Homesteading Forum - The Homesteading Boards In 1995 my wife had surgery on her shoulder, while she was in surgery I went down to the bookstore to pick up a book to read. There was a book on building log houses and my wife and I always loved log homes so I picked it up. I read the whole thing while she was in surgery and recovery. The last chapter of the book was a chapter on alternative log styles, and there was a couple of paragraphs on something called cordwood. I loved it. Those two books are currently out of print and Rob Roy has updated them to a newer version Cordwood Building: The State of the Art (Natural Building Series) Earth-Sheltered Houses: How to Build an Affordable... With the birth of our daughter and life in general, the dream was put on the shelf, but it was always there in my mind, always there looking at me. In 2008 we purchased a 9 acre lot adjoining our business to expand it and was left over witth a 7 acre field.
Create Your Homestead Blog in 6 Steps Many of my readers are just getting started with their own homesteading journeys, and in some cases their own homesteading blogs. Today we’ve got a guest post from Rob Russo about how to get your blog off to a strong start – or give it a jump start if you’re not attracting as many readers as you would like. You are a homesteader if you’ve milked a cow, dyed your own wool and cleaned a coop — all before 10am. Or perhaps you are a city dweller with three chickens and the word “canned” reminds you of dinner options instead of “getting fired” from your desk job. Either way, if you are reading this via desktop, laptop, e-reader or mobile device, you don’t live off the land *so* much that you’ve given up the modern convenience of technology. It’s true, while my wife and I purchased a few acres and love our chickens, we each are connected to our iPhone and laptop. If you have a homestead blog — or are eager to create one — here are a few things to consider before jumping in with both feet.
Homegrown Evolution LandAndFarm.com - Land for sale, Farms for sale, Rural Property for sale Project Homestead Homesteading with a Shipping Container House, Part I - Truth is Treason Posted on Apr 26, 2010 in Alternative Energy & Architecture , Blog, Editorials, & Thoughts Kevin Hayden Years ago, I saw a picture of a shipping container house. I knew right then that I wanted to build one myself. Shipping containers are roughly 40 feet long and 8 feet wide. They are wind-proof, fire-resistent, water tight and provide a perfect “shell” in which to start with. Here I am, years later, and I am just now starting my project. I know there are many people out there who will say, “That’s to ensure others against a poorly made structure…” “That’s so that a uniform safety standard is achieved.” So through my searches and aggravation, I finally discovered a small plot of land north east of the Oklahoma City metro. After talking to the land owners (a small, local real estate company), I discovered that they imposed building restrictions, too. With this land company, they even offered to finance the cost of a new septic to be installed. So far, my initial costs will include: </b>*}
MODERN HOMESTEADING A Plan for Food Self-Sufficiency Planning a garden in advance can help you enjoy local, homegrown food year-round! Estimate how much to grow or buy and learn how to achieve food security with these guidelines. Backyard Chicken Facts - 5 Things No One Told Us A few facts that might help you decide whether or not to get chickens for your backyard. Best Guard Dog for Your Homestead Read guard dog training tips and advice on guard dog breeds best suited for your needs. Build This Predator-Proof, Portable Chicken Coop Our newest low-cost portable chicken coop plan makes raising backyard chickens easier for just about anyone. Deep Litter Chicken Manure Management Learn about the advantages and disadvantages of the deep litter system and how you can manage a small flock’s manure easily and efficiently. Home Cheesemaking: From Hobby to Business Artisan cheesemakers who aspire to make their passion a profession will face many challenges on the way to establishing a successful business. Live on Less!
Plan the Perfect Homestead Ever since 1970, when MOTHER EARTH NEWS was founded, readers have been writing in with questions about homesteading and stories about their own experiences with rural living. We get calls and e-mails every week confirming that thousands of Americans still dream of going “back to the land” to learn to grow their own food, build their own homes, generate electricity from renewable sources and live a self-reliant lifestyle. Often, people ask us “What should I do first? Where to Start Although many people dream of buying several acres in the country, you can start homesteading wherever you are. In fact, many aspects of homesteading work as well in the city or suburbs as in the country. Whatever your homesteading plans, Hunt says it’s important to focus on your priorities. Making Ends Meet For many people, the homesteading dream is to buy a few acres and earn a living from their land. Roberta Bailey of Vassalboro, Maine, says another good farming strategy is to sell a variety of products.
Homesteading resources Don’t put it off any longer! Here is a list of homesteading schools that can help you learn the skills you need to be self-sufficient. We have the bases covered; below are contacts to assist you in everything from growing your own food to building a cozy home. View Larger Map Aprovecho Education for Sustainable Living 80574 Hazelton Rd. EcoNest 1131 Paradise Lane Ashlad, OR 97520 EcoVillage Training Center 184 Schoolhouse Road P.O. Emerald Earth SanctuaryP.O. Fox Maple School of Traditional Building P.O Box 249, 65 Corn Hill Road Brownfield, Maine 04010 207-935-3720 Great Lakes School of Log Building 1350 Snowshoe Trail Isabella, MN 55607 House Alive! Mendocino Ecological Learning Center 4651 Bear Canyon Road Willits CA, 95490 707-456-0779 Permaculture Institute P.O. Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association 9860 Poudre Canyon Road Bellevue, CO 80512 970-224-3247 Sage Mountain Center 79 Sage Mountain Trail Whitehall, MT 59759 406-494-9875 Homesteading John C. North House Folk School P.O.
The Owner Built Home & Homestead Ken Kern, author of The Owner-Built Home and The Owner-Built Homestead, is an amazing fellow and everyone interested in decentralist, back-to-the-land, rational living should know of his work. Back in 1948 he began collecting information on low-cost, simple and natural construction materials and techniques. He combed the world for ideas, tried them and started writing about his experiments. This installment of Ken's work is taken from The Owner-Built Home. The Homestead Building Site: Introduction to Building I am intending this to be a how-to-think-it as well as a how-to-do-it book. Everyone in the building industry appears to be busily engaged making "improvements" in his personal area of concern. Tracing these causes to their sources has helped me to view the problem in perspective—comprehensively. 1. So if we are to be at liberty to build our own home at less cost, we must necessarily be free from all building code jurisdiction. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Thoreau said: