With the recent sunny weather, I had no desire to be behind a laptop or indoors at all for that matter.
Plus, there has been a flurry of new activities happening both on and off the farm.
With the rain falling, just in time to end the drought and potential brush fire conditions, I’m happy to tell you all about it.
I’m now living on the land full-time!
“Wow, that was quick” – you may be thinking?
Yes, but allow me to clarify.
A recent farming opportunity came up (that I’ll talk about next time) that precipitated getting my butt to Willsboro by early May.
With good news in hand, I needed to get a base camp of operations i.e. food, warmth and shelter, set-up and somewhat functional by then.
It turns out that we were able to pick up a pop-up camper from my brother-in-law and this is now what we are calling home:
The 1994 Viking Camping Trailer
We parked it, ran electric to it and after a few adjustments and repairs, I’m finding it to be quite a comfortable abode.
It can get pretty windy here in Willsboro but the pop-up seems to be holding up well.
The garage while also being our tiny house workshop, is also our kitchen and pantry.
The glamping garage, as it was known, would have also made for suitable Summertime accommodations, but it is functioning better as a workshop.
With a single burner induction cooktop, a 6 cup coffee pot and various utensils, this is where I do the majority of my cooking.
How about a shower?
I mulled over a few ideas for a shower but none looked simpler than starting with a 5 gallon bucket and two other components I bought on Amazon.
I found a portable camp shower that uses rechargeable batteries powered by USB. It is a pump and shower head in one unit.
The other item is a bucket heater. It’s meant to be used to heat up water in a 5 gallon bucket for livestock.
It heats up my chilly spring water to hot shower temps in about 30-45 minutes.
For the shower house, I used some pallets as a base and old barn boards for the sides.
For an outdoor shower, so far it’s working out well. I turn off the water after lathering up and shaving to save water.
I haven’t had to use a full 5 gallons yet either. The pressure on the shower head isn’t too powerful, but enough to rinse off properly.
The only thing I wish it had was another on/off button by the shower head instead of only being on the pump unit that is submerged in the water.
Turning off the water means the bucket needs to be in the shower with you. Not a deal breaker by any stretch.
A bit closer, in the journey…
Living here has been an absolute delight and the bigger picture is starting to conceptually unfold in how we can transform this old farm into a living, sustainable operation.
Forget about alarm clocks. It’s been amazing to wake-up with the sunrise. I could easily fall asleep when it sets.
Watching the stars at night with zero light pollution is a treat that I’m still getting used to; so many new constellations to explore and learn about.
Not only did I have unseasonably warm weather during my first few weeks here, I had the Full Flower Moon bathing me in it’s transcendent light during my first outdoor shower.
It was as if the Moon was welcoming and helping me get familiar in my new surroundings.
#Goodvibes
All of a sudden, things feel a bit more tangible and I get the feeling that this farm dream might be a lot closer than we think.
Nice write up, Dave! Love how efficient you are 😉
Thanks Jennifer!
Great pics!
Awesome. Glad you think so. Been using my iPhone because it’s so portable, but will start using my Canon 60D more at the farm in the future.
Awesome. Yeah, really enjoy reading your updates. The pics definitely add some nice visuals.
Dan, love the passion you have! I look forward to hearing about the success of your farm. Dreams are what we all need to focus on, not the toils of daily life. i think you got a heads up on the rest of us. Rock on!
Thanks Brian. It’s even more encouraging to hear your perspective. I really appreciate it man!
Wow, this is brave, and so awesome! All the best in your adventure and thank you for sharing it with the rest of us.
Great post! Beautiful photos. It is great to see where this journey is taking you!