How much is your dream worth?

Zelda called me at work today. We got a letter today from a company that does solar development. They want to lease a large portion of our land for a solar farm. I started to think about it and honestly couldn't imagine a price that would make it worth it.

Here is something I really believe in (generally, alternative energy, not solar specifically), and I have a chance to advance it, and make some money at the same time, and I just thought... no way.  Not for a million dollars.  I love that land, but with enough money I could buy another property, or pay off our mortgage or whatever.  But I just couldn't do it.

What has happened over time is that it not just my dream to own land in the Adirondacks, it's my dream to own that specific piece of land and keep it "forever" or as close as I can get to it.

Do you have a physical, material dream? Not something high minded like the health and well-being of your family, but something tangible? If you were able to get it, or if you already have it, would you sell it for a price?

Your land in North River? Clear cut a forest? no fkn way! Why didn't they approach George ? North Acres is already open fields and a perfect southerly exposure.

BRLKED wrote

 Your land in North River? Clear cut a forest? no fkn way!

That's what I thought. Even if it was already an open meadow in otherwise forested land it wouldn't make sense.

BRLKED wrote

Why didn't they approach George ?

I wouldn't be surprised if they did.  It was a form letter.

Check this out.  I'm walking Penny and I stop in to Al's, it's a body shop on our street.  They are restoring a '68 Firebird.  Al's son (lower right in the pic) tells me that they've got $90,000 into it already, and they wouldn't sell it for two million. I guess someone else thinks the same way...

Never underestimate the power of CASH..If someone offered him 2mil, he would take it and give the guy a kiss on the lips..

Here is a fully restored 68 with matching numbers for 37.5k
http://www.happycarz.com/showroom/1968-pontiac-firebird-400-nicely-restored/

Aside from pics of my family , for the right price everything I have can be bought for the right price..I can always buy more stuff..

JasonWx wrote

Aside from pics of my family , for the right price everything I have can be bought for the right price..I can always buy more stuff..

Yeah, I don't have much attachment to the things in my house (or the house itself, my car, etc.) and I'd sell anything for the right price. But "the right price" would get pretty high if you wanted to permanently affect my life.

If I had Harv's place in North River, and some guy wanted to put Solar Panels on it, I would set the price higher than the land, house, hours he put into his trail system, taxes for 20 years, and then I'd add a little more for nostalgic value. It would be so expensive that it wouldn't be worth it to the solar company. But since I would want the option of moving away if I didn't like how the solar system affected my property, I'd have to set the price at something that would enable me to do that.

Yes there is a price. No, it wouldn't end up making good business sense for them.

I would never sell the hunting riffle and knife i got from my grandpa. Nor his retirement watch or tie pin.

I have a collection of rocks from meaningful places i would never sell either.

You're a good man SJ

I used to own some land that the gas company really wanted a lease on. They made offers, I gave them my price, we never got together which was fine with me.

I wouldn't sell the medals my grandfather got during the war (he was the CO on 4 ships).  But I would give them away....to a museum.

D.B. Cooper wrote

I wouldn't sell the medals my grandfather got during the war (he was the CO on 4 ships).  But I would give them away....to a museum.

God bless them all!

Harv , your values are intact and are commendable . You ARE a steward of the land in the truest sense . Do WHATEVER makes you content and as many wise people have counseled in the past " Money and stuff will not make you happy ( Hertzbergs theory ) it strictly a SHORT TERM satisfier " .  Do what moves you after all its just dirty pieces of paper with old guys pictiures on it " Your committment to your property and its innate value to your soul and well being is unending and can be passed on to NEVE "

Good on ya man l you will have enough o that dirty paper anyhooo 😜

There has been a mass mailing to property owners in the park regarding solar projects.

The City where I work, also in Warren County, received 3 solicitations with aerial photos attached of the parcels they were interested in. Probably from the same outfit out of NYC. One parcel was the Cemetery and another was City Park!

Good for you, Harvey.
I've been a supporter of clean energy (and solar specifically) for years, but covering every open space with solar panels makes no sense.  The Adirondacks and Vermont have lots of open land, but relatively low solar potential and a mostly low-price,hydro-based power system.  Nevertheless, regulatory policy creates an opportunity to develop solar in ways that diminish the qualities that make those places special.  There really should be a more rational policy for siting those things.
BTW, who is mass mailing the Adirondacks for solar projects?

mm

5 million. That's my current price. Can't think of any material thing I wouldn't walk away from for 5 mil. Of course that is subject to change...

Milo Maltbie wrote

BTW, who is mass mailing the Adirondacks for solar projects?

This was the company that contacted me:

https://www.lamdevelopment.com/

I'm thinking solar panels make the most sense on the roof, not in fields created by clear cutting forest.

It works for me.

Ed I didn't know you had solar. Mind sharing the math? Initial cost and annual production or revenue?

i'd sell my soul to the devil just to play the blues...

Pretty typical liberal
Love green energy just don't build it where it affects me
windy as hell in the daks so why not put wind turbines on all the summits

I'll say it again wind and solar don't work because we like to read this forum when it's dark out or it's not windy.  The grid does not store energy. It's transmits it.  You need to have nuke, nat gas or coal fired and idling for when the wind stops or the clouds or night comes.  It's a fool errand perpetuated by those that don't understand physics.