22x26 1 1/2 Story in the Nicolet National Forest-Lakewood, Wisconsin

[duncanshannon]

Very cool!  I'm jealous of the amount of space!  Sometimes I worry my 1.39 isn't going to cut it.  Do you plan to go with off grid power?  I wish I had...

TBD.  Right now, i'm about 1/3 mile from power.  I figure its about 10-15$k to get it to my building site... so hoping that between now and then someone else builds and brings it closer to us.  (we are 2nd to last lot on the road... so ideally the guy next to us would build).

im very interested in off grid. it will be for cabin use, not full time, so that should be enough.  i'm hopefully that solar tech. gets better and cheaper between now and then.

i also need to figure out build site power (assuming i'd build first, and if i bring grid in, it would be after the dry in).. so generator? or can i get by with solar panels and batteries...

why do you wish you were off grid?

at the end of the day, i don't think i care too much. as long as its enough power then i'll pick the easiest/lowest cost.  I  *LOVE* Air conditioning (hate heat/sweaty unless i'm working hard)... so i need to sufficiently cool the place.  that will be the big draw...

[mgramann]

TBD.  Right now, i'm about 1/3 mile from power.  I figure its about 10-15$k to get it to my building site... so hoping that between now and then someone else builds and brings it closer to us.  (we are 2nd to last lot on the road... so ideally the guy next to us would build).

im very interested in off grid. it will be for cabin use, not full time, so that should be enough.  i'm hopefully that solar tech. gets better and cheaper between now and then.

i also need to figure out build site power (assuming i'd build first, and if i bring grid in, it would be after the dry in).. so generator? or can i get by with solar panels and batteries...

why do you wish you were off grid?

at the end of the day, i don't think i care too much. as long as its enough power then i'll pick the easiest/lowest cost.  I  *LOVE* Air conditioning (hate heat/sweaty unless i'm working hard)... so i need to sufficiently cool the place.  that will be the big draw...

Independence.  I like the idea of not depending on anyone. 

I'm thinking if grid power will cost you that much, you could probably build something off grid that will meet most of your needs for that price, though I will defer to the solar experts here on that.

Much of how and where a home is built will determine your need for a/c.  I too, hate being hot, but our entire cabin is cooled by one tiny window unit in the loft.  I probably wouldn't even need that if I wasn't such a wuss!

[mgramann]

I grew up around family gardens.  While my small garden at the cabin didn't produce as I would have hoped, the large family garden had a great year for tomatoes, and most other vegetables for that matter.  My grandparents live on 10 acres in the house my grandmother was born in, and there is plenty of room for a nice sized garden, 1/4-1/3 acre in size I would guess.

Here is how we made spaghetti sauce:

This large table was completely full when Rachel started cutting them up.  It took 3 hours to wash and process them, along with the green peppers and other ingredients.


After everything is cubed, they are cooked in their own juices, no water added, for and hour or two.  The picture is deceiving but the large pot holds 6 gallons, and there still wasn't enough room.


After the initial cooking, we process the mixture through a juicer, which removes all of the skins/solid pieces from the mix.  It is messy, so this is best done outside.


After juicing, the sauce is returned to heat to reduce, which can take several hours.  It's a good time for a break.


When the mixture is just right, it's time to can!


Out of this batch, we canned 18.5 pints of tomato sauce.



This year, in total we canned:
21 quarts of tomato sauce
15 quarts of butternut squash
11 quarts of potatoes
4 pints of ketchup
2 quarts rabbit/squirrel stock(experiment)
?-Pizza Sauce

Time for another home-made product that also goes well with a quart jar...

Homemade Really Hard Lime

[glenn kangiser]

We are just starting to get ready to do something with the grey-water we have run down the hill for years.  Even that is similar to what is recommended. 

A depression with wood chips, mulch and cattails will clean that water up well and allow you another feature.  Building a Grey-water Oasis by Ludwig gives the details.  Nice work and nice lake. 

The food looks great.  I think we still have a few ripe volunteer tomatoes in the garden.  I was out of town during garden season so didn't get to help much.  Winter garden is doing pretty well though and the hydroponics are doing a bit.

[mgramann]

We have been busy...56 Acres surrounded by the Ottawa National Forest...


1/4 of it is field, the rest is forest in various stages of development...


The land used to be homestead.


A plan for a new homestead is taking shape, featuring a set of Countryplans blueprints, so expect a new thread in the future!

[beckhamk]

How did you like using the mixwax Polycrylic?  How long did it take to do a room with that and how many coats and I assume you used the Gloss?

[mgramann]

How did you like using the mixwax Polycrylic?  How long did it take to do a room with that and how many coats and I assume you used the Gloss?

I am very happy with it.  No darkening with sun exposure as I have noticed with oil products.  With the sprayer rooms took 15-20 minutes.  I was just looking to seal the wood, so I used one heavy coat of semi gloss.

[MountainDon]

beckhamk, re the Minwax Polycrylic.... I have used a lot of it over the past few years. I like it very much. Most things I do get three well brushed out coats with 280 or 320 grit paper between coats. I've used only the satin finish; don't like high gloss myself. One of the things I especially like is that it imparts no color at all to the wood. It dries clear and does not yellow over time. If someone likes the yellow-gold warmth of traditional varnish oil varnish they may not like this.

I believe redoverfarm is a disciple too.   

EDIT: The Minwax product may not be the best arcylic to use if sprayers are going to be used. It has a longer time before it "sets" than the acrylic finishes that are aimed at the professional sprayer market.

[mgramann]

I would tend to agree with you Don about the sprayers.  As I mentioned earlier in the thread, the first room I sprayed, I applied it too heavy, and I had to wipe runs.  If you turn the sprayer volume "down" it works better.  I used a special, smaller volume tip as well.  The sprayer is nice in that you can cover alot of material quickly, but you also have to move, QUICKLY.  If you linger over a spot, it will run.

[beckhamk]

Do you recall what size tip you used?

[mgramann]

I think it was a .011, possibly a .013, but that was for my sprayer, and one of the smaller tips offered.  I suspect all sprayers are different, so you will want to check the instruction manual, and I would lean towards using a smaller tip to prevent runs.

I used some leftover sealer on some end tables this past weekend, applying with a brush.  Having done both, I prefer a spray application.