That's all, for now, folks! You'll have to wait another week or so for pics of the interior. :)
Showing posts with label off grid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label off grid. Show all posts
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Going Batty
After a day of installing insulation, we had a pretty good system down. The batts are an eco-friendly type... without treatment of chemicals like formaldehyde.
That's all, for now, folks! You'll have to wait another week or so for pics of the interior. :)
That's all, for now, folks! You'll have to wait another week or so for pics of the interior. :)
Exterior & Windows
The exterior covering is very simple... tyvek, plywood and slab wood over the seams (not done yet so pics of that detail will be later).
The windows are double pane, of course, two are single hung, one is a slider and a double hung for in the loft.
The windows are double pane, of course, two are single hung, one is a slider and a double hung for in the loft.
The Roof
In the words of my nephew "You now have a shelter."
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| roof joists |
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| osb |
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| tar paper |
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| galvalume metal in place |
Raising Walls
A group of wonderful, salt of the earth folks (friends and relatives all!) came for a day, and many scattered days thereafter, to help with this project. We are thankful beyond words. You know who you are!!!
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| wall #1- north side |
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| wall #2- east side |
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| all four! |
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| loft floor joists |
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| upper walls to support the roof |
A Bunkhouse
After a famine of posts, get ready for a feast! We have been crazy busy building a bunkhouse. It's 12 x 12 feet, on skids, with a shed style roof, built with passive solar design in mind with lumber milled from our own trees. Very cool. And cute!
In future, guests will have a cozy, private little space all their own! With amazing mountain view of the other side of the creek valley.
A series of posts with construction photos follow.
Here are pics of the floor...
In future, guests will have a cozy, private little space all their own! With amazing mountain view of the other side of the creek valley.
A series of posts with construction photos follow.
Here are pics of the floor...
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| built upside down, insulation and skids are added |
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| turning it over |
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| putting on the plywood flooring |
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| dragging it into location |
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
My Off-Grid Laundry System
No washer/dryer in the travel trailer meant I had to figure out a system to do our laundry. And hauling it into the laundromat every week was not an option. Been there, done that. This is what I came up with: 18 gallon plastic buckets, a hand washer, and a 3-bucket wringer system; plus a clothes line with pulley and wood clothes pins.
I also use Bio-Kleen laundry soap since I know it is safe for greywater systems and the environment, absolutely no chemical anything in it. I use one bucket for the washing, one for the rinsing, and an extra for whatever. A friend who also uses the plunger-style hand washer (available from Lehman's) said using a 5-gallon bucket wasn't very effective with it, not enough room for the water to swish in and around the clothing, so Tom found these 18-gallon buckets (I know they are available at Wal-Mart) that work beautifully. We find the hand washer to be highly effective in getting the clothes clean, even towels, and it's relatively easy. I mean, listen, if I can do this with my health limitations, anyone can! Besides, building a few muscles is always a good thing. :)
Now, the wringer system is pretty cool, but we can't take credit for it. That would be Steve Spence who we learned it from. Take three 5-gallon buckets plus a lid, drill several holes in the bottom of one. Place one on the ground, place the one with holes inside that one, put your wet items inside the one with holes, then put the one with the lid inside/on top of said wet items, and sit on it. That's right folks, sit on it... to squish all the water out! Pretty cool, eh!!! The only thing we haven't quite figured out how to remedy is that the lip on the buckets prevents the water from being completely wrung out of the very bottom items. We think maybe adding some smooth rocks or something? If any of you have suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comments!
Finally, I simply take the bucket with the clothes over to the laundry line (which we also got from Lehman's). I have a chair there so I don't have to keep bending over to reach for each new article to hang. Having the pulley's is marvelous, that way I don't have to walk back and forth for hanging or taking them off. As you can tell, I am all about conserving various forms of energy! I really like the old-style wood clothes pins, too (no springs to break). I find they hold items of any thickness and haven't popped off even with the breeze. I wear an apron with pockets to keep the clothes pins in.With the lovely pine scented air and mountain breezes the laundry dries in a few hours and smells like no "clean" I've ever smelled before. It's a pure clean. The breeze also helps to soften the fabric, without any additions like vinegar or borax. I'm a purest, what can I say. ;)
So there you have it! From sorting to hanging on the line, two loads takes about 1-1/2 hours. Believe it or not, it's actually sort of a relaxing task!
I also use Bio-Kleen laundry soap since I know it is safe for greywater systems and the environment, absolutely no chemical anything in it. I use one bucket for the washing, one for the rinsing, and an extra for whatever. A friend who also uses the plunger-style hand washer (available from Lehman's) said using a 5-gallon bucket wasn't very effective with it, not enough room for the water to swish in and around the clothing, so Tom found these 18-gallon buckets (I know they are available at Wal-Mart) that work beautifully. We find the hand washer to be highly effective in getting the clothes clean, even towels, and it's relatively easy. I mean, listen, if I can do this with my health limitations, anyone can! Besides, building a few muscles is always a good thing. :)
Now, the wringer system is pretty cool, but we can't take credit for it. That would be Steve Spence who we learned it from. Take three 5-gallon buckets plus a lid, drill several holes in the bottom of one. Place one on the ground, place the one with holes inside that one, put your wet items inside the one with holes, then put the one with the lid inside/on top of said wet items, and sit on it. That's right folks, sit on it... to squish all the water out! Pretty cool, eh!!! The only thing we haven't quite figured out how to remedy is that the lip on the buckets prevents the water from being completely wrung out of the very bottom items. We think maybe adding some smooth rocks or something? If any of you have suggestions, please feel free to leave them in the comments!
Finally, I simply take the bucket with the clothes over to the laundry line (which we also got from Lehman's). I have a chair there so I don't have to keep bending over to reach for each new article to hang. Having the pulley's is marvelous, that way I don't have to walk back and forth for hanging or taking them off. As you can tell, I am all about conserving various forms of energy! I really like the old-style wood clothes pins, too (no springs to break). I find they hold items of any thickness and haven't popped off even with the breeze. I wear an apron with pockets to keep the clothes pins in.With the lovely pine scented air and mountain breezes the laundry dries in a few hours and smells like no "clean" I've ever smelled before. It's a pure clean. The breeze also helps to soften the fabric, without any additions like vinegar or borax. I'm a purest, what can I say. ;)
So there you have it! From sorting to hanging on the line, two loads takes about 1-1/2 hours. Believe it or not, it's actually sort of a relaxing task!
Spring 2011 Update
Well, what a spring it's been! Updates have been nil due to my not having a computer. But it doesn't mean I haven't been writing. I actually keep a notebook nearby to jot down all future posts. ;) I have access to my pc for a few days so am making sure to update all of our blogs (see below for a list). Thank you for your patience!
For the most part things have been going well in our Temporary Shelter (read: travel trailer), country life. It has its challenges and constraints for sure - like learning to step over/around two dogs and shoes without tripping and killing oneself (sort of like that game Twister!), adjusting to a postage stamp-sized bathroom complete with shower stall made for an 8 year old, keeping all the dishes washed up so one can actually use the minuscule amount of counter space the kitchen affords, and learning to make your bed while in/on it, etc. After about two weeks we hit our stride and fell into a nice routine. One things for certain, we adore being out in the country!!!
Although we aren't off-grid yet, it's very much like glorified camping. We had much more rain than usual, than before anyone alive can recall. Camping + rain does not = enjoyable, however. It does add up to mud & dirt & wet coats hanging on cabinet doors to dry. Of one thing I am absolute certain... after living in our travel trailer TS, I am firmly believe they were never designed nor meant to actually live in, full time. And also, as tiny as it will be, our humble cabin is going to feel spacious and solid!
Watch for an upcoming post about my off-grid laundry system! :)
Our other blogs:
Highland Glenn English Shepherds
Highland Glenn Ranch
For the most part things have been going well in our Temporary Shelter (read: travel trailer), country life. It has its challenges and constraints for sure - like learning to step over/around two dogs and shoes without tripping and killing oneself (sort of like that game Twister!), adjusting to a postage stamp-sized bathroom complete with shower stall made for an 8 year old, keeping all the dishes washed up so one can actually use the minuscule amount of counter space the kitchen affords, and learning to make your bed while in/on it, etc. After about two weeks we hit our stride and fell into a nice routine. One things for certain, we adore being out in the country!!!
Although we aren't off-grid yet, it's very much like glorified camping. We had much more rain than usual, than before anyone alive can recall. Camping + rain does not = enjoyable, however. It does add up to mud & dirt & wet coats hanging on cabinet doors to dry. Of one thing I am absolute certain... after living in our travel trailer TS, I am firmly believe they were never designed nor meant to actually live in, full time. And also, as tiny as it will be, our humble cabin is going to feel spacious and solid!
Watch for an upcoming post about my off-grid laundry system! :)
Our other blogs:
Highland Glenn English Shepherds
Highland Glenn Ranch
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Off-Grid...
... Off the Grid... terms heard and read frequently these days. What is a grid? What does living off-grid mean? And why do it in the first place?
Living off-grid is by no means new, even though it is fairly new in the consciousness of most since being popularized by television and celebrities. Think about the settlers of this land, Native tribes, and numerous other peoples around the globe; none of them were tied in to utilities. Being off-grid is not out of the ordinary anymore- Home Power Magazine reported in 2006 that the number of families living off-grid has jumped 33% each year for a decade. Importantly, the phrase does not refer to 'being off one's rocker', although there are those who feel folks actually choosing this manner of living are just that. :-) Nor is it to be confused with being 'off the map' , 'under the radar', nor any other extreme notion referring to a desire to completely disappear from the company of society.
The grid does refer to any one of several public utilities- electric, water, sewer, gas. Being off-grid, then, is living without reliance on any one or more of said utilities. A truly off-grid home is able to operate independently of all traditional utility services. This is our personal goal (more on that later.)
The answers as to 'why' are as varied as the folks you could ask. Many reasons are similar, some unique, a few honestly strange. Too each his/her own! The top two reasons are saving money and reducing carbon footprint. Others include unavailability of utilities to rural land, financial hardship to connect, survivalist philosophy, spiritual connectedness.
"All very interesting, but what are your reasons, Tom and Krystal?" Alright already, hold your horses! Our main reasons, detailed below, are: financial freedom, environmental responsibility togetherness, and health. However, many of the above mentioned reasons play a small part, also.
Financial freedom: We want to retire from the city work-a-day world, live simply and inexpensively, raise what we eat-eat what we raise, be mortgage-free and have no utility bills. Being off-grid allows for these. Such living is a wealthy life, even if one may be cash poor. This concept, unfortunately, was mostly lost with our grandparents generation.
Environmental responsibility: Traditional utilities are wasteful, incredibly destructive to the environment, and pose a danger to health. We feel a personal responsibility to live in harmony with nature as much as possible, within reason, not "ruining the earth." For each person this is different based on ability, practicality and willingness. We are able to choose a rural life and going off-grid. We have been doing what we can in an urban environment and encourage you to, also. It's fun to utilize low-tech ways to be self-sufficient, especially for children!
Togetherness: Trying to make a living is so busy and stressful! It eats up tons of time and energy and makes us feel isolated from one another. We love spending time together caring for the animals, working on projects, serving our God, gardening, cooking, to just be. Tom retiring to our very own ranch would be a dream come true for us both!
Health: Clean air, fresh water, natural home-grown food, animal husbandry, gathering our own wood for heat and cooking, exercise engaging in such outdoor activities, less stress, pure enjoyment of life as we were created- what could be more healthy, both physically and mentally!!!
As briefly mentioned earlier, our goal is to be 100% off-grid. Although each alternative system we install will be discussed in future posts, most likely individually for lots of detail and information (more than you may even want to know on some!), here is a list:
super-insulated, active solar, straw bale home thus reducing needs for heating and cooling; wood, both a renewable and sustainable resource, for heating and cooking; greywater system instead of septic; 'dry' toilet; photovoltaic solar array for generating our own electricity; possibly wind turbine for power generation on stormy days; solar and wood heated water; rainwater harvesting; composting for renewable/sustainable fertilizer needs; using less electricity in general; well or spring water. That just about covers it!
Living off-grid is by no means new, even though it is fairly new in the consciousness of most since being popularized by television and celebrities. Think about the settlers of this land, Native tribes, and numerous other peoples around the globe; none of them were tied in to utilities. Being off-grid is not out of the ordinary anymore- Home Power Magazine reported in 2006 that the number of families living off-grid has jumped 33% each year for a decade. Importantly, the phrase does not refer to 'being off one's rocker', although there are those who feel folks actually choosing this manner of living are just that. :-) Nor is it to be confused with being 'off the map' , 'under the radar', nor any other extreme notion referring to a desire to completely disappear from the company of society.
The grid does refer to any one of several public utilities- electric, water, sewer, gas. Being off-grid, then, is living without reliance on any one or more of said utilities. A truly off-grid home is able to operate independently of all traditional utility services. This is our personal goal (more on that later.)
The answers as to 'why' are as varied as the folks you could ask. Many reasons are similar, some unique, a few honestly strange. Too each his/her own! The top two reasons are saving money and reducing carbon footprint. Others include unavailability of utilities to rural land, financial hardship to connect, survivalist philosophy, spiritual connectedness.
"All very interesting, but what are your reasons, Tom and Krystal?" Alright already, hold your horses! Our main reasons, detailed below, are: financial freedom, environmental responsibility togetherness, and health. However, many of the above mentioned reasons play a small part, also.
Financial freedom: We want to retire from the city work-a-day world, live simply and inexpensively, raise what we eat-eat what we raise, be mortgage-free and have no utility bills. Being off-grid allows for these. Such living is a wealthy life, even if one may be cash poor. This concept, unfortunately, was mostly lost with our grandparents generation.
Environmental responsibility: Traditional utilities are wasteful, incredibly destructive to the environment, and pose a danger to health. We feel a personal responsibility to live in harmony with nature as much as possible, within reason, not "ruining the earth." For each person this is different based on ability, practicality and willingness. We are able to choose a rural life and going off-grid. We have been doing what we can in an urban environment and encourage you to, also. It's fun to utilize low-tech ways to be self-sufficient, especially for children!
Togetherness: Trying to make a living is so busy and stressful! It eats up tons of time and energy and makes us feel isolated from one another. We love spending time together caring for the animals, working on projects, serving our God, gardening, cooking, to just be. Tom retiring to our very own ranch would be a dream come true for us both!
Health: Clean air, fresh water, natural home-grown food, animal husbandry, gathering our own wood for heat and cooking, exercise engaging in such outdoor activities, less stress, pure enjoyment of life as we were created- what could be more healthy, both physically and mentally!!!
As briefly mentioned earlier, our goal is to be 100% off-grid. Although each alternative system we install will be discussed in future posts, most likely individually for lots of detail and information (more than you may even want to know on some!), here is a list:
super-insulated, active solar, straw bale home thus reducing needs for heating and cooling; wood, both a renewable and sustainable resource, for heating and cooking; greywater system instead of septic; 'dry' toilet; photovoltaic solar array for generating our own electricity; possibly wind turbine for power generation on stormy days; solar and wood heated water; rainwater harvesting; composting for renewable/sustainable fertilizer needs; using less electricity in general; well or spring water. That just about covers it!
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