Wednesday, August 31, 2022

August 31 - DIY Homestead - When All You Have Is A Dream

 August 31, 2022

Day 335 of the Adventure

If you are among those in the "Dream" phases of your Off-Grid or Homestead journey, this is written for you! 

A few may begin their Off-Grid or Homestead journey by growing up right there in the middle of it. I believe with most of us, it began with a dream. At least, most of those I know who made the choice to pursue this life had it in their head and in their hearts first for some time before making the move to the reality of their dream lifestyle. I also believe that the dream stage is where most of the anxiety and agony exists. Anxious about the unknown and agony in the pain of wanting something so bad but not seeing a clear pathway to get there. I certainly can attest to the reality of both. 

We are now eleven months into to adventure that we have nicknamed "Camp Run-Amuck". (You can actually follow the facebook page DIY Homestead if you like) Years went into dreaming about our cabin in the woods and the life built around that dream. I don't think the anxiousness of the "What-ifs" had much effect on us. We've learned the art of "firing the rocket" and making adjustment on the move.  The agony of reaching the point where we felt the time was right certainly did take its toll on us. Pulling the trigger on a decision this large can be frightening. Still, the worst part is feeling helpless in the ability to just make the first step. As I browse the thoughts and comments of people following the Off-Grid or Homestead life in social media groups, I see this as a very common thread. "I don't know where or how to Start!" Perhaps it's "I don't have the money" or "I don't have the skills" or "I don't have the support". Regardless of the reason for the "I Don'ts", I think there's a necessary moment where one must say, "But I'll figure it out".

When we began, we chose to build our dream as a "Do-It-Yourself" project for a reason and it's likely not what you think. I could have been very happy just heading out into the woods and quietly carving out a place to live, play, retire and relax without the baggage of documenting any of it. My biggest problem is that I feel the pain and struggle of others who are trying to find their way into a dream of their own. My wife will tell you without hesitation, that I'm that way. I'd almost rather teach and show someone how to do something than just simply do it and leave everyone else behind. For that reason, for better or worse, our journey into a self-sufficient life in a cabin in the woods, is on public display for all to see through videos and written articles. We decided to do everything ourselves starting with taking the first step onto raw land all the way through clearing, prepping, construction, and developing for one reason. We wanted to demonstrate that it's possible and even possible for people in their 60's to accomplish. (61 and 63 to be exact)  

So here's the point. I've always said that simply knowing how to do something will never sustain you through to the realization of your dream. But if you have a strong enough dream or passion for that "something" there is nothing that can stop you from reaching that dream. So this is what's important. As self-sufficient type people are concerned, "Doing It Yourself" is a little bit obvious. It's kind of what we all do. Going Off-Grid or into a Homestead lifestyle, by definition, suggests DIY tendencies and skills are required. If you are dreaming of living life according to your own terms, then embrace the DIY paradigm fully. When you begin approaching every obstacle with an "I can do that, or I can at least figure it out" mentality, you will begin to find ways of moving into your dream. 

My challenge to you, if you've read this far, is this. We all have things in our lives we've never done before and have no clue how to do or where to start. (Including us involving many of the things we've been through at "Camp Run-Amuck" this past year) But IF YOU'RE BRAVE ENOUGH, go to one of the video links in this blog and click on it and Subscribe to the channel. Also, Subscribe to the newsletter at the upper right side of this page. Follow the process and ASK QUESTIONS. We are not going to try to charge you for anything. You are more than welcome to ignore the product links. It won't hurt our feelings. We do those as another example of how we, and you, could add an income stream to your dream if that's part of your goal. We are still able to answer every inquiry and question ourselves. But the main reason is we really do want to see you moving toward the fulfillment of your dream and we enjoy sharing the journey and pathway together.

Beginning on September 1st, I'll be going through steps we've taken in the transition from Raw Land. 

Carry On

 Adventure Quote: “Don't be pushed around by the fears in your mind. Be led by the dreams in your heart.” ― Roy T. Bennett

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Highlander Grogg (Butterscotch/Rum flavors)

Consider Subscribing to our monthly "How-To", Do-It-Yourself" newsletter in the upper right corner of this page.   AND........

Click any of the following links to start your own adventure with us:  

DIY Construction Basics Videos
Shelley Painting Trim (Chicks in the Sticks video)

Sunday Morning Outdoor Breakfast Videos
August 28 Breakfast - Campfire Corned Beef Hash
August 7 Breakfast - Chorizo Burritos 

Fun Videos
Run-Amuck Road Trip - Roaring River State Park

Treasured Times Crew to the Rescue Cabin Building (Treasured Times Video)
 

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Tuesday, August 30, 2022

August 30 - DIY Homestead - If You Can, You Should

 August 30, 2022

Day 334 of the Adventure

How many times is it necessary to start a post with, "It's a quiet, peaceful morning by the fire at Camp Run-Amuck"?  Maybe one more....... At least one more for August. I think the constant reminder of how peaceful it is out here in the woods may eventually wear off. For now though, every morning is an experience in quiet solitude. I hope it never becomes so routine that I lose the special feeling it offers. 

The tractor is nearby this morning right where it sat yesterday when the rain began. We have been finishing up the burying of the septic tanks and grading the field area. It's been too dry to plant any grass seed but lately it seems like we've been getting some fairly consistent rain so getting everything prepped for grass planting needs to get done. 

We call our project a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) Homestead. It's more like a DIY cabin in the woods right now. 2022 is the year of getting the place livable. Next year we plan to add more of the homesteading related elements to it. However, the DIY part is certainly front and center of everything we do here. Our goal was to start with raw land and do everything ourselves. So far, with the exception of having our kids from Florida here for a week helping with the cabin, we've done it all. Why go to the work and trouble of doing EVERYTHING????? I think it's mainly to show others that it really can be done. My DIY motto is "If you can, you should. If you can't, you should learn how." Those who dream of their own place but can't seem to find a pathway to get there should consider a DIY project. Even if it's only a partly DIY venture, everything that can be done yourself, is that much less you would be paying for others. 

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “There is no better insurance than the knowledge of how to do something.”
― Jerry G. West

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost on the Trail (Guatemala)

Consider Subscribing to our monthly "How-To", Do-It-Yourself" newsletter in the upper right corner of this page.   AND........

Click any of the following links to start your own adventure with us:  

DIY Construction Basics Videos
Shelley Painting Trim (Chicks in the Sticks video)

Sunday Morning Outdoor Breakfast Videos
August 28 Breakfast - Campfire Corned Beef Hash
August 7 Breakfast - Chorizo Burritos 

Fun Videos
Run-Amuck Road Trip - Roaring River State Park

Treasured Times Crew to the Rescue Cabin Building (Treasured Times Video)
 

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Monday, August 29, 2022

August 29 - DIY Homestead - Conformity Standards

 August 29, 2022

Day 333 of the Adventure

Over the weekend I had written a piece on saving money on home energy and food costs. Upon sharing it, I was blocked and suspended by our "Social Media Giant Friend, FB" for violating their "Community Standards". I realize that it's their computer algorithms that make the decision and not real people. At the same time, it's real people that program the algorithms. So, my question is, what kind of community calls saving on food and fuel "hostile" to their community, while at the same time, itself, chooses to post questionably vulgar content and ads to my personal page on a regular basis? It's an interesting testament to their definition of "Community". 

I know the Mayberry days have long since left the room and even the hope of regaining some of that community innocence is even nothing more than a rapidly vanishing fantasy. Still, you would think that the term "Community" would suggest just that. A community of people with a common experience of trying to live in some sense of harmony.

Some definitions of community are as follows:

The people of a district or country considered collectively, especially in the context of social values and responsibilities.

A feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

With those definitions in mind, I can't even imagine what kind of community facebook is trying to build and foster. I think it's one that I would not be much interested in being a part of. Yet within that community of questionable values, I find those who do share the hope of an existence of shared values and goals of which I can appreciate and participate with. I wonder if facebook should refer to its "Community Standards" as "Conformity Standards" instead. 

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” ― Mother Teresa

Base Camp Coffee of the Day:  Lost up the Creek (Sumatra)

Consider Subscribing to our monthly "How-To", Do-It-Yourself" newsletter in the upper right corner of this page.   AND........

Click any of the following links to start your own adventure with us:  

DIY Construction Basics Videos
Shelley Painting Trim (Chicks in the Sticks video)

Sunday Morning Outdoor Breakfast Videos
August 28 Breakfast - Campfire Corned Beef Hash
August 7 Breakfast - Chorizo Burritos 

Fun Videos
Run-Amuck Road Trip - Roaring River State Park

Treasured Times Crew to the Rescue Cabin Building (Treasured Times Video)
 

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Sunday, August 28, 2022

August 28 - DIY Homestead - Bobcats in the Woods

 August 28, 2022

Day 332 of the Adventure

A Bobcat. Not "Our Bobcat" Just a pic of one.
In case you didn't see it yesterday, we had some unexpected visitors down the hill behind the cabin late in the afternoon. A pair of Bobcats started giving each other the business down there and the fight was very vocal for a while and the sound of it carried its way up the hill to me. I did not see them, but they were close enough to provide a very distinct "Bobcat howling and growling match" racket. I was outside by the fire when they start up on each other and it was loud. Of all the times I did not have my phone with to record it, it was then. After racing back into the cabin to retrieve the phone, it had died down some. It started back up a few minutes later down the hill farther but still within hearing range of me. 

Here's the Video of it

Don't let the Bobcats get you!

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “There is language going on out there- the language of the wild. Roars, snorts, trumpets, squeals, whoops, and chirps all have meaning derived over eons of expression... We have yet to become fluent in the language -and music- of the wild.”
― Boyd Norton

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost in the Woods (Colombia/Costa Rica blend)

Consider Subscribing to our monthly "How-To", Do-It-Yourself" newsletter in the upper right corner of this page.   AND........

Click any of the following links to start your own adventure with us:  

DIY Construction Basics Videos
Shelley Painting Trim (Chicks in the Sticks video)

Sunday Morning Outdoor Breakfast Videos
August 28 Breakfast - Campfire Corned Beef Hash
August 7 Breakfast - Chorizo Burritos 

Fun Videos
Run-Amuck Road Trip - Roaring River State Park

Treasured Times Crew to the Rescue Cabin Building (Treasured Times Video)
 

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August 27 - DIY Homestead - Lowering Energy and Food Costs

 August 27, 2022

Day 331 of the Adventure

I was reading a story recently from someone who was wanting to reduce their energy and food costs to 50% of what they were currently costing. That's a pretty challenging goal but I wonder if it's not something that should be considered in the economy we are facing today. Energy and food represent something that does not go away. We must deal with their effects all the time. Finding ways to force those expenses down is a legitimate goal in combatting today's high costs of food and energy. I suppose the question is how to track whether or not any savings are being gained as different cost saving measures are being applied. 

We personally never set a specific percentage of reduction in our costs at Camp Run-Amuck. Our goal was to see how close to zero we could get. Establishing solar energy was an obvious cost but we are treating the installation of the equipment as a cost of construction rather than a monthly expense. Knowing there will need to be about a $6,000 cost recovery to break even will remain in the back of our mind through the process. As of right now though, our electrical energy bills have been close to $200 less each month during the Summer than they have historically been. Plus, since we plan to be using wood heat in the winter, I'm expecting about a $200 savings per month there as well. Spring and Fall savings will not be as dramatic as less energy was used in the past (and present) during those seasons for comparison. I still think we will be in the $1,500 to $2,000 savings range. We'll continue to monitor that throughout the Winter and make the occasional reports. 

Food is another issue. I think our greatest savings will be from simply not eating out as often as we used to. While it's certainly a savings, I suppose that's cheating the numbers a little. Dining out excluded, we are spending more effort shopping less frequently and buying things that hold up better to storage for preparation later. That alone is reducing costs by not purchasing as many convenience items. Honestly, returning to more home-cooked meals has been a welcome change from our hectic paced "grab it from the freezer and throw it in the oven" routine. Most of our food expense has been trips to the grocery store or Farmers Market. We have been re-building our supply of canning equipment for next year so there will be another ramp down of costs once the gardening and canning takes effect. 

Since we have dedicated part of this adventure/journey to the self-sufficient lifestyle principles, our personal choices may not even make it on to the radar for others. Right now, though, every time I see an electric bill that's almost nothing, a slight smile crosses my face knowing that in some small way, I am beginning to beat the system. At some point, that may indeed drop to zero as we continually ween ourselves away from the grid. If any of this is an inspiration to you, then a good part of our personal mission for doing this in the first place has been achieved. 

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “Somehow, we'll find it. The balance between whom we wish to be and whom we need to be. But for now, we simply have to be satisfied with who we are.” ― Brandon Sanderson

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: B-52 (Kahlua/Irish Cream/Amaretto flavors)

Consider Subscribing to our monthly "How-To", Do-It-Yourself" newsletter in the upper right corner of this page.   AND........

Click any of the following links to start your own adventure with us:  


 

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Friday, August 26, 2022

August 26 - DIY Homestead - Farmers Market Day

August 26, 2022

Day 330 of the Adventure

It's Farmers Market day in our neck of the woods. Our local Market is not the biggest in the area I'm sure, but it's the closest. Since we are not far enough along this year to have a garden, the local farmers and gardeners have been keeping us stocked up pretty well. For our part, we've been doing our best to keep them in business! lol. Tomatoes, melons and cucumbers have been pretty standard for us this Summer. Personally, I hit the Jalapeno boxes hard. It's a wonder if anyone else has had a shot at Jalapenos this year with me trying to corner the market on them. I'd like to say that my selection of peppers has been of a noble cause. Like something healthy. 

But no. I am strictly a Bacon Wrapped, Cream Cheese Jalapeno Poppers kind of a guy. In the smoker on top of that! My good friend Mitch introduced me to his Bacon wrapped, Sausage and Cream Cheese Poppers last Fall during a football game. So, my next batch will likely be that variety. Speaking of food. I believe we may be adding some food cooking implements to our outdoor kitchen later today. I'll know more by around seven o'clock this evening. I've always said my two main vices have been movies and food. Anymore, I'm even losing interest in watching movies. But unhealthy food remains a strong guilty pleasure.

I keep thinking each time I venture out to the fire pit before sunrise that perhaps I'm feeling a touch of Autumn in the air. Even though the early morning temps have been in the mid sixty's, I've still been able to wear shorts and lighter weight clothes that early. It's probably just an illusion or the side effects of an extraordinarily hot Summer. Plus, even though it's late August. It's still August. So that's enough of the "Fall Talk" for now. I'll be sure to let you know the moment I step outside on a morning when the first hint of Autumn Air hits my face and lungs. 

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “Happiness is not a goal...it's a by-product of a life well lived.” ― Eleanor Roosevelt

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost up the Creek (Sumatra)

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Construction Basics: Building Soffits

Construction Basics: Building Gable Vents

 

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Thursday, August 25, 2022

August 25 - DIY Homestead - Campfire Friends

August 25, 2022

Day 329 of the Adventure

The Campfire Collection Comeback
About 35 years ago, I had the urge to build a campfire cooking set. I didn't have a blacksmiths' forge or do anything very exotic with it. I used square stock steel, a steel bender and welder to create one of the stoutest cook-set you'll ever see. It was used quite a lot for several years as part of our camp-kitchen wherever we happened to be spending the weekend. About 30 years ago, we moved from Iowa to Missouri and much of the primitive camping we had been doing shifted to camper camping. The primitive got packed away and partly forgotten. I never could bring myself to part with all of it, even though the opportunities were many. The fire grate is one of several pieces of that set. More will get added back into service as we continue to bring Camp Run-Amuck to life. 

It's odd, I suppose, how simple instruments of utility can become such endeared parts of our lives. What was once a smoke covered assembly of steel, then rust, and now becoming smoke covered once again is regarded as part of the camp family. The fire is good on it's own, but it is something altogether different when accompanied by a bubbling pot of coffee or a skillet of fried hash. Is "family" too strong of a word for these camp companions? Maybe. perhaps "friends" is the better term. Old friends who make the experience one of sitting by the fire one of comfort and reflection. Isn't it strange how a rusty old assortment of metal can do that.

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “If you see a campfire as just a fire, your imagination is very weak, because it is not a lifeless warmth, but a mysterious friend who came to visit you in the darkness of the forest and shared your food, dreams and life!” ― Mehmet Murat ildan

Base Camp Coffee of the Day:  Lost in the Woods (Colombia/Costa Rica blend)

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August 24 - DIY Homestead - Solitude of the Woods

August 24, 2022

Day 328 of the Adventure

Dark woods half hour after sunrise
Morning coffee by the campfire is the essential start of every day here. Most mornings include the sounds of the woods as a backdrop to the fire. Those include a lot of bird noise and occasionally something rustling through the leaves. Today, it included some unidentified larger sounds. (not like the mythical Sasquatch type sounds we are always joking about) more like the stomping and snorting of deer. I sneaked over a little closer to the edge of the deeper woods to see what I could see. Nothing presented itself, so I'm not sure what was there. I assume deer at this point. 

The woods at Camp Run-Amuck have been completely undisturbed, I assume for hundreds of years. Which would make them virgin forest if true. If not true, then they are still very old and deep in the sense of being thick and natural/ Looking past the area that was semi-cleared before we arrived and then the cleared areas we opened, it's very primitive. In fact, the picture in this post was taken a half hour after sunrise and the woods still have a dark and mysterious look about them. There's a fog this morning drifting through which adds to the stillness. 

As the cabin area gets closer to being complete, I look forward to venturing beyond the homestead area and exploring the deeper part of the place. Especially the waterfall area. More of that later. Today there's still work to be done........ Did I just call this "Work"?

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “We live, in fact, in a world starved for solitude, silence, and private: and therefore starved for meditation and true friendship.” ― C.S. Lewis

Base Camp Coffee of the Day:  Lost on the Trasil (Guatemala)

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Wednesday, August 24, 2022

August 23 - DIY Homestead - The Quintessential Cabin Fixture

August 23, 2022

Day 327 of the Adventure

I think one of the most characteristic images of cabin life is that of a lantern casting a welcoming glow over the evening darkness. We've been collecting old lanterns for years with the intent of bringing them to life at some point at a cabin in the woods. Now that there is a cabin, it may indeed be time to break out our old lantern collection. I mentioned it to Shelley and she was quick to suggest that the best place for them was hanging in the trees around the cabin. It's hard to argue with that. 

Today we were once again visited by our friend Mitch who arrived bearing gifts of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Each time he shows up, his first observation is about how peaceful and quiet it is. Which is all true. I've mentioned many times that the more time I spend down here the more I just want to stay and not leave. The idea of self-sufficient living puts us closer to that reality. The few things we rely on outside the home-place, the fewer the reasons there are to leave. I think this Fall will really begin to tell the story on what the future will look like here as the cabin nears completion and a few of the other outdoor projects get done. One addition I am looking forward to is an actual outdoor "Summer Kitchen". One that keeps the heat of cooking out of the cabin during the Summer months. Not to mention the aroma of food cooking there in the Fall and Spring as well. I still think cooking in the cabin during the winter will be the best. Especially on chili and soup days. Looking forward to all of it!

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “Very few things in life can be so exhilarating as a cabin in the middle of the forest and loving life effortlessly while enjoying the smell of freshly ground heaven in your hot cup, in front of a fireplace... Sweet Solitude” ― Efrat Cybulkiewicz

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: B-52 (Kahlua, Irish Cream, Amaretto)

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Monday, August 22, 2022

August 22 - DIY Homestead - Starting a New Project

August 22, 2022

Day 326 of the Adventure

Before pic of new generator enclosure area
We spent quite a relaxing weekend in preparation for the start of a project this morning. As we wait for the cabin siding to arrive, there's one final addition that we need before we can apply it to the Utility Control building. From the beginning of our construction, the structure has been storage for our generators. There are multiple problems with that. The most basic is there's simply no room for them with all of the solar components there. Also, they can't be operated in the building, so they need to be dragged out each time we want to run one. Finally, even the storing of them in there is not ideal due to the fuel issue. The presence of flammables in the same building as the batteries is not advisable. 

Our solution is a generator shelter/enclosure we are planning on the back of the utility building. It will include a little digging, some cement work, framing, roofing and wiring. Even though small, it will contain most of the basic principles of construction framing. Because of this, we plan to go into detail of the process of building it. Most of the techniques will translate up to larger structures if you ever plan to do some building of your own but are not quite sure of the process. 

I've always viewed the whole idea behind the "Do-It-Yourself" mindset as "If you can, you should, if you can't, you should learn how". Even if you decide you don't have the time for it or aren't up for the work part of it, knowing how has value. I've known people who were certain they've been taken advantage of because they weren't sure how to verify someone's skill or integrity on a job they had been hired for. At the very least, understanding concepts, principles and the language helps defend against the unknown. Self-Sufficiency and DIY kind of go together very well. SO....... If you are ready to learn some construction basics, strap on your virtual tool belt and lets get with it!

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “There is no better insurance than the knowledge of how to do something the right way. There is no greater peace of mind than knowing you did it the right way.” ― Jerry G. West

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost in the Woods (Colombia/Costa Rica blend)

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Sunday, August 21, 2022

August 21 - DIY Homestead - A Cabin in the Woods

August 21, 2022

Day 325 of the Adventure

I had to make a mathematical correction today. I don't know where I got the "Day Number" of the adventure in the heading, but I was off by probably three months. We bought Camp Run-Amuck on September 30 last year and will be coming up on our first anniversary pretty soon. So, correcting that is the housekeeping portion of the posting today. More importantly was the campfire. We received a decent rain early this morning and I was planning on being content with a cup of coffee and the sounds of the woods. At least until Shelley pointed out that there was no fire going....... That has now been remedied. 

Rain is coming more frequently now and it's a welcome change from the hot, dry, dusty July and early August. Everything that can be, has gotten green again. I enjoy the morning reflection and thoughts while sitting by the fire each day. Something about the solitude of nature along with a crackling fire and the smell of the deep woods is like an elixir of sorts. Even the taste of pine needle ash in my coffee is not that offensive when soaking in the magical ambiance of the outdoors. Enjoying the "Great Outdoors" is something that everyone, at least everyone I know, is hopelessly drawn to. I guess nature has that effect on a person. For me, it was made even more captivating partly because of my reading list when younger. One book in particular that I happened to pick up at a "pound sale" from a book store Shelley and I worked at when we were first married reinforces that felling every time I browse through it. A pound sale was what they used to clear out excess stock by selling books by the pound. Literally. A bargain by any sense of the definition. I stocked a library full of books on construction, gardening, self-sufficient living and other related and nearly related subjects by way of the pound sales. One book in particular has found a space on the shelf for all these forty plus years as others have slowly found their way into yard sales and gifts to friends who would appreciate them. Conrad Meinecke's book "Your Cabin In The Woods" has been an endearing companion of mine from the beginning. It chronicles Conrad's many cabin building experiences through the years. The technical aspects of the book are thin. Much too thin for my tastes. While accurate and workable, they are a bit too primitive for something I would be very interested in. What makes the book so irresistible to me is the way he paints a picture of life in the great outdoors. It's a description of life as I would imagine it surrounded by woods, a warm fire, a cup of hot coffee, a red flannel shirt on a cool night (or morning) and stew bubbling in a cast iron Dutch Oven over a fire just outside the cabin........ I could on here, but I think you get the picture. 

I think that if I were to look back forty years and say, if life were to follow it's most natural path, it would eventually lead to a morning fire with a cup of coffee outside a cabin in the woods. This morning, here I am, sitting by that very fire with Shelley. The rain has subsided and there is nothing in the air but a curl of wood smoke and the fresh aroma of woods after an early morning Summer rain combined with a hint of fresh coffee.

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” ― Mae West

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Highlander Grogg (Butterscotch/Rum flavors and Shelley's favorite blend)

Consider Subscribing to our monthly "How-To", Do-It-Yourself" newsletter in the upper right corner of this page.   AND........

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Building our Cabin in the Woods


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August 20 - DIY Homestead - Things to be Excited About

August 20, 2022

Day 243 of the Adventure

The State of Perpetual Improvement
When living a life that has a self-sufficiency and homestead type of focus, it's comical what you find yourself getting excited over. For example, I remember back a number of years when we had a garden and was canning produce. The fact that we had put up nearly 80 pints of picante sauce, a dozen varieties of jams and jellies, home-grown tomatoes, pickles and vegetables for use through the winter was very exciting. Shelley had found an excellent ketchup recipe with red hots as the secret ingredient. (Don't laugh, it was amazing)

Today's excitement came in the form of our Low Pressure Pipe DIY installed septic system running for the third time. Not that septic systems would normally be all that interesting or something to get excited about. It's just that it was one of the first things we initiated with the county when we got here and it's the last major piece of infrastructure that is now complete. The fact that we had never built anything quite like that, and certainly nothing like the alternative LPP system, it's exciting that it's doing exactly what it should. The second part of the excitement is that we've been waiting to bury key parts of it unil we knew it was functioning properly. It is, now it can get completely buried. 

Other recent "excitables" have included the solar plant getting set up to switch itself from batteries to generator to grid on its own as different circumstances call for it. Another was getting the cabin wiring completed. Still another was reaching the point on the exterior of the cabin where we could get the log siding ordered. It's great to see progress and reach milestones in a project. The Camp Run-Amuck adventure has been a wonderful experience so far and to me the best is yet to come. 

Tomorrow's excitement will be smoking Jalapeño Poppers in the smoker!

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “The excitement of dreams coming true is beyond the description of words.” 
― Lailah Gifty Akita

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost in the Fog (Guatemala Decaf)

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A Recent Road Trip Roaring River State Park

 

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Saturday, August 20, 2022

August 19 - DIY Homestead - Downsizing

August 19, 2022

Day 242 of the Adventure

Me and John Building a Treehouse
Today ended up being one of those slow, do almost nothing days. Shelley was off taking care of some grandkid business and left me with some "going to the farmers market" business. We have been pushing pretty hard through the Spring and siffling hot Summer this year and with most of the critical chores complete, I've found it easy to slip into a fairly lethargic routine. I suppose that needs to come to an end soon. This weekend will probably mark the end of our Summer break. 

The idea of downsizing has been on my mind lately. Not to necessarily do much more of it. Rather, look back on the downsizing we've done over the past few years. Like most of us, I think we've had a tight grip on much of our belongings. Most of it really is just excess stuff. When we moved from a 2,800 sf, four-bedroom house, to live in a 23-foot travel trailer back in 2011, most of our things simply stayed at the house. We only planned for a three to four month stay in the camper while remodeling some little resort cabins. After falling in love with the camp and cabin life, the move back home got delayed for about a year. Then two, then three and pretty soon, we just weren't that interested in going home. We found our new home that consist of "nomad living" in a series of campers and cabins for close to eleven years. One of the interesting things we discovered was how little need we had for all the stuff we had accumulated back home. 

Downsizing for us came easy because we didn't experience the trauma of making that decision intentionally ahead of time. It sort of just happened. Were it not for the number of tools we've accumulated over the years, we would be down to almost nothing but basic furnishings for our 300 square foot cabin. The tools are hard to part with since they represent all of the "Do-It-Yourself" abilities and potential we have available to us.

The results of our downsize have been dramatic. Less time spent caring for things and property. (referring to the typical on-going maintenance things) Less upkeep in general, less housekeeping. Less buying of stuff across the board, feeling like we need to fill our space and lives with gadgets, furnishings and conveniences (so called). My list of things to do is long because we are still in the middle of building out this DIY Homestead. Things related to keeping up with just stuff is a very short list any more and I'm good with that. I suppose downsizing is not for everyone, but it certainly fits with a self-sufficient, lower cost and lower impact way of life. 

Carry On

 Adventure Quote:  “Clutter may rob us of the life we imagined or prevent us from creating a new vision for our future.”  ― Lisa J. Shultz

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost on the Lake (Sumatra/Colombia blend)

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Thursday, August 18, 2022

August 18 - DIY Homestead - Are We "Dusty Relics"

August 18, 2022

Day 241 of the Adventure

What "Self-Sufficient" looks like
“Over the years, Americans in particular have been all too willing to squander their hard-earned independence and freedom for the illusion of feeling safe under someone else's authority. The concept of self-sufficiency has been undermined in value over a scant few generations. The vast majority of the population seems to look down their noses upon self-reliance as some quaint dusty relic" This is from the "Adventure Quote" further down this page by Cody Lundin. I chose to start with this, specifically to address where I see the value of Self-Sufficiency and Self-Reliance in today's world. As we begin our journey into more of a self-sufficient lifestyle, I'm finding more and more value in it rather than less. As we continue to watch prices for necessities get higher every day, there comes a point where a real decision needs to be made as to how we chose to deal with it. Our perceived "safety net" of convenience, comfort and affordable living is vanishing before our very eyes. The question is, what are we prepared enough and skilled enough to do about it?

I've always believed that "easy times" result in a desire or possibly even a need, to be protected from hard times. With some, there's even the expectation that it's someone's job to provide the necessities. With that said, our "easy times" society tends to be fearful of what it might have to do if hard times ever occur. Thus, the need for some kind of protection from it, namely, the government.  My parents were born in the Great Depression era. Both survived due in part by agriculture and in part by just being too tough to not survive. That generation understood hard times unlike any generation since. At least in our country. As I look at the attributes my parents carried with them all through their lives, I see the roots of self-reliance in their DNA. Even as times grew easier and more prosperous, my parents never completely released their grip on their depression era frugalness. My mom especially continually kept the memories of those difficult times close at hand with the continual "storing up" of necessities. The biggest difference between dad and mom's childhood experience was the connection to agriculture. Dad grew up on a functioning farm. Of course, in the 30's, that looked a lot different than it does now. Mom grew up in a "Farming Community", however not with the personal family-farm operations. Both equally poor, as any depression era family was. Yet dad's family had the farm to rely on for what it was capable of producing. Mom's family relied upon more of a substantive practice of gardening, a small amount of row crops and a cow or two. While both families struggled, their connection to a piece of land is what gave them the edge they needed to make it through the worst economic collapse in our history. 

My Gardening Friends up the Road
When considering the tenacity of that generation compared to the, almost entitled, outlook of our current populace (in general), it's a little scary to think of what things would look like in similar depression era type conditions. Hopefully, we will never really have to prove ourselves out in that kind of environment. However, I think this current economy will certainly test our individual resolve and resourcefulness in many ways we have long become unaccustomed to. A strong connection to self-sufficiency and the related skills that go with it can enable one to not only survive but thrive in today's strange world. A smile crosses my face as I see friends on facebook displaying their abundant garden produce as they methodically can it up for later use. Many of the men sporting their bib overalls and white beards. Many of the women in overalls as well, sun tanned from years of practice in the fine arts of rural living. Hands familiar with the chores of the seasonal preparations for winter. Their appearance alone suggests they've been there, done that, and got the skills and goods to know what to do next. And what to do next, is the same thing they've been doing for decades. Living life in a self-sufficient way. You know what? Every one of them I know and call friends, somehow live with a calmness about life. Much less stressed out over what all is going on around them. Perhaps their resourcefulness has already been tested and they hold keys that many of the rest of us are still trying to discover for ourselves. Something to consider as we all look for our own pathway through life. 

Carry On

Many thanks to my friends up the road who live the self-sufficient life and were kind enough to allow me to use their images in this post. 

 Adventure Quote:  “Over the years, Americans in particular have been all too willing to squander their hard-earned independence and freedom for the illusion of feeling safe under someone else's authority. The concept of self-sufficiency has been undermined in value over a scant few generations. The vast majority of the population seems to look down their noses upon self-reliance as some quaint dusty relic, entertained only by the hyper-paranoid or those hopelessly incapable of fitting into mainstream society.”
― Cody Lundin

Base Camp Coffee of the Day: Lost up the Creek (Sumatra)

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Setting up our Solar Equipment for Battery Priority


 

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