Lollyland

[pa_friendly_guy]

I sounds like you have a plan, more of less. LOL I am sure it will all come together as you build it, You have a Great property there and alot of assets to work with. The 8' windows will let in alot of light and could be used for a greenhouse on one side of your home. You might want to check out Freecycle for the water bed head boards. You can make requests there for things you need. Indy has a Great Freecycle Group, I don't know how far north you are from there. I am sure that there is a Local Freecycle Group near you. Falling Waters is a great house, it is just up the Mountain from me, maybe 25 to 30 min drive. Like your plan all of the stone at Falling Water came from the property. When Frank Lloyd Wright designed that house he made it so that there is No Place inside the house where you can see the Falls. He felt that if you could see it when it would become part of the back ground. If you have to make a special effort to walk around to actually see the Falls they will be Special. I thought that was interesting. Having an elivated deck, cantilevered or supported by posts is a very nice feature. It gives you a better view and helps catch the summer breeze. As you work through your design and get started with construction it will be wonderful to see your progress. Good Luck.

[Lollykoko]

PFG, I was able to visit Falling Waters back in '95 and fell in love. I'm sure my choice of land to purchase was influenced by that trip. Of course, having visited family in WV occasionally since 1959 might have something to do with my love of hillsides, greenery and running water.

So far we haven't been finding many rocks, on the surface at least. In fact, we had to raid the riprap at the bridge over the creek to get enough rock for surrounding the firepit. The excavation made for the wheeled equipment yielded a half dozen stones larger than a softball. Looking north, taken in mid October last year. Putting some walls around this space is on the list for this year.


By spring I will probably post a notice at the general store to let local farmers know I will haul stone away for them. Even chunks of used concrete will come in handy when it's time to fill a rubble trench under the walls. In addition, I'm eyeballing piles of brick as I drive home (here in town) and am about ready to knock on doors to see if they are available for the taking. Anything I don't have to purchase will be helpful since my retirement check doesn't have much stretch to it.

Yes, the big glass doors are to be used for a greenhouse type "airlock" on the bottom floor. I've been checking the second hand stores for old windows to be used as accent/skylight for spaces further into the hillside and have a couple of the dagger style that used to be transoms. I don't have a spot to collect a lot of build materials yet, but a local company is offering semitrailer boxes for as little as $500, and I'm thinking seriously about getting one. If nothing else, I'd like to get this bathtub out of my garage! I used to be part of the Freecycle group here and left the door open to rejoin. Lack of space had something to do with that too!

[pa_friendly_guy]

I love Freecycle, it is a wonderful group here locally, I understand that not all the Freecycle groups are as well run as ours. I have given away alot of useful stuff and gotten alot in return. I have seen old windows and left over building supplies offered here on our group as well as some tile, fire wood, scrap metal etc. Just alot of very useful stuff that someone does not need any longer and did not want to send it to a land fill. Since you have the land and are getting close to starting the building process maybe the storeage unit would be a good idea now. You often need to jump on things when they become available, otherwise you may miss out on some great stuff. There is alot of good stuff available for free if you have the storage space and a truck to haul it when needed. I am glad that you got to visit my neck of the woods. It is nice here, and the good thing is, if you don't like the weather just wait 3 days, It will change. lol. Snow storm last night, cold today, 55 degrees tommorrow, we do get alot of change here. Keeps us on our toes, you never know how to dress.

PS; If you really want some rocks you are welcome to come here and help me dig the next section of my garden this spring, I am sure you can get all the rocks you can haul,

[Lollykoko]

[Lollykoko]

Well, I got another new cell phone today, so I had to drive up to the farm to try it out. Yes, I did have both phone and internet available!

But since I was there, it made sense to do something with my time. This little pile was left behind when a cottonwood lost a couple of limbs two years back.

The spot is very near the campsite and slightly uphill from the outhouse. Since there were plenty of windfall limbs to clean up, it will become a hugelbeet very, very soon.

Yes, I did haul all that wood with my two little bloody hands (one nick per). Some of those limbs are near 25 feet long. No, I won't be hauling the dirt in a five gallon bucket. Once we uncover the equipment and fire up the backhoe will be son enough to start moving soil. I've got another month before traditional planting dates in the area.

[Lollykoko]

Let's see if my photos are ready yet.

The pile I dragged by hand last week got pushed around a little once the backhoe was available. I've gotten a fair coating of soil on so far, using the "silty clay loam" of the hillside and a little Houghton muck from the campsite. This shot is from the back, taken as I was coming down the hill. Looking south at the outhouse and my future root cellars.

The ditch is off to the right behind the trees and down about eight feet. The low mounds on the right side used to be trees four years ago. Now they are future hugelbeds.

Monday afternoon, this was Point A

and this was Point B

A couple of hours later ... Point A

and B

Only 800 more feet to go!

[Lollykoko]

I enduring freezing temperatures last night because I had an early morning meeting with the Soil and Water Conservation officer this morning. I had a few questions for Rick and wanted him on site in case specifics needed to be addressed.

I have 40 acres and I want ponds. Multiple ponds with various functions, scattered here and there where it suits my fancy. He gave me the go-ahead to do whatever I want with one provision... I have to get the surveyors office to locate the drainage tiles that run through my place so I can avoid them by at least 100 feet. If a pond wall is closer than that, he says the tile could deplete my water level. He also said that the ponds will fluctuate in depth along with the height of the drainage ditch. I'm even allowed to do what I want with this wetland area that is almost the lowest spot, and right next to the area where I want the big fishing, swimming and rowboating pond to be. This is south, about 200 feet east of the ditch. I'm in the middle (standing on dry ground) looking east.

I had a visit from the REAL owners of my place last week. A flock of about 15 turkeys spent a leisurely half hour crossing the field south of the outhouse, before crossing the ditch. The wetlands area can be seen on the left, east side of the photo.


I took some photos at the future house site. This one is looking up at the backhoe on top of the hill to the NW

and this is the house site, though standing on the roof, so to speak. The house will start about 20 feet below where my feet were when I took the photo. The front (south) wall will be about the same location as the downed treetop at the edge of the contour. The two level dwelling will approximate the hillside. Flat ground is about 35 feet lower.

[pa_friendly_guy]

Nice view Lolly. Its starting to get exciting. I am glad that you do not have a problem with regulations about what to do with your own land. What a Country.

[Lollykoko]

He did say that the one thing the county is quite strict on is a septic system. If I use graywater to irrigate a rain garden of florals, a septic system will have to be at the end of the chain. Apparently "forgetting" to get a building permit can be forgiven, so long as the wastes are properly cared for.

[matt walker]

Wow Lolly, how exciting. Great photos, your place is just gorgeous. That's some beautiful green that's starting to show. Excellent news on the ponds as well. Your hugel along the drive is gonna be HUGE! What will you plant there? Is it going to be a main production area for you or is it just a fertile edge zone that you'll plant and forget?