Going off the grid, our family story.

[Sleek-Jet]

I have always wanted to build my own house even though I have no real construction experience. It should prove to be quite the entertaining shit show for you guys.
We spent a bunch of time designing our very simple house. Cost was a factor as we refuse to mortgage the property. It'll be a stretch but in the end it will be all ours. It's a passive solar design to stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter, a bit more complicated than that but that's the basic idea. With only one bedroom it allows the room sizes to mimic a larger house even though it is only 1300sq feet so we can still entertain like we are used to. Staying small allows us to focus more on quality materials as well since this is the home we hope to grow old in. Anyone notice the staircase behind the bookcase leading to Amy's root cellar? No sense in wasting wall space

What are you using for a tromb wall?

 

[DC-88]

What you guys are doing is amazing ! Modern day Pioneer stuff literally. With being off the grid for the home build I'd be thinking about passive solar orientation and researching the best options for insulation for your climate (I'm guessing Kaibab region??). Also with the slopes in the pics I'd try to make sure to get good drainage for the actual footprint of the home due to monsoons, even if it meant bringing in a dozer and benching in a properly compacted fill at the downslope side so you can cut a 2-3% slope for 15' + or a ways at the back of the pad to achieve a mellow "tennis ball" drainage in relation to the F.F. ht. of the main living level if possible. :thumbsup:thumbsup

 

[Enen]

This is a really cool thread. Love to see you gardening and eating the way you are. Have you noticed that you have dropped weight by converting your eating habits?

We have been looking at growing our own veggies. A friend turned us onto these deals.

http://www.towergarden.com/

[video=youtube_https;l7EzYmO9u8M]https://youtu.be/l7EzYmO9u8M[/video]

 

[Go-Fly]

Hey Mods can we pin this thread at the top so I/we don't have to go looking for it ? :cool

And if it would open up were I left off, that would be nice too.

 

[CampbellCarl]

And if it would open up were I left off, that would be nice too.

And deliver a perfect cocktail...

 

[Bobby V]

And if it would open up were I left off, that would be nice too.

Your reply just bookmarked where you are at now. Then later go to your forum posts and click on your reply. Right to where you left off.

 

[Go-Fly]

And deliver a perfect cocktail...

This is RDP. You would be lucky to get a warm beer.:grumble:

 

[wsuwrhr]

Not to many women out there these days that can turn an apple into apple sauce, a grape into jam, a tomato into sauce etc. your a lucky man!!!!! Thanks for the story..

Yes sir.

I am equally as lucky too.

 

[wash11]

What are you using for a tromb wall?

With our Southern facing slopes and views, a trombe wall just isn't in the cards. Instead, the floor will be poured concrete to absorb the low winter sun/heat through all the Southern windows.

 

[CampbellCarl]

This is RDP. You would be lucky to get a warm beer.:grumble:

Delivered with an attitude...:grumble:

 

[wash11]

This is a really cool thread. Love to see you gardening and eating the way you are. Have you noticed that you have dropped weight by converting your eating habits?

Thank you,

I hovered around 245 for many years. Without dieting or giving up beer I have been 220 for 3 years now. Just eating better quality food and staying busy doing this stuff keeps me at a comfortable weight.

 

[Willie B]

... I went off the grid 15 years ago but nothing even close to the level that you are striving for...27 acres above Lake Oroville is mine but I do have 100 acres to myself...with a lake view... Keep it up you're out doing me by a ton...:thumbsup

 

[460]

This seriously is the most amazing shit I've ever seen. Just got caught up.

 

[Big B Hova]

Riverdaves needs to add a 6th star rating for this thread. Simply amazing. Goin off the grid for me means turning my WiFi off!

 

[AZBrummett21]

I finally had time to catch up. Best non boat related thread yet! Something I can only dream about doing at this point in my life. I am jealous of everything you have accomplished to date. Congrats and keep the updates coming.

 

[wsuwrhr]

I finally had time to catch up. Best non boat related thread yet! Something I can only dream about doing at this point in my life. I am jealous of everything you have accomplished to date. Congrats and keep the updates coming.

How is it non-boating related, the man is building his own lake.

 

[dread Pirate]

How is it non-boating related, the man is building his own lake.

Less than a year after buying my place another parcel across the river came up for sale that has a 27 acre lake with boat ramp and slalom course already in. :cool

 

[wsuwrhr]

Less than a year after buying my place another parcel across the river came up for sale that has a 27 acre lake with boat ramp and slalom course already in. :cool

Damn. It.

Big baller, buy that one too!!

Brian

 

[wsuwrhr]

27 acre lake

:rolleyes

Damn it, I just keep repeating 27 acres.

My lot is 1/2 acre.

 

[dread Pirate]

Damn. It.

Big baller, buy that one too!!

Brian

At one point maybe I could have,,, it's a 200+ acre piece with an older 4-5 bedroom homestead and sold 15 years ago for around $500k. It was listed a year or two ago for over $1.5 million.

 

[wsuwrhr]

At one point maybe I could have,,, it's a 200+ acre piece with an older 4-5 bedroom homestead and sold 15 years ago for around $500k. It was listed a year or two ago for over $1.5 million.

Damn. It.

200 acres.....

So much for me buying a cowboy hat and mowing my grass.

 

[fmo24]

Shit I am all caught up. It's like racing to the end of a good book.

 

[charlyox]

I am all caught up. Now what am I supposed to do? You got me strung out on this thread.:thumbsup

 

[rivermobster]

So Joel,

Last time you saw my son (if i remember right) was when we picked up that fridge at your house. I still have it in my garage, works great and makes me think about you guys all the time.

He's will be 18 this summer. He's about 5'9", and 217. He can work like a dog when he wants to.

Want me to send him up there for the summer? He might come in handy, and learn a few things along the way.

 

[TITTIES AND BEER]

BUMP we need more news

 

[CampbellCarl]

There is a misconception about "off grid" living. Some immediately picture the crotchety old hermit that wants to be left alone or the guy that drops out of society because people didn't find his tin foil hat to be fashionable.

For us and many others, off grid simply means that we are not dependent on anyone but ourselves for power, heat, water or food. TV? It's been years since we've had it, I can't imagine that changing. I'm a never say never guy. If Amy suddenly came to me and said she wanted satellite TV you can bet I'd make sure she had it. We really don't miss it and rarely have time to sit in front of one so it's pretty unlikely.

My internet will be limited to whatever my Verizon hot spot can provide along with a 12 volt Wilson booster. Some days it is very fast, some days it's like dial up. For me, to live this lifestyle to its full potential, the internet will be vital. We don't live in a world where skills like these are passed on from generation to generation. With exception of some of the old timers here, many of our parents and grand parents were pretty far removed from growing or raising our own food and the knowledge that comes with food preparation in changing seasons. For me, the internet has helped bridge that gap to a point that I am teaching some of these skills to my folks.

Over the last few years I have scoured garage sales and thrift stores for old cookbooks, farm and garden books (pre-1950), gunsmithing or anything related to basic homesteading skills. I really like the way an old book feels and smells but it also serves to bridge this weird disconnect from the generations that would hand down important skills. It's a sizable reference collection at this point which is comforting but it can't beat the speed and efficiency of the internet.

Fence construction? Setting well pumps? Building solar systems? Making compost? Repairing or maintaining equipment? The internet has helped me to be self reliant in all these areas and more.

Our long standing dream has been to raise and direct market beef, pork and chicken in a beyond organic fashion. Last week I pre-sold 7 steers in 30 hours just from a picture of a hamburger- on a internet boating forum. To ignore the power of the internet and how it can help my family live the life we want at the end of a dirt road would just be silly.

Have a chance to scan thru the 1910 Prarie Guide to Rural Living yet?

 

[havasu5150]

What a fascinating thread! Thanks for sharing Wash11!

 

[Andy01]

All caught up! Couldn't wait to read it tonight. It's like a good book, the suspense is when wash says "have to wait till Spring 2015". SPRING NOOOOO lol Oh fewww there's more to cover...... :thumbsup

 

[wash11]

So Joel,

Last time you saw my son (if i remember right) was when we picked up that fridge at your house. I still have it in my garage, works great and makes me think about you guys all the time.

He's will be 18 this summer. He's about 5'9", and 217. He can work like a dog when he wants to.

Want me to send him up there for the summer? He might come in handy, and learn a few things along the way.

Man, I can't believe how fast the time goes!

 

[wash11]

Have a chance to scan thru the 1910 Prarie Guide to Rural Living yet?

We sure have! Thank you for the bitchen addition to our collection Carl:thumbsup

 

[Demoman]

Well now I've read the entire thread. I had better go sweep up the leaves in my driveway!! Kinda makes my honey do list seem pretty weak!

Humbled and inspired by what you have undertaken!!

Thanks for letting us look in!!

 

[wash11]

This guy and a hand full of his ladies have made themselves comfortable inside our fence line during hunting season. I'm hoping he makes it another year. Be a nice head mount for the cabin if I draw. Just about out of venison.

 

[shenanigans]

Nice buck!

 

[prosthogod]

Back to my original question , what unit should we put in for?

 

[TLAW719]

This guy and a hand full of his ladies have made themselves comfortable inside our fence line during hunting season. I'm hoping he makes it another year. Be a nice head mount for the cabin if I draw. Just about out of venison.

That is rad. That should fill the freezer.

When is the next installment? I'm jonesing over here.

 

[460]

This guy and a hand full of his ladies have made themselves comfortable inside our fence line during hunting season. I'm hoping he makes it another year. Be a nice head mount for the cabin if I draw. Just about out of venison.

You need some help this next weekend? I'm just saying, help you, stick an arrow in that buck.

Hunting season still going on for us archery guys.

 

[wash11]

Back to my original question , what unit should we put in for?

10

 

[460]

10

Now I'm really jealous. That unit holds some really really big Bulls. Hopefully elk tags are on your list too.

 

[prosthogod]

Just
Found a heard of Miley's yesterday, about 50 head

 

[BeerMaker]

Man what a great read. Congrats on your progress so far. Looking forward to more updates.

 

[The Chicken]

:cool

Just checking in...

 

[5oclocksomewhere]

We need more!!!!!!

 

[wash11]

I apologize for the lack of content recently, there's more- I promise.

Some of you have followed the "Here's the beef" thread. What was originally planned to be started a couple years from now has kind of taken on a life of its own since RD posted a picture of those burgers he made with ground beef Amy and I provided. As mentioned, 7 steers have been purchased by RDP members and we are working hard to get them finished out and in freezers over the next couple months.

We are right smack in the middle of taking this from a passionate hobby to a business at the urging and with the support of a bunch of you here on River Daves Place. The amount of research and leg work in such a short amount of time is all consuming on top of making sure happy cows stay happy.



Since this venture has been moved forward quite a bit we have changed up the time line on our plans. Before moving steers up to our place there are fencing issues that need to be dealt with. We can't have them wiping out current dirt work projects or new plantings. After shaking off the New Years hangover from a late night at One A Days house we went up and flagged @2000' of new fence line that protects what work we've done along with the water tanks.
Material was ordered today but this week long storm might slow us down on starting.
Below is the outline for the new fence in red, gates are in green. We'll use Juniper posts to match the rest of the fencing. The line that stops to the West is run right up to the bluff. From there on out the cliff is too steep for steers to climb up. They will have 30+ acres to graze on with this set-up. Google Earth is about 2 years behind so the map I get to use doesn't yet show a lot of the big projects we have done. Looking forward to them updating.

 

[RiverDave]

That's dick standing next to Amy.. There's lots of jokes there but I'm not sure I want Joel beating my ass the next time I see him. So I keep my mouth shut. Lol.

 

[wash11]

That's dick standing next to Amy.. There's lots of jokes there but I'm not sure I want Joel beating my ass the next time I see him. So I keep my mouth shut. Lol.

Let em' fly buddy

 

[TomD]

Outstanding thread!:tbi

 

[wash11]

I finally had time to catch up. Best non boat related thread yet! Something I can only dream about doing at this point in my life. I am jealous of everything you have accomplished to date. Congrats and keep the updates coming.

Here's some boating content for you

The main ranch up here has a private catfish pond that we are fortunate enough to have been given access to. It has it's own kick ass speed boat as well, depending on what kind of shape you are in of course.

Bulls aren't typically scared of much. How relaxed they are here, speaks volumes of how they have been treated since birth. A little unnerving at first to have a 1 ton animal walk amongst your pals while drinking beers. This would be papa of the steers we are finishing by the way and that's Chicken Dans better half doing the fishing.

 

[wsuwrhr]

Did Dinner ever make it back safe?

 

[Warlock1]

How are you holding up with the storms that are rolling through?

 

[Old Texan]

That's dick standing next to Amy.. There's lots of jokes there but I'm not sure I want Joel beating my ass the next time I see him. So I keep my mouth shut. Lol.

It just doesn't sound right to describe the transaction as you're buying dick to eat......:yikes

In the future I'd suggest a more serious consideration given to the critter naming process.