Why I Started Ride the Pine Tree Farm

​The journey to owning a 68-acre parcel of longleaf pine began with a desire to own recreational property — but also with the need to justify such a significant purchase.
 
That justification was not purely financial, although investment potential certainly played an important role. The value also came from the opportunity to enjoy and improve the land, develop wildlife habitat, diversify beyond a traditional 401(k), and ultimately leave a legacy.
 
Over time, the vision evolved into a simple mission:
 
Find 40–80 acres of recreational land that would appreciate over time while eventually producing a moderate annual income.
 
The plan started by narrowing the search to properties within roughly two hours of home that were already established in southern pine. The wish list included water access — whether natural, well, or municipal — along with hunting potential, shooting areas, internal roads, electricity access, and locations suitable for camping or future structures.
 
Research quickly became a major part of the process.
 
More than 40 properties were studied online and tracked by county, location, acreage, and price. In the end, however, only three properties were actually visited in person.
 
Each property was evaluated against the original mission and wish list.
 
The first property lacked internal roads and contained low-lying flood-prone areas. While it was not a bad parcel, it would have required substantial work to turn the vision into reality.
 
The second property lacked sufficient timber, had an awkward layout, and ultimately did not fit the long-term goals for the project.
 
Then came the third property.
 
Sixty-eight acres of longleaf pine.
 
The property stood out immediately. It featured established internal roads from previous timber operations, easy county road access, and approximately half the acreage was already 27 years old and producing pine straw. The remaining acreage had been replanted only a year earlier. Electricity was available at the road, and the property offered the potential to ride ATVs, hunt, shoot, and eventually build a shelter or cabin.
It checked nearly every box.
 
So why document the journey?
 
Because the process took years.
 
Understanding land values, forestry terminology, wildlife habitat, pine straw economics, financing, timber management, and property selection required countless hours of research across books, online resources, YouTube videos, maps, and conversations with local experts.
 
The information existed, but it was scattered.
 
My hope is that this journal can help simplify the process for others interested in southern pine land ownership. I do not pretend to have all the answers, and every property journey is different.
 
Instead, I hope these experiences can provide a starting point, spark new ideas, or simply help others feel more confident beginning their own journey.
 
In many ways, documenting the process has become part of the legacy itself.
 
The question is:
What will yours be?