Villager may I suggest that you take some time to read this guys blog. He has built a rather cheap and nice self-sustaining house and has detailed it very well.
http://canadiandirtbags.wordpress.com/
Unfortunately one of his experiences was with a home built Rocket Mass stove. He did a course down in the US to build it perfectly but as he details on December 15th 2013 they decided to tear it down and replace it with a conventional stove. Anyway enjoy and may it be an inspiration to you :).
Jensen, thanks for the link. I read thru it , and i could see possible reasons for their unsatisfactory experience...the predominant wind direction, the vertical chimney instead of horizontal, the overall length of the benchwarming piping, the questionable spacing around the bottom of the barrel,the insufficient heat retention in the structure because of the high cold winds on stacked earth, unbermed....and other unanswered factors. They seemed desperate to make a bearable change from the prolonged bitter cold. I can understand that. Their judgement call.
The documented success of other rocketstoves and subsequent great fuel-efficiencies are enough to keep me interested in developing an optimum design over time.
The slick manufactured wood-gas equivalent of this kind of efficiency can be bought for about 8500. $ , ....something i'm reluctant to buy if i can replicate for $500. Time and space will tell . But this has been instructive , cuz i will have a semi conventional antique woodstove hooked up before i start on experimentation onsite ! it's only got a 5" outlet, but has an integrated thermosiphon waterjacket. Made in Toronto around the 1920's .
This link should reassure some who may feel that a northern location cannot sustain sufficient agricultural provision, especially when it is very rocky/hilly. It was/is also one of my main concerns having been spoiled with great soils most of my gardening years in southern ontario.
The rocky microclimates, geothermal niches , water flow , swales,berms in northern climes, are all part of the strategy to
survive and develop even more diversity which is itself a host to more abundant life. Yes, it's a whole different skillset required, and wanting to be learned/mentored by many yet to come.
This is one of a series which Jeff Lawton is offering free in a limited timeframe. There is another one or 2 dealing with coldclimate temperate zones.
Hope this link works for y'all.....
http://www.geofflawton.com/fe/60662-cold-climate-permaculture
Well, having primed above with the potential of cold rocky land, the latest news is that the availability of one such good property is now sold. However the most suitable, larger one nearby is still available.
If it goes too, it'll be slim pickins' in a favoured area, and really too bad for an opportunity which enough will/vision and money could have secured.
This has spurred us on in finessing our constitution/by-laws/shareholders documents even though we still don't have enough committed. Four more have recently committed , and we will have an upcoming meeting likely Mar.16 to outline the latest details and stage 1 shareholdership, due diligence period.
So, just a heads-up for those who have expressed interest in forming viable, prepared community,... or wish to now, just PM me describing your interest level, and thus for further details .....cheers,....villager
The property that I was looking at, the people were trying to flip and double their money in less then 6 months with no investment. People are starting to realize that some of us want land to build on and I find they are starting to jack up the prices 🙁
That's sad when it happens. I've experienced that too in the past. It was not the case in this latest property i mentioned.
It is certainly another big reason to get it all together before the seller's market smells the upcoming would-be migration.
Of course, any rise in price-trend is mitigated somewhat thru shared purchase by many. This obvious fact is what i've been saying for ages,..but it's been a major hurdle in trust and willingness to familiarize with legal issues , personal comfort issues,etc. ....even though our particular scenario shows how both personal freedom/private space (domains) can work within secure, screened, much larger community "commons". Understandably, most folks need assurance of all this in a no-loss possibility. although time-investment is needed in any case to explore the details and character of those involved.
Folks, as we prepare in all our diverse ways ,while it's still relatively easy, here is more encouraging dialog/skill-sharing ....
i just want to share another unique summit event upcoming soon. Yes , it's free, with subsequent options.
www.WholeEarthSummit.org.
As we approach spring, melting snow, and the likelihood of our favorite property likely to sell soon, ....
We have decided to put out a more affordable package of possibilities for a larger group of pioneers than before.
It still comes down to enough numbers, but we think more folks will want to , and are able to, reserve their spots at these levels, and be able to start building right this summer....if we don't lose this property.
We're talking about 1/4 acre , 1 acre and 2-acre separated domains....instead of just the more costly 2 acre domains.
The same rules of governance apply and require binding signatures.
For more complete, sequential info based on genuine interest, feel free to PM me for next steps.
Hi villager,
I am very interested in this project and I want to be part of it.
Similar project has been on my mind for the last year, but I just found this forum. I am glad I did!
I will send you a PM, requesting for details.
best regards,
Marcus
Great timing, Marcus. I've sent you a PM with further details.
Here also, is an event which many others might be interested in.( a time limit on the sale price ) I attended last year and it was well worth it for folks who have less building experience than i do.
A few of us will likely use such units on site while building infrastructure. We are also looking at adapting a few shipping containers for building mat. and bulky equipment.
Hoping for more shareholders before the spring property fever takes hold.
Hey Villager. We are new to the forum so we can't PM anyone as of yet, but my wife and I were looking at buying property up north as well when we came a cross this post. We are interested in what you are doing possibly joining in. Could you send me the pertinant details so we can get an idea of whats inviolved in your project. Looking forward to hearing from you. Cheers!
Folks, we smelled it coming.
Apparently our deadline has just been determined by another bidder for the property. We still have a narrow chance to acquire the property pending a minimum of shareholders, quickly...and are awaiting the official papers/title search to arrive tomorrow or friday.
Those who have indicated interest in this may want to assess their situation .We welcome any newer folks to explore as well. There is no other large , comparable place available, this rugged and close to the GTA.( 3-1/2 hrs.)
It's not my favourite position to be in, but appreciate others' personal circumstances as well as my own.
It's a major hurdle to overcome the programming that it can't be done by a group of relative strangers.
This is exactly what's needed for viable change! Let's prove it ....to ourselves, first and foremost....using our potential strength of numbers.
Let's not settle for having to find our "own little place" at 10 times the acreage rate , or much further north, to develop a "safe envelope" in limited conditions.
There's a momentum which must be acknowledged and aligned with for a reasonable chance at surthrival.
It's been over a year for this particular opportunity .
PM me for more details asap. ...villager
Quick report after a hasty meeting last night via Skype :
We have about half the amount needed with the current members....and another offer pending this weekend.
At this point, either we need a few more with larger shares, and/or many more who are content with the smaller shares to establish their domains and also have the benefits of a very large space all around.
I don't know/haven't heard of, a better deal except around Nunavut .... 🙂
Kalling all Kin...... villager
Looks like the last chance in the next few days to make our offer, but we need a few more shareholders to be solvent.
(geez i must sound like an evangelist looking to pay for a gold cadillac or something)
It's just that this has such great potential, and there are very few equivalents to this property/situation.
Out of all the 90+ folks who have agreed online and in person, with this principled intent and potential for meaningful prepared community, are there not just a few more who are in position to make it real, and secure their spaces in the commons , while preparing for others' future options in the process.
I'm talking about food/water/rights sovereignty in the process of redefining what community can be , even in a challenging time of change. Why not use money available to us while it still has some leverage to facilitate a chosen theatre of active living, rather than just a reactive acquiescence ?
Ah well, what will be is what we collectively choose by what we support in our hearts....sooner or later, and in every moment.
cheers,....villager
This has been my dream since I was a child... as a troubled kid, put into a group session with other kids, we derailed the therapists discussion, all speaking of our discontent with modern society, the hopelessness of having no community, and wanting to see the results of our efforts in a meaningful way other than cash for rent. I have spent a good deal of time off and on through adulthood trying to figure out how to do this, even considering disappearing into the woods. I don't want to live alone. I don't think it makes any sense to "survive" with no meaningful contact with others. I have always believed in the principals of doing for others, living for others as well as myself, in an environmentally sustainable way. I don't believe that the system I live in can ever make me happy. I want more, and literally less. My boyfriend and I have recently been researching ways to do this on our own, but I want to be part of a like-minded community. I'm so happy to see people making their way toward that dream. I just found this site tonight.