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    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future

    Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:22 pm

    Austin Hay is still in high school, but he's building his own house. It's only 130 square feet, but it makes him a homeowner without a mortgage at just 16 years old. Right now, it's parked in his parents' backyard, but he's built it on wheels so he plans to take it to college and then wherever he goes after he graduates.
    He's been sleeping in his tiny home for a few months now and he's already decided not to return to big (his parents' home is 1800 square feet). "Living small means less bills, living big means more bills," he explained from the tiny stoop of his new home. "I don't want to pay big bills".

    Hay's 130-square-foot home may make him the youngest member of the growing Small House Movement.

    Hay expects to spend about $12,000 building his home (the used trailer cost him $2000) and he's paying for it working two summer jobs (at a camp and at a park snack bar). He's cut his costs in half (the home's estimated DIY price is $23,000) though this is a considerable discount from the home's estimated price of $23,000 because Hay has scavenged everything from doors, windows and flooring to the kitchen sink (the hardwood floors were $25 at a salvage yard and so was the stainless steel sink).
    For more info & links, original story here: http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/16-yr-old-builds-tiny-home-to-guarantee-mortgage-free-future/


    Last edited by Carol on Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:39 am; edited 2 times in total


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    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:30 pm


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEJmXmTFpMg&feature=youtu.be
    150 mile wardrobe: local fiber, real color, Gandhi economy
    Except for notions (buttons, zippers, etc), everything in Rebecca Burgess' wardrobe has been grown and designed within 150 miles of her home. But until putting her closet on a diet one year ago, nearly all her clothing was produced far from home, and that made her a very typical American.

    Over the past half century the U.S. textile industry has been decimated. "In 1965, 95% of the clothing in a typical American's closet was made in America," Burgess writes on her blog, "today less than 5% of our clothes are made here."

    Upset by the outsourcing of the American wardrobe, as well as the disconnect this by the waste produced by the textile industry worldwide (it's the #1 polluter of fresh water on the planet and America's 5th largest polluting industry), Burgess decided she needed to focus public attention on local fabric, in the same way the food movement had done with local food.

    Inspired by the success of challenges like the 100 Mile Diet, Burgess decided to put her closet on a diet. For six weeks she wore one outfit (created from local rancher Sally Fox's color-grown cotton that Fox had milled back in 1983 before the area lost all of its mills), but then local designers, in collaboration with local farmers, began creating more hand spun/knitted/dyed pieces until her wardrobe had become so complete she even had a naturally-wicking alpaca raincoat.

    Rebecca calls her experiment the Fibershed Project, because like a foodshed or watershed, her fibershed- the 150 mile radius of her home- is big enough to provide for all the fibers and dyes necessary to create a diverse wardrobe. She admits she's lucky to be in Northern California where there are plenty of ranchers raising even alpacas, angoras and mohair goats and where there's an ideal climate for growing a variety of color-grown cottons.

    In this video, we visit Burgess at her dye farm in Lagunitas, California and her home nearby where she shows us her 150-mile wardrobe, including a bicycle-felted vest and a sweater made from the wool of the oldest rancher in the fibershed (a 96-year-old sheep rancher) and the youngest designer (an 18-year-old knitter).

    Original story here: http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/150-mile-wardrobe-local-fiber-real-color...


    Last edited by Carol on Sun Oct 23, 2011 9:29 pm; edited 2 times in total


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    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:43 pm

    In a town where the median home price is over half a million dollars, Jenine Alexander decided to build her own. Using resources like the tiny house blogs and the 1950 bestselling DIY book "Your Dream Home: How to Build It for Less Than $3,500" (a gift from a friend), Jenine spent less than $3,500 on her home. In fact, she used nearly only materials recovered from the dump or found on craigslist and the only things she paid for were a used trailer and fasteners (nails, screws, hinges, etc).
    She built it on wheels not just to get around minimum size standards, but mostly because she couldn't afford land in her hometown of Healdsburg, California.
    http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/diy-home-for-less-than-3500/

    I just bought a used copy of this book from Amazon.com for 33 cents.
    http://www.amazon.com/Your-dream-home-build-less/dp/B0007DMN9Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319173837&sr=8-2


    Last edited by Carol on Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:13 am; edited 1 time in total


    _________________
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    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:57 pm

    If you think old wood pallets are garbage, think again.

    The Canadian Wood Pallet & Container Association has launched a campaign to encourage people to recycle and reuse wood packaging material.

    Our website: CanadianPallets.com


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKgSoKedbos&feature=related
    Demonstration of how I'm using pallet wood in the tiny free house.


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    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:04 pm

    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future Lamars%20019


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qghZ2ao7GKM&feature=related
    How to build a 14x14 solar cabin
    This is a general overview of how I built my 14x14 solar cabin for under $2000.
    For complete step-by-step directions, videos, and more project plans including how to install solar power, drill your own well, build a composting toilet and more please visit my website: http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com

    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future 785929-R1-00-00A_001
    Here's the back of the cabin before finished

    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future Pic013
    Here's my propane fridge, stove and my sink

    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future Pic032
    Living area with futon couch for guests

    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future Pic055
    Dining area for 4 people

    Photos: http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=7559389

    composting toilets: http://www.ebay.com:80/itm/NATURES-HEAD-COMPOSTING-MARINE-BOAT-RV-CABIN-TOILET-/200628673707?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb6669cab

    solar/electric: http://www.solar-electric.com/

    supplies: http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com/supplies.htm

    plans: http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com/plans.htm


    Last edited by Carol on Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:58 pm; edited 1 time in total


    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:49 pm

    Hello Lamar, My name is Tasha, I purchased your e-book last winter after doing some research on how to build a small cabin. I wanted to show you the pictures of my progress so far, since you were a big inspiration and a main source of information for me. The cabin is located in Southern British Columbia Canada on the Arrow Lakes, it measures 16x20. I started my foundation in April of this year, using a garden hose as a water level for the cold climate concrete footings. This has been a wonderful experience for me, and I am so glad to have had it. Many people laughed when I had the idea for this project. How can a 32 year old women who has never hammered a nail build anything?? My father built a cabin on the same acreage in 1976 when he was 21, and he raised 2 children there until they were school aged, so he was more than happy to jump on board right away. His cabin sits about 4 acres away from mine and although there is no electricity, he has propane lights, fridge and stove, as well as a full septic and hot water on demand. My cabin is now my greatest accomplishment to date. It has a loft over half the floor space, and a tiny bedroom on the main floor (because my husband is crippled due to an accident and can't manage a ladder) I also purchased a 60 watt solar system and can't wait to hook it up next spring! There will be a propane heater eventually as well. I built the whole thing with around $5000.00 CAD, the inside is about half finished so far. I wanted to thank you and to tell you that was the best $5.00 I have ever spent. You have inspired me to do things I never believed I could! Thank you.

    Sincerely,
    Natasha


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    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:20 pm

    The interior is essentially a room with an alcove on one side containing shelves, a chair and desk, under which is stowed a pull-out table that at a pinch can sit two people; a kitchen made up of shelves, a two-ring stove and small sink; closets for storage; and a loft where a queen-sized bed dominates the floor space.

    One wall can be used as a library murphy bed.

    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future Abbott-library-murphy-bed-in-oak-walnut
    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future Abbott-library-murphy-bed-in-oak-walnut-open_1

    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future 4040556686_172c47ba1d_z


    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
    Jenetta
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    Post  Jenetta Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:43 pm

    Thank you for all this Carol...now my place doesn't look quite so small16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future 854501 ...fascinating information.



    ______________________________________

    As Above So Below


    Last edited by Jenetta on Thu Oct 20, 2011 10:46 pm; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : Icon Fix)
    Carol
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    Post  Carol Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:07 am

    You're most welcome Jenetta.

    Years ago my husband and I built a 12' by 16' cabin in the woods and loved it. It too had the loft with the mattress, skylights and we built a rock wall behind the wood burning stove. There is something about small that is very cozy. We put in terra cotta tile for the flooring and knotty pine for the walls and ceiling. Of all the things we've done building and designing our little cabin was our most fun and satisfying project. And I want to do it again only this time on one of those trailer beds so we can take it with us if we ever move.

    If I had to live my life over I would have been an architect and studied ancient buildings that were designed without electricity. Designing and building self-sufficient homes would have been a lot of fun. I've even been looking at vertical garden designs for the small house where with design options in mind along with rain water catchment possibilities.


    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Fri Oct 21, 2011 12:26 am


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUMqYSOlpNg&feature=related
    Converting an ISO Shipping Container into a Livable and Safe Home
    This is great.

    The recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile killed thousands of people and have left hundreds of thousands homeless. Today, poverty has left up to 3.5 million Americans in need of temporary housing.

    Haiti, Chile and the US, have 100,000s of empty ISO shipping containers sitting dormant. My idea is to use local labor to convert one of these shipping containers into a safe, low-cost, eco-friendly home for temporary housing to those in need.

    ISO shipping containers are rugged, weatherproof, and plentiful.

    Local artisans and craftspeople will design and convert one of these shipping containers into a livable and safe home. Because building materials are unavailable to the poor, the design and build will focus on using scrap and recycled materials. Also, all build techniques will be done in a manner that is easily replicable by individuals with little or no construction skills. The final product will be instructional videos for NGOs to build these homes locally, with local labor.


    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
    Carol
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    Post  Carol Mon Oct 24, 2011 5:34 am

    Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future Tinyhouse
    I happen to like the Wlden design as solar panels can be placed on the roof or porch roof and the battery located in a hidden bench on the porch.
    http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses/walden/

    The Walden - 117 sq. ft.
    The Walden features the largest kitchen of the teeny houses on wheels. The great room has vaulted ceilings which are accented by the pine interior finishing. Stainless steel counters show off the kitchen, and the bathroom has a full shower. The sleeping loft is upstairs and accessible by a ladder built into the cabinets.

    Living Room
    The living room has an open ceiling and a stainless steel fireplace. The open ceiling above makes the space feel very roomy, and this floor plan has lots of wall space.

    Kitchen
    This is the largest kitchen of all our houses on wheels. It comes with a sink, 2 burner stove top, refrigerator, and ample shelving. Below the sink, there is a small water heater. There is enough space that you can choose between a small toaster oven, microwave, washer/dryer, or dishwasher if you choose. (Washer/dryer is more practical)

    Bedroom
    The bedroom is in the loft. It is large enough to fit a queen size bed, but that said, this house is a little small for 2 people. Because of the open loft, you can fit a conventional mattress above. At its peak, the loft height is 3'-8'. Or a library murphy bed could be designed for the space and attached onto one wall.

    Bathroom
    The bathroom has both a toilet and a separate shower. The shower water is heated from the small water heater under the kitchen sink, and can last about 5 minutes. It doesn't come with a hand sink, but it is possible to install a hand sink above the toilet as is common in Japan. The toilet is a low flush RV toilet designed to conserve water. You can easily substitute a composting toilet. Personal note: Or this could be made into a larger wet bathroom made out of cedar and where the gray water can be recycled to a vertical garden attached to theoutside walls which would be made out of cedar as well.

    Efficient and Warm
    The Walden features a stainless steel fireplace which keeps this house warm in temperatures -35 F. Because of its small size, its 16R insulation is sufficient to keep this house warm in the harshest of climates of the continental US and Southern Canada. Heading north of Southern Canada? You can easily install a larger heater, or second heater. All four walls, the floor and the roof are insulated using polystyrene foam board which can withstand the rigors of road travel.

    Can I add air conditioning?
    Yes, a small ceiling a/c unit can be added to keep the house cool in any climate within the US.

    Trailer
    This house is built on an 7' x 18' utility trailer. See spec sheet. To learn more about utility trailers, read this... Here is a list of stores that sell the trailer needed to build the Walden.

    Do I have to build it on a trailer?
    Because of its tiny size, it doesn’t meet the minimum size standards required for houses on a foundation. That said, it can be built as a shed (without a kitchen) on a foundation.

    House width: 8' Porch: 7 ½' x 3'
    House length: 19' Main Room: 6 ½' x 6 ½'
    Trailer Size: 7' x 18' Kitchen: 6' x 4'
    Road Height: 13' 5" Bathroom: 6' x 3'
    Dry Weight: 5400 lbs Ceiling height: 6' 6"
    all measurements are approximate Loft height: 3' 6"
    Fencl House Plans
    http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/houses/fencl/

    Here are some other ideas at reasonable prices. http://www.nextag.com/serv/main/buyer/OutPDir.jsp?kw=a+garden+shed&search=a+garden+shed&m=5182478263543908155


    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
    Arrowwind
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    Post  Arrowwind Mon Oct 24, 2011 6:12 am

    Im heading into my third year in 500 square foot studio located above our garage... well designed to endure very cold climate.. I love it. We are in the process of building a bigger house and I now have some regrets that perhaps the new house is toooo big!

    Everthing is paid for and we will have no mortages.

    I don't like those houses on trailers.. but may be suitable in certain situations... I want to feel connected to land and mother earth and for a house to make it easy for one to flow from inside to out with many doors and porches, sunroom, or at least sufficient windows to feel lots of sun inside.

    For two people I think 600 sq feet is good ... a little bigger than what we have because being able to find a space to get away from each other is necessary in my book anyway,, especially since I can be a night owl... and a little extra room to work on all of our projects.

    If there are kids add 100 sq ft for each child, especially for older kids who really need space.

    Highly creative people need more space to do what they do and without getting in each others way.. But I am certain this can be done without a mortage for most, especially if you do most of the construction yourself and have some time to put it together

    zoning issues are a problem. We found a place with next to no zoning so people here do what they want and there are some very small houses. You wont find that in the city and in many states in the US

    I've spent many many months in an 11 foot cabover camper with my mate.. it can be done but can also get stressful, and once again it is very difficult to be creative in such limited space



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    Post  Carol Mon Oct 24, 2011 6:26 am

    That sounds very interesting Arrowwind. Do you have any photo?

    We lived in a 600 sq ft house for about 5 years. When the second child came I was ready for a larger place. What I didn't like about that house was that the washing machine was located outside and exposed to the weather. At our first house in Hawaii, same thing. Small 2 bedroom with washing machine outside. Those stackable washer/driers are nice and can fit into a closet. What makes small houses work are the vaulted ceilings, lots of windows and even skylights. I also like split doors where the top half can swing in and keep the bottom half closed.



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    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Seashore Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:32 am

    Carol wrote:There is something about small that is very cozy.

    This thread is making me think of the doll houses of childhood. Very Happy I'm feeling very nostalgic.

    Very cool thread, Carol! cheers
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 27, 2011 10:00 am

    Thanks Seashore. We built a tiny club house for our daughter who is now 15 and I plan on turning it into my tiny art studio. I can't wait to getting back to oil painting.

    I was checking out Amazon.com - the place that has everything and found this for $2,845.00

    16 year old builds tiny home to guarantee mortgage-free future 51aav4Gay4L._SL500_AA300_
    Storage garden shed "Whales" - Nameliukas

    This looks doable too.
    http://www.aquaponics4you.com/index.php



    _________________
    What is life?
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    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Seashore Thu Oct 27, 2011 11:27 am

    Carol wrote:This looks doable too.
    http://www.aquaponics4you.com/index.php

    Very interestng!

    I'm fascinated so I've sent Michael Astera an email asking does he know about this and what he thinks about it if he does.
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    Post  Seashore Thu Oct 27, 2011 12:38 pm

    Seashore wrote:I've sent Michael Astera an email asking does he know about this and what he thinks about it if he does.

    I got an answer.

    I have his permission to copy and paste it:

    I'm familiar with aquaponics as the site defines it. It might work in the tropics. But what do you feed the fish? And what level of nutrients would you get from the crops grown solely with fish waste? And what happens to whole system if the power goes out for a week?

    It's too high-tech and too much wishful thinking to me.

    He also sent this:

    Here is a bit more on the subject from my book The Ideal Soil:


    "The newer high-tech solutions, such as hydroponics, or even newer, aeroponics, rate a careful examination. Can we count on them to rescue agriculture? Not if the goal is to feed the world's people and animals. They are fine for growing some pretty tomatoes to sell at the supermarket, or some nice lettuce in the basement, but these "new and modern" systems have a number of basic problems, some of them insurmountable if the goals are sustainability and nutrient-dense food. The most obvious failing is that they are energy-hungry. They use pumps and fans and often lights. In the interests of self-sufficiency, where is that energy to come from? If the power goes out is one going to pedal a bicycle generator to keep the pumps and fans going? In addition to being energy-hungry, both hydroponics and aeroponics require special containers, growing solutions, training and handling. They are not automatic.

    There are other not so obvious problems with hydroponics. Any time one has a liquid-based growing solution they need water-soluble fertilizers, and these must be pure. One does not put compost in the hydroponic trays. This makes all natural organic hydroponics pretty difficult. Another drawback is that only certain crops are suitable, mostly the ones you have seen in the stores so far: lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and some herbs. One will not raise a field of potatoes, cassava, or turnips hydroponically, nor thousands of acres of grains and legumes. One will not grow hay to feed animals hydroponically or aeroponically.

    The most serious downside to these systems, though, is the lack of nutritional completeness in the produce. Designer vegetables grown in nutrient solutions are grown for looks, not nutrition. No one has yet shown that a nutritionally complete diet can be grown in this artificial manner.

    Mention should be made of the ultimate closed-environment theory of the day (or decade), the all-in-one fish pond and hydroponic garden. As you may know, the idea is that one raises fish in a pond, then uses the fish water to irrigate the hydroponic troughs. The nutrients from the fish water are used as fertilizer for the plants. The water comes out "clean" at the other end and is recycled back to the fish pond. Various theories suggest what the fish eat, but the grower gets to eat the fish and the vegetables. The theory sounds good, but all the the designs seem to require glass or plastic domes. We will not feed ourselves and heal our polluted environment by creating isolated bubbles in the landscape.

    The high-tech systems above are things to learn from and we will and have gained knowledge from them. One valuable contribution is that we know more about what mineral nutrients are absolutely essential for plant growth. These systems, however, are not suitable for feeding your family and community, and they will not form the basis of the New Agriculture."

    http://soilminerals.com/TIS_Ch1.htm


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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 27, 2011 3:12 pm

    Thanks Seashore. I also ran across this.

    The pot-in-pot refrigerator, also known as a Zeer in Arabic, is a refrigeration device which keeps food cool without electricity by using evaporative cooling. A porous outer earthenware pot, lined with wet sand, contains an inner pot (which can be glazed to prevent penetration by the liquid) within which the food is placed. The evaporation of the outer liquid draws heat from the inner pot. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot-in-pot_refrigerator

    QUOTE:

    The very first thing you should consider is buying or building a home with a cellar. Cellar's also known as root cellars have temperatures much lower than main floors and considerably lower than outside temperatures. Just having a workable root cellar can preserve many food items for a very long time at a cost of...well nothing after it's built!

    Additionally, many people with Cob homes have built within the walls a “cooler”. Items wrapped in water and towels and put in the cooler will last for days as well because the cob walls will stay cool even though the temperature outside is high. These are located where a typical energy guzzling refrigerator might be in the kitchen.

    Now, if you do live in a cold climate you actually have your own freezer in the winter as you can set food items out to freeze (weather permitting) just be sure that they are in a place where wild animals don't have access to them! Items such as milk should be used within hours after coming out of the cow, however you can make butter, cheese and other milk products for the left over milk (as well as feed your livestock) and those products can stay at room temperature for days or in the cellar for weeks. One person I know of uses clarified ghee instead of butter. Apparently clarified ghee doesn't require any refrigeration. However, I have no idea what clarified ghee is so I cannot vouch for the taste of it. Additionally, firmer cheeses like Parmesan and Romano can stay fresh for weeks without refrigeration. Eggs will last for about a week at room temperature, however if you DON'T wash them and keep them cool in a cellar they can last for a month. After that..bake a cake!

    Fresh fruit and vegetables will stay fresh longer if set in water as well. Food should be kept with roots left on (they will keep longer), wrapped in paper towels or newspaper, changing them each day. Many items like lettuce or cilantro will last for 3 days this way. You will have to do some experimentation. However, the best thing to do with green leafy vegetables is to just not pick them until you want to eat them. Some items, like grapes, will keep very well in wet sand. If they do start to disintegrate you can make jam, or stews and can them.

    read more at link

    http://brie-hoffman.hubpages.com/hub/Living-without-Electricity-How-to-do-without-a-Refrigerator-Off-the-Grid



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    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 27, 2011 3:24 pm



    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:27 pm

    Two years ago, Debra and her family lived in a nearly 2000 square foot home on an acre and a half of land. Then her husband lost his job and they began to work 4 jobs between them to pay the mortgage, until one day they remembered they had a choice.
    Before having their son, Debra and her husband Gary had spent 9 years living in very tiny homes in South America. Living small hadn't felt like a sacrifice, but a way to stay focused on what is important. They decided they wanted to get back to that.
    They stopped working so hard, sold or gave away all of their extra stuff and began looking for the perfect tiny home.
    Debra had always liked the Mississippi shotgun style homes, and one day, while browsing craigslist, they noticed an ad for a local Arkansas company custom building tiny homes for a price that could mean an end to house payments.
    Six weeks and $15,000 later they had their own fully paid-off dwelling. Today, Debra, her husband and 13-year-old son live in a 320-square foot home that is not a sacrifice, but exactly what they need.

    Original story here: http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/shotgun-shack-redux-mortgage-free-in-320...
    Home designed and built by Slabtown Customs: http://slabtowncustoms.com/
    Debra & Gary's home business: http://www.etsy.com/shop/minkeebabygifts


    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Oct 27, 2011 7:38 pm

    Jay Shafer of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company gives us a tour of his 89-square-foot home on wheels parked in Sebastapol, California. He sells plans for the Epu model for $859. Ready made: $45,997 Build it yourself: $19,950
    Original story here: http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/a-tiny-home-tour-living-in-96-square-feet/


    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
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    Post  Carol Thu Nov 10, 2011 12:44 pm

    This ad was in my email and looked good.

    The Plug-n-Play Power System That Provides An Endless Supply of Electricity Without Ever Having To Buy Gas!

    The PowerHub 1800 is a state-of-the-art "turnkey system" that collects the free energy from the sun and stores it in a set of special solar ready batteries. When you need power, it's right there in the battery, waiting for you.

    The PowerHub 1800 consists of two 150-watt solar panels and a battery bank of two 90 amp-hour batteries (for a total of 180 amp-hours of power). When you set up the solar panels to catch the sun ... and it works even on cloudy days, by the way ... the sun's energy is converted and stored in the batteries until you need it. (If you like, you can even charge up the batteries of your PowerHub 1800 from the AC outlet in your wall, before the power goes out.)

    You decide how to "spend" that energy. Start with a fully charged set of batteries, and even if you don't plug the solar panels in again to recharge until you've drained them, you'll be amazed at how much power you'll get. You can run a laptop for a day ... an inkjet printer for over 200 hours ... a cell phone or a cordless phone for 396 hours ... a clock radio for over 200 hours ... a refrigerator for 15 hours, or an 8.8 cubic foot freezer for 20 hours. If torrential rains have knocked out your power and you need to run your sump pump, you could actually run it continuously for 4 ½ hours (which you would never do).

    But here's the amazing thing. That's if the sun never comes out again! Every day the sun comes up and "reloads" your batteries with a fresh charge. And here's the thing: Your system recharges and reloads... even on cloudy days!

    If you keep the solar panels charging while you're using the battery power, you can keep the power on in your home indefinitely. Weathering a Connecticut-sized 10-day power outage will be a piece of cake!

    A Free $300.00 Bonus To Make Your Power Supply Last Even Longer

    When the power's out, you need light. We all know how dangerous candles can be - over 18,000 home fires start every year because of candles. That's why a safe power source like the PowerHub 1800 is so important. The battery will power a lamp with a 60-watt incandescent bulb for 26 continuous hours (plug in the solar panels and charge while you use it, and it will go far longer, of course). If you can live with a 40-watt bulb, you'll get over 40 hours of light. But why use incandescent bulbs at all? They're energy suckers. 90% of that energy is lost through heat.

    Use an LED bulb that's powered by your PowerHub 1800, and your light will last ten times as long as a regular incandescent bulb.

    LED bulbs are far superior to incandescent and even CFL bulbs. The only drawback is that they're expensive ... at least up front. But not in the long run. When you consider they use just 10% of the energy of regular light bulbs and can last up to 40 years, you can see they're well worth the price. They're far more durable than incandescent bulbs, too - no delicate filaments that break at the slightest bump.

    Each LED light bulb gives you the same amount of light as a regular 60-watt incandescent bulb - but uses a fraction of the energy. The light spectrum is a pure white that closely approximates natural daylight. And LED bulbs are far more environmentally friendly than CFL bulbs. (Break a CFL bulb, and you have a mercury contamination problem on your hands.)

    Normally, we sell our 10-bulb LED kit for $300.00. Even at that price, compared to the alternatives, they're an amazing bargain. But because having light when the power goes out is such a basic need, we're giving you a set of bulbs free when you order a PowerHub 1800. This is a limited time offer (good for 72 hours), however, so you'll want to act quickly.

    Why You Can Only Count On Yourself

    The finger pointing has begun. One public official has called the Connecticut power fiasco a "historic breakdown of power and public trust." Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy says the state is "keeping its legal options open" and may take the utility companies to court. Meanwhile, thousands of Connecticut residents are still in the dark.

    It's clear that political posturing won't keep the lights on. As my friend Chuck pointed out, utilities are more concerned about their shareholders than they are their customers. The grid is sorely over-taxed, under-maintained, and vulnerable to a whole host of threats that officials won't even acknowledge. There are some threats to the grid that are so catastrophic that a 10-day ice storm or snowstorm outage will look like a cakewalk.

    If you depend on electricity to keep your family happy, safe, and healthy ... if you need power to stay productive at work because you can't afford to lose a day's wages ... if you are tired of depending on a power grid that's undependable ... isn't it time to declare your independence with reliable backup power?

    <<< ORDER THE POWERHUB 1800 NOW >>> http://www.mysolarbackup.com/ph1800led.html?utm_source=OTG_Advertorial_PH1800_Nov9_Text4&utm_medium=OTG_Advertorial_PH1800_Nov9_Text4&utm_term=OTG_Advertorial_PH1800_Nov9_Text4&utm_content=OTG_Advertorial_PH1800_Nov9_Text4&utm_campaign=OTG_Advertorial_PH1800_Nov9_Text4


    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
    Carol
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    Post  Carol Fri Nov 18, 2011 9:36 pm



    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
    Carol
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    Post  Carol Fri Nov 25, 2011 1:36 pm

    VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/user/solarcabin#p/c/34F7ECFEEB05659B/12/lXu45MHrnTk
    https://www.youtube.com/user/solarcabin#p/c/34F7ECFEEB05659B/7/qghZ2ao7GKM
    How to build a 14x14 solar cabin
    From: solarcabin
    Simple Solar Homesteading: Introduction
    From: solarcabin | Oct 3, 2009 | 41,013 views
    Part one of simple solar homesteading is an introduction and overview of homesteading:
    1: How to find homestead land
    2: How to build a solar cabin for under $2000
    3: How to use a small solar electric system to power your cabin

    For more info visit: www.simplesolarhomesteading.com
    This is a general overview of how I built my 14x14 solar cabin for under $2000.
    For complete step-by-step directions, videos, and more project plans including how to install solar power, drill your own well, build a composting toilet and more please visit website: http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com
    http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com/offthegridebookorder.htm


    https://www.youtube.com/user/solarcabin#p/c/34F7ECFEEB05659B/14/KLnZLypphgk

    https://www.youtube.com/user/solarcabin#p/c/34F7ECFEEB05659B/18/qHIH0CMaWaA
    pallet and shingle cabin.wmv
    From: solarcabin |
    This is a design concept for a16 X16 pallet and shingle cabin. Pallets are cheap and give good structural support when attached to a 4x4 post set in concrete. Tar paper and shingles are very weather resistant and cheaper than siding. Together they make a very inexpensive home!





    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol
    Carol
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    Post  Carol Sat Nov 26, 2011 2:21 am

    https://www.youtube.com/user/solarcabin#p/c/18/qHIH0CMaWaA
    This is a design concept for a16 X16 pallet and shingle cabin. Pallets are cheap and give good structural support when attached to a 4x4 post set in concrete. Tar paper and shingles are very weather resistant and cheaper than siding. Together they make a very inexpensive home!


    https://www.youtube.com/user/solarcabin#p/c/34F7ECFEEB05659B/20/8Cc1QyUNt-A
    This slide show is basic construction of a straw bale and shipping container home. Shipping containers are 8' X 40' and make very strong durable homes. Straw is an excellent insulator and cheap. Together they make a strong, well insulated and inexpensive home.


    https://www.youtube.com/user/solarcabin#p/c/34F7ECFEEB05659B/21/3WNhT0ypsAM
    A frame 20 x 20 - This cabin would be good for heavy snow areas and has approximately 400 sqft n first level and 200 sqft in loft.


    https://www.youtube.com/user/solarcabin#p/c/21/3WNhT0ypsAM
    solar installation and we show you all the new equipment in place and operating.
    http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com
    Northern Arizona Wind and Sun: http://www.solar-electric.com



    _________________
    What is life?
    It is the flash of a firefly in the night, the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset.

    With deepest respect ~ Aloha & Mahalo, Carol

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