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I planted some asparagus crowns 10 days ago and they are going like gangbusters. I’m backfilling the trench about 2-3 inches a day the past few days and some shoots are 3-4 inches taller the next day.

Yes there is a lot of clay, but the previous owners had a perc test done, and it was okay.

I know, it would be cheaper to just buy the fruit. But it’s the challenge and the principle, I guess.

I’m building “cages” around my fruit trees. I started with a 4 ft fence to keep out javelina. Then a deer ate one of my apple trees, so I put a 6 ft fence just inside the 4 ft fence. Those two fences kept the deer, cows, and javelina out, but then the birds ate the fruit before we could pick it...

We bought 40 acres (mostly wooded) and built our retirement home there. When the 40 in front of us came on the market, we snapped it up. 80 gives nice privacy.

Thanks all!

I’m ready to get a canopy for my L3400. Any pros or cons as to what’s available?

Yes, it’s staying warm enough. I have kale, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and broccoli growing so far. Haven’t harvested anything yet but getting close.

His leg is fine. He gets a little arthritis when it rains. i was helping a friend build just outside of Winslow. i have been meaning to look into solar electrical fence.

I have a couple extra bottles from a travel trailer I sold. I hook the heater up to one of those and it should last awhile.

A heat lamp would most likely work well, but since I’m off-grid I try to avoid any heat produced by electricity. With the short days I use up a lot of my batteries just maintaining the house. Short days mean less charging time, on top of long nights which use more lights and such.

Update on Walipini; The last couple days it has gotten down to 11 degrees at night, and only 25 during the day. And we had some snow, so I took the precaution of putting a small propane heater in the green house (a Mr. Buddy), and set it on low, just to make sure it didn’t freeze anything. It’s...

It’s been in the low 20’s at night lately and low 40’s during the day. Green house has not gone below 44 at night and usually goes to low 90’s during the day. I have a propane heater but have not used it yet. I have beets a few inches high, kale about 6 inches, and some romaine that just broke...

Thanks Ken. So far the humidity in there has been around 15% and I haven’t noticed any insects yet. No settling that I can notice, and it’s been 8 years. When Spring arrives, I’ll be starting my next project - back deck with mud room.

I’m very happy with the Walipini so far. Temps at night have been in the mid twenties and it is staying about 45 inside at night, with no heat source. Daytime temps have been in the upper forties and it gets up to 100 inside. I have kale about 4-5 inches tall; beets about the same; romaine is...

Installed gutter today. For now the water will run down the downspout and away from the green house. In the Spring I’ll block the hole to the downspout and drill a hole near the end so the water goes into that holding tank.

Fresh cut juniper trees, stacked on each other with timberlock screws and fence posts. When filling it up, I put smaller branches (3-5 inches in diameter) in any cracks to hold the dirt in.

The water barrel and a piece of insulation over the inside of the door made a big difference. Last night it got down to 22 degrees outside. In the green house it bottomed out at 52.

We haven’t had a garden for several years but now that we are both retired and both here full time, we will attempt a garden also. These outside raised beds are now full of dirt, manure, and compost, and will be ready for planting in the Spring. I still need to fence them in though.

I transplanted my tomato plants into the green house and they are doing way better than they did all summer. Last week I planted kale seeds and beet seeds. Both are coming up in the last couple days. its been getting down to the mid twenties at night but it hasn’t gotten below 42 in the green...

I finished the electrical and the plumbing. The blue barrel I painted black today and filled it with water. The plan is that it will absorb heat during the day and then release it during the night.

Finished the retaining walls.

Started working on a retaining wall the other day.

Thanks all.

I’ve always had outdoor gardens and when the frost and cold weather came, the growing season was over. Now I have a green house, so I’m wondering how long a tomato plant can last if it continues to stay warm and is weather protected. Any experiences?

Thanks.

The 12 inch fan I got from HD. The louvers open automatically when the fan comes on. I need to make some smaller ones for the little fan. I don’t remember where I got it. It several years old and has a switch based on humidity while the big fan is set to temperature.

I finished almost all the outside. I have landscape fabric under the gravel. I like the exhaust fan, as it’s temperature controlled. I started filling up one of the beds inside today.

Finished my door. Also have all the insulation in, as well as another exhaust fan.

Looks like it’s time to clean the bird bath.

I’m still going to cover those green rakes.

I know. I keep telling my wife I should go back to full-time employment. This retirement stuff is hard work. 😄

I finished the shingles! I was too tired to go take a picture, as I split wood all morning. I’ll send a pic tomorrow.

I think if I put my new boards out in the sun like that, that they would be pretzels in a couple days. 😄 im not plannings on painting that board. Maybe a coat of varathane.

Yes, I used treated wood for the fascia on the lower side. I will also be putting a gutter on there to collect rain water.

It’s sort of like a regular plywood and shingle roof with a huge skylight! 😄

I needed to finish up the trim on the sides so I could put the drip guard on.

Started the shingles.

Yes, the felt and the shingles will be over the poly on top and under the poly at the bottom. Like I said, I just laid them there to get a feel for how it was going to look.

These are the shingles. I just have them laying there to see what it looks like. I haven’t done the felt on the lower part yet.

I went to town today to get shingles. After I got back I put the felt paper on the top part. Kind of windy and not very warm (53 degrees), so that was a lot of fun. NOT!

Yesterday I had to remove one of the siding panels on the end while I was working inside. At 112, it was just too dang hot in there. I guess I need to get my exhaust fans pronto.

I rolled up the plastic and put it away. The polycarbonate panels are all up.

I got 3 of the 5 panels up today. Hopefully I can finish the other 2 tomorrow.

Awesome job. Looks great!

You know, I put in French drains and then I waterproofed the outside of the block walls, because that’s what you’re suppose to do. But with only 12-15 inches of rain per year, I’m not convinced I needed to do either. So what if moisture gets in. That would be that much less watering I need to...

Making a door is the next job.

Eventually there will be windows and vents, but I’m just trying to get it buttoned up for now.

It uses the earth to keep a more consistent temp. The temp of the earth, usually around 50-55 degrees, will keep it warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, thus extending the growing season, possibly to 12 months.

The plywood and panels are about the same thickness. I’ll butt the panels up to the plywood and then I’ll probably shingle over the plywood, with some overlap onto the panels.

Panels will go edge to edge left to right, but they are 4 ft wide and 8 ft long and the rafters are 12 ft so I need something to cover up the other 4 feet. I could cut some panels in half and do a row of 8 footers and a row of 4 footers but there’s little point of paying for panels to cover...

Yes, that’s what I thought when you said purloins, but I don’t think they are necessary with the blocking and plywood.

I have 12 ft rafters. I put 30” of plywood along the top, and 18” along the bottom. That leaves 96” for my 8 ft panels. What I didn’t take into account was my fascia boards. If I start the plywood at the top edge and the bottom edge, I’m going to have a 3” gap. I’ll have to think on that one...

Eddie, is this what you meant by purloins? I always intended to put 2x4’s in between the rafters, but I’ve always heard that referred to as “blocking”. So I have 2x4 blocking at the center of the span. Then I put 30” of plywood at the top and 18” at the bottom. That leaves 96” for my panels...

Home Depot has Lexan sheets with “H” profile strips to go between the panels and “U” profiles for the ends. But they only carry 6mm in that brand. They have Ejoy panels in 10mm, which I’d rather have, but they don’t carry any profiles or connectors. Go figure. So I haven’t finalized which panel...

I’m still honing my search for panels. Hopefully they will be 4x10, in which case I’ll put a 2x4 at the top and bottom. I’m trying to keep it as open as possible to keep anything from blocking the sun. The rafters are 12 ft long, so I’m thinking of putting a 12 inch strip of plywood across the...

Framing done. I found an old roll of heavy plastic in the Conex and it’s exactly the right size. It will do until I order my polycarbonate panels.

Ken, it’s a greenhouse. The big sloping wall faces South. The straight wall is just to get a good angle to the sun.

7 of 11 rafters finished.

I started framing today. Woo Hoo!!

Has anybody built an underground green house? I have the walls completed and will start on the roof in a couple days. Just wondering if anybody has one and if so, did you put insulation on the walls, like polyiso panels? also, has anyone run pex lines in the raised beds to keep the soil warm...

I tried the netting over the tree and almost ruined the tree trying to get it off. I just finished this cage that seems to keep away the birds, deer, and javelina. I’ll probably build 5 more, for the cherry trees, peach, pear, etc.

Good to hear from you Ken. Glad we don't get snow like that now.

I finished the sill plate. I was going to go get lumber for the roof today, but we got some heavy rain last night and the roads are too muddy. I’ll have to wait a couple days.

Last of the concrete!!!

I got 26 bags mixed before the rains came. My homemade box works really well.

So much for Hurricane Hilary. Like the other Hillary, it was just a lot of hot air. 😄 We got a small sprinkle for a few minutes. Other than that it was just cloudy and cool. I spent the day on several small jobs in case a storm did materialize. I made a box to slide along the top of the wall...

I finally finished the 9th and final course. I was planning on grouting today, but Hurricane Hilary May delay it another day or two. It’s suppose to thunderstorm all day.

I’ve already started filling them. I mix up a batch in the mixer, pour it into a mixing tray, and then I’ve been using some old plastic flower pots to scoop it into the block. Since I’m filling at the halfway point, I’m sticking little 2 ft pieces of rebar vertically in every block to help make...

About 12 block a day is what my back will tolerate. Then there’s tarring the outside and hauling/washing gravel for backfill, grinding and placing rebar, etc. The actual laying of block is about 25% of the job, so I’m happy with the progress rate.

No hurry. Just enjoying the process.

I’m up to 4 courses so far. Going for 9. It’s so hot that I only work on it from 6:30-9:00 am.

I guess I’ll get done when I get done. No time table. Next week we head over to CA to our oldest grandchild’s high school graduation.

I went ahead and put perforated drain pipe behind the block I have done so far. I know, some think I’m nuts for doing the drain pipe when I haven’t even finished the first course yet, but I’ve had multiple cave-ins and I’m just trying to make sure I can get some wall up asap by the most...

I just now found my tool for smoothing the seam between blocks. I may not use it until the 5th course as everything below that will be covered in dirt, inside and out.

I know Brandi doesn’t doubt my work, but thanks for the vote of confidence.

I did 10 more block yesterday and ran out of block. Another trip to HD tomorrow.

Laid 13 block today, in about the same time as I did 6 yesterday. I think I’m getting into a groove. 👍

We are finally completely out of the Phoenix home and here at the cabin 24/7. It took a long time to dig out all the dirt that caved in and get back to where I was last August. I got the footer poured a week or so ago and finally laid the first block yesterday morning. After 6 block, it started...

Yes the weather put the kibosh on everything. The dirt walls have caved in on top of my forms and it will be a ton of work to dig everything out when weather permits. Since Jan 1 we have received 57 inches of snow. More than the last several years combined. I have been concentrating my efforts...

Yes, a lot of expansive clay.

Yea, I figured I better fill the block.

I can throw in some perforated pipe before I backfill, making some French drains. And I could put in a couple anchors. We’re getting some heavy rain right now. A few inches this week.

So two of my block walls on my underground greenhouse are going to be 6 ft tall and 19 ft long. When they are finished and cured, I will backfill. I’m planning on inserting rebar and filling some of the holes in the block around the center of my walls at least. Question; Should I put a small...

Wow, I need to find a group like that!

We have triple wall on our freestanding Blaze King. Never heard anything about an insulated pipe, even from the most regulated communist county in the country.

We love our Blaze King Princess model, but it can cook us out even with 1700 sq ft. Usually we leave upstairs windows open a little, even when it’s freezing outside.

Wow, be careful. Hope you heal quickly.

I have a friend who is a nutritionist and dietician, and she told me 30 yrs ago that if you eat what you’re suppose to eat, you’ll weigh what you’re suppose to weigh. So even though I started off with the goal of shedding pounds quickly (about 3 lbs a week), I morphed into eating what I think...

We have juniper and pinion pine.

I use a smaller plate these days! And have no problem pushing away whether the plate is empty or not.

The 153 is an arbitrary number I pulled from some internet site trying to determine best weight for your height. It’s not in stone. I went from size 40 pants to comfortable 34. I can squeeze into 32 but I still have a bit of a muffin top with them. I want to get rid of that. If it takes 15 more...

If you soak them for 24 hours before cooking them then it eliminates almost all the gas.

Excellent! Processed food has so much of the good stuff taken out and so much questionable stuff added. I say, if you can’t pronounce it, don’t eat it. Same with processed meats, so hopefully the meat you do eat is fresh from the butcher and not the packaged processed meats.

I previously ate just about everything, including lots of junk food and snacks. After doing a lot of research, I found the best way to lose weight and prevent disease is to go the totally plant based whole food method. No meat, no dairy, nothing processed (almost everything that comes in a box)...

Health is pretty good, now. Back in March the doc said I was the heaviest ever (225) and he was talking Lipitor and something for blood pressure. I told him I’d fix it. I really dislike prescriptions. I mean really, really dislike medications. I don’t take anything except some vitamin...

Nice new toy. Sounds like you’re having fun!

About a year ago, civilian asked for a drone shot. Here’s a couple.

I was back your way for about 10 days. Visited siblings and cousins. We all got together at Heartland on Heritage in Magnolia, Ohio.

Well that is interesting. I’m not sure the boss will go along with any change of plans. LOL

We have a winner!

Any guesses?

I’m ready to build forms for the footers.

I graded until it sloped downhill, Eddie. No worries about filling up.

I ordered mine about 2 months ago and it arrived in about two weeks. Compared to Dish internet and Verizon internet, it’s way better. I can stream on two tvs, an iPad and my phone with no issues. I love it.

Good morning from Northern AZ. It’s been a few months since I was online. Life happens.

I had my 4 grandsons for a couple weeks, so they helped me move a lot of dirt.

About a month ago I started on a new project. My neighbor brought over his backhoe and dug out this hole for me.

We heat mostly with the wood stove and usually go through 3 cords a winter in northern AZ. My wife wants to get me a splitter but I keep telling here that splitters are for old people. I’m 72 and enjoy splitting all our firewood. Maybe one of these days, but not yet.

??????? Well, if I ever get a sore on my foot, I may try that.

We hit 99 a couple days up here but the temps have been bearable, especially with the evenings cooling off. I had the 4 boys the last week of June and the first week of July. They are now 14,12,10 and 8. They enjoyed the usual zipline and the quads, as well as BB guns. Also this year I hid a...

When one ladder will not reach……….

Yes, i still need finish trim. Too hard to anticipate exactly what I would need ahead of time.

I still need a little chinking in the cracks and maybe some 1/4 round, but its 99% finished.

I got the window out, the log sawed and the door put in the same day. Glad that job is over!

Well, it is finally time to quit crawling out the window.

Wow, back in October it was $3.10. I’m sure its higher now.

I have been working on the railing when I have time. Slow and steady. It will get done one of these days.

Here is the last picture I took while 40 feet up on the telehandler before I sold it. However, it is pre-zipline. I will have to work on that drone shot.

I had also completed the boardwalk before the grandson visit.

I finished the floor upstairs and then started the railing. Then I went to get my 4 grandsons for a 2 week stay, so any further work is on hold. It was a challenge eating those 16 foot rim joists up there by myself.

Always a lot going on. I have about 2/3 of the flooring upstairs done. When I ran out of 2x6s, then I switched to the stairs, pouring a pad under them, and another one 6 feet away. Instead of a sidewalk, I decided to go with a boardwalk. I have 2 of the 3 pads poured but now I am sidetracked...

All joists are up. Time for flooring.

Finished the other ledger board and I have half of the joists up. Slow and steady. I am 70 and working alone, so safety comes before speed. No deadlines makes it easier.

I was able to get one of the 16 foot ledger boards up today. Heavy board, climbing up and down scaffolding, trimming high spots with chainsaw,...... Whew, I am bushed.

Thanks, Eddie. A couple before pics

Finally got back to work on the deck. Here is the landing and stairs that I built a couple days ago. I still need to do the railings, but no more using a ladder to get up onto the deck.

We are getting a few inches. I have plenty of firewood stocked up so let winter come. Instead of doing the railing, I have been busy sealing up cracks, giving the logs another coat of varathane, and painting the chinking.

I had hoped to make some progress on the deck railing, but with temps going down into the teens this week, I decided that stocking up on firewood was more important.

I finished with the floor boards. I will resume with the railing when I get back in a couple days.

Here are the bolts in my railing posts that I prefer over the structural screws. If you look closely, you can see structural screws holding that diagonal brace.

I used my forks to lift 6X6s beams into place. It is the most useful attachment I have. Moving pallets, firewood, brush, rocks, etc. I have used it as a sawhorse while cutting beams and rafters. I cannot imagine not having it.

Still have not finished, but my better half could not wait, so we had our breakfast out here.

Update. I have about 2/3 of the floor done. Well, not completely done. I still need to go back and put in a lot of screws, but I am making progress. I ran out of lumber, so I will have to wait a week or so to finish. I have been buying it in increments so it is not laying around long enough to...

One more joist to go.

I have 6 joists in now and they are perfectly level. I plan to leave a space between the boards, so it should be fine.

I picked up my 6X6 beams today, and started to set the first one. Easy with the tractor! I have not secured it at the bracket yet and was wondering if the beam in the metal bracket is fine or should i slip a 6x6 piece of shingle under the beam?

We have a community well about 2.5 miles away. About every 3 or 4 months I spend a day hauling water. After I got all 3 tanks plumbed together at the top, it was much easier to fill. I also have tanks that collect rain water for irrigation. A 2500 gal on one side and an 1100 on the other.

About a month ago I managed to get the footers done for my porch, before the cold weather. I probably will not do much more until March, but it was nice getting this part behind me.

Sidetracked again. I put a roof on the porch of my solar shed. One year I could not open the door due to snow and ice. I have the felt on now and expect to shingle it tomorrow.

The boss informed me that the master bath was more important than the front porch. I do not like tile and grout, but oh well, it is finally finished.

We have a few miles of dirt roads that lead to our place, that can get very muddy when it rains. This year the board approved a road improvement budget. My neighbor and I are doing the work to save the Assocoation some money. We are laying down Millings? which is ground up pavement from the...

I didn't even have half of the "holds" installed and the boys were already scrambling up the wall.

I added an additional zipline. Beside the big one (325 feet), I ran a 60 foot line off to the side. It is between the ladders and is for the younger kids that are a little afraid of the big one.

We also installed a tube slide.

My zipline tower is morphing into a clubhouse, lookout tower, and all-around fun house. I'm installing toe holds on this plywood wall for a climbing wall.

Finally finished the zip line. The grandkids can't wait to come visit.

And here I'm taking the pole down to the other end of the zip line. I really didn't think my 34hp tractor would lift this log.

Starting to put up the zip line poles.

I got tired of reconnecting to each tank, so now I hook up once and it fills all three tanks.

Thursday was move in day!!! Woo Hoo, it's finally home.

I did the downstairs baseboard.

Can't find anywhere to change my password. I'm using my iPhone app. Any ideas?

My new 1,000 gallon tank to haul water. I love it.

And finished my last section of floor. Busy day.

And built a platform for my washer & dryer.

I set another water tank today.

Finally finished the Varathane on the interior logs. Now it's on to the floors.

I sold my Telehandler. Yesterday they picked it up. 😭😂😖😩

I put my shower doors in yesterday.

Friday I finished up my downspouts. Just in time, as we are suppose to be getting drenched this evening.

I started spreading chat (crushed limestone) all around the house to eliminate the mud problem. Sunday I spread about 30 ton.

I finished the larger section of railing yesterday. That's the most tedious job I've come across yet. And the last major hurdle before final inspection, which I plan on having Monday.

The kitchen is now about 95% complete.

I got my countertops installed. I'm loving it.

Found a couple of rocks to set out front.

Finished a list of jobs that required the telehandler as I may have it sold. I put an additional two foot section on the chimney and then put a brace kit on. Then put in some extra screws for the fascia boards. Caulked around the Ridge Pole, installed some bird spikes and installed LED flood...

It is so nice being able to plug into my own solar power instead of running a generator all day.

I have 12 panels on the roof (255w), 16 batteries, and an Outback system (inverter, controller, charger), and a step down transformer for the propane backup generator.

Front steps. Eventually I want a full front porch.