A Day In The Life
It’s been a little over 6 months now since we purchased our 10 acres of undeveloped land. So on this episode of The Grid Is For Squares, we thought we’d discuss what a typical day as a homesteader looks like.
We battle daily with rain, cold, heat, poison oak, mice, time, and space, but we persevere. And damnit, we enjoy it.
Side note, we still need a name for the place! Vince pitches “Night Sparkles,” which I mock because that is clearly the name of a goth unicorn. When the right name comes to us, we’ll feel it, but let us know if you have any brilliant ideas!
WHAT WE BUILT:
The “Galvie Box”: a 45” x 40” x 20” metal storage box made from rust-resistant zincalume. Vince also added a layer of tar around the seams to make it even more waterproof.
We fixed our tent’s broken front door zipper using 2-inch-wide strips of industrial velcro and screen door mesh.
Maps: in addition to property lines, elevation contour lines, and seasonal waterways, we’ve started adding named landmarks to our property map. As we’ve mentioned before, even without WiFi or cell service you can use GPS to add points to a Google Map.
After we forgot to turn over our wheelbarrow before we left one weekend and it filled to the brim with water, Vince had the idea to create a catchment pond using a tarp and a hole. We caught 40 gallons of rainwater!
Vince has started some composting projects. More info on “Hugelkultur” to come!
WHAT WE LEARNED:
Silica beads in organza bags can help keep your stuff dry. They turn green when they’re full of water and you can “recharge” them (dry them out) in the oven.
One secret to staying warm when you’re sleeping in a tent is to ensure you have enough layers underneath you. We start with a Mylar survival blanket, yoga mats, and two comforters.
Poison oak is an insidious bastard. Be so so careful if you’re dealing with it and consider using IvyX Pre-Wipes and Post-Wipes. But conveniently (if anything about poison oak can be called “convenient”), the plants connect to a shared mother vine that often grows only a few inches under the surface. If you’re tricky (and again, so careful), you can yank up the whole kit n kaboodle.
As always, you can find more pics on Instagram!
