For the last couple of years my wife and I have been working on a "retirement retreat" in rural Nova Scotia. My father-in-law gave us a couple of hectares of raw land a few kms from the fishing village where he lives and is a commercial fisherman. No neighbours for at least three kms in any direction. We are building slowly because we are trying to do it without going into debt (which means there will be little progress this year so long as oil is sub $50/barrel). Power is over a mile away so electrical will be solar and generator. We have drilled a 400+ ft well for water which produces 1/4 gallon per minute (poor), but has a static water level at 40 feet (good). We now have a septic tank and field as well as an out-house. The house has a propane tank for passive radiant heat for the slab and we will keep up propane for cooking which is why I call it "semi off grid". If I can figure out how to reduce the size of the photo files I will post more. The place has 1000 sq' ft' on the main and again in the basement so it looks really big. There is a wood burning stove for the main level and passive propane heat for the basement. When the time comes that we can ditch the big city, this is our "GOOD" plan.
Needs must when the devil drives.
Looks very nice! Keep us in the loop as it may give us some ideas. Love the metal roof BTW!
Really does look nice. I think it's great that you are building without going into debt. Good for you!
Antsy,
Excuse my ignorance, but I've never worked with wells (just septic and city water). How are you going to work with 1L/min pressure? Install a cistern for temporary storage in order to have enough pressure in the house?
Helicopilot,
Much of this is new to me as well and I am taking my lead from the locals. In this instance, the static water level is the key. With a hole in the ground over 400' deep and the static water level at 40' there are approximately 360 feet of water in the well hole at 3/4 gallon per foot (about 270 gallons of water) and will fill 360 gallons per day at the current rate. The thinking is that if we use water judiciously, collect water from the roof top for outdoor use, and install water saving devices, we should be able to get by with the existing well. I had considered using the existing well for geo-thermal lines for heating and cooling purposes and drill another well but was dissuaded by the drilling company. If we have problems with water supply I will install a cistern to supplement the well. I am learning as I go.
Antsy
Needs must when the devil drives.
Looks like a cozy retirement plan. So what will you plan to put in the yard?
Plants or rabbits or chickens? Windmill or water tanks?
Regret comes last, if it comes early its called registration!
In the end, only fellow preppers truly respects other preppers.
When nothing happens, the world will laugh at you.
When SHTF, what will happen when they found out you got supplies?
JackDee
My Father-in-law gardens on the six acres behind our lot (not all of it). There were meetings with an industrial wind generating company a few years ago but the community declined their offer as it was prohibitive for the surface owners use. For our own plans, we are not yet sure..... At 45 yrs of age, I still have fifteen to twenty years at the grind stone. We will use the place in the summers and swing seasons - spend some quality time with the in-laws - fish, kayak, run, and read. In the back of my mind I would like to build a workshop outbuilding with a small forge for metal casting. I did some in Uni and really took to it. Of course, that was over twenty years ago.
Antsy
Needs must when the devil drives.
Hi there, had the same problem with a low producing well in northern alberta.
what we did is put in 2 large 1000 gallon storage tanks and a well pump controller that would shut off the pump as the water flow slowed down and come back on as well recovered by doing this a little at time over the day and night the tanks would fill and you can use water as you need it.
This system worked very well for us and others in our area with similar problems.
Interested to know what you are using for batteries for your solar system as i am doing a similar set up on my semi off grid location.
Hi there, had the same problem with a low producing well in northern alberta.
what we did is put in 2 large 1000 gallon storage tanks and a well pump controller that would shut off the pump as the water flow slowed down and come back on as well recovered by doing this a little at time over the day and night the tanks would fill and you can use water as you need it.
This system worked very well for us and others in our area with similar problems.
Interested to know what you are using for batteries for your solar system as i am doing a similar set up on my semi off grid location.
Update:
We haven't set up the solar yet. We finished the siding, soffit and fascia last fall and installed a small propane heater to keep the green concrete from freezing over the worst of winter but have not continued thus far. With the economy slowing here in AB and our efforts to build without credit, we are putting off work for this year. I expect to come down for a couple of weeks this summer and will frame up a deck, extend the propane to the deck for a grill, and sip on Garrison Browns. I may well insulate the walls as well as heating the basement without insulation last winter was foolish (although there is no need to heat now). I will update with details and photos as it is relevant to do so.
Cheers,
Antsy
Needs must when the devil drives.
