You can find out more here:
http://jeffreygardens.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-labyrinth-project-beginning.html?showComment=1381499963211#c8901440203115577899
Photo credit goes to Jeffrey Bales
just a nice photo until project pics appear!
Friday, October 11, 2013
A quick share of inspiration
I have just found this artist's blog on his stone wok and hope it incorporate something similar on the homestead.
You can find out more here:
http://jeffreygardens.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-labyrinth-project-beginning.html?showComment=1381499963211#c8901440203115577899
Photo credit goes to Jeffrey Bales
You can find out more here:
http://jeffreygardens.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-labyrinth-project-beginning.html?showComment=1381499963211#c8901440203115577899
Photo credit goes to Jeffrey Bales
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Intro to 'This crazy dream of mine'
Hi, come in, grab a drink, a snack and have a seat! Make yourself at home - because if my crazy dream becomes a reality - it will be your home, too! Which is only fair since this crazy dream (I have had many) can only be accomplished with the help of family, friends and you!
What IS this crazy dream?
I am in the planning stages of building a homestead for myself; and anyone who helps me to achieve this dream.
Some of you may be thinking 'Oh. Another wacko prepper.' Mmm, not exactly. I have no desire to build an underground bunker and stock it with 5 years worth of supplies. Though a root cellar will be quite handy if I ever turn my black thumb into a green thumb. I simply want to live a life of pride in my work and do no more damage to our planet ... a sustainable lifestyle.
What I DO want to build is an actual homestead. Preferably on several acres - the more the merrier, as they say. (Who is 'they' anyway??)
On this homestead I will build a cob home for myself and hopefully my boyfriend - who WILL think this is absolutely nuts, but then he expects no less from me!. I will also construct several other 'home' type structures for my kids, my grandkids (the second, a granddaughter was born 8 days ago) and my boyfriend's children - should any of them decide to live on this homestead. Naturally, the structures will be separated by some sort of distance, for everyone's sanity. I will also invite those that help me build this homestead to come and stay in these 'homes'; whether it is for a vacation or something more permanent (given we are 'compatible people'). I am a member of CouchSurfing, Staydu, WOOF, AirBnB and helpx - all of which encourage people to travel, meet new friends and exchange cultures, ideas and passions - so those folks will also be welcome at the homestead. Many of the groups have work / stay exchanges - so these folks will also be personally invested in the homestead. I dream of a small community with both permanent folks and visitors. Any permanent folks would be expect to either bring a useful skill (building, teaching, gardening, crafts, hunting, etc) to the group.
Sounds absolutely crazy, doesn't it??
Good. It ought to. I haven't been called unique, odd and different for my entire life for no reason.
The thing is I have a habit of making 'crazy ideas' work! My latest project, 'We are US', has been going since February of 2013 and gained a nice little following in person and online. That project is based on me and my camera traveling the United States, getting to know other Americans and how they live, what they do to live and enjoy their free time. The We are US project is why I joined CouchSurfing and the other groups - to help defray the costs of travel and lodging; and I have to say the experience has been overwhelmingly exciting. You are welcome to check out the project on Facebook, in all 3 of it's parts at the following links:
Main site: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreUSPhotography?ref=hl
Fund raising: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreUsParacordingToTravel?ref=hl
Off shoot: https://www.facebook.com/HumansoftheUnitedStates?ref=hl
But I digress, let's get back to THIS 'dream' (project). The homestead.
Just calling it a 'homestead' sounds very lame to me, but I haven't taken the time to think of a catchy name for it. Any suggestions? I am curious what YOU think of all this, but first - let me explain a bit more about the dream.
On this homestead, I envision gardens and some livestock (brought to fruition as they become feasible). As for gardens, I will need lots of help. Like I said before I can't garden worth a bean. Well, green beans I have managed to grow, along with fruit trees; but much else just seems to die off in the seedling stage. None the less, I will be constructing various types of gardens; from traditional rows of corn, to raised beds of peppers of every kind, aquaponics for lettuces, to keyhole gardens with carrots, coldhouses for radishes, to greenhouses holding seedlings, to trellises of cucumbers and tomatoes - and every other veggie and fruit that can grow in Zone 5 (where this will all be built - but more in a moment on that). Composting is a natural fit for a garden, so my hope is to work on those skills this winter, here in the city where I currently live - I have even got a new neighbor ready to try her hand at composting. Bamboo can grow here too - and I intend to grow some, or a lot if I end up with the creeping kind.
My thoughts / interests on gardening are much easier explained with this link to my Pinterest board on gardening:
http://www.pinterest.com/weareusphotos/garden-things-for-a-black-thumb/
Given the gardening comes to yield crops, then obviously canning and drying food stores will be a necessity. I just dried habanero peppers for the first time, yesterday - with great results ... in the oven. My plan is to build solar dehydrators to handle this in the future.
For livestock, I am seeing chickens first - as they seem to be cheaper to start and easier to manage in the beginning. As time goes by I will add pigs and maybe a cow or two. I'm not sure about goats - I've had goat milk and cheese, as well as meat, and it really does little for me personally - but this will be a group project, so if someone comes along with those skills - then why not?
The homestead, will be a mix of the modern and the old fashioned. I will grow and create the majority of the homesteads needs; but I am not going to give up some modern things by any stretch. Internet access is a must from the get go - so understanding and utilizing solar energy is a must! Anyone have skills there? Speak up, don't be shy :)
I don't really care for TV myself, but if the homestead becomes profitable (somehow???) and other folks want TV, then TV it is!
During my travels for my We are US project I met a great woman named Aldona in Florida; and she had an outdoor shower - which I absolutely loved. YES, it had privacy, but it also had sunlight and a nice breeze, even on the cooler mornings.
Also while on my travels, I spent a February night in the 'off the grid' home of new friends, Mr & Mrs Black, and while it was an experience to use their outhouse at 6 a.m.; I am looking forward to having slightly more modern bathroom facilities on the homestead. That being said, I still want to construct a composting toilet just say I can, and others can use it if they choose to.
A solar / wood fired powered hot tub is a must - there will be a lot of hard work in constructing this dream and that makes a hot tub a priority! A natural swimming pool is in the future as well. These are quite interesting and are kept clear without chlorine - but rather by fish and plants!
Having a fire pit to gather around in the evenings with a cob oven nearby it is also a must for after long days working hard - so that we may eat, share knowledge and adventures. A few handcrafted hammocks in the general area aren't a bad idea either. Maybe one or two tucked away in secluded, wooded areas for ... well ... other relaxing would be good too!
I would, eventually, like to experiment with hydro power from a creek or if I figure out a way to make a self generating waterfall - something that is VERY early in the thought process.
This, so far, is just an overview of only parts of my dream. In order to make this dream a reality - it requires land and materials.
Let's start with the land. I have no money to buy land outright. My hope, as I have seen in other folks' blogs HAS worked, is to find a person WITH land who is similarly interested in this dream, or at least willing to let me build the dream on their land. The hitch is THIS ... the land needs to be in northern Onondaga County, or southern Oswego County of New York state. Something with a creek on it would be heaven! [SEE LOCATION] Imagine the southeast corner of Lake Ontario - just south of there! Why? Because the boyfriends' jobs are in those two counties and that particular area would keep him in a reasonable drive to his jobs.
What would a landowner get in exchange? Good question! Well, fresh veggies/fruit/meat/eggs for one, and free help on their projects around their home ... basically, what ever can be reasonably worked out to both our satisfactions.
Now it's your turn. Please share with me any thoughts, ideas or suggestions you may have about this homestead dream. If you have any materials that would be handy in it's construction - they and you are welcome - just let me know what the material/tool is and when there is land to start the building on we'll have a head start already.
Here is a very partial list of items that will be needed to make this dream a reality:
* clay, sand & straw - for the cob constructions. Much should be able to be found on the land itself, but more never hurt!
* various types of stone: cobble, fieldstone, slate - for various construction projects
* rebar & stout wire - to reinforce various structures
* tools - too many to list - basically construction tools & materials - hammers, nails, mallets, wheelbarrows, shovels, etc
* old tires - for construction projects
* glass bottles of every type - for use in cob walls and to insulate cob oven(s)
* hay bales - for possible bale house construction, IF enough can be found
* PVC piping for greenhouse frames
* clear plastic sheeting - for greenhouses
* old windows and doors - for building constructions
* cinder blocks - for foundations
* fire brick - for cob oven(s)
* pavers and such - for pathway and floor constructions
* steel drums (55 gallon) - for rocket stove mass heater construction
* tarps of various sizes - to protect partial builds and to mix cob on
* pallets - any size or type - for construction
* plastic water tanks - food grade only - aquaponics
* 5 gallon buckets - for cob hauling & general use / storage
*** PEOPLE with AND without practical, hands on experience related to the homestead dream
Thank you for taking the time to read all this, I know it got long; but it is a huge dream! I hope to hear back from some of you - whether it is a homestead name suggestion, an offer for land, offer of help or advice OR just a curiosity or question for me.
Have a great day and smile a lot, it makes others wonder what you've done!
Here is a link to all of my Pinterest boards, for the truly curious!
http://www.pinterest.com/weareusphotos/boards/
What IS this crazy dream?
I am in the planning stages of building a homestead for myself; and anyone who helps me to achieve this dream.
Some of you may be thinking 'Oh. Another wacko prepper.' Mmm, not exactly. I have no desire to build an underground bunker and stock it with 5 years worth of supplies. Though a root cellar will be quite handy if I ever turn my black thumb into a green thumb. I simply want to live a life of pride in my work and do no more damage to our planet ... a sustainable lifestyle.
What I DO want to build is an actual homestead. Preferably on several acres - the more the merrier, as they say. (Who is 'they' anyway??)
On this homestead I will build a cob home for myself and hopefully my boyfriend - who WILL think this is absolutely nuts, but then he expects no less from me!. I will also construct several other 'home' type structures for my kids, my grandkids (the second, a granddaughter was born 8 days ago) and my boyfriend's children - should any of them decide to live on this homestead. Naturally, the structures will be separated by some sort of distance, for everyone's sanity. I will also invite those that help me build this homestead to come and stay in these 'homes'; whether it is for a vacation or something more permanent (given we are 'compatible people'). I am a member of CouchSurfing, Staydu, WOOF, AirBnB and helpx - all of which encourage people to travel, meet new friends and exchange cultures, ideas and passions - so those folks will also be welcome at the homestead. Many of the groups have work / stay exchanges - so these folks will also be personally invested in the homestead. I dream of a small community with both permanent folks and visitors. Any permanent folks would be expect to either bring a useful skill (building, teaching, gardening, crafts, hunting, etc) to the group.
Sounds absolutely crazy, doesn't it??
Good. It ought to. I haven't been called unique, odd and different for my entire life for no reason.
The thing is I have a habit of making 'crazy ideas' work! My latest project, 'We are US', has been going since February of 2013 and gained a nice little following in person and online. That project is based on me and my camera traveling the United States, getting to know other Americans and how they live, what they do to live and enjoy their free time. The We are US project is why I joined CouchSurfing and the other groups - to help defray the costs of travel and lodging; and I have to say the experience has been overwhelmingly exciting. You are welcome to check out the project on Facebook, in all 3 of it's parts at the following links:
Main site: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreUSPhotography?ref=hl
Fund raising: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreUsParacordingToTravel?ref=hl
Off shoot: https://www.facebook.com/HumansoftheUnitedStates?ref=hl
But I digress, let's get back to THIS 'dream' (project). The homestead.
Just calling it a 'homestead' sounds very lame to me, but I haven't taken the time to think of a catchy name for it. Any suggestions? I am curious what YOU think of all this, but first - let me explain a bit more about the dream.
On this homestead, I envision gardens and some livestock (brought to fruition as they become feasible). As for gardens, I will need lots of help. Like I said before I can't garden worth a bean. Well, green beans I have managed to grow, along with fruit trees; but much else just seems to die off in the seedling stage. None the less, I will be constructing various types of gardens; from traditional rows of corn, to raised beds of peppers of every kind, aquaponics for lettuces, to keyhole gardens with carrots, coldhouses for radishes, to greenhouses holding seedlings, to trellises of cucumbers and tomatoes - and every other veggie and fruit that can grow in Zone 5 (where this will all be built - but more in a moment on that). Composting is a natural fit for a garden, so my hope is to work on those skills this winter, here in the city where I currently live - I have even got a new neighbor ready to try her hand at composting. Bamboo can grow here too - and I intend to grow some, or a lot if I end up with the creeping kind.
My thoughts / interests on gardening are much easier explained with this link to my Pinterest board on gardening:
http://www.pinterest.com/weareusphotos/garden-things-for-a-black-thumb/
Given the gardening comes to yield crops, then obviously canning and drying food stores will be a necessity. I just dried habanero peppers for the first time, yesterday - with great results ... in the oven. My plan is to build solar dehydrators to handle this in the future.
For livestock, I am seeing chickens first - as they seem to be cheaper to start and easier to manage in the beginning. As time goes by I will add pigs and maybe a cow or two. I'm not sure about goats - I've had goat milk and cheese, as well as meat, and it really does little for me personally - but this will be a group project, so if someone comes along with those skills - then why not?
The homestead, will be a mix of the modern and the old fashioned. I will grow and create the majority of the homesteads needs; but I am not going to give up some modern things by any stretch. Internet access is a must from the get go - so understanding and utilizing solar energy is a must! Anyone have skills there? Speak up, don't be shy :)
I don't really care for TV myself, but if the homestead becomes profitable (somehow???) and other folks want TV, then TV it is!
During my travels for my We are US project I met a great woman named Aldona in Florida; and she had an outdoor shower - which I absolutely loved. YES, it had privacy, but it also had sunlight and a nice breeze, even on the cooler mornings.
Also while on my travels, I spent a February night in the 'off the grid' home of new friends, Mr & Mrs Black, and while it was an experience to use their outhouse at 6 a.m.; I am looking forward to having slightly more modern bathroom facilities on the homestead. That being said, I still want to construct a composting toilet just say I can, and others can use it if they choose to.
A solar / wood fired powered hot tub is a must - there will be a lot of hard work in constructing this dream and that makes a hot tub a priority! A natural swimming pool is in the future as well. These are quite interesting and are kept clear without chlorine - but rather by fish and plants!
Having a fire pit to gather around in the evenings with a cob oven nearby it is also a must for after long days working hard - so that we may eat, share knowledge and adventures. A few handcrafted hammocks in the general area aren't a bad idea either. Maybe one or two tucked away in secluded, wooded areas for ... well ... other relaxing would be good too!
I would, eventually, like to experiment with hydro power from a creek or if I figure out a way to make a self generating waterfall - something that is VERY early in the thought process.
This, so far, is just an overview of only parts of my dream. In order to make this dream a reality - it requires land and materials.
Let's start with the land. I have no money to buy land outright. My hope, as I have seen in other folks' blogs HAS worked, is to find a person WITH land who is similarly interested in this dream, or at least willing to let me build the dream on their land. The hitch is THIS ... the land needs to be in northern Onondaga County, or southern Oswego County of New York state. Something with a creek on it would be heaven! [SEE LOCATION] Imagine the southeast corner of Lake Ontario - just south of there! Why? Because the boyfriends' jobs are in those two counties and that particular area would keep him in a reasonable drive to his jobs.
What would a landowner get in exchange? Good question! Well, fresh veggies/fruit/meat/eggs for one, and free help on their projects around their home ... basically, what ever can be reasonably worked out to both our satisfactions.
Now it's your turn. Please share with me any thoughts, ideas or suggestions you may have about this homestead dream. If you have any materials that would be handy in it's construction - they and you are welcome - just let me know what the material/tool is and when there is land to start the building on we'll have a head start already.
Here is a very partial list of items that will be needed to make this dream a reality:
* clay, sand & straw - for the cob constructions. Much should be able to be found on the land itself, but more never hurt!
* various types of stone: cobble, fieldstone, slate - for various construction projects
* rebar & stout wire - to reinforce various structures
* tools - too many to list - basically construction tools & materials - hammers, nails, mallets, wheelbarrows, shovels, etc
* old tires - for construction projects
* glass bottles of every type - for use in cob walls and to insulate cob oven(s)
* hay bales - for possible bale house construction, IF enough can be found
* PVC piping for greenhouse frames
* clear plastic sheeting - for greenhouses
* old windows and doors - for building constructions
* cinder blocks - for foundations
* fire brick - for cob oven(s)
* pavers and such - for pathway and floor constructions
* steel drums (55 gallon) - for rocket stove mass heater construction
* tarps of various sizes - to protect partial builds and to mix cob on
* pallets - any size or type - for construction
* plastic water tanks - food grade only - aquaponics
* 5 gallon buckets - for cob hauling & general use / storage
*** PEOPLE with AND without practical, hands on experience related to the homestead dream
Thank you for taking the time to read all this, I know it got long; but it is a huge dream! I hope to hear back from some of you - whether it is a homestead name suggestion, an offer for land, offer of help or advice OR just a curiosity or question for me.
Have a great day and smile a lot, it makes others wonder what you've done!
Here is a link to all of my Pinterest boards, for the truly curious!
http://www.pinterest.com/weareusphotos/boards/
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