The Future.

**mommy4ever** · 08-13-2008, 01:15 AM

I've always wanted to live out of the city. I hate the noise, the lack of privacy. We did live on an acreage, but it didn't work out. We found that it wasn't for us at the stage of our lives. Kids needed to be with more people, at least my older 2 require more people around them, my younger two just love being outside for hours on end.

Now they are involved with sports and with the cost of fuel, it wouldn't make sense to be away. We have a belief that sports will help instill active living for a healthier lifestyle in their future. they love their chosen sports, so this is great.

But I want to plan for the future. My baby is going to school, before I know it, she'll be graduating! My eldest nephew just did that and I remember bouncing him on my knee as he excitedly told me about kindergarten, he's now 180lbs and 6 foot 4". He won't fit on my knee without me suffering some very serious injuries..lol.

I want to live on and off of the land. I want to live in a cabin style home, just 2 bedrooms and a loft for when my family visits, an open kitchen/dining/living space. I plan on many many sleep overs with my future grandkids, I don't want BIG, just roomy. A loft would make it alot of fun. I want animals, rabbits, chickens, sheep, alpaca. Maybe even a horse to ride....

I want a great garden, I LOVE to garden, but here nothing grows!! I have NO idea what I"m doing wrong..lol.

I want to go the way of the earthship, in the sense that water can be re-used, first is drinking and washing, second it would go to the indoor gardens and filtered, 3rd is used for the toilets, and fourth to the septic. Use solar power, heat with solar and wood when needed.

To dream, I research and plan and dream..lol. Not sure dh would be on board, I know he'd love to have land again to putter, quad, tinker.

Not sure how to make that all a reality, but one day....

**danni** · 08-13-2008, 09:01 AM

wThis is what wE are working toWarDs right now. WBut we are thinking of actually building an earthship. wI can't Wait until We find the right property.

**mommy4ever** · 08-13-2008, 10:13 AM

I would love an actual earthship, dh isn't convinced, yet. I'm still trying to figure if our northern climate would be accomodated for in an earthship.

**Marie78** · 08-13-2008, 10:16 AM

I have never heard of an earthship, but I am going to go research that right now. I hope you get the future you want for yourself. I hope we all do

.

**madhen** · 08-13-2008, 08:44 PM

Water doesn't necessarily have to go to a septic. If you read "Solviva," she discusses how she sets up her toilets with (I think it is called) an Earthlung filter. Septic water and waste gets filtered through numerous filters and ultimately ends up as compost. Because of the stigma and potential health hazards of using human manure on edible plants, she uses this compost for her trees, shrubs and flowers. She also found out that urine, diluted with the appropriate amount of water, makes a great liquid fertilizer for plants.

I have a huge garden, btw, but lose a LOT of my produce to those *&(!!!%$!! ground squirrels! Where's a hawk when you need one!?

**Quadcam** · 08-14-2008, 01:14 AM

well, just because you move from the city doesnt mean you'll get away from the noise...noisy drunk rednecks..that all i have to say. we have a neighbor kid who drives around on some old riding mower with no exhaust and revs it as hard as he can...all...day...long.

so make sure you get yourself enough of a buffer from annoying neighbors.

as far as the garden, look into square foot gardening. things will grow well, you dont have to amend the soil year after year, it's very organized, takes up much less space and really doesnt have any drawbacks. here s link http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

also being in western canada you have a real short grow season, you might want to think about a greenhouse, maybe incorporate that into the south wall of an earthship...
earthships are really cool by the way. I'd live in one, i like how they just blen into the land, making you feel like your part of it. then again I'm kinda hippieish..so I find stuff like that really cool

**Monner 1** · 08-14-2008, 09:42 AM

That is a beautiful dream to have in my opinion. I hope that you will eventually realize the dream and have all that you want.

Monner

**allenwrench** · 08-14-2008, 09:47 AM

I'm a peak oiler. I like the country, but live in mix of city / country environment. With our post carbon future down the road, do not wish to be too far from the city and have to hike 20 miles to get some supplies.

Just started to learn about growing food 6 months ago. Planted 26 fruit trees and made a large garden and 6 smaller garden beds. Still know next to nothing about it, bit I keep experimenting.

I am growing food because:

Food quality in the store is low.

Food being sold is unhealthy and devoid of nutrition.

Food costs are getting out of sight.

Food is or will be scare in the future as we become post carbon society due to peak oil and peak natural gas...as well as issues of peak water, overpopulation and global warming.

Also into foraging...lots of stuff around the Ohio Valley to forage.

Good luck with finding the best mix for you.

(Had incuded some photos, but it would not let me post them)

**Russ** · 08-14-2008, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Quadcam

well, just because you move from the city doesnt mean you'll get away from the noise...noisy drunk rednecks..that all i have to say. we have a neighbor kid who drives around on some old riding mower with no exhaust and revs it as hard as he can...all...day...long.

so make sure you get yourself enough of a buffer from annoying neighbors.

as far as the garden, look into square foot gardening. things will grow well, you dont have to amend the soil year after year, it's very organized, takes up much less space and really doesnt have any drawbacks. here s link http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

also being in western canada you have a real short grow season, you might want to think about a greenhouse, maybe incorporate that into the south wall of an earthship...
earthships are really cool by the way. I'd live in one, i like how they just blen into the land, making you feel like your part of it. then again I'm kinda hippieish..so I find stuff like that really cool

Couple things..
Exactly right when it comes to neighbors! I have lived on my 10 acre property for going on 18 years now. The first 16 were AWESOME. Quiet neighborhood, very little traffic lots of wildlife. Then Louie moved in across the road. He burns his trash and it STINKS. His son has a rock band.

They practice in the barn almost every weekend. Not too loud, but you can hear it. I can deal with that.

The worst happened last year. The next door neighbor sold his house to a younger couple with 2 boys...with dirt bikes. OMG! So much for the peace and quiet of country living. Those bloody things are so loud we (I) have to come in the house and close the windows they get on my nerves so bad. I can't stand it.
Haven't seen any deer since they moved in and it is disheartening to see how much they are tearing that property up.
sorry that turned into a rant.
research your property well and always expect change.

As for Sq ft gardening... it sounds good, but it is FAR from the best way to garden. Way too crowded IMO. I will not be doing it next year.

**danni** · 08-14-2008, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by mommy4ever

I would love an actual earthship, dh isn't convinced, yet. I'm still trying to figure if our northern climate would be accomodated for in an earthship.

wIW found some info on a couple that built one in southern wOntario anD figured that wE coulD adapt one to here too. We might have to use alternate heat source a little more than they do but other than that wIW don't see a problem.

**Russ** · 08-14-2008, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by Marie78

I have never heard of an earthship, but I am going to go research that right now. I hope you get the future you want for yourself. I hope we all do

.

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthship[/ame]

**Gabe** · 08-14-2008, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by allenwrench

I'm a peak oiler. I like the country, but live in mix of city / country environment. With our post carbon future down the road, do not wish to be too far from the city and have to hike 20 miles to get some supplies.

Just started to learn about growing food 6 months ago. Planted 26 fruit trees and made a large garden and 6 smaller garden beds. Still know next to nothing about it, bit I keep experimenting.

I am growing food because:

Food quality in the store is low.

Food being sold is unhealthy and devoid of nutrition.

Food costs are getting out of sight.

Food is or will be scare in the future as we become post carbon society due to peak oil and peak natural gas...as well as issues of peak water, overpopulation and global warming.

Also into foraging...lots of stuff around the Ohio Valley to forage.

Good luck with finding the best mix for you.

(Had incuded some photos, but it would not let me post them)

Hi allenwrench,

You need a little more posts for pictures. We have an anti spam system on the forums where folks need to make posts before attaching images. Hope you understand. I believe the threshold is 15 or 20 posts.