Is Any Desert Land Still Available For Free?

Some people don't believe there is any Desert Landtwenty there -- that with just a little bit of earth moving
Still Available For FREE.can be prepared to produce a crop on a plateau.
They are wrong. There is still some available.CertainThose plateaus don't have to be the same size, or
restrictions do apply. For example: You must be aeven go in the same direction either. The last piece of
resident in one of these states where the desert landland I leveled this way was only 19 acres altogether
is available ... Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado,and it had huge ravines running through it in every
Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Southdirection. Using a dozer and pulling a land plane(TM)
Dakota, Utah, Washington, or Wyoming. No Statebehind me I leveled that ground to farmable
residency is required in the State of NevadaThesmoothness in less than one day, but it was in three
Desert Land Act was passed specifically toplateaus which fed each other and the last plateau
encourage the economic development of arid anddrained to the middle and ran out from the middle
semi-arid public lands of the Western United States.between plateaus three and one. No, it wasn't
You may apply for one or more tracts of land totalingconventional, but it worked.Remember too that the
no more than 320 acres. Individuals may apply for aterm "agriculture" includes animal husbandry. Instead of
desert-land entry to reclaim, irrigate, and cultivate aridbringing in holsteins or thoroughbreds, bring in
and semiarid public lands.You'd better take note beforeMINIATURE horses, miniature donkeys and even
heading off across the landscape, most of the suitablegoats. These can be easy maintenance, high value
lands for agricultural development have already been"crops." Again, look for strategic points where the flow
placed into private ownership. The remaining acres arewants to escape and with just a little effort you can
managed for multiple uses. There is fierce competitiondam up natural outlets to create your own reservoirs
among users for these public lands. Along with thefor your stock, and you will only need to haul in
problems of finding suitable public land, you can expectminimum amount of hay and water to sustain your
to find limited water available for irrigation, and ananimals.After you have found lands that you feel can
extremely high cost of development. On top of that, itbe economically developed you'll have to determine
is extremely difficult to acquire a desert land entry. But,the legal land description. Then you contact the BLM
and this is a big but, you can turn the land into very highState Office where the lands are located and have
cash value property. Just for an example, worhtlessthem verify that the lands are available for desert land
land I walked over as a child was worth thousands ofapplication. Next you must acquire an application from
dollars per acre by the time I was grown. What madethe State Office and also find out which BLM District
the difference? It was mostly natural populationadministers the lands.The application form you want to
expansion and highways coming through.There areuse is No. 2520-1. Two copies are required. File your
other ways to improve the land.. #1, cash crops thatapplication with the administering BLM District Office.In
thrive in the desert, like the jo-joba bean plant. Thenthe application you will include the description of the
there are plants that should be cash crops like yourlands. You must include evidence of your legal right to
mesquite beans and cactus pears. Given just a tad ofthe use of any water for irrigation. That means you
water in dry years mesquite beans are sweet andmust secure a permit from the State Department of
delicious. In two years out of five the tree doesn't evenWater Administration to explain where your water is
need the tad of water. Cactus pears and cactus padscoming from. You must include a detailed description of
are becoming more acceptable to American palates allsoil characteristics, irrigation requirements, and
the time. #2, Get your land first, then you could be theeconomic feasibility.Here's the worst part of it. You
one that convinces Congress to pipe ocean watermust include full disclosure of your plans,
back up along the Gila River Bed and create oceanarrangements--financial and otherwise--pertaining to
front property all along the way with dams like the onethe development and operation of your desert-land
at Painted Rock. With huge surges of populationentry. Your application must be accompanied by a
growth in the States of Utah, Idaho and Montananon-refundable fee of $15.00 and a partial payment of
Congress could see the wisdom of diverting streams25 cents per acre.The BLM will approve your
of fresh water down into areas now called arid. Theapplication if it decides the lands are classified suitable
only railroad left in the United States that is making afor desert-land entry. The BLM will reject your
profit is the Union Pacific. By issuing contracts forapplication if it decides the lands are classified
trainloads of ice to be delivered to reservoirs in theseunsuitable for desert-land entry.After your application is
regions. Where could the ice come from? Tugging iceapproved you have four years to develop an
bergs to Washington and Oregon for loading. Whenadequate water supply to reclaim, irrigate, and cultivate
you import water into the area in front of the Rockyall of the lands. At least one eighth of the land applied
Mountains Congress will increase the flow of rain andfor must be properly cultivated and irrigated by the end
moisture in this area.Before you can claim any ofof those four years. Each year for three years from
these lands you must prove they are unreserved,the date your application is approved, you must
unappropriated, non-mineral, non-timber, AND incapableaccount for the money you spend on improvements
of producing an agricultural crop without irrigation.to reclaim, irrigate, and cultivate the lands.You must
There is an addendum to that criteria.. the lands yousubmit statements of two credible witnesses who can
want must be The lands must be more suitable fortestify to the expenditures made for improvements on
agricultural purposes than for any other. Boy, what ayour desert-land entry during the preceding year. You
tall order. But I've had friends do it and they cvouldn'tmust submit itemized statements showing the manner
be happier. After you find them, these properties mustin which the expenditures were made. At the end of
be surveyed. If you get more than one tract of landthe third year you must submit a map or plan showing
they must be sufficiently close to each other that thethe character and extent of the improvements placed
BLM will be foreced to believe you can manage tgenon the desert-land entry.Under no normal
satisfactorily as an economic unit.To apply for yourcircumstances will the BLM extend your time to meet
land you must be a citizen of the United States or atthe annual proof of compliance. To wit: the BLM will
least have declared your intention to become a citizen.cancel your entry.There is an out for some of these
Being an illegal alien is not good enough at this time. Ohproblems; a group of applicants can band together to
yes, you must also be more than 20 years old.Thedevelop a common water delivery system and share
BLM estimates that a 320-acre tract of land will costin the cost of a common water delivery system to
you in excess of $250,000 to construct the irrigationreclaim the land parcels. The group as a whole must
system and prepare the land for cultivation. That'sshow that each individual desert-land entry involved in
because they are thinking too big. The governmenta group proposal is economically and physically
thinks square fields -- I invite you to think about farmingfeasible.Before you get your title the BLM will conduct
within the natural barriers the land provides. It is saidan on-site examination of your desert-land entry to
that a tourist looks at the (desert) scene and seesdetermine whether the requirements of the act have
what is left while a geologist sees that scene andbeen met. If you meet the final proof requirement, you
studies what is gone.I want you to look for pressurewill receive a patent from the BLM which delivers a
points where the lay of the land tries to rise, andcompletely legal title to the land tracts into your hands.
strategic points where the flow wants to escape andYour FREE land is now YOURS!Independently less
just a little effort can make a major difference. If youthan wealthy, Lin Stone is the author of: HOW TO
think NATURAL PLATEAU farming you can take aBUY LAND AT TAX SALES. That book is so good it
dozer in there and follow the contours of the land tois still selling after seven years.
produce plateaus of small acreage, five acres here,