Yakima, Washington

[USPO]

Moved to Yakima, Washington from California four years ago to find my space and build my dream.  Eastern Washington is dry, generally sunny four season agricultural area which still has affordable property.  I recently purchased 50 acres on the north slope of small mountain with no power, water. Just sagebrush and bunch grass with a few deep draws for drainage. Elevation 1700 to 2000 feet. Property is about 880 feet wide by 3000 feet long.  Very good views, but high wind at times. Property borders 1700 acres of Nature Conservancy property which will never be built upon.  Hope to personally build my retirement home there in the next three to five years.  

Found Ken Kern book in college library in early 80s and have been educating myself in this area ever since.  I have good self taught construction skills and equipment operation skills (backhoe, dozer etc).  Found this forum a few months ago.  R 8-) 8-)eally enjoy the depth and breath of info. Lots of good ideas, resources. Plan is to build using SIPS and ICFs, metal roof and must have a tower for views and someting different.

My plan is to personally build a low maitenance, energy efficient, stout residence with most of the creature comforts my wife deserves.

[glenn-k]

Welcome to the forum USPO.

Are you going to be off grid or on grid there?  Sounds like potential for wind power.

Ken Kerns books brought me here too.  Great resources and different ways of looking at things.

We try to keep the forum interesting --- even if we have to make something up.

[USPO]

I can bring in power for reasonable cost and will do so. My neighbor could not afford to bring in power and has combination system of solar, wind and propane generator.  He just bought a larger wind unit.  He wishes he had regular power, but gets by as it would of cost $$$ to bring in power.

I plan to have a hybrid system.  Initially I would like to have a wind power for well pumping to a 3000 gallon poly storage tank about 70 feet above house site with gravity flow to residense.  With a grundfos SQFLEX pump I can use solar, wind, grid, generator.  After house is built and funds permit, I will add more solar and wind.  Would ideally like the house to be able to operate off the grid eventually.  Passive solar, thermal mass, insulation and wood heat, should handle heating.  Supplement with solar hot water and energy needs should be addressed.  

[glenn-k]

SQ Flex is great - I helped build solar panel mounts for one and supplied some panels from a friend when they were scarce.  - Wish I had one instead of my standard one but I made my system large enough to handle it which is also a good deal---  I can even run a small welder off of my solar setup--