Setting Up an Off-Grid Retreat in Wild and Wonderful West Virginia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFAkeVpbQrE This is a 3 minute time lapse from 2 September 2018 to 9 March 2019. You will probably see minimal changes, but when the snow comes and melts away, its kinda cool. I also like watching the tree sag under the weight of the snow, then recover. Deer wandering around is also fun, but... Continue Reading →
To me, campfires are one of those things that are key to having an enjoyable, relaxing, retreat. It's one of those things that provides heat, is the center of where people gather, and tell stories. The last several months I have been working on figuring out how best to fell trees, skid logs, section them... Continue Reading →
While I have done a few day trips out to West Virginia, I have also been staying the night in the makeshift cabin/shack despite winter approaching. With the weather dropping into temps where snow is possible, there were a few things that needed to happen to get ready for winter. The first was cold prep.... Continue Reading →
The first winter on my land is approaching, but I am trying not to slow down. While I may not have been posting as much on the blog, I assure you I have been getting out there as much as possible. The rain this year continues to be absolutely absurd. According to the National Weather... Continue Reading →
In a previous post, I mentioned that some vines are killing my trees. I have been searching up and down for an answer, but it turns out, what I am looking at are wild grape vines. Apparently, wild grapes are becoming an invasive species in WV and can grow up to 15 meters. And sure... Continue Reading →
I know this sounds crazy, but its finally time to build the first wireless network and server out on the mountain! However, with this being off-grid, there needs to be some special considerations. First, why, especially if there is no Internet out there???? Simple reason, I would like to get some measurements and automation out... Continue Reading →
So in my previous post, I mentioned that I went up and down the hills with the chainsaw working the land a bit. The plan was to head out early in the morning, and not come back until nightfall. That makes for a long day, but also a lot of gear. Would you believe that... Continue Reading →
Over Labor Day weekend I went out the mountain to do some surveying of the woods, and figure out what I want to do about forestry management (more on that in a later post). The plan was to head out there, and cut down as many standing dead trees as I could, section them off,... Continue Reading →
Yea, seriously, my phone has stopped responding to my finger print. Its been a long hard weekend out on the land. Lots of new updates coming soon.
One of the issues I am dealing with is waste. There is no trash pickup at my place, and I want to keep the amount of material being hauled to the landfill at a minimum. Ideally, I would like to get to the point where there is only plastic being brought back from the property... Continue Reading →
Vantages From Vandalia 