Spring on the Homestead - Dogwood Meadows

Spring on the Homestead - Dogwood Meadows

Some pictures of the homestead in bloom 2019.  The dogwoods are simply deluxe this year.  Bright, vivid colors.  Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Dogwood in the family graveyard.  This one stands
over my brother's and his wife's grave.  So pink this
year.

Another pic of the graveyard dogwood.

Close up of the dogwood blooms.  Deluxe pink.

Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think of this year's dogwood trees.

Until next post...........Peace, Robert.

Winter on the Homestead: Dogwood Meadows

Winter on the Homestead:  Dogwood Meadows

Here are a few pics of what the homestead looks like in winter.

Be sure to leave a comment below and let me know what you think.

Until next post........Peace, Robert.

Constructing the Shower and Composting Toilet Building

Greetings.  This will be a short post concerning the construction of the shower and composting toilet building.  I again used pallets to help with the framing up of the building and covered in black plastic sheeting to help with insulating the building.

I will be using reclaimed wood to finish the outside and the upper half of the inside of the shower building.  I am going to use a "composting" toilet I designed with an old beside toilet chair and a 5 gallon bucket.  I grew up with an outhouse so I have no problems with using the composting toilet.  I wont be using the "compost" for gardens but doing a semi-composting method will make disposal easier and more sanitary.  Below are some pics of the building in process.

Front view of the shower building in process of erecting.

Side view of the shower building in process of erecting.

Below is a picture of my buddy Jack helping me on the homestead.

Jack hard at work.

Until next post.  Have a Blessed time.  Peace, Robert.

Clearing the Homestead Land of Rocks

Clearing the Homestead Land of Rocks

Talk about hard work.  Clearing the homestead of rocks is about to kill me.  I didn't think it would be this hard but some of the rocks are murder to get out of the ground.  I think I may have to leave a couple rocks in the ground.  I have been digging on them for a couple days now and will not budge.  Below are some pictures of the rocks I have been able to remove.  If anyone has any ideas to get out the ones I am really having trouble with please leave a comment below.

Head on few of the rock field.

Close up of some of the rocks.

This for an SOB to get out of the ground.

Even more rocks.

May have to leave this one in the ground. 

Another one they may have to stay.

Luckily this one came out in pieces.

A rock and it's hole.

Another one that is really causing problems trying to get out of the ground.

The rocks I have removed so far.

If anyone knows of an easier way to remove the rocks I am having trouble to getting out please leave a comment below.  Until next post, have a blessed time.  Peace, Robert.

More Pictures from the Homestead

More Pictures from the Homestead

Here are some more pics from my homestead.  Since there are several dogwood trees on the land I have decided to call her "Dogwood Meadow Farm".  It seems appropriate.

Below are some pics of my finished out building I am going to use for my kitchen and food storage. It may not look like much but I am kinda proud of myself as this is the first thing I have ever built. I used pallets to make the frame then used plywood to finish the outside.  I used paint that my nephew had here from other remodeling jobs he had done.  It's not the best color but beggars can't be choosy.

The last picture shows the window I put in.  Again not the best job but it works.  If you look closely you can see a set of praying hands in the window.  The family home burnt down several years ago and these were found in the ashes.

Until next post.  Have a blessed time.  Peace, Robert.

I welcome any and all comments, good or bad.

Homesteading and a single gay man

Greetings.  My name is Robert.  I recently lost my partner of almost 40 years in February 2017.  We had always talked about starting a homestead with garden, chickens and maybe a horse or two.  But all we did was talk.  Never acted.  After Donnie's passing I lost our house and had to move into the short school bus we had been remodeling together.

Life has been hard this last year after his passing but I have finally decided to start the homestead we always wanted.  There is a farm in my family and Donnie always liked visiting it.  So over the last few months I have been clearing out an area nestled back in the woods here on the farm.  Below are some pictures of the land cleared with surrounding trees.

Picture of the land I have cleared to use as the homestead.

Another picture of the cleared land.

Close up of some of the trees surrounding the homestead.

Another picture of the trees on the homestead.

I will be living in a short school bus but I am almost done with one outbuilding that I will be using for my kitchen and food storage.  I will also be using coolers and barrels I bury in the ground for cold storage of vegetables and such.  I am hoping next spring to dig me a root cellar for better food storage and for foods I plan on canning.  Below are some pictures of my school bus and outbuilding I have built. I am kinda of proud of myself for the building.  I have never built anything in my life.  I used pallets for framing the building then I got every piece of scrap lumber and plywood I could fine to finish the building out.  Thanks Mike(my nephew) for you help.

My short school bus.

Different view of the school bus.

Foundation of the outbuilding.

Side view of outbuilding.

Front view of the outbuilding.

I am almost finished with the outbuilding and will post further pictures of it a little later.

Until the next post have a blessed day.  Peace, Robert.