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Showing posts from October, 2020

Forced-Air Wood Stove Surround

With only a short order of time remaining before my open house I had to finish the main interior of my tiny house as quickly as possible. I decided today's one day build would be comprised of creation of a forced air surround for my wood stove that not only protected the wooded interior walls behind the firebox but that would create both a natural convection current to fill the room with slow moving warmth but to inject some forced air to ensure circulation of the cold floor and under cabinets air pockets into the whole of the room to maintain my under bed and food storage areas would not freeze in the cold winter nights. I used the same extra thick sign metal sheeting materials as I did on the roof to not only ensure durability and heat separation but to also retain some of the stove's heat once the embers began to cool down. Over-all the project was a quick but successful venture. What do you think? Tags: #woodStove #convection #forcedAir #heating #tinyHouse #offGri

Party Prep: Benches & Driveway

Only two days to go before the gathering so I needed to prepare seating and parking for guests. I started off by walking two cinder blocks and a ten foot two by eight across the property to create a bench that skirts the horse shoe pits. My next move was to carry another two blocks and board up to create seating around the fire ring. Thankfully the two are close enough to each other to hold conversation between benches. There was another two blocks so I got a shorter board and created a forty-eight inch wide bench just outside the kitchen / food prep area window, one of the three new windows the yurt now has. I was onto the driveway after soaking the benches with bleach and soapy water then scouring them down to the fresh golden color of southern yellow pine with a steel wire brush. I needed to create a pad to lay under the rebar to spread the load of the traffic over bare soil. I was lucky to have had the waste wool and canvas from the rotted sections of the

Vid & Pics From The Property

Took a walk at the tail end of a short storm that came through. Distant thunder and drizzle gave way to an awesome sunset at the end of the trail in the main opening & a bright glow against the grains of the field against the dark sky at the road frontage. Nature is great :) Tags: #tinyHouse, #offGrid, #free, #nature, #natural, #livinmicro, #rainfall, #thunder, #creek, #sunset

Fall Campfire Gathering

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 & 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: OCT 30th from 6:30PM EDT into OCT 31st (if overnight stay) - Rain Date: Nov 6tth 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬!!! This is a "𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑂𝑤𝑛 𝑇𝑒𝑛𝑡" event due to limited resources. 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: We have the yurt, one 10 foot tent, and several trail accessible campsites available for any that care to partake, one has a fire ring and the yurt has a wood stove. 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝: This is a "𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑠, food, and/or drinks 𝑡𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 (𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑛𝑎𝑝𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑠?)" potluck style event (again) due to limited resources. We can setup the yurt for food dishes if need be. 𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬: Any suggestions or ideas for natural activities welcome!!! 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: I would love to make this an annual or semi-annual event as seasons change each quarter and there are many things to enjoy here with more than half mile nature trail, our recen

Gutter Water & Windows - Oh My!

It was scheduled to rain for over 14 hours the next day so I had to cram two days work into a single shift non-stop. Just to keep it fun I ran into issues with leaves collecting in my gutters that ruined my rain water stash in the barrel. More work to do before the rain? Why not! It did all get done though :) Tags: tiny house, off-grid, DIY, how to, frugal, free, nature, natural, construction, livinmicro, rain water collection, rain barrel, water filter, sawyer, gutter guard, leaf guard, window glazing

The Rendezvous Was a Success! Thanks from carecollective@goldsboro

Thank you all for visiting CareCollective@Goldsboro! It was a great time walking the trails with all visitors & guests 🙂 I can't wait 'til our next excursion!!! A makeshift driveway to keep the car from sinking into the mud. At another stop along the trail, Deb answers a question about the pros and cons of city and country life. At another stop, Steve talks about the mammals in the area. Hoop greenhouse on the left, solar panels on the right. A rustic, but darling, living space in the yurt, heated with a wood stove The solar panels power Steve's tiny house, and collect rainwater which is funneled into a 500 gallon cistern beneath the panels This is Steve's tiny house--8' x 10'! Today's walk along the half-mile of trails will be muddy from yesterday's rain. Ana readies herself with her boots We return to the yurt via the trail along the creek. This creek joins the Broadway Branch which runs into Lake Bonnie. Thank you, Steve, for our tou

Yurt Final Clean & Finish (day7)

The day has finally come! The move-in ready yurt is now a thing and soon to be available on Air-BnB? I spent the past week bringing back everything from the lawn to the roof rafters and am myself impressed with the results. Nothing like some elbow grease and a vision... I hope everyone else is as well :) Tags: #tinyHouse #offGrid #DIY #howTo #frugal #free #nature #construction #landscaping #livinmicro #cleaning #restoration #whiteWash #furnishing

RSVPs Are In!!! Contact NOW if...

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐭 and 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝. 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐥𝐥 that have confirmed and those that let me know they were unable to make it this time around. As of right now, with a 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐬, the 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 for specifically that number of guests. If there are 𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 add-ons, new attendees, late arrivals, or plans to stay overnight - 𝐏𝐋𝐙 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐏 to prevent people from feeling left out or having less prepared activity involvement. Greatly appreciated & 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐳𝐯𝐨𝐮𝐬 🙂 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Event Update Post: 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 & 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: OCT 17th from 12PM EDT into OCT 18th (if overnight stay) 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬!!! Th

Yard Restored! Finally! (Yurt Day6)

What a day of heavy lifting and hard labor! Some of these decking were nailed in so securely I needed to use a cinder block as a sledge hammer! The other two were screwed together with what looks like loose nuts and bolts from other projects as so few of them were the same. I would need an entire set of different drill bits to get through the ones that wanted to come loose. Everything from tapcons meant for concrete, to deckmate, to drywall screws rusted away and sank in only a couple inches apart from each other. No thanks! Perhaps the sawzall will help me chop this thing up - but it's done & out of the way now, thankfully... Tomorrow should be the final day so perhaps then I will be able to get back to finishing my tinyhouse - lol... Tags: #tinyhouse #offgrid #DIY #howto #frugal #free #construction #landscaping #livinmicro #deck #cleanup #lumber

Event Update!!! Confirm NOW or by Oct 14th PLZ (volume prep)

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 & 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: OCT 17th from 12PM EDT into OCT 18th (if overnight stay) 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 & 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬!!! This is a "𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑌𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑂𝑤𝑛 𝑇𝑒𝑛𝑡" event due to limited resources. 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: We have the yurt, one 10 foot tent, and several trail accessible campsites available for any that care to partake, two have fire rings and the yurt has a wood stove. 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝: This is a "𝐵𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑛𝑎𝑝𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑠" event (again) due to limited resources. 𝐒𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬: Any suggestions or ideas for natural activities welcome!!! 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: I would love to make this a semi-annual event to see the property, walk our more than half mile nature trail, Our recently refurbished yurt, ponder solar power by looking at our existing system, rain water collection & filtration on the cheap, principles of how to heat with natu

Decks Doors Windows & More (Yurt Day5)

Nothing quite like a 21 hour day! Started checking items off the list as the light at the end of the tunnel approaches... Entrance Door was in really bad shape and needed bracing, rehung to be an inswing, then trimmed with enough reveal to allow for a screen door outside of it. Window openings were cut then filmed with a clear 6 mil plastic to allow light and visibility but create an airtight indoor space. An opening skylight was made to hinge and permit escape of humidity even when closed. After dark I continued work through use of an old inverter I scavenged from a road-side emergency booster-pak / tire inflator. The wood stove was the toughest project because it was so corroded, abused, and installed in a manner that made it easily create pipe failure and bad draft. Overall a good day with a hot dinner at the finish! Tags: tiny house,off-grid,DIY,how to,frugal,free,nature,construction,landscaping,livinmicro,yurt,wood stove,window,door,screen,skylight,inverter

Care Collective @ Goldsboro RENDEZVOUS EVENT - RSVP by Oct.14th!!!

Hello friends and followers, I am officially adding you as an invite to our RENDEZVOUS EVENT to see the property, walk our more than half mile nature trail, Our recently refurbished yurt, ponder solar power by looking at our existing system, rain water collection & filtration on the cheap, principles of how to heat with naturally fallen branches and limbs or dead standing trees, or simply come to see the sights - including my house - and what we have happening now & planned for the future at the property! Grand Re-Opening of the YURT! Air-bnb stays welcome. Contribution camping and overnight stays allowed. Limited space RSVP NOW for Oct.17th!!! PLZ verify attendance by Oct14th to ensure occupancy can be planned for!!! RSVP @ https://www.facebook.com/CareCollectiveOfGoldsboro OR DM me on any network connection or email... Tags: yurt, trail, hike, construction, nature, fun, livinMicro

New Yurt Walls & Windows (Day4)

Stayed up very late due a surprise rain so today was a bit shorter than typical. I was however still able to enclose the structure with white tarp plastic sheeting to match the roof (thank goodness there was enough remaining). It wasn't the gray color I was hoping for due to the gray sheeting being too transparent to work effectively as a privacy barrier. I found it necessary to cut the overhanging fabric from the original roofing material due to the fact that it shifted so much over the seasons that it was interfering with the new fabric and was hanging down so low it was going to be visible outside the finished product unless I did so. All in all, it appears to be a sharp looking facelift with clean edges and a secure and tight separate air space without the ability for insects to infiltrate around the bottom perimeter. How do you think it turned out? Tags: tiny house,off-grid,DIY,how to,frugal,free,nature,construction,livinmicro,tarp,yurt,plastic sheeting,insect i

Removing the Rot & Rafters (Yurt Day3)

It rained the evening prior so I was able to see if the new roof cover was working and all was well. The goal today was to remove the rotten areas of canvas and wool but I soon found out that the further I into repair the more I saw rotten. The walls will need to be replaced entirely but the results will be well worth it. I was able to turn the roof rafters as well just as dusk gave way to evening - Winning! Tags: tiny house,off-grid,DIY,how to,frugal,free,nature,construction,livinmicro,rot,canvas,wool,insulation,plastic sheeting,yurt,rafter,repair,termite,snake,cinder block

New Roof & Cover on the Yurt (day2)

So today was another good and productive day! I was able to create a scaffold on the inside of the yurt using the uprights and a 2x4 then a footrest to a table to get to it. Minimal effort :) From there I was able to procure a sheet of white plastic roll sheeting from Tom and I proceeded to cut then install a 20'x20' square over the structure from the hole in the roof I created when I removed the pop-top skylight. The remainder of the story is wrapped up in the video. Enjoy and please comment as to how you think things might've gone smoother &/or what you might've done differently... Tags: tiny house,off-grid,DIY,D.I.Y.,do it yourself,how to,frugal,free,nature,construction,livinmicro,yurt,roof,cover,plastic sheet,waterproof,rain

Generational Decline or Increased Productivity?

It would appear to me that the reason productivity has doubled in the past 40 years is more due to automation, both programmatic & robotic, coupled with the boom of new industries revolving around IT and internet sales on virtual platforms - neither of which existed in the 1980s. On that basis, and from management experience over the past three decades I would find myself in agreement that average productivity, on a per person basis, has declined as people further remove themselves from living in reality while finding themselves digging even deeper to escape real life issues as their person real life world crumbles around them due to neglect. It's actually quite sad to have witnessed. A gift is a curse and a curse is a gift... Tags: lazy,laziness,sadness,reality,virtual,generation gap,1980s,automation,learn to code,modernity