Okanogan 14x24 by a lurker :)

Started by Oljarhead, September 21, 2009, 02:53:09 PM

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OlJarhead

Just got back in and so much to tell!  We dug the well, just not the way we planned, we burried the old root cellar site and dug a new one, we dug tree holes, outhouse hole and so much more.

Also found our pump is the pump I was going to buy but really need to run at 24vdc not 12vdc in order to get it pumping.

OlJarhead

#826
What a great and productive weekend!


We got the excavator to the property Friday night and started after breakfast on Saturday.  However, as soon as we managed to get back to the area we wanted to dig the well we blew a track.  After borrowing grease and a gun from the neighbor up the hill we got the track back on and got to work.


Digging the well we hit water within 18" of the surface!  Was very promising.


My son in 2 feet of ice cold water arranging the pipes we hope to be able to pump water out of later.


It looks a mess but we'll get it cleaned up in time (grass will have to be planted to hold things together at first I think).  At the time the picture was taken the well was holding about 100 gallons of water.

it's not pretty (yet) but it's working.


OlJarhead

#827

Josh watching Tom dig the grey water drain system in.


Checking out the settling tank in the trench.  Once we have all the parts we can install the sink drains (2) and shower drain (1) into this tank and then from its filter to the dry sump.  I'll take pictures of the install when we get to it.


Looking from the cabin back up the drive to the location of our future root cellar.


Ten feet deep!  That's an accomplishment in our soil!  Now to plan the structure and frame it up! :D  Be a while mind you.


Looking out from the 'root cellar' you get the feel for just how deep it really is.

OlJarhead

#828

One of the 5 surviving Red Oaks.


These poor guys are getting only rainwater but I hope to water them with buckets from the well at least every two weeks in August.  It's no where near enough water but it's the best we could do at this point.


I'm told these are Current's.  No flavor really but apparently some people make jams with them.  I'm not too  sure myself and am still researching.


These appear to be Choke berries (or is it chokeberry's?).


Wild Strawberries are EVERYWHERE on our land!  Makes one wonder if regular ones would take over?

JavaMan

Are those wild strawberries? (in that last picture?)


OlJarhead

Quote from: JavaMan on July 19, 2011, 02:02:49 PM
Are those wild strawberries? (in that last picture?)

Yup!  I haven't eaten any yet but plan to try them when I remember and if any are left -- we have TON's of them.

OlJarhead

I hope to get back to the cabin this weekend to finish some drywall work we did this last trip.  Then if that gets done quickly enough (sanding and priming the kitchen) then we can do some cleanup (long needed) and perhaps fall a few trees that are dead and need to be cut into firewood and stacked for the winter.

I've been researching the well pump we have and discovered that it was the very same pump I wanted to get!  Seems it's a 24vdc pump that can pump 100 gallons an hour if the flow rate of the well will handle it (and it is supposed to handle 3 hours at 2.5gpm).

Anyway, if I can get a new set of batteries for the well (one of ours died) and a panel for them then I'll be set and  can fill the cistern!

Yonderosa

The plant in the picture above the strawberry is Buffalo berry
http://theyonderosa.blogspot.com/

"The secret to life is to be alive.  To live ultimately by one's own hand and one's own independent devices." -Ted Nugent

OlJarhead

Quote from: Yonderosa on July 20, 2011, 11:14:27 AM
The plant in the picture above the strawberry is Buffalo berry

What kind of berry is that?  It looked like pictures of Choke Berries but I didn't know.  Is it edible?  Taste?  Good for?

Thank!


OlJarhead

We have a stove! :D  Can't wait to install it!

Heck, I can't wait for the morning in the fall when I make biscuits to go with breakfast!


Yonderosa

In our area Shepherdia canadensis is quite common.  I've seen critters eat the berries and once ripe they don't seem to last long.  I have not found them to be palatable. My understanding is that when they were used by Native Americans they were typically mixed with other berries.

The other looks to be Wax Currant, Ribes cereum (Maple Leaf currant is also common in our area).  It was used medicinally by the local tribes.
http://theyonderosa.blogspot.com/

"The secret to life is to be alive.  To live ultimately by one's own hand and one's own independent devices." -Ted Nugent

OlJarhead

Quote from: Yonderosa on July 21, 2011, 08:13:32 AM
In our area Shepherdia canadensis is quite common.  I've seen critters eat the berries and once ripe they don't seem to last long.  I have not found them to be palatable. My understanding is that when they were used by Native Americans they were typically mixed with other berries.

The other looks to be Wax Currant, Ribes cereum (Maple Leaf currant is also common in our area).  It was used medicinally by the local tribes.

Cool thanks!  I found this link:http://montana.plant-life.org/species/ribes_cere.htm and one on the http://www.gardenology.org/wiki/Shepherdia_canadensis (actually plenty) so while not strawberries they are edible.  Just not something to write home about it seems.

I'll have to look for others as the place is overgrown with them!

JavaMan

Quote from: OlJarhead on July 21, 2011, 09:11:00 AM
Cool thanks!  I found this link:http://montana.plant-life.org/species/ribes_cere.htm and one on the http://www.gardenology.org/wiki/Shepherdia_canadensis (actually plenty) so while not strawberries they are edible.  Just not something to write home about it seems.

I'll have to look for others as the place is overgrown with them!

It would seem that there are two differing opinions on the flavor of the buffalo berries ... on one site linked from one of the other posts above, the quote is that it is sweet and makes excellent tarts - and on the link at gardenology, it says they are bitter ...

I guess there truly is no accounting for taste  ???

But I bet the wild strawberries are excellent - we have some strawberries at home, and I have to keep the slugs off them! (which reminds me, I need to get more slug bait - or beer)


Toyotaboy

Back here in Wisconsin, we had current bushes in our back yard growing up. My mom use to make some awesome current jelly. I don't know if yours are the same variety. Great, now I'm craving a jelly sandwich!


considerations

Those wild strawberries - if you can collect the plants and get them in good soil (planter box) and water them they will produce more abundantly...and taste miles better than even local U picks. Yum!

OlJarhead

Quote from: considerations on July 21, 2011, 06:35:14 PM
Those wild strawberries - if you can collect the plants and get them in good soil (planter box) and water them they will produce more abundantly...and taste miles better than even local U picks. Yum!

When would it be best to pick the plants?  I can put them in pots and transplant to my house anytime but wonder if there is a better time to do it.

I plan to taste test this weekend too :)

OlJarhead

Pictures will be forthcoming :)

My eyes are burnt, so's my neck, I'm sore and hungry but what a great trip!  We hit the ground running on a two day sprint and finished somewhere near the top :D  OK, maybe not but sometimes it feels that way and this trip we really got busy and knocked out a few things.  I'll report as soon as I can get some coffee in me!

OlJarhead

#843
Got in late Friday and settled for the night.  It was great to arrive, put stuff in the fridge and kick back :)  The cabin is getting downright civilized now :)

The truck was awesome too!  Got 17mpg with the back loaded up and driving, well, somewhat spirited on the way up.

Next morning I got out the Ryobi pole saw my wife and I bought at HD.  I like Ryobi tools and decided the 3yr warranty might be nice -- my wife snuck in the 2 yr extension on me when I was away from the counter looking for something but afterward I thought "their loss" because that thing is going to be killed trimming trees on 20 acres!  

While I ran the saw and cut limbs off every tree within 100 feet of the cabin (darn near) my son hit the drywall and got it nicely sanded and primered.  We finally had a wall that looked somewhat finished :)


We dragged the stove out of the truck and set it up only to find it didn't have the right fittings, and I dug a hole and we concreted in the pole for the solar panels.


By Sunday we were rocking and I'd also cut down one tree (an ugly little one that caused me to want to cut it down and buck it up) and generally worked out buts off :)


I wired up Frankenstein and thanks to a call to my wife (from a hill top) I was able to get the wiring sorted (I'd left something at home - DOH!) and the little Dietz timer kicks the relay as programmed, which sends power to the pump for a specified duration.  I also rewired the solar panels to 24vdc (open was 44vdc) and that was a chore!  The stupid manufacturer wired connectors differently at different locations -- note to self, never buy another 60 watt Costco setup!

With the batteries being charged at 24vdc and the relay working with the timer to turn the pump on and off automatically, I'll be able to pump the cistern full (assuming nothing is wrong) while we're away :D


A closer look at the monster -- I'll probably explain it in the off grid section.


My son and I grabbed the worst looking wood of the piles and framed up a pump house to house the charge controller, batteries, timer and relay for the pump.  It wasn't the Taj Mahal, but it ought to work :)


With little time to spare we got the solar rack primered and painted and mounted and put the panels on, hung the wiring, put some stakes to help protect it and drove off in hopes the cows don't decide to destroy it before we can make it more permanent (more on that later).

All in all a productive two days!  Got home at 10pm last night exhausted but happy to be home :)  Only to find that my Mom was in the hospital :(  She's ok now though.

Tickhill

OJ I always look on Monday for your weekend updates! Thanks for your diligence in reporting. Tickhill
"You will find the key to success under the alarm Glock"  Ben Franklin
Forget it Ben, just remember, the check comes at the first of the month and it's not your fault, your a victim.

Pray while there is still time


OlJarhead

Quote from: Tickhill on July 25, 2011, 11:38:14 AM
OJ I always look on Monday for your weekend updates! Thanks for your diligence in reporting. Tickhill

Thanks Tic :)  It's become habit really and I often wonder if anyone follows it much! haha but then I remember Don saying something similar to which I though "well Duh Don!  I always follow what you're up to!  Where do you think I get ideas from?" lol

OlJarhead

Looks like a pump rebuild is likely in the works for me next trip to the cabin. 

You see since we bought the place we've had an issue pumping enough water into the cistern to do much.  It's not been a major issue and I assumed it was a bad pump or a pump too high in the well but I've learned, having spoken with the 'Backwoods Solar' guys (very helpful) that it's common on these after 8-10 years to wear out valves which can both limit their ability to pump water but also allow the water to run back down the line into the well.

Two cures are:

1.  Rebuild pump ($100 if you buy new lower housing, diaphragm, bearing and valves or just $30 for the valves)
2.  Put in a check valve on the main line going to the cistern so the water can't drain back down into the well when you pull the pump or something goes wrong with the pump.

I'll do both! 

I've also learned thanks to http://backwoodssolar.com/ that the Surflow 9300 pump can pump more then 1GPM depending on pressure (how much lift).  With only about 80 feet of lift (100 max I think) it should pump more then 82gph (it's rated at 82gph @230' of rise).  That's encouraging as it should allow fairly steady pumping for extended periods to fill and keep full, the cistern.

Might not be some Grundfos super pump but with a 60watt solar setup and 2 deep cycle RV batteries I'm thinking I can make do if I rebuild the pump :)

Turkeyhunter

looks like a great work weekend.........
ya'll lots of work got done for sure........
glad your Mother's Ok.....

OlJarhead

Thanks Turkey.  We had a very productive weekend and next trip I will rebuild the well pump in hopes of solving the pumping problem we're having.

Once the exterior is completed on the cabin I think I'll have to relax a bit.

considerations

"When would it be best to pick the plants?"

September