of it 10 years ago when she started raising horses in South Dakota on the Cheyenne River Sioux reservation. She couldn't find any buyers for the house so she just left it.

My childhood houses are long gone. The one I grew up in (My grandparents farm) burned down about 30 years ago. This is the first time I ever lived in North Dakota.
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zakirs
11-08-2009, 02:51 PM
The one I grew up in (My grandparents farm) burned down about 30 years ago
very sad :( ..

LOL Grandma is the pet name for my wife Aabidah, several members here refer to her as Gramma like they call me Grampa
oops my bad :D :D ..
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Ramadhan
12-22-2009, 05:26 AM
:bump:

Any recent news and pictures from Zeeland, ND? I would love to see them.

Are you buried in the snow, unc Woodrow?
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Vito
12-22-2009, 05:48 AM
Nice thread. Just curious as to what kind of internet service are you guys using?
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nightingale
12-22-2009, 06:46 AM
Beautiful pictures, jazakhallah khair for sharing them. The place looks very peaceful, like Iowa (my university town, Ames, I miss it now imsad)
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Woodrow
12-22-2009, 09:29 AM
:sl:

The snows began on Oct 5. We had 9 snow storms in Oct. but then an unusually warm Nov. with very few days that went below freezing and no snow. All of October's snow melted. But Dec began with very cold weather we have not had a day in Dec that went above freezing. Most nights have been far below Zero. The lowest I recorded was 24 below Zero Farenheit. Very little precipitation Last week an ice storm hit, it changed to snow yesterday and the snow is expected to last at least another week with blizzard conditions begining on Wednesday night or early Thursday,

Here is the way the weather has been since last week, beginning with when the ice storm hit to yesterday.

The ice storms are tiny ice crystals, looks like dense fog and visibility cuts down to a matter of inches.









Here are some close up of the ice crstals on branches and blowing across the car







Here we start with yesterday this is the snow storm that is still continuing, still too dark to see how much fell over night

















Looks like we will not be getting out of the house or rather out of the Winnebago for at least the next 5 or 6 days. Might be up to a month before the roads are open enough to get out of Zeeland to go for any Dr. Appointments. Might have to get a neighbor with a plane to fly us down to Fort Mead for Aabidah's next appointments.
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Ramadhan
12-22-2009, 09:40 AM
It sure looks berrryyy cooldd... but strangely beautiful nevertheless.
So the one on the last picture is the winnebago where you and sister Aabidah live?
Hows the progress on the house renovation?
Thank you for sharing the pictures
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Woodrow
12-22-2009, 09:43 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by -Kai-
Nice thread. Just curious as to what kind of internet service are you guys using?
Very poor and unreliable.

Until last month we were using wireless, but it was not reliable and got cut off line very often. We finaly had a cable run the 30 miles from Ashley and it is good high speed. I set up a wireless Linsky router in the house and am broadcasting short range wifi to the nearest neighbors.
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Woodrow
12-22-2009, 09:52 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by naidamar
It sure looks berrryyy cooldd... but strangely beautiful nevertheless.
So the one on the last picture is the winnebago where you and sister Aabidah live?
Hows the progress on the house renovation?
The rennovation has come to a stand still. there is no heat in the house and too cold to do much. I did manage to put in some additional 10 gauge wiring so we have a few good circuits. Have electric and propane heat in the Winnebago and beside the generator in the Winnebago a portable one in the basement of the house.
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brotherubaid
12-22-2009, 12:21 PM
Thanks For sharing , It seems very peacful n beautiful

Reminded me of Kalamazoo Michigan , I stayed there for about 4 years , went to western michigan university. Also a nice quiet town , we had beautiful towns near by like Paw Paw , South Haven etc , all really beautiful. Will Post some pics later InshahAllah.

Also my brother used to live in arkansas in a beautiful town called springdale , it was pretty nice too , realy quiet n peaceful.
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Woodrow
12-22-2009, 12:38 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by brotherubaid
Thanks For sharing , It seems very peacful n beautiful

Reminded me of Kalamazoo Michigan , I stayed there for about 4 years , went to western michigan university. Also a nice quiet town , we had beautiful towns near by like Paw Paw , South Haven etc , all really beautiful. Will Post some pics later InshahAllah.

Also my brother used to live in arkansas in a beautiful town called springdale , it was pretty nice too , realy quiet n peaceful.
I lived in a small Arkansas town for a few months and believe it or not the name was Hog Eye, wasn't very far from Pea Ridge. Yes, it was in the Ozarks.
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Supreme
12-22-2009, 01:45 PM
Woodrow, may I post some pictures of my suburban London area?
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Woodrow
12-22-2009, 01:54 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
Woodrow, may I post some pictures of my suburban London area?
I would love it if you did. As we all learn a little about where we live, the more we learn about each other.
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Samiun
12-22-2009, 03:11 PM
That place looks like an ice-box-all-day-temperature!

I ever felt 4 degrees or -2 degrees in a particular country, but 50 degrees below+sn0w is just too extreme for me.

May Allah make you and your family be in warm conditions ^_^
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czgibson
12-22-2009, 03:34 PM
Greetings,

Fascinating stuff, Woodrow - thanks for showing us all about your way of life. This is one of the most interesting threads I've seen for a long time. You certainly are a hardy soul putting up with winters like that!



Btw, I love the personalised motor home. :p

Peace
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Woodrow
12-22-2009, 04:10 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by czgibson
Greetings,

Fascinating stuff, Woodrow - thanks for showing us all about your way of life. This is one of the most interesting threads I've seen for a long time. You certainly are a hardy soul putting up with winters like that!



Btw, I love the personalised motor home. :p

Peace
Peace CZ,

Wait until I start putting posts from our times on the Rez I think I will toss some in here since it looks like we will be stuck in the Winnebago for about a week
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Supreme
12-22-2009, 04:35 PM
OK, here's my immediate road, I may post some pictures of my actual town up later. I just took it, like in the past hour.





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Woodrow
12-22-2009, 05:25 PM
Very nice Supreme. How similar it looks like a scene from our North Eastern States (The New England States)
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Chuck
12-22-2009, 06:29 PM
Thanks for the pics, brings back some old memories :D
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Beardo
12-22-2009, 06:34 PM
The houses look pretty big there, Masha'Allah.

The backyards etc must be humongous as well. Are there any swimming pools or community centers or anything...? Any recreational activities?
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Supreme
12-22-2009, 08:41 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Very nice Supreme. How similar it looks like a scene from our North Eastern States (The New England States)
Well, they don't call it New England for nothing you know:statisfie
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GuestFellow
12-22-2009, 08:44 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
OK, here's my immediate road, I may post some pictures of my actual town up later. I just took it, like in the past hour.

Wow nice area, my area is overcrowded and live in a small house >.>
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Woodrow
12-22-2009, 09:08 PM
Since the weather is not being nice to me and I can't go around taking pictures I'll go ahead and post some old pictures of the reservations I spend a lot of time on. This first group is on the Pine Ridge Oglala Sioux Nation















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Beardo
12-22-2009, 09:22 PM
Who cleared the snow from the roads? Looks like a machine came and cleared it out.

I haven't seen or experienced snows in probably a decade... imsad
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Supreme
12-22-2009, 09:57 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
Who cleared the snow from the roads? Looks like a machine came and cleared it out.

I haven't seen or experienced snows in probably a decade... imsad
May I ask, where do you live?

Also, lovely pics Woodrow. You can see why the Americans are so darn patriotic with such a beautiful country.
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Woodrow
12-22-2009, 10:43 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
May I ask, where do you live?

Also, lovely pics Woodrow. You can see why the Americans are so darn patriotic with such a beautiful country.
That is Native American land, the European Settlers wrecked the parts they stole :raging:

The Rez are not considered part of the USA, but have a treaty with the USA. They are Citizen's but the rez are supposed to be under tribal law. A dispute aout that caused the last Oglala uprising on Pine Ridge, when 3 FBI agents tried to arrest a rez citisen on the Rez. It was called the second battle of Wounded Knee took plce in 1973 if memory serves me right.
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Beardo
12-22-2009, 11:09 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
May I ask, where do you live?

Also, lovely pics Woodrow. You can see why the Americans are so darn patriotic with such a beautiful country.
The US. Just a different, more neautral weathered area.
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MartyrX
12-23-2009, 03:07 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
Who cleared the snow from the roads? Looks like a machine came and cleared it out.

I haven't seen or experienced snows in probably a decade... imsad
Well I'll trade you. It's freezing drizzle outside right now and we will be getting 3-6 inches of snow Friday.

Woodrow those are a great pictures. I'll have to go through the other five pages when I have more time.
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zakirs
12-23-2009, 07:43 AM
woodrow uncle are those really red indians ? do you talk to them ? .. what language do they speak :). I assume they have great food :D
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Woodrow
12-23-2009, 08:12 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by zakirs
woodrow uncle are those really red indians ? do you talk to them ? .. what language do they speak :). I assume they have great food :D
Yes nephew those are real red Indians. They are of the Oglala Sioux Nation.

Their native language is Lakota. Although they all speak English. They almost lost their language as the early Christian Missionaries would not allow them to speak Lakota. The Language is making a come back and the schools on the Rez are teaching it. My wife is a red Indian, she is from the Cheyenne Nation and the language of the Cheyenne is also Lakota.

Here are some common Lakota phrases:


Welcome Taŋyáŋ yahí (sg) Taŋyáŋ yahípi (pl)

Hello Hau (used only by men)

How are you? Tókheškhe yaúŋ he? Toníktuha he?
Taŋyáŋ yaúŋ he?

Long time no see Théhaŋ waŋčhíŋyaŋke šni

What's your name? Táku eníčiyapi he?

Where are you from? Tukténitaŋhaŋ he?

Pleased to meet you Wíyuškiŋyaŋ waŋčhíŋyaŋke ló
(ló used only by men)

Good morning Híŋháŋni / Híŋhaŋni laȟči
Híŋhaŋni wašté

Good night Taŋyáŋ ištíŋma yo/ye / po/pe

Goodbye Tókša akhé waŋčhíŋyaŋkiŋ kte
Tókša akhé
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zakirs
12-23-2009, 08:33 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Yes nephew those are real red Indians. They are of the Oglala Sioux Nation.

Their native language is Lakota. Although they all speak English. They almost lost their language as the early Christian Missionaries would not allow them to speak Lakota. The Language is making a come back and the schools on the Rez are teaching it. My wife is a red Indian, she is from the Cheyenne Nation and the language of the Cheyenne is also Lakota.

Here are some common Lakota phrases:


Welcome Taŋyáŋ yahí (sg) Taŋyáŋ yahípi (pl)

Hello Hau (used only by men)

How are you? Tókheškhe yaúŋ he? Toníktuha he?
Taŋyáŋ yaúŋ he?

Long time no see Théhaŋ waŋčhíŋyaŋke šni

What's your name? Táku eníčiyapi he?

Where are you from? Tukténitaŋhaŋ he?

Pleased to meet you Wíyuškiŋyaŋ waŋčhíŋyaŋke ló
(ló used only by men)

Good morning Híŋháŋni / Híŋhaŋni laȟči
Híŋhaŋni wašté

Good night Taŋyáŋ ištíŋma yo/ye / po/pe

Goodbye Tókša akhé waŋčhíŋyaŋkiŋ kte
Tókša akhé
Pilamaya ye woodrow :)
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Woodrow
12-23-2009, 08:46 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by zakirs
Pilamaya ye woodrow :)
Pilamaya ye Nephew, their is no actual word for You're welcome, they usually just repeat back Pilamaya ye
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Grace Seeker
12-24-2009, 07:33 AM
Woodrow, I know that you get snowed in there at Zeeland quite a bit. But how does the state do at keeping US 83 open between Pierre and Bismark?
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Woodrow
12-24-2009, 01:49 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
Woodrow, I know that you get snowed in there at Zeeland quite a bit. But how does the state do at keeping US 83 open between Pierre and Bismark?
Peace Gene,

From the SD/ND Border to Pierre it is kept very clear. Although the 30 miles from 12 to 212 does have delays it is often blocked for several hours at a time. The ND section is hit and miss you can generally expect delays. You can make it from Pierre to Bismarck but expect it to take 12 hours and about 8 of those hours sitting and waiting for sections to be cleared.

We are about 20 miles fom 83 going on 11, but 11 wont be plowed until all snow has stopped falling. Right now it looks like 11 will be closed until at least Monday. If we could go south to SD10 it would be nice 10 is kept open. But the roads between here and 10 are secondary roads and wont be plowed.
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Beardo
12-24-2009, 06:52 PM
North Dokota is under blizzard warning. Please make dua for Grandpa Woodrow. :(
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Woodrow
12-24-2009, 07:30 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
North Dokota is under blizzard warning. Please make dua for Grandpa Woodrow. :(
Jazakallah Khayr Nephew. But, no body need fret for us, we are packed in the winnebago and have sufficient propane to last a week plus electric heaters and an emergency generator.

We did get a brief break in the blizzardd and I went out and took a few pictures. Here is what it looks like at the moment.
















In a few hours we will be hit by the hardest part of the storm. We expect 50-60 MPH winds and the snow to fall at up to a foot per hour from now until Monday morning. Most probably the Electricity and Phone lines will go down, so if I disappear for a few days don't worry.


Fortunately, Allaah(swt) assured we had plenty of warning for this storm and we are well prepared for it. We stocked up on every thing we need to survive Blizzard condition for 10 days. Masha Allaah
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Beardo
12-24-2009, 10:23 PM
What do you guys live on during this time?
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Woodrow
12-24-2009, 10:26 PM
The main part of the Blizzard still hasn't reached us. But it cleared up enough so I was able to get a nice picture of the afternoon sun.

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Woodrow
12-24-2009, 10:38 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
What do you guys live on during this time?
Lots of rice. I have a 50 pound sack of wild rice and about 1000 pounds of frozen food (mostly fish) in the camper trailer.



The advantage of winter, we don't need a freezer, the stuff will stay frozen in there until May.
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Grace Seeker
12-25-2009, 12:02 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
The advantage of winter, we don't need a freezer, the stuff will stay frozen in there until May.
I remember the "good ole days" when we used to use our back porch as a spare refrigerator or freezer depending on where you placed stuff.


Woodrow, what's the closest ski hill to you? I may have to come for a visit.
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Beardo
12-25-2009, 12:07 AM
I tried ice skating once. Totally not my sport. I held onto the rails the entire time.
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zakirs
12-25-2009, 12:46 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
I tried ice skating once. Totally not my sport. I held onto the rails the entire time.
lol :D


@woodrow uncle hold on tight during the storm, May allah make it easy on your family :) .
Reply

Woodrow
12-25-2009, 01:06 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
I remember the "good ole days" when we used to use our back porch as a spare refrigerator or freezer depending on where you placed stuff.


Woodrow, what's the closest ski hill to you? I may have to come for a visit.
I'm Just getting familiar with ND I know a number of them in SD and MN, but since we are right on the edge of the Continetal divide there should be some very close. I'll do a quick search of the neighboring counties, I know there are none in Macintosh county as we are as flat as a pan cake.

That was quick--- one is fairly close to us and dang near in Bismarck.

Huff Hills Ski Area, Mandan • 80 skiable acres on 425' vertical
Specs: 2 double chairs. Uphill capacity: 1600/hr. Terrain Mix: 40-50-10. Longest Run: 2600'. Season: usually late November to late March; Thu-Sun & holidays. Rentals. Annual Snowfall: 40". Snowmaking: 100%.
The SKInny: Tends toward low ticket prices, small crowds. Liftlines can get long once in a while. Nice hill, scenic; a pleasant if somewhat easy day of skiing.
Signature Trail: Liftline.
However it looks like the best slopes in the Dakotas are down in SD in the Deadwood and Spearfish areas not far from Mt Rushmore 307 miles south of me as the buzzard flies.
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Grace Seeker
12-25-2009, 07:00 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
I'm Just getting familiar with ND I know a number of them in SD and MN, but since we are right on the edge of the Continetal divide there should be some very close. I'll do a quick search of the neighboring counties, I know there are none in Macintosh county as we are as flat as a pan cake.

That was quick--- one is fairly close to us and dang near in Bismarck.



However it looks like the best slopes in the Dakotas are down in SD in the Deadwood and Spearfish areas not far from Mt Rushmore 307 miles south of me as the buzzard flies.
As I would have to drive by a few 500' hills to get to that 425' one near you I'm not sure I'll get all the way there. How about you move to Colorado? I could pretty much guarantee you company there.
Reply

Muslim Woman
12-25-2009, 07:20 AM
:sl:

format_quote Originally Posted by zakirs


@woodrow uncle hold on tight during the storm, May allah make it easy on your family :) .

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sister herb
12-25-2009, 01:00 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
North Dokota is under blizzard warning. Please make dua for Grandpa Woodrow. :(
Plus we may have to start a collection for getting a lot of hot coffee to Woodrow. Just to keep him warm.

:statisfie
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Woodrow
12-25-2009, 02:35 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by sister harb
Plus we may have to start a collection for getting a lot of hot coffee to Woodrow. Just to keep him warm.

:statisfie
I will gladly accept air drops of coffee, can never have too much coffee. Now I need to go out and make certain I did remember to put coffee in the camper trailer. I only find about 3 pounds of it in the Winnebago, that won't last me over a day.

OOOps, forget that I am not stepping out the door of the Winnebago today. Currently having a white out. Visibility almost nothing and the snow seems to be half way up the Winnebago. Just going to push the door open to knock the snow away from it and then slam it shut.
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zakirs
12-26-2009, 12:35 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
I will gladly accept air drops of coffee, can never have too much coffee. Now I need to go out and make certain I did remember to put coffee in the camper trailer. I only find about 3 pounds of it in the Winnebago, that won't last me over a day.

OOOps, forget that I am not stepping out the door of the Winnebago today. Currently having a white out. Visibility almost nothing and the snow seems to be half way up the Winnebago. Just going to push the door open to knock the snow away from it and then slam it shut.
:sl:

what if snow covers up to the roof ? :S
Reply

zakirs
12-26-2009, 12:51 PM
Here is ur airdrop,



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Grace Seeker
12-26-2009, 02:38 PM
^^ too funny!! ;D
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Woodrow
12-26-2009, 02:57 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by zakirs
:sl:

what if snow covers up to the roof ? :S
Not if, it is just when. That is only a minor problem, no biggy. We are living in the Winnebago any how. So far by shoveling every few hours I have been keeping the door way open and a path going out (Have no idea why I want to go out)

Soon as it gets light enough I will take some picts of last nights snow. It is still snowing lightly more expected later today through Sunday, so it looks like I will get plenty of snow pictures to share.

Jazakallah Khayr for the morning coffee, keep them air drops coming. I have high fuel consumption and burn 2 gallons of coffee per foot of snow shoveling.
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Woodrow
12-26-2009, 03:02 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
^^ too funny!! ;D
What's funny about it, coffee is an essential food group. You know the Food pyramid.

Coffee

Cinnamon Rolls

And some other not required stuff to fill you up.
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MuslimahBarb
12-26-2009, 03:19 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
What's funny about it, coffee is an essential food group. You know the Food pyramid.

Coffee

Cinnamon Rolls

And some other not required stuff to fill you up.
:wa:

Finally I find someone that agrees with me about coffee being an essential food group. I have been trying to convince people of that for years! I do love my morning, afternoon & evening coffee.:D

Seriously though, I hope you and Sis are faring well through all this snow, insha'Allah.
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Woodrow
12-26-2009, 04:22 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by MuslimahBarb
:wa:

Finally I find someone that agrees with me about coffee being an essential food group. I have been trying to convince people of that for years! I do love my morning, afternoon & evening coffee.:D

Seriously though, I hope you and Sis are faring well through all this snow, insha'Allah.
Masha'Allaah we had plenty of warning and prepared for it. Although I have not lived in a cold climate for many years, I was aware of what to expect and my wife has lived in this climate most of her life. So, Allaah(swt) blessed us with the knowledge of how to prepare for it. We will be quite comfortable for 10 days and if need be have enough to survive on for several months.
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Woodrow
12-26-2009, 07:15 PM
We got a little break in the weather. Went out and shoveled some snow away from the Winnebago, tried to go to the post office, never made it out of the yard, took a few pictures and ran back inside the Winnebago. Here are the Picts, I'm sipping coffee and thawing out.









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sister herb
12-26-2009, 08:18 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
What's funny about it, coffee is an essential food group. You know the Food pyramid.

Coffee

Cinnamon Rolls

And some other not required stuff to fill you up.
Seems we have to include some cinnamon rolls too to our next air dropping.

Hey pilot, take these with you:

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Woodrow
01-07-2010, 03:23 PM
I got out for a little bit yesterday and took some more snow Pictures. I believe it is safe to say winter is here. Currently we are in another blizzard. Watch the Zeeland Banner in my sig if you want to see what cold is.

Here are some pictures. Quite pretty.



























Of course it is not very smart to drive around on snow covered roads. The car did not quite make it home here is where it now sits and will most likely be there until sometime next week.



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Supreme
01-07-2010, 03:33 PM
Lovely pictures Woodrow, you clearly have been being hit by the snow over in South Dakota, just like us here in London. It's funny actually, I took pictures yesterday with this thread in mind of the beautiful snow, and when I find my cable for my new phone, I will work out how to upload them!

But yeah, beautiful. America the beautiful.
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Ramadhan
01-07-2010, 03:58 PM
I feel cold just by looking at the pictures.
I love snow though, but not the wet slushy dirty ones.

Thanks for posting the pictures unc Woodrow!
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Grace Seeker
01-07-2010, 04:52 PM
Beach party at Woodrow's tomorrow!!!
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Beardo
01-07-2010, 04:55 PM
Hmm. Are there any children in Zeeland?
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Woodrow
01-07-2010, 05:34 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
Hmm. Are there any children in Zeeland?
Very few I believe only 3 or 4
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Woodrow
01-07-2010, 05:38 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
Beach party at Woodrow's tomorrow!!!
The Polar Bears are trying to light a camp fire to warm up.










Not quite true, nearest polar bear would be about 500 miles north of us.
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Beardo
01-07-2010, 05:46 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Very few I believe only 3 or 4
How do they go to school? :X
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Supreme
01-07-2010, 05:47 PM
Does everyone know each other like on Eastenders?
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Woodrow
01-07-2010, 05:52 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
How do they go to school? :X
Walk.

The one school is located in the town, but it serves 4 or 5 counties. Has about 75 students. Most of them come by bus, 3 to 4 hour ride one way for some of them. Many children are home schooled up here. The school is actually very modern and up to date, which is a big surprise as it operates on a very low budget.
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Woodrow
01-07-2010, 05:55 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Supreme
Does everyone know each other like on Eastenders?
Yes, everybody knows everybody else. Although the 2000 census lists the population as 126 there are now less then 50 people living here. Hard not to know everybody.
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Ramadhan
01-08-2010, 10:12 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
I got out for a little bit yesterday and took some more snow Pictures. I believe it is safe to say winter is here. Currently we are in another blizzard. Watch the Zeeland Banner in my sig if you want to see what cold is.
I just had a look at your banner and it says the temperature in Zeeland is -31 degree centigrade ! :skeleton:
that is bleeding cold!
(around 5 pm my local time, which is around 3 am your local time)
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Muslim Woman
02-01-2010, 10:59 AM
:sl:

how is life br Woodrow ? How is our sis ? Snow is still falling 24/ 7 ?
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Woodrow
02-01-2010, 01:12 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Muslim Woman
:sl:

how is life br Woodrow ? How is our sis ? Snow is still falling 24/ 7 ?
:sl:

snowing again or should I say still. we did have a few days when it was just light flurries. but the temperatures are unseasonably warm for this time of year.

electric lines were down for almost a week, but that is to be expected. It gives us an excuse not to be on the PC 24/7 But, we are in good health and having much time to think of Allaah(swt) without distraction. Mashallah
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Muslim Woman
02-01-2010, 03:45 PM
:wa:

format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
:sl:

... we are in good health and having much time to think of Allaah(swt) without distraction. Mashallah
:statisfie


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Woodrow
02-27-2010, 01:47 AM
winter is still here. I took these pictures yesterday, First time I was able to get out of the house in nearly a week.

this is downtown Zeeland. Most of the stores are vacant and closed over 20 years ago.

In this block of stores the post office is the only occupant and they have the old store at the end.




This is about half way down the block. That is snow inside the window. the building is in bad shape and much of the roof has long blown off.



This is the Post office. the post master did clear the side walk. She did a good job. Yes she, our postmaster is female.







This is looking across the street from the Post Office



this is our car in the drive way. a neighbor plowed the driveway with his tractor. the pile of snow is what he cleared from the Drive way.

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cat eyes
02-27-2010, 02:22 AM
i havent seen your other thread uncle but those pictures look extremely familiar to rural life in my country, and what an extremely boring place to live where everybody knows your buisness;D

i am afraid i am a city girl and i would never be able to leave city life for no one. i feel safe living in the city because everything is at ones need
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Woodrow
02-27-2010, 03:22 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by cat eyes
i havent seen your other thread uncle but those pictures look extremely familiar to rural life in my country, and what an extremely boring place to live where everybody knows your buisness;D

i am afraid i am a city girl and i would never be able to leave city life for no one. i feel safe living in the city because everything is at ones need

It is not the life for everybody, but it is what both my wife and myself like. this is actually what most of the USA is like. Most people are only familiar with the 6 most populated states and the 10 largest cities, but most of America is actually empty farmland. The states of Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakotah combined have a total population of less than 3,000,000 but the total area is about the same size as all of western Europe combined

Here is a pie graph of all 50 States:



44 of the states have very small populations, yet in area they make up nearly 2/3 of the total area of America In the graph the sections marked up other consists of 13 States and are roughly 1/3 the total area of the USA.
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cat eyes
02-27-2010, 03:28 AM
yeah its what my father likes aswell all rural places i love america though :p its very big and the people are interesting and nice

id love to visit that place btw but not to live because i love snow..id roll around in it for hours and throw snow balls at people mmmmm
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Woodrow
02-27-2010, 03:35 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by cat eyes
yeah its what my father likes aswell all rural places i love america though :p its very big and the people are interesting and nice

id love to visit that place btw but not to live because i love snow..id roll around in it for hours and throw snow balls at people mmmmm
Be certain to avoid the southern states. They are semi-tropical and usually don't get any snow. The South western States from Texas westward are desert. You want to make snowmen and igloos, not sand castles.
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Italianguy
02-27-2010, 03:40 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
It is actually Granmas old house that she had abandoned about 10 years ago. It has been empty for a long time and needs a lot of interior work.

Here are some pictures of it:







The old wooden shingle roof is nearly 100 years old and needs to be taken off and rebuilt. We will do that next summer as it would not be pleasant to spend the winter without a roof.







On the inside I have to completly rewire the electrical system. The electric lines were installed in 1934 and are now very hazardous. There are some leaks in the plumbing I have to fix and we also need to tear out the old floors and lay new ones. We bought the materials already and need to go down to Rapid City to pick it up.

We just got telephone and internet service on Monday Oct 12, and today we finally got water.

As we are working on the house we are living in the motor home:





We will most likely spend the winter in the motor home as the interior of the house is not only hazardous, it is quite unlivable at this time, but we will renovate it. We will be working on it all winter. we have kerozene heaters to keep us warm while we work on it and have a portable generator so we can use the power tools.

We are also in the process of buying a dairy farm, but that will not be finalized until next spring at the earliest.
Uncle woodrow, My company (or I ) could rewire that entire house in one day for you! I wouldn't charge you...as long as you had a hot plate of food for me at the end of the day:D I will even throw in some extra receptacles for your wall mounted plasma tv's for some extra bisquits;D

Beautiful area by the way! Tooo much country for this "City slicker". But beautifull, I bet it's peacefull.

P.s. I know you will chuckle from this, but I have a friend named Mario who is a plumbing contractor. He could hook you up!....for some extra bisquits of course;D

I think it may be a bit tooo much of a drive though comming from Virginia?
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cat eyes
02-27-2010, 03:44 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Be certain to avoid the southern states. They are semi-tropical and usually don't get any snow. The South western States from Texas westward are desert. You want to make snowmen and igloos, not sand castles.
well i love making sand castles also haha and relaxing on some remote beach :pdont like the hot weather that much though:hmm: i know that certain parts in america is really hot so i would not fancy living there. maybe i could live in a cold state then when i want a holiday go to a warm state thats the cool thing about america you can move around :p
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Italianguy
02-27-2010, 03:49 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Be certain to avoid the southern states. They are semi-tropical and usually don't get any snow. The South western States from Texas westward are desert. You want to make snowmen and igloos, not sand castles.
I live in Virginia and we only got about 12 inches of snow this year ....TOTAL. Thank God! I like to see it snowing but after it starts building on the ground it gets messy....VDOT or Virginia department of transportation is neverrrrrrrr prepared for snow......all 12 inches we got:hmm: Schools were closed for a week, and that only took 1 inch of snow! When i was in New York city, there were no snow days unless it was 6 feet high, otherwise they threw chains on the tires of the busses and kept going! ....and they say the south will rise again:hmm: Yeahhhhhhh right!;D
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Italianguy
02-27-2010, 03:52 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by cat eyes
well i love making sand castles also haha and relaxing on some remote beach :pdont like the hot weather that much though:hmm: i know that certain parts in america is really hot so i would not fancy living there. maybe i could live in a cold state then when i want a holiday go to a warm state thats the cool thing about america you can move around :p
I hate the cold+o( I wish it was 100 degrees all the time. The hotter the better. My wife keeps the heat on in the house even when it's 80 degrees outside! ......I think she forgot she moved from India;D
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Grace Seeker
02-28-2010, 12:46 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Italianguy
I think it may be a bit tooo much of a drive though comming from Virginia?
Now, if you are serious, I live about halfway from Virginia to North Dakota. We could provide free lodging for you enroute. It would be a long two day drive (30 hours altogether), and you wouldn't want to plan on working the day you arrived, but you could the next.
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Italianguy
02-28-2010, 12:50 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
Now, if you are serious, I live about halfway from Virginia to North Dakota. We could provide free lodging for you enroute. It would be a long two day drive (30 hours altogether), and you wouldn't want to plan on working the day you arrived, but you could the next.
You are to kind my brother!I would wholeheartedly accept the lodging ....if uncle wants me to do the work?

Your a good man Grace Seeker, I would humbley accept...and bring you some of my wifes samosas!:D
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Grace Seeker
02-28-2010, 12:52 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Italianguy
You are to kind my brother!I would wholeheartedly accept the lodging ....if uncle wants me to do the work?

Your a good man Grace Seeker, I would humbley accept...and bring you some of my wifes samosas!:D
GREAT!!! You and Woodrow get the timing worked out, and we'll throw a good old party when you get here.
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Italianguy
02-28-2010, 01:05 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
GREAT!!! You and Woodrow get the timing worked out, and we'll throw a good old party when you get here.
Uhhh huh, you just said that because i said i would bring samosas.;D

That would be awesome! I love helping others, not that uncle needs it, but I always offer no matter what!

It's funny, today for the first time in years i was working in the feild with Mohammad, one of my employees. We went to a service call for this 89 year old laddy, her post light wasn't working so Mohammed and I get out of my truck i walk right up to the light twisted the bulb in a little more and it worked. The old lady was so worried that she wasted our time and wanted to pay me... I never take money from the seniors;D I refused to take her money and told her we were only there for 10 minutes, She GRABBED Mohammeds arm and wouldn't let him go until we took money!! I was laughing my butt off!;D;D I told her just call us back if she needed anything else, she said NO, what is the going rate for an electrician these days.....i couldn't bring myself to tell her my hourly rate...I was afraid her heart couldn't take it. She said "How is $15 " thats what i payed my last electrician.......;D I had to accept it or she would have kept Mohammed! .....I should have left him there;D;D When we got in the truck Mohammed said "When was the last time she had an electrician come for that rate...1929? I was laughing so hard;D.

No way i would tell her $215.00 an hour.

I love the seniors, usually i will take coffee or cookies as payment;D I get more pleasure in payment with their stories and talking to them.:D Sometimes I am the only one they have to talk toimsad
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Woodrow
02-28-2010, 01:47 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Italianguy
Uhhh huh, you just said that because i said i would bring samosas.;D

That would be awesome! I love helping others, not that uncle needs it, but I always offer no matter what!

It's funny, today for the first time in years i was working in the feild with Mohammad, one of my employees. We went to a service call for this 89 year old laddy, her post light wasn't working so Mohammed and I get out of my truck i walk right up to the light twisted the bulb in a little more and it worked. The old lady was so worried that she wasted our time and wanted to pay me... I never take money from the seniors;D I refused to take her money and told her we were only there for 10 minutes, She GRABBED Mohammeds arm and wouldn't let him go until we took money!! I was laughing my butt off!;D;D I told her just call us back if she needed anything else, she said NO, what is the going rate for an electrician these days.....i couldn't bring myself to tell her my hourly rate...I was afraid her heart couldn't take it. She said "How is $15 " thats what i payed my last electrician.......;D I had to accept it or she would have kept Mohammed! .....I should have left him there;D;D When we got in the truck Mohammed said "When was the last time she had an electrician come for that rate...1929? I was laughing so hard;D.

No way i would tell her $215.00 an hour.

I love the seniors, usually i will take coffee or cookies as payment;D I get more pleasure in payment with their stories and talking to them.:D Sometimes I am the only one they have to talk toimsad
Does this mean if I get you up here I will have to pay your more than the 25 Cents a day I got as a kid doing farm work?
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Italianguy
02-28-2010, 05:16 AM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Does this mean if I get you up here I will have to pay your more than the 25 Cents a day I got as a kid doing farm work?
Nope, I will just require at least a floor to sleep on and food, prefferably not under 20 feet of snow...although....I always wanted to build an igloo as a kid:D

25 cents! That was allot of money...at some time. My first boss used to deliver milk for 10 cents a day, and he said he raised a family on that, ....of course that was after walking to work, up hill, both ways, while trecking through 10 feet of snow, in a blizzard, and having to fight off bears;D...but he always delivered! He also told me when he was a kid if you wanted crunchy cerial you put broken glass in it for crunch!:hmm: And he walked 20 miles to get a loaf of bread.:p I just love those "Your just a young whooper snapper" stories;D

In all sincerity, I will do what you need for free uncle.You have been very kind and have taught me much about Islam. The way i see it...I owe you!

I just like talking and meeting new people:D And helping out, while making new friends. You could give me a tour of Zeeland......takes about 20 minutes right:D
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Woodrow
02-28-2010, 04:42 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Italianguy
Nope, I will just require at least a floor to sleep on and food, prefferably not under 20 feet of snow...although....I always wanted to build an igloo as a kid:D

25 cents! That was allot of money...at some time. My first boss used to deliver milk for 10 cents a day, and he said he raised a family on that, ....of course that was after walking to work, up hill, both ways, while trecking through 10 feet of snow, in a blizzard, and having to fight off bears;D...but he always delivered! He also told me when he was a kid if you wanted crunchy cerial you put broken glass in it for crunch!:hmm: And he walked 20 miles to get a loaf of bread.:p I just love those "Your just a young whooper snapper" stories;D

In all sincerity, I will do what you need for free uncle.You have been very kind and have taught me much about Islam. The way i see it...I owe you!

I just like talking and meeting new people:D And helping out, while making new friends. You could give me a tour of Zeeland......takes about 20 minutes right:D
Actually a walking tour of Downtown Zeeland can take as long as 10 minutes if you stop in at the grocery store and look at all the products (both shelves).

You really can walk past every house and store in the heart of Zeeland in the city proper. However the city limits extends outward in a 20-25 mile radius to include 5 or 6 farms within the city limits. that is primarily for mail delivery service.

We just bought a second house here. We will be moving into it on this Tuesday. Our intent is to live in it until we finish refurbishing the house that is in the pictures near the Winnebago.

Here is the second house we move into on Tues.











This is the detatched garage and carport







so for the time being, between the 2 houses, Winnebago and travel trailer we can house a few people.

Our long term goal is a Dairy Farm about 9 miles out of town. We finaly agreed upon a price. It is a fairly large operation with a dairy barn, a family house a farm hand house and 8 other out buildings. The bad part is the owner sold off most of the land and only left 65 acres to go with the farm, which is much too small for the size of dairy operation the farm is capable of handling. We plan to use it for our horses and move our honey business and food distribution business to it.

Here is an aerial picture of it, I took from a picture the current owners have on the wall in the living room:



Land prices here are very low, way below what one would expect. For example that second house we got for $10,000 on a 3 year no interest note. The farm we got down to $120,000 which includes all of the farm equipment such as tractors and hay bailers.



But we only have a year to arrange the financing of it.
Reply

cat eyes
02-28-2010, 04:57 PM
wow mashaAllah that house is beautiful :) may Allah give you and your wife many happy years in it inshaAllah
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Danah
02-28-2010, 05:38 PM
MashaAllah!! is it still snowing there?

when it will stop snowing Uncle Woodrow?
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Woodrow
02-28-2010, 05:44 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Danah
MashaAllah!! is it still snowing there?

when it will stop snowing Uncle Woodrow?
The last snowfall of the season usually is in mid May. There is always one last severe blizzard in April and then it starts to slack off.
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Cabdullahi
02-28-2010, 05:46 PM
Uncle woodrow you gotta move out !! its too cold how is it possible to live there?
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Woodrow
02-28-2010, 06:00 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Abdullahii
Uncle woodrow you gotta move out !! its too cold how is it possible to live there?
:sl:

It does not take long to get used to it. I grew up until I was 19 years old in a similar climate. It just takes knowing how to prepare for the winter during the warm months. You fast learn to always keep a minimum of 3 months food, water and fuel on hand at all times.

At our age we really don't mind staying indoors for the winter.
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Italianguy
02-28-2010, 07:22 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
Actually a walking tour of Downtown Zeeland can take as long as 10 minutes if you stop in at the grocery store and look at all the products (both shelves).

You really can walk past every house and store in the heart of Zeeland in the city proper. However the city limits extends outward in a 20-25 mile radius to include 5 or 6 farms within the city limits. that is primarily for mail delivery service.

We just bought a second house here. We will be moving into it on this Tuesday. Our intent is to live in it until we finish refurbishing the house that is in the pictures near the Winnebago.

Here is the second house we move into on Tues.











This is the detatched garage and carport







so for the time being, between the 2 houses, Winnebago and travel trailer we can house a few people.

Our long term goal is a Dairy Farm about 9 miles out of town. We finaly agreed upon a price. It is a fairly large operation with a dairy barn, a family house a farm hand house and 8 other out buildings. The bad part is the owner sold off most of the land and only left 65 acres to go with the farm, which is much too small for the size of dairy operation the farm is capable of handling. We plan to use it for our horses and move our honey business and food distribution business to it.

Here is an aerial picture of it, I took from a picture the current owners have on the wall in the living room:



Land prices here are very low, way below what one would expect. For example that second house we got for $10,000 on a 3 year no interest note. The farm we got down to $120,000 which includes all of the farm equipment such as tractors and hay bailers.



But we only have a year to arrange the financing of it.
WOW! Uncle, I need to move there....minus the snow. That is really low realestate prices! I only have a 1/4 acre that i built my house on and it still cost me $480,000.00, not including the neighborhood fees. My office wharehouse is only on an 1/8 of an acre, and it cost me $2,200,000.00. I know that sounds really high but our average home sale price around here is a little over $250,000.00 for a 3 bed, 2 bath rancher.

Our building in Astoria Queens NYC was valued at over $4,000,000.00 in 2004. It's an apartment building my great grandparents bought after they came from Italy. It cost them $6000.00 when they bought it.
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Beardo
02-28-2010, 07:25 PM
Grandpa Woodrow, that is WAY cool. To live on a farm and all. How big is one acre, by the way? :X In miles etc?

Don't you need workers to manage such a big farm?
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Italianguy
02-28-2010, 07:29 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
Grandpa Woodrow, that is WAY cool. To live on a farm and all. How big is one acre, by the way? :X In miles etc?

Don't you need workers to manage such a big farm?
An acre is 43,560 square feet. I think there are 640 acres in 1 mile sqaure?
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Woodrow
02-28-2010, 07:37 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
Grandpa Woodrow, that is WAY cool. To live on a farm and all. How big is one acre, by the way? :X In miles etc?

Don't you need workers to manage such a big farm?
The original land grants here were in 160 acre blocks. Typically one family can manage 160 acres. However at our age if all goes as planned Inshallah, we will be hiring 3 or 4 farmhands.

It takes 640 acres to make a square mile. The shape of this 65 acres is a rectangle 1 mile long and about 600 feet wide.
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S<Chowdhury
02-28-2010, 07:45 PM
Nice Pictures Bro...looks a bit like a hick town to be honest haha :p but i don't mind love to live somewhere like that hopefully inshallah after my studies i'll be able to move :statisfie
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Italianguy
02-28-2010, 07:48 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by S<Chowdhury
Nice Pictures Bro...looks a bit like a hick town to be honest haha :p but i don't mind love to live somewhere like that hopefully inshallah after my studies i'll be able to move :statisfie
Your marrying a bush girl remember....soon you will be living in the woods, driving your "Pickem-up-truck";D

Just kidding bro! CHADKE! PATHE!
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S<Chowdhury
02-28-2010, 07:54 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Italianguy
Your marrying a bush girl remember....soon you will be living in the woods, driving your "Pickem-up-truck";D

Just kidding bro! CHADKE! PATHE!
HAHA :p i don't mind the nature part, I'm hoping to move to somewhere in British Columbia inshallah but Pick Up Truck you must be crazy...how many asian guys do you see driving those redneck vehicles haha
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Cabdullahi
02-28-2010, 08:02 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by S<Chowdhury
HAHA :p i don't mind the nature part, I'm hoping to move to somewhere in British Columbia inshallah but Pick Up Truck you must be crazy...how many asian guys do you see driving those redneck vehicles haha
are u going leaving England to go to the bush?
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S<Chowdhury
02-28-2010, 08:07 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Abdullahii
are u going leaving England to go to the bush?
Mhmmm definitely i hope soo.....its very appealing


Reply

Woodrow
02-28-2010, 08:12 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Italianguy
WOW! Uncle, I need to move there....minus the snow. That is really low realestate prices! I only have a 1/4 acre that i built my house on and it still cost me $480,000.00, not including the neighborhood fees. My office wharehouse is only on an 1/8 of an acre, and it cost me $2,200,000.00. I know that sounds really high but our average home sale price around here is a little over $250,000.00 for a 3 bed, 2 bath rancher.

Our building in Astoria Queens NYC was valued at over $4,000,000.00 in 2004. It's an apartment building my great grandparents bought after they came from Italy. It cost them $6000.00 when they bought it.
One reason for our low prices is the dwindling population. We are one of the few states that looses population every year. The population in 1902 was nearly 10 times today's population. The height of North Dakota's economy was during the height of the cold war with Russia. There was something like 10,000 missile sites scattered throughout the State. Each with 3 to 6 ICBM's loaded and ready to be launched against Targets in the USSR. After the last Nuclear Arms treaty all of the sites were turned back into farmland and the missiles were disarmed and cut up into scrap metal. I missed out on buying one of the abandoned missile silos, most of them sold for $5 each and were about 5 acres each. But they had some neat underground buildings on them along with the underground silos.

The good part is now the nukes are gone. Kind of a scary thought of living near thousands of nukes. One accident and most of Canada along with the central states would have become a great big deep lake.

This is a typical Silo:



There are still some available in South Dakota.

http://weburbanist.com/2007/11/02/su...even-for-sale/

But the $5 government price is long gone and most now go for 15 Mill and require a $300,000 down payment. You do need your own plane as most are 20-30 miles from the nearest road.

But they do make for unique hideaways:

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S<Chowdhury
02-28-2010, 08:26 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow

But they do make for unique hideaways:

That is one heavy Bat Cave :p
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Woodrow
02-28-2010, 08:41 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by S<Chowdhury
HAHA :p i don't mind the nature part, I'm hoping to move to somewhere in British Columbia inshallah but Pick Up Truck you must be crazy...how many asian guys do you see driving those redneck vehicles haha
:sl:

When you move out into the boonies, you learn to appreciate pick-em-up trucks. You soon discover that you only go shopping in stores 3 or 4 times a year and you need something that will hold 3 to 4 months of supplies, like food.

You also want something with big tires and 4 wheel drive as many roads are not paved and few are plowed in the winter time. You can expect that often you will find yourself driving through 2 feet of mud or 4 feet of snow.

You go by what works not by what looks good.
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S<Chowdhury
03-01-2010, 06:45 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow
:sl:

When you move out into the boonies, you learn to appreciate pick-em-up trucks. You soon discover that you only go shopping in stores 3 or 4 times a year and you need something that will hold 3 to 4 months of supplies, like food.

You also want something with big tires and 4 wheel drive as many roads are not paved and few are plowed in the winter time. You can expect that often you will find yourself driving through 2 feet of mud or 4 feet of snow.

You go by what works not by what looks good.
^^^^^ True say uncle maybe a Canyonero :p or Ford SVT Lightning hopefully I'll be near some civilisation i don't think i could live so far out :hmm:
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Grace Seeker
03-02-2010, 11:18 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Rashad
How big is one acre, by the way? :X In miles etc?
A northamerican football field (excluding endzones) is about one acre in size.
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Beardo
03-02-2010, 11:26 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Grace Seeker
A northamerican football field (excluding endzones) is about one acre in size.
That's pretty big then. :X
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S<Chowdhury
03-03-2010, 04:58 PM
format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow

Sorry to go off topic but i was reading this in the Metro the other day and i was reminded of Uncle Woodrow post ......






Its on ebay right now going for about 26 grand last time i checked
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Woodrow
05-08-2010, 08:49 PM
Rather than hijacking the garden thread to show off horses. I will put the 2 we added today to our horse gang here. They are both Quarabs a mixed breed that is 3/4 Arabian and 1/4 Quarter Horse. They carry the looks of the Arabian, but are better suited for the climate here. Before anybody asks, this brings the number of horses we now have to 32. Fifteen of them are available for sale and Inshallah we will sell them fast.

The Female is named Silver





The male is named Stormey





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