The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Introduce yourself => Topic started by: Karen Holt on February 06, 2013, 10:16:57 pm
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Hello,
I have purchased 14+ acres on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The ground is barren, desert and covered with what we call scrub. Weeds and an occasional cactus. I have made arrangements for a water well to be drilled. The water table is at 50 feet so it will not be difficult. Electricity will be a problem and we will be off the grid for some time. I have almost finished a 36ft yurt to place on a platform at the high end of the property that has great views of Zions National Park. This fall I anticipate starting a 40x40 log cabin. The earth is red sand loam. It will require some organic composting to produce well. The land is in what we call zone 7, almost Mediterranean in climate. It can get to zero F and up to 90 F in the summer.
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Hi!
:wave:
What are your long term plans for the place? Sounds like something to really get stuck in to. Solar panels would be my first thought... :D
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My firt thought is watch out for those long tail cats - they nick your sandwiches!
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:wave: :wave: :wave: Hi from central wet cold scotland....wow, thats some tough farming you are going to be doing!!!! The log cabin sound brill....sounds like a film set!!!!! Welcome and look forward to some photos!!! :wave:
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I want to say stop showing off with your temp. When so much mud here but I know you have = challenges - good luck with your plans and look forward to reading about them :thumbsup:
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Sound great - good luck with it all and welcome :wave:
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Hi All,
I plan to put in a raised bed veg garden. I will be able to get some fruit trees in including Pecan, Pistacio, Lemon and an Orange trees. I plan to have large beds of raspberries and thorneless blackberries.
I I have three 186 watt solar panels with an inverter to run the important stuff in the house. I will also have the water well pump run off solar too. There is also a 1500 gallon tank ready to be placed in the ground.
I have been researching doing some poultry for eggs, such as Barnevelder, Marans, Cream legbars, Jersey Giants and for harvest some American Bresse.
I took a class from Log Home Builders Assoc. It will not be as hard as it looks. You can take a look at their web site..... I have found some BIG trees to build with they will be about 30 inches in diameter. They will require a crane to move around.
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Hi Karen and welcome :wave: . Your project sounds exciting and a real challenge :thumbsup: Will you have any 4 legged animals to help with manure production for your raised beds? The poultry will provide some of course.
Are you on your own or do you have someone else to help with the enterprise?
Your site sounds spectacular so we will all be wanting some photos.
How is your yurt made? Is it felted wool? Is it decorated?
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Hi,
No, I haven't planned on any four legged friends. However, I have thought about a couple of llamas, not for fleece but to protect the poultry. The veg garden will have to be fenced and probably with electric fencing.
Am I alone? yes. I am a retired ICU nurse.
I am a town girl. I can grow tomatoes but that is it. This is going to be a great learning experience. hahahah
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Being a nurse puts you halfway there, as you are already well practised at being observant, so you will soon learn how to grow veggies and to look after your stock :llama: :chook:
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My yurt is slowly taking shape in my condo backyard. It is built out of some very heavy cotton poly mix canvas that came 60 inches wide. I wish I had access to some felt but I do not. I am going to have to be pretty tricky. I have some bubble wrap with 1 inch bubbles, two layers. I will also use a foil fabric to reflect to the outside and then to the inside. I have thought about replacing the felt with carpet. I have some double glazed sliding glass doors to place in the wall.
I have a com[posting toilet and a propane heater. I have also picked up a wood burning kitchen stove. I would rather use a propane stove than the wood burning one for ease of use.
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hi :wave: :wave:
sounds brill :excited: :excited:
can we do a trade.. :idea: :idea: .... some sun for some rain
(I'll even throw in some manure free of charge )
Mx
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IT'S DEAL!!!! IT IS MORE THAN THAT IT IS A BARGIN!!! COME THE FIRST WEEK IN JULY, I WANT POURING RAIN!!!
i WILL BE GREATFUL OF THE DELIVERY OF THE MANUER THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY. Please let me know and I will give exact directions. (giggle) The property is 30 miles from the nearest town, on a tiny dirt road without a name.
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You do know you are totally bonkers ;D
Can't wait to see photos, though :thumbsup:
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Yep - photos would be great as you have such a different landscape and climate to that of the UK. Sounds very challenging and brave - please keep us updated. Maybe you could contact a TV/film company that would record your progress on such a unique venture. they may even pay for essential work you need to do. :excited: Or write a book !!
Best wishes Martin
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Sounds like the making of a TV programme....I am sure your place is in "Kill Bill" :innocent: :innocent:
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Little House on the Grand Canyon, fantastic. Flew over GC years ago, amazing. Love hearing from non British members on here out in the big world. Photos, photos and lots of luck to you Karen, sounds a brilliant dream.
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Karen, it sounds like you have taken on a tough job and by yourself too. You must be made of strong stuff.
I bet the views are fabulous though. Good luck with your venture and like the rest I can't wait to see the pictures.
Sally
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I'd love to read a blog about your adventures, hint hint ;)
There are loads of crazy things I'd try out there - a small village back garden has certain restrictions for me ::)
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YES! I know that I am bonkers! (giggle)
At this moment I am in Salt Lake City about 400 miles from the property waiting for the snow to melt and work out the funds to move down to the property. There it is warm spring with temps in the low 40F. They have had several short snow storms and alittle rain. Everything is green. Here there is over a foot of hard packed snow that has been standing for over a month. This is the coldest winter that I remember.
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This is the only photo I have on Computer. This is the bottom of the 14+ acres looking north toward Zions National Park mountains in the distance.
Yes, this looks like a John Wayne Western. They were filmed within two hundred miles of the property.
I tried to send a photo but it is toooooo large. Anybody have an idea how to deal with this?
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Hi and welcome,
I have visited Ogden, Nr SLC a couple of times, and the last trip took one drive to Yellowstone and one down to GC. Interesting country.
To reduce your images you may need to edit them in photoshop or something similar before trying to upload.
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Quiltycats,
If you have been to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon, then you have a feel of the country. It is a complete opposite from the UK.You struggle with too much moisture. We struggle with too much sunshine. ( or heat) You the green verdent growth and we have to water several times a day to get anything to grow and then have to shade it to keep it from burning.
I have put a call into my "computer genious" to figure out what to do with the photo;
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:wave: Hi, Karen, and welcome from Shropshire. I am a back garden smallholder with goats, veggies and fruit. I think you are very
mad brave to take on such an undertaking alone and I, too, am looking forward to seeing the photos. I would also like to offer some of our rain for some lots of your sunshine. Can do manure as well. My goats seem to spend all day producing the stuff.
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MWM,
I have retired and have a retirement. It is not much but it is enough to support me. I do not have to support myself with the produce of the property. I can go as slowly as I wish. The biigest problem, of couse is the funds.
First I need to get down there and set up the platform for the yurt and then get a crew together to set it up. Move into the Yurt, set up the water system and the solar panels. Then arrange to have a propane tank installed and plumed to the stove, heater, water heater and generator.
Hopefully by then Jody will have dug the well And I can get the pump wired to the solar panels. That should take me quite a while.
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Sounds amazing! And more than just a bit of hard work.. Pics please! -Prob the only sunshine I will get to see in a while..
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Hi,
I hear you on wanting px. I am not getting any support on my end at this moment...will keep working on it. When you see the Px you will need, sunglasses, sun block and tons of water! I would like some GREEN, please.
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PHOTO!!!
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Well that is different to what most of us are used too. It looks like that you will have quite a challeng to make that land productive to the degree most enjoy here ( despite the wetter and cooler climate).
Thanks for the picture :thumbsup:
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Ooooo.
You won't be needing this smilie much :raining: hehe!
I would be thinking about planting shade trees and windbreaks, anything to stop the sand soil blowing away and hold some moisture in the air :)
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Yes, I will need several wind breaks. I was thinking of something very fast growing...like bamboo. BIG Bamboo that doesn't require humidty to grow. However I looked into a wind mill and the wind classification is very "Low wind".
The photo was taken in October, after a long dry summer. Hence the dry folage.
In the far distance (north-west) you can see the backs of the mountains that make up Zions National Park.
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Hello and welcome from Durham in UK
You are certainly up for a lovely challenge project in your retirement to keep you busy :sunshine:
I fluttered when I read where you are going to live and saw the piccie. My dream holiday has always been to trek the grand canyon on horseback, alas it will always just be a dream so keep those piccies coming :excited:
I look forward to following your journey :wave:
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hello! what an excellent project. definitely get some trees in, to help restart the ecosystem. good luck and best wishes from cornwall. :thumbsup:
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:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: What a brave woman you are Karen. Good luck with your project. Don't forget to take time out from all the hard work ahead and just 'be' :)
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I hope youve got some guns to stay safe? Its a long way from any help where you are
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Yes, Jackie 2. There is a security issue. I haven't really resolved that issue. It is really like homesteading from a century ago. Except that I will be using tools from this generation. I will pack up my belongings in a rental truck not a covered wagon, drive down to the property and set up a home on the land. A century ago, my greatgrand father was territorial governor. People and families did jusy as I will do...trying to carve a living from the land The land is the same as they found. It is "virgin" land, it has not been tilled. The big clumps of grass maybe the same clumps they saw as they viewd the land.
Yes, perhaps I should get a gun......
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It sounds quite an adventure and is definitely very different from here. TBH I don't think I could cope with the heat but you won't have to worry about your solar panels not getting enough sun. :roflanim:
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The HEAT
Well the property is at 5000 ft in altitude. Which makes it much cooler than St George, Ut about 45 miles away. It does get up to about 90 degrees. In that sitauion you must just work around it. Get up and get busier early in the morning m have a 4 or 5 hour rest then work again for a while in the evening. I will have a solor powered swamp cooler. That is what we use out here to stay cool.
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This is what a butt and pass log cabin looks like. The one is almost finished it was built by the couple who will live in it. This is a 30x30. I LOVE the roof on this one.
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Is that what you're aiming for?
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yes. but a 40x40 or 45x45 if I can get big enough logs.
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It'll be great. We'll want to see photos on here please.