Hi Darius, we are from Chicago suburbs and recently sold our Northwoods cabin on the lake that we owned for 20 years so as to avoid that killer drive. Found a place in central Wisc that sounds somewhat similiar to what you have in that the water table is "2 feet" we have the mound type system as well. This place has 20 acres and backs up to 64,000 acres of Gov land so its sure private. It came equiped with walking paths, deer stands, a 3/4 acre pond. I am trying to maybe deepen the pond to 10 feet as its existing 4 to 8 foot levels are deemed to be too shallow for a decent fishing pond in central Wisc.
The soil sounds like your sandy type area and in fact the excavator that dug it out told me that even down at the 8 foot depth it was still just sand...a real fine sand. I have been hunting ebay etc for a bobcat as sand seems like it would be easier to move than clay or muck...likewise i have no experiance with this stuff. fact today, since its like 5 degrees outside i was thinking about just getting a diaphram or trash type pump with a long suction hose and just vacuum out the bottom to get maybe another foot or so
Good luck with your efforts and you have my admiration, or should i say your wife has my admiration for doing what you are doing while taking care of a new infant.
Sox fan