When I first walked on my land I could not imagine cutting one tree down, everything was just perfect. Then I experienced black flies, lack of sunlight, missing stars and too damp of air. Now, I can’t wait to get in there and cut out a space to stretch my legs in.
Two times I helped take down a tree.
The first one was the window maker and we had intense tools. 
The second one was a random tree too close to the deck that we decided to pull down.
Both times, amazing .
The biggest challenge I am facing right now is the simple fact that I am not a researcher. Never have been. My life’s choices have been made by my gut and without a lot of thought to ‘what might occur’ or is this the ‘best product on the market’.
The first year of my land I had a friend take the reins on all of the projects; hanging the sign, building the deck and then winterizing the tent. If it was not for her brains and my neighbour’s tools (and generous hearts) not much would have been completed.
Now I have a base camp up there and 6 months of research time down in Toronto.
I have to admit for the first time ever, I am loving the research side to a decision.
Just set up an account with this community. Instructables!
Leo Jul 23 | Aug 22 Author Robert Moss has published 27 books. When he talks about the art of launching and completing big projects, I listen attentively. There’s one piece of advice he offers that would be particularly helpful for you to keep in mind throughout the first half of 2015. “If we wait until we are fully prepared in order to do something, we may never get it done,” he says. “It’s important to do things before we think we are ready.” Can you handle that, Leo? Are you willing to give up your fantasies about being perfectly qualified and perfectly trained and perfectly primed before you dive in?
I have 6 months to pack up a 15 year career and life in Toronto. At the end of that time I am going to go live in the woods after building my own 100 square foot home. I have never built anything in my life.
I saw these scissors today for the first time in my flower shop. He explained to me how Canadians just use their fingers when they cut but these scissors lets him use his whole hand. It makes such good sense and they are beautiful. Chinatown about 5 dollars.
Its still more arts ‘n crafts’ than ‘home building’ but I like this start to building up a better tool box.
As 2014 comes to a close most of us are sitting back and taking stock of the year that just passed. When I look back on the past year, I smile at all of the things I thought I was going to accomplish but I am also amazed at what I did get done on my land. So what did I learn?
1/ The hanging of the sign. I actually bought a fence post for this sign. My friend, Judy, looked at me like I was crazy and said … You know you have a lot of trees. Why did you buy a dead one? Lesson learnt – I have a lot of supplies on my land.
2/ The deck. Working outdoors is nothing like working indoors, not even close. Lesson learnt – I am out of my element and need to slow down, do research and make way more informed decisions because if I don’t this will not work.
3/ The camp location. I put the tent on the most level spot of land that was closest to the driveway. We did not look up and ended up building right under a widow maker tree (a tree that is dangerously close to falling). I also put it at the bottom of my hill and am about to experience my first spring melt so it may or may not be flooded out. The ground is basically years of decaying organic matter so after a few months of heavy equipment being used I now open my door onto a mud pit. Lesson learnt – look at all angles before making a decision.
4/ The wood burning stove. It came with wire netting for the top of the chimney to keep debris out. This is a great idea for short amount of time but in my case the wire netting is pointless. Rain turns a stove into a small dirty tub but add a new metal T top and all is well. Leason learnt – this is not a vacation this is about to be an all element lifestyle.
5/ The canvas tent and wood burning stove. Making sure that everything is clear of stove inside the tent is great but making sure everything is clear of the stove pipe is also a good idea. Leason learnt – metal gets really hot and dry leaves burn really nicely.
6/ Mice. I have successfully build the best home a mouse family could ever hope for. I had no idea that there were so many mice out there. Lesson learnt – you are living outdoors and there is a lot of outdoors you don’t know about coming from the city.
7/ Black flies. Back in July when we went up to survey for the driveway I had my first ever Black Fly experience. I grew up in a province full of mosquitoes but not black flies. Lesson learnt – Black Flies love my blood.
8/ Winter. I actually thought that I could leave the tent up all year without any worries. Then my neighbours and I talked about the weight of snow. Thankfully, this winter has been very kind to us and as of today the tent has yet to collapse. Leason learnt – this is not a vacation this is about to be an all element lifestyle and you are living outdoors and there is a lot of outdoors you don’t know about coming from the city. (Reoccurring theme)
9/ I have really amazing neighbours and awesome friends. Thank you all for your support either up there working or simply telling me that this is beautiful and that following your heart is the best thing anyone can do.
Leo Jul 23 Aug 22: In Don DeLillo’s novel Underworld, Cotter Martin is a young boy living in New York in the 1950s. The following description is about him. “In school they tell him sometimes to stop looking out the window. This teacher or that teacher. The answer is not out there, they tell him. And he always wants to say that’s exactly where the answer is.” I propose we regard this passage as one of your themes in 2015, Leo. In other words, be skeptical of any authority who tells you where you should or should not be searching for the answers. Follow your own natural inclination, even if at first it seems to be nothing more than looking out the window.
Some people go shopping on boxing day
Some people sit and breath
Others get drunk and ride a bull
What can I say… I am leaving a great paying job, selling a condo, moving out of Toronto to go live in a 100 square foot home with no running water, a wood burning stove, an outhouse and a tub outside. Some might say I have jumped through the window. I have 6 more months of the life I have known for almost 15 years. The only thing I can tell you is that I am more excited than I have been in a very long time. Something beautiful is going to be built in 2015 and I will conduct all of my teaching outdoors.
It is funny that this post fell on Boxing Day.
In the process of moving my life from Toronto to Mother Nature, I am attempting to barter/sell/trade my ‘Urban’ things for ‘Prairie’ things. My best trade yet is a bike for a chainsaw. I bought the bike 12 years ago from a friend and rode it year round, to Montreal, everywhere. I am a great Urban Sherpa and it was my horse. I have a feeling that I am about to develop the same relationship/love affair with my chainsaw.
The bike sold for 350.00. I bought a chainsaw, some chaps and the protective hard hat for 349.26.
A helping hand is necessary. Tree cutting is best as a two person job.
I am pretty good at cutting up a tree once it has been cut down but I am really now aware of the skill it takes to bring down a tree. A clean cut that does not fall into the other trees is an art form. That photo is not art.
Getting comfortable making 12 inch logs.
This time next year I would like to be really good at cutting down trees.
Right now I live in a beautiful apartment and out of all my homes in Toronto this one is by far my favorite. The only downside to living there is the fridge. I have never lived with a louder, more invasive appliance in my life, it defies logic. I also happen to have tinnitus so that combined with the subtle whinny hum of the fridge I often feel like my head it going to pop off my shoulders. Solution – unplug the fridge from 5pm – 10pm nightly.
Trying to find a silver lining to this situation, I have come to the conclusion, that I am going through this experience so I could realize that we don’t need to live with a fridge or at least not the size of the fridges we currently use.
Let me introduce to you the larder!
I am going to put one of these in the Ginger Shack. The plan is to have a small larder/cellar built into the floor of the kitchen area. So take that photo and envision it as a little cellar and presto I have my ‘fridge.’
I built a very simple deck-like bed frame for my futon mattress so I took that knowledge, bought a bunch of wood and headed up North to build a deck. I could not have been more out of my element and unprepared if I tried. A forest floor outside is nothing like a hardwood floor in your apartment. No real surprise there.
The first trip up was all about hauling the wood from where it was delivered to where it needed to be. We laid out the deck area and took stock of what it was that I bought.
The second trip up was lead by my good friend and mentor, Judy. She renovates houses for a living and has a personal relationship with everyone at her local Home Depot so needless to say the level of knowledge increased 100 fold. In one day, 6 of us, built one really beautiful deck.
Levelled with some twigs and sticks!
Cost: $1800.00 (I am not good at keeping track of everything but I think that is about right)
I have measured out a 10 X 10 room in my apartment. I like to hang out in here and pretend that I am up North.
The ginger shack has changed about 15 times but lately I am starting to think that I am narrowing down the design.
After I bought the land I started to save money for a driveway. This was my first priority, you have to be able to get onto the land, in order to live on the land. Budget $10,000.00.
The first step was to survey the land. AKA drinks some beers with good friends and walk in the best driveway line you can find.
My first driveway was okay but ended up being not done to what we agreed on as his equipment ‘broke’ so I was left with more of a dirt road than a driveway. Still it worked and I loved turning onto it every time.
The final driveway was done by Steve Beaver and when he was done I was able to cross one thing off bucket list. I have always wanted a long, tree lined driveway and the one I have is stunning!
Bike Parking coming next summer!
Total cost: $8400.00 – I will have to add a few more trunk loads of gravel next year as everything settles into place so the driveway should come in on budget.
UrbanPrairie 