Homestead journey

[DrJenner]

Figured I would start a new thread.
We have been quite busy around here, temps have been 80-90 so we start early (4-5 am) and quit by 1-2 pm.
Garden beds and greenhouse is done. More solar panels and inverters are up now.
Been working on the root cellar, this will hopefully be completed by the end of the week or beginning of next.
My work schedule is so wonky this month because of vacations so unfortunately I don’t have as many days off in a row to help the hubs.

 

[Bacpacker]

Looks good. How deep is it dug out?

 

[DrJenner]

4 feet as we hit bedrock. Will be piling the dirt on top and over the roof.

 

[Bacpacker]

Awesome. Are youbputting in insulation too? What size is it? It looks pretty big

 

[Neb]

4 feet as we hit bedrock. Will be piling the dirt on top and over the roof.

I like the 4x4 wall studs tied into the foundation but I am curious about the top side when there is pressure pushing in from the sides. Are there spreaders at the top of the 4x4s?

Not an issue if it isn't too deep.

Screams Bag End to finish it off someday.

Please keep us posted. The Princess has been thinking and I have to keep up with her.

Ben

 

[LadyLocust]

You go girl! Get good practice with all this on your place so when we get ours, you can come do it again
Looking good and errr, well, um I might have a little cellar envy

 

[DrJenner]

@Bacpacker yep, there will be insulation inside and on the outside. It's 8' x 12'. Planning on wrapping it with plastic on the outside as well several times.
@Neb not sure about that, but it shouldn't be too deep
@LadyLocust we are down! Can definitely share the plans, we designed this after quite a bit of research. Hope all is well in your world!

 

[Peanut]

Looks great! Well built! Should last several decades. If you were in the south I suggest rebar in the walls... But we have those twisty spinny things that drop from the sky so cellars have to double as a storm shelter.

 

[Weedygarden]

Looks great! Well built! Should last several decades. If you were in the south I suggest rebar in the walls... But we have those twisty spinny things that drop from the sky so cellars have to double as a storm shelter.

I've often thought if someone is asking too many nosy questions that you could say that your root cellar/bunker is a storm shelter. Many areas really need them.

 

[Wingnut]

Well, Dr. J, you are living the new American Dream! Great start on what looks like a beautiful property!

 

[Pearl]

Thank you for starting this thread and sharing!! WOW!! Just WOW!!

 

[Alaskajohn]

Great update! Keep the pics coming!

 

[DrJenner]

Well, Dr. J, you are living the new American Dream! Great start on what looks like a beautiful property!

Isn’t that funny how everyone suddenly wants to live off grid.
Definitely more to it than most think!

 

[Neb]

Here is a short video that may be of service.



Note the brief mention of the facades to avoid killing neighboring trees.

Ben

 

[Mountain trapper]

Isn’t that funny how everyone suddenly wants to live off grid.
Definitely more to it than most think!

That is the truth. There is far more work than most people realize, like getting up at 2am in the winter with no power to find the fan belt on the back up generator broke. Or the water shuts off while taking a shower because something is wrong at the well pump. It's taken awhile but we finally got all the bugs worked out here.
Keep the pictures coming on your progress.

 

[DrJenner]

Inside of the root cellar. All the siding is up and it’s mostly wrapped now.
Making a trip into town this afternoon for more supplies.
Got stung by something huge yesterday while we were getting forms together for the Quonset hut.
Wasn’t a bee for sure and I’ve been stung by a wasp before- this was way worse. Took a chunk of skin and it’s doubled in size today.

 

[backlash]

Inside of the root cellar. All the siding is up and it’s mostly wrapped now.
Making a trip into town this afternoon for more supplies.
Got stung by something huge yesterday while we were getting forms together for the Quonset hut.
Wasn’t a bee for sure and I’ve been stung by a wasp before- this was way worse. Took a chunk of skin and it’s doubled in size today.

View attachment 112247View attachment 112246

Here's a picture of the big hornets.

My DIL got stung last weekend by a hornet.
Her hand was swollen and very painful all weekend and it still hurts her.

 

[DrJenner]

My DIL got stung last weekend by a hornet.
Her hand was swollen and very painful all weekend and it still hurts her.

Sorry to hear that backlash.
I was joking with my husband it was a murder hornet. Looking at these pics, it definitely looked like the 1st one in that it was mostly yellow. That's all I could see in my panic to rip my shirt off to get it off me - it was headed up to my armpit.

 

[DrJenner]

https://agr.wa.gov/hornets
Supposedly eradicated in 2022. Somehow I find that suspect.

 

[Wingnut]

Better check buildings as they go up and make sure those winged varmints aren't settin' up shop... I've had to do the same here, and I still have too many yellowjackets in my yard.

 

[Bacpacker]

Inside of the root cellar. All the siding is up and it’s mostly wrapped now.
Making a trip into town this afternoon for more supplies.
Got stung by something huge yesterday while we were getting forms together for the Quonset hut.
Wasn’t a bee for sure and I’ve been stung by a wasp before- this was way worse. Took a chunk of skin and it’s doubled in size today.

View attachment 112247View attachment 112246

Root cellar is looking good.
Hornets feel like getting hit with a hammer. They are the worst IMO

 

[havasu]

I got hit hard in my armpit by a yellow wasp as a kid, and it was a pain I'll never forget!

 

[Mountain trapper]

https://agr.wa.gov/hornets
Supposedly eradicated in 2022. Somehow I find that suspect.

Order some Onslought and mix it with some tuna fish or cat food. They will take it back to their nest and kill the whole colony. If you still have some in the Fall, mix the Onslought with soda or fruit juice.

 

[DrJenner]

Order some Onslought and mix it with some tuna fish or cat food. They will take it back to their nest and kill the whole colony. If you still have some in the Fall, mix the Onslought with soda or fruit juice.

Will do
We looked around for a nest but couldn't find anything.
Finally got plans for the cabin. House will come in a few years

https://www.etsy.com/listing/142312...096&click_sum=b959be8c&ref=user_profile&sts=1

 

[Wingnut]

I take it you'll still have the RV as well? In addition to the cabin? That will help, especially if you have company... round here, if visitors want more privacy, they can pitch a tent in the yard, lol. I've always had heaps of field gear for my own outdoor use, but I'm perfectly willing to let others use it if that's what they wanna do... I have a nice stone fire ring, bench, BBQ, and two water spigots in my yard, so "camping out" isn't such a great imposition. All visitors have to do is walk inside my home to grab another cold beer, unless they really WANT to use a large cooler for ice-cold beer (got 2 of those).

 

[Mountain trapper]

Will do
We looked around for a nest but couldn't find anything.
Finally got plans for the cabin. House will come in a few years

https://www.etsy.com/listing/142312...096&click_sum=b959be8c&ref=user_profile&sts=1

I seldom find any nests around here. I use empty tea bottles, the square ones, and put the poisoned bait inside and leave the cap off. Lay the bottle on its side and the wasps can get to the bait and take it back to the nest. We have very few wasps around here this year.

I'll go up the hill later and see if I can open your cabin plans.

 

[DrJenner]

I take it you'll still have the RV as well? In addition to the cabin? That will help, especially if you have company... round here, if visitors want more privacy, they can pitch a tent in the yard, lol. I've always had heaps of field gear for my own outdoor use, but I'm perfectly willing to let others use it if that's what they wanna do... I have a nice stone fire ring, bench, BBQ, and two water spigots in my yard, so "camping out" isn't such a great imposition. All visitors have to do is walk inside my home to grab another cold beer, unless they really WANT to use a large cooler for ice-cold beer (got 2 of those).

Yep, we have two of them, so that's what I was thinking, visitors can stay in the RV or there's a hotel in town
Your place sounds great. We are working on getting the fire ring area done, but the priority right now is the quonset hut and the root cellar!
Edited to add: we are still living full time in the RV, made it through the winter and now making it through these 90 degree temps. I'm hoping we don't have to do this another winter.

 

[DrJenner]

I seldom find any nests around here. I use empty tea bottles, the square ones, and put the poisoned bait inside and leave the cap off. Lay the bottle on its side and the wasps can get to the bait and take it back to the nest. We have very few wasps around here this year.

I'll go up the hill later and see if I can open your cabin plans.

Great info, thank you, We will definitely do that. I'm pretty sure there is a nest up by the quonset hut area, but we should do this around the property.

 

[Wingnut]

Ya know, Dr. J, I was thinking (and we all know how dangerous THAT can be, lol), and I wanted to say that you can really improve a bivouac site or homestead by developing the outdoor area. What I mean is that you can add a deck or paver pad, build (or buy) a fire ring, set up a BBQ on its own paver pad in a good location, add a picnic bench or table (the ready-made DIY kits aren't that expensive), and generally increase your immediate outdoor living area for maximum enjoyment. You can also buy those shade canopies for camping... some of the larger ones are made for outdoor events, but they work great for homestead use, and you can anchor them with long tent pegs or stakes so they hold up to high winds. Guy lines of utility rope tied to nearby trees offer additional support, plus a handy place to hang laundry, wet towels, whatever. A couple of folding camp chairs are nice to have handy, you can always store 'em when they're not in use. All these things can make life so much easier, ya know? Wooden pallets are good for outdoor shower "floors"---also for storing things above ground to avoid the mud when it rains, and to reduce bug infestation. Little things like this can make life so much easier, even when you're "roughing it" in an RV, lol. Before I bought this place, I lived out of a tent (with 3 cats) for 109 days in Whetstone, AZ, and in retrospect, it wasn't that bad, lol... of course, I had firewood delivered by the truckload, as a nice campfire makes all the difference when you're in the field.

P.S. Not all camp chairs are created equal, I like the oversized kind, wide and comfortable, where a person can sit upright and not sink into a hole. Easier to drink beer (or eat BBQ) while sitting upright, lol. Here's a shot of one of my camp chairs, they're quite comfy and each has a side table, plus a canvas "organizer" on the opposite side where a person can store gear and whatnot. Well-designed field gear is important to me, lol... if I'm gonna chillax outdoors, I want maximum comfort, aye? Here are the pics... don't mind the cat toys!

 

[Mountain trapper]

Yep, we have two of them, so that's what I was thinking, visitors can stay in the RV or there's a hotel in town
Your place sounds great. We are working on getting the fire ring area done, but the priority right now is the quonset hut and the root cellar!
Edited to add: we are still living full time in the RV, made it through the winter and now making it through these 90 degree temps. I'm hoping we don't have to do this another winter.

When we first moved on to this property I bought a new 35' travel trailer to live in. Supposedly it was a 4 season trailer. I spent all winter trying to keep the water, sewer lines and toilet thawed out. During summer the AC was way inadequate. I couldn't sell that miserable POS fast enough. As soon as the fur shed was finished we moved in to it while the house was being built. I installed a wood stove first thing, then a window AC for summer. It was pretty comfortable.