It has finally begun...

schoolsout · Jun 27, 2012

Got the roof on last week...been slammed at the job lately, but here are a few pics. Plumbing has been roughed in and concrete guy should be coming this weekend...I hope.

Power company is starting to go backwards on us now...saying it's more expensive to run power and the "new boss" is more of a stickler.

schoolsout · Jul 2, 2012

Went back out in 100+ temps yesterday and planted another acre. This pic is of bird seed planted about 5 weeks ago. Any sunflower that was growing is now gone. Deer and turkey have been milling about in it lately. Part of this is planted on the new ground and apparently, the birdseed doesn't like much fertilizer...burned some earlier plantings with 12-12-12. The stuff growing sporadically that was spread by equipment when we had the area cleared is growing quite well (the sorghum we planted on perimeter of cleared field).

schoolsout · Jul 24, 2012

Power company is giving us a hard time...should have gone ahead and done the power last year, but it was about $6500.

Now, since it is just a shed at this point, they want to see the plans for the house (which we don't really have as we weren't permitting it (just permitted the pole shed as dimensions wouldn't change and doubt anyone will ever check it out) to make sure we aren't just doing a shed. Problem is, even if we had plans and a permit, we planned on finishing this longer than the 6 months given for a permit before a CO is needed.

May just do a generator (for well and a few lights when needed) until we can get the walls up and show them it isn't just a "shed."

MotorSeven · Jul 26, 2012

Have you kicked around solar? It's come way down in price, then you could thumb you nose at the power company and their $6500. No way would I pay that to hook up.

schoolsout · Jul 27, 2012

MotorSeven said:
Have you kicked around solar? It's come way down in price, then you could thumb you nose at the power company and their $6500. No way would I pay that to hook up.

I'll definitely do solar out there later on when (assuming I do) build a "real" house. My goal is to get as much from the land as I can regarding food, water, power, etc.

The cost of the power is high because it needs to be run 500' or so underground from what I can tell. We are also seeing what the difference would be with it running above ground on poles (I'd rather have it underground, but wouldn't mind the poles because where they would be located is along the edge of the ~8 acre field and it should attract doves). I think the main hiccup with the power company is they are on a more strict budget as they are working on some nuke projects (SCE&G).

schoolsout · Oct 23, 2012

Power is in the process. Mostly above ground. Well will be drilled once power is out there. Also, have quote on materials/labor for enclosing building.

Recently, have planted 14 pear/plum/apple trees (hope they do ok), 5 pecans (one got mauled by a buck where about a foot of bark all around was rubbed off. It's still kicking, but wonder if it will ultimately make it?), 2 loquats, 2 figs and have some other pecans/pin oaks/etc to finish up.

schoolsout · Feb 16, 2013

Power is hooked up.

Went out today to get 4 live oaks in the ground (local nursery is liquidating a bunch of 4-6"+ caliper trees for $50/ea), but only managed one before rain started and temp started to drop. May snow/sleet a bit tonight here so who knows...will try again tomorrow.

crbr · Feb 16, 2013

Thanks for the picture

schoolsout · Mar 8, 2013

Few pics from the past 2 or so weeks. Pops managed to get the tractor stuck pretty good. Was disking around cell tower and found exactly where power company laid cable when they ran power to our shed. It had rained a lot just before this, too.