Cabin Build

So, since the tractor barn is just that, a barn, we decided to build a log cabin from the trees that were blown down by the derecho in 2019. No sense letting them rot in the woods. By doing so, it will give us a dried in, comfy place to “live” while we work to build the main, retirement house, and for when we’re down there hunting.

The plan had been to start building the yurt style house in the fall of 2019 but the wildfires and then the “pandemic” put the builder of the kits way behind. We contacted some local contractors about building it if we had the plans and they said they couldn’t find crews. Not going into the politics behind all that here…

Sycle has a MEWE group where he has posted progress comments and pictures. What I’m posting below is just a mash-up, copy and paste if you will, of what he posted in the group. Moving forward, I will try to post progress in real-time. If you are on MEWE and would like membership in the group, please let me know.

January 2021

Dug holes and used forms to make columns for foundation. Each is at least 16 inches deep and 16 inches in diameter below ground. Carriage bolts are in tops to hold the cabin structure and rebar is inside the concrete columns. Pressure treated 2×12 are bolted to concrete pillars.

October 2019 a bad storm came though and uprooted many trees on our place. As cabin build continues will have to try and harvest these so they don’t rot. Some large trees were topped and still standing, many with widow makers and need to be taken down. These will also be used. We bought a chainsaw mill and learned to make 7×7 timbers from the trees we harvest. Many people use a ladder as a guide but I want length. Bought 25 feet in guides. The chainsaw mill rides on top of this for the first cut which is the most critical cut and measurements to be made. High spot was trimmed from the base to help make a level cut. Goal is to center core of log so warping is less likely. The guide has leveling screws that set it so for even longer cuts you can get a straight cut.

Used old tarps for moisture barrier and got workout spreading gravel. Also added a side board to help support and tie in floor joists. Measured and put screws on corner areas, used cross measurements to square up timbers, attached guides and marks so I can move to make v notches, made sample cut with huge saw, attached first beam. Used construction screws 8 inches long and 2 feet apart to attach to frame. Used closed cell poly between frame and timber to seal any cracks.

Ok, I have gone over a good bit of Alaskan sawmill, I have ordered a bandsaw Sawmill that arrives tomorrow. Can’t wait. It will allow faster and truer cuts.

Started sawmill assembly, lots of bolts, sharp metal. Will be finding large bottle of blue permitex for bolts along with new impact wrench. On cabin cut v notch and attached back timber. Burnt trash, sighted a pistol, test fired 45 acp +p 250 gr hollow point load (kick is noticeable).

I messed up a log by being tired and not measuring correctly.

1) place log in stable place
2) I made a 7×7 template of the desired beam I am cutting.
3) center template so inner rings are in center of template and use a level on top of template, mark with pencil
4) place guide on log
5) measure from top of guide to top mark on log on both ends. These have to be same. On log shown 7.25 inches
6) level out rest of guide
7) recheck end measurements
8) saw

I am ready to start floor joists and marked at 16″ centers. In doing found I am about 1/2 inch out of square over 20×20 structure, always strive for perfection on square but this will do.

February 2021

Ok, today’s limited work on sawmill.

Leveled gravel pad
Used pressure treated fence posts from tractor supply cut at 4 feet like cross ties
Used 12 ft pressure treated 4×4 for tracks and attached with 8 inch wood screws
Leveled, straightened, backfilled with gravel
The back piece with no support is temporary until I am done with 22 foot logs. Will make temp support next trip.

March 2021

Worked on wood stove install in barn this weekend, not quite done. Also got generator to farm. Set it near cabin build, will need a pole barn to protect it from weather.

We had a productive Saturday! Started laying floor joists, built backstop for the shooting range, and ate an all-American dinner cooked over a wood fire.

Did some cleanup where we have milled logs, got wood stove install in barn finished, put 2 coats of sealer in first log run, burned some trash, got started on floor joists.

Got to our place before rain set in and was able to mount tiller and till garden before it got too wet.
Also tarped cabin so I can work in rain. Got over 50% floor joists set. Got about 50% sub floor 5/4 x 6 pressure treated screwed. People asked me why I kept trees close to site, hung tarp last night and sometime soon there will be pullies there for handling the heavy beams.

April 2021

Got to farm late Sunday and got busy. Tarp over cabin was full of water so grabbed hose and used syphon to clean it out and then took tarp down. Started putting sub floor in and for some reason got vertigo and had to stop.

This morning finished subflooring, tilled garden again, changed oil in tractor, gathered garbage, got things I needed at home and came home.

Next weekend goals:

Plant corn
Fix cracked valve on water tank
Get bearings on trailer serviced
Replace broken taillights on trailer
Get big sawmill put together
Stain subflooring to prevent weather damages.

Well life happens…

Too wet to set corn out
Got lots done on sawmill but they shorted me 4 brackets that hold the handsaw guard in place
Did seal decking
Did fix taillights on trailer and serviced bearings
Greased tractor
Greased tiller

Spent a huge amount of time on the tracks for sawmill. These have to be exceptionally level and straight. The cross pieces also have to be very level both across and sideways. I think this took about 4 hours to get as good as it is. Likely could be better.

No pictures today but we got some things done.

Carried toolbox with hand tools down. Had stuff scattered in barn and needed hand tools for mechanical things.
Figured I have bad plug on trailer lights and brakes will need that fixed for logs hauling next weekend.
Put crane back on trailer needs a bit more work.
Missing brackets for big sawmill got here Friday, got those installed
Rounded up tools for next weekend, we have some trees at Toni’s Dad’s house to collect. Ex. Truck crane in trailer, come along, saws, Alaskan mill, side mill, extra chains, top guide, side plane, oil, fuel, hand tools, straps.
Tilled garden and got corn and beans planted. Scary thing though, farmers co-op had no large bags of corn seed. We had to buy 1 lb bags. Many may not understand this but if farmers can’t get corn seed, we have no crops to feed this nation.

I hope God grants me a crop this year, soil looks great, 6 deer were taken between Toni, my neighbor, his wife, and myself so maybe less home body deer eating my garden. This was a Sunday there and back trip as Saturday there were other things required.

Went to Toni’s Dad’s to cut some timber already down and will have to go back, not done. One tree on the ground got a 14.25″ x7″x14′ slab I can cut to 2 7×7 at our place. Burnt clutch and housing on Holzforma saw, will replace it this week with a Stihl, nothing on earth better.

Gary has about 4-5 massive pines he wants taken down so they don’t fall in his turnaround for his camper. Will get lots of wood from them.

May 2021

Overnight and back trip. Friday night to Saturday afternoon.

Patched broken water valve with JB weld
Changed tiller to bush hog
Ran bush hog
Went as far as I could on sawmill, missing parts
Ran weed eater around solar panels and barn
Poisoned half a dozen fire ant mounds
Packed up items for other projects
Measured to weld adapter for portable 12k wench for tractor
Enjoyed tall red clover
Smiled at my beans and corn coming up.

Short time at Patriots Rest the following weekend but got much accomplished. Corn and beans coming in nicely. Sawmill is coming together. I think another full day and I can crank it up.

Two of several trees Toni’s dad wanted gone cut, branches cleared, milled and loaded. Winch helped greatly. Load was heavy. We went from Toni’s Dad’s to our farm then home, 6 hours driving.

Corn and beans are coming in good. We got bush hog run but bent a lip on deck and will have to fix that. Got sawmill operational and made beams as well salvaged a log I messed up on with chainsaw mill. 30 minutes verses 2-3 hours is notable. We have 13 beams ready to attach.
Also started cutting and splitting fire wood for winter. Some of the scrap will be used for kindling and outdoor fire pit. Toni stacked while I split.

June 2021

Headed down Thursday night taking couple days off. Friday got 4 timbers milled and 5 set on cabin.
Learned to use a jig that makes angles easy to cut. This one log was bent and bowed, hence clamps and come along.

Set a bad piece yesterday and got all but one screw out, not a problem tractor pulled wood off the 10-inch screw then I used vice grips to remove screw and replaced with better wood.

Raining all day so far Sunday, loaded up a nice piece of poplar for a class u am teaching next Saturday on chainsaw mills.

Ok, last weekend we got a resource to cut some very large oak. Large enough to cut doors from a single slab. Upgraded Alaskan mill to 59 inches and got winch mount done on trailer in evenings this week. Will schedule next Saturday to cut some big slabs with this absolute beast of a saw.

Large whitetail hanging out, hope he stays until deer season.

Did cleanup Saturday sawing and splitting leftovers for fire pit wood we cook with and got it stacked.

Spent the day cutting red oak slabs from a tree that had been down for about 4 years. Got some really pretty wood for cabin doors and who knows what else.

There is still more to cut but that will have to wait for another day. We’ll run this load to the farm tomorrow and run the bushhog.

Quick down and back trip to drop off the slabs and trailer. Garden is looking good! Best one we’ve had so far, but it’s taken quite a bit of work to get the soil conditions right.

July 2021

Corn almost waist high, beans coming around corn stalks, even some squash blooming.

We got our goals accomplished.

firewood
clean up slabs
run bush hog.

I call the rig in many of the pictures a Tennessee Chainsaw planner. Worked well.

Got to farm Sunday evening and unloaded large slabs we cut the day before.

I already had an oak log on the sawmill so I sliced 8-12inch 5/4 planks 16 feet long and got them stored in the dry. Got camp set up.

Monday 12 am to 4 am hard rain, around daybreak the leftover mist subsided and I got to work. Stack of timbers shrank over the week and cabin walls are 8 high as of today.

Came home tired a bit beat up, ready to soak in Epsom salt and sleep in a bed.

Catching Up

So, 2020 happened! The world went into lockdown and everyone lost their minds. We did still continue making progress at the farm but it has still been a slow go. The last few months have been ramping up and we are going full out to make this piece of property self-sustainable and comfortable for us to eventually live there full time.

View from future back porch. Picture from October 2020

We have finally gotten a bandsaw mill, as well as the chainsaw mill to be able to work the timber and build a cabin and potentially the big house. I’ll create another post dedicated to the cabin build. And we’ve worked to get the garden to be productive! It looks good and we will get produce this year. We planted two of the three sisters, corn and beans. When we are able to be there more consistently, we’ll add the third, squash. The wild inhabitants seem to love the squash flowers and vines so until we have more of a presence to deter them, we will wait ton plant.

Labor Day Weekend

1) Laid sycles’ buddy Hiro to rest with his blanket, one of his toys, ample catnip in a spot near the house sight under a clump of trees.

2) Finished sheet metal on water -pole barn. Will call insulation guys this week.
3) Tilled under the garden, soil needs work and deer need to eat else where.
4) Moisture problem in barn, cleaned some mildew, brought some stuff home, arranged cots before leaving so moisture won’t stand on them
5) Cleared out good amount of timber that was pushed over from clearing the barn build site, split, stacked at fire pit.

6)Had the breakfast of champions
7) Enjoyed time in evening Saturday and this morning around the fire pit relaxing or waking up sipping camp coffee.

Lots more to do with short time to get it done.

next up insulation and a door
steak and eggs fried in bacon grease over an open file
camp shower
found this pretty little yellow flowering plant – don’t know what it is

Garden Progress?

Since we’re not always on-site, we knew that the garden plot was going to be a hit or miss. The (mostly) pine mulch from the forestry mulching creates a bit of a challenging environment for garden plants. Even though it was tilled several times before planting, it still poses a challenge. And the deer, along with other assorted critters, have taken advantage of the easy food source. But they haven’t gotten everything. And yes, I know there are weeds growing along with what we planted, like I said, we’re not there all the time.

Water Shed

Memorial Day weekend seemed like a good time to go off-grid and reflect on the sacrifice that was made by so many so that we may be free and live in peace. So Friday afternoon, we packed up and headed to the farm. Then we spent the weekend building a pole barn.

While we are still very primitive, no plumbing, no electricity, bare bones type of camping, we love the quiet and slow pace of being disconnected from everything. We are making progress and this past weekend was a big step toward having running water. Saturday morning dawned warm and sunny with a trailer full of building materials.

Our friend, Tim Greuter, had leveled the pad and spread the gravel for us the week prior so we could get started first thing in the morning. So we started measuring and laying out boards so that we could begin the build. First we laid out the square, then measured for the uprights. We brought out the post hole auger and got to serious work.

Then we started building up… and up.

Not bad for a day’s work. Then it was time for steak over the campfire and beer.

We did have very remedial creature comforts… solar panels charged the batteries that powered a box fan overnight. So while we were hot and grimy from a long day of work in the sun, we did have a little breeze to provide slight relief overnight. But that is how we are planning on powering the farm. This system is going to be dedicated to the spring pumps and water system, but this weekend was a good test run of how well it will work. We will have to build racks to mount the panels and a box for the battery storage of course.

Sunday morning was a little cooler, there was a nice breeze to start the day. But there was a LOT of work yet to be done. We finished framing out the roof and the ties around the structure, then started on the siding. Hot metal on a hot day…

Early afternoon on Sunday we ran out of the fasteners to secure the metal to the frame so we had to call it for the day. There are still some things to do, finish mounting the last of the wall and roof panels, add corner caps and the roof cap, figure out something to cushion the water tank so the gravel doesn’t damage it, and hang the sliding barn door. I’m sure there’s more to it but I don’t have the list in front of me.

While we were there, we checked on the garden. I’m not sure we knew/know what to expect but there are some things that have survived the heat and predation from wildlife. Plus we know we are going to have to work the soil much more than we have to this point. We’ll have to do some amendment and enrichment as well as a lot more tilling. One thing I didn’t get a picture of was the sprouts of corn. It’s all so exciting.

Carrots
Squash
Turnip Greens

At the end of the workday Sunday, sycle decided to bring up two 5-gallon buckets of water from the spring. It turned out to be a fabulous idea and much better than the sponge bath from the night before. The water was so cold that it literally took your breath away for a minute. Okay, more than a minute, but it was so refreshing. I think we have truly found heaven on earth at our little farmstead.

So much progress, so much more to do

To date we have done so much already, but there is so much more to do. Let’s see, we’ve had the driveway put in, we’ve put up a “barn”, we’ve had a forestry mulcher come in and clear about 5 acres so we can put in a garden and the build site for the house, and we’ve put in some veggies. We’ve worked on the spring to get it almost to the point of being usable as our water source for the farm.

I don’t expect we’ll actually yield much from the garden this year, but it will get the wild life used to having a food source. Yes, we had the ulterior motive of bringing in the deer. We do want to be as self sufficient as possible. Here’s a gallery of progress pictures. I’ll have to get sycle to upload the video of the spring from today. It is flowing so well that I am sure we have a viable water source. Stay tuned for the next update…

House site
Tilling up the garden site
Home away from home
Spring box project in process
Spring ready for pump and storage tank

Here is a short video of how well the spring is flowing. https://1drv.ms/v/s!Akax4mqr24iokCoVwcuO-FZqYWMQ

The Farm

The first thing we did was to cut in a driveway. A friend with a bulldozer was a great help with that, as well as the spot for the barn. It took a bit of time to get everything graded and the build site level. But steadily we made progress.

And then there was the first camping trip. Memorial day weekend 2018. And because there were so many deer tracks, we just had to build a hunting stand.

Then came the barn, and with it, a somewhat less primitive campsite.

That’s a very condensed version of the progress made in 2018. There is still more to come.

The Journey So Far

I should probably start at the beginning with an introduction. We are sycle (a.k.a. Tim), his wife Betty, and myself (Toni). Our happy little family is rounded out by four cats (Hiro, Shadow, Thor, and Tilt) that just tolerate each others presence, and a rather highly strung Great Dane named Odin. About a year ago we purchased 28 acres of land in the tiny town of Scott’s Hill, TN, just southeast of Jackson. It’s been a slow start but this will become our farmstead and place to which we will retire in a few years.

Like I stated previously, none of us really know anything about farming or off-grid living but we are doing the research and soaking up the knowledge like sponges. Are we doing everything perfectly? Hell no, but we are not afraid of making mistakes, those will only serve as harder lessons.

I know there is much more to catch up on, but wanted to get started at least with some of the basics. In the coming days and weeks, I’ll make additional entries to get anyone reading up to our current timeline. I’ll post progress pictures and a few videos along the way too.

We are all very excited about this journey and all the things it is going to teach us.

Our Journey Begins

Just over a year ago, 28 acres of land were purchased in the tiny town of Scott’s Hill, Tennessee. It is literally in the middle of nowhere, on a much slower pace than just outside the Nashville Metropolitan area where we now reside. With abundant trees and wildlife, we knew right away it was where we want to spend our retirement years. And, to be as self sufficient as possible, we decided it would be a farmstead.

So, do any of us really have any first hand experience at running a farm? Not really. We all grew up weeding Mom’s gardens. We had relatives with farms, but we were pretty much raised in the suburbs. So with a lot to learn, and excitement to fuel us, we are on our way.