Here On the Homestead

The Start

We started with living off grid for four months. A Camper and Tents. We had our car and a truck, A generator, solar and batteries.

Water came from a spring in the area. One of the first things we did was to clear the land.

Later, we get a well on the property.

We added Chickens and Quail. If you can add meat rabbits.

A 14′ foot pool is a must. We run the filter on a generator, running off and on during the day.

After that, we built a yurt and brought in temporary power because we could. The camper/trailer provided the base for our standard needs. Later we would build a Yurt: plant fruit trees, raise, berry bushes, bees, and a garden. Later, we add a vineyard. Along the way, we tap maples and make apple cider.

Yurt in Winter is 70 F inside -30F, the lowest outside in three years. Occasionally, we would boost low temps with a catalytic propane heater. It took us a month to build during a fall October, about $3500 Diameter is 24 feet. It is supported by two dragon poles and an aircraft cable.

The House Build:

The house is approximately 42′ X 42′. This is a single story and will be back filled. It will have a crawl space below the floor. Post and beam with block construction. The block is filled and uses a naval sealant. Three sides will be back filled for insulation and drainage tiles installed. The front area is cord wood construction.

We will later add a sun room / solarium to the front of the house. This will be about 10′ out from the house and most of the front length. We should have a nice view of the vineyard from the house and sun room.

We Clear the land.

A 310′ well goes in .

Laundry is done at the local Laundromat.

Internet is Hot Spot to start. Later, Fiber powered with solar and batteries.

Finally, Temp Power is brought in (always take the power if you can) 4 Months completely off grid.

We destroyed at least 3 deep cycle lead acid batteries. We also went through a lot of Ice per week.

Disposable utensils plates and cups. Lots of BBQ

After we finish construction we will install Solar / Wind and return to an off grid hybrid system.

Blocks on site.

We Build Storage – I cut posts on site to save on materials

We install a well!!! Runs off of a generator.

5 gal bottled water can now be filled on site. Ya!

Storage Shed one of three.

I started clearing the building site with rented equipment two years earlier.

**Driveway After – Ready for Concrete Trucks**

Date 9/24/2023

It’s time to open up. First, I never put anything out on the web or another place that I don’t want anyone to know. Why now? It is simple: it’s time to transition to our next life phase. Teresa and I are doing very well; every day is a struggle and a blessing.

I have struggled for years with the question of sharing Vs. I am sharing too much. People like the author of The Personal Power Course (A title authored nearly 100 years ago, Wallace D. Wattles and in 1999, Tony Robbins) will tell you to put it all out in the open. Others, in the same vein, will say to be quiet because the Enemy is not all-knowing. The Enemy will use your words against you. That’s why he is called the great accuser. (Job 1:6–12, 2 Corinthians 2:11, Rev. 12:10 )

Now for the Rest of the story…

Over a year ago, I was lifting a rack of dishes and had back pain. Long story short, within about a half-hour (after a back spasm/pain). I felt lightning bolts go through my legs. This resulted in both legs being paralyzed. Two back surgeries later and a diagnosis with the finding of a service-related injury (affirmed by the VA), The surgery was multiple laminectomy to remove osteophytes pressing into my spinal cord. I was given a 5% chance of ever walking again. With months in acute and sub-acute rehab followed by PT and OT, I can ambulate distances of about two football fields with a walker, and I am moving to use a rollator and Canadian crutches. I can run hand controls on heavy equipment. In the future, who knows? As with all things as we age…

I tell you this because I firmly believe in the power of positive thinking and prayer. I was constantly told that my expectations were unrealistic. In my first three months in acute rehab, at 2 A.m., I started wiggling my left toe. As of today, I can ambulate about two football fields with a walker. I still use a wheelchair because it’s more reliable for my stamina and situation.

All of this is documented in my records and the VA.

This injury was from simulated warfare/training, not combat.

Why share now? Part of my explanation is the question: ” What Happened to your Programs and Books?

Answer: A year of world shutdown and a year and a half of personal medical shutdown.

It is time to get moving because there is “No place to go but up!”

Before I get written off Getting me into one of these is a process, but all modern heavy equipment has hand controls! You will just have to read about it next year.

We are moving forward on the house build every day. Yes, we plan on living in a cave—a semi-subterranean, energy-efficient, off-grid NY-approved earth-style Log End Cave. Our design differs from the Earthships in New Mexico- We can’t build those in NYS.

One thing I have learned about setbacks and failures is to choose the “Highest and Best” option. If you don’t you will come to regret it. You can quote me on that one.
John Elden Gibbons

As I read the comments and the positivity, I have to tell you all that my wife, Teresa, has been my light at the end of the day. Her faith and her loyalty have seen us through some pretty dark moments. It’s time to see her plans and dreams built, a new turning point—a new phase of our lives.

Teresa clears trees that could be a hazard to the house

Stumps and some leveling were done 2 years ago. Site became over grown and needed to be scraped down.

After a pandemic and a back surgery later, we move forward.

We removed large rocks. We have lots of rocks. Yes, Teresa can run the skid steer, but she let me run the hand controls a year after my back surgery. Teresa is a fantastic partner. She is an amazing woman in so many ways.

We remove all organics larger than a pinky.

This is great and damp sand. We compact in 4″ lifts. Some wetting required. We are concentrating on the house perimeter. I am spreading enough to cover most of the sun room (That will be added after the main build.) This includes 3′ out from the footers for frost insulation.

First 2″ or so give us a nice base to fill in low points and keep the undisturbed earth from becoming dislodged. This site has bedrock about 2-5 feet down. It also has a lot of loose rocks. Our site is one of the high spots on our field area and way, way back off the road. Time to set up the level laser.

More hand controls!

Beats Shoveling

All the time spent building it up only to dig it down.

Spot for Masonry Stove. Piers will be hand dug.

Footer Forms 9″ part of a Monolith. 2″ Insulation and re-bar will be added after sand is brought to height and tamped. A 4″ pad will interlock the foundation.

Sarge the Adventure Dog Lends a Paw. Hope he can lift he Rebar and Foam

First Pour Footers and Piers

Now it will Cure for 2 weeks and Time to Pour the Slab Fall of 2023

John gets a study – Teresa gets a little less of me under foot 😉

Inside the Study

View from the study

We didn’t get it screed in time, ugh. Scarifier corrects the problems.

Winter Ends 3/14/24, Time to add the Blocks

First layer of block March 2024

Before Clearing for the Septic Field and Side Yard 2024

Finishing the Pad and Foundation

Spring Storm 2024

Taking time for the Eclipse

Clearing the back septic area – Hired this one out. Our contractor did this in 1-1/2 days with a small excavator. Much better and faster than I could have done. 4/16/2024.