Tag: moving

Autumn Dawn Endeavors > moving

Preparing the Next Phase

Posted on by AutumnDawn

One of the challenges of homesteading is too many projects going concurrently and not enough time or money to go around. (Can I get an “Amen” from my homesteading friends?)

I sat down at the beginning of the year and ticked off my to do list to see what we had achieved last year and where we needed to focus this year. Last year, my personal focus was getting moved to Tennessee and getting the property into a state that our “utilities” were not a burden and we felt more at home and less like camping. We achieved that, though the air conditioning is still proving to be challenging.

My next focus is to prepare a place for my children to stay so they can move down and we can sell the house in Ohio. On my last trip north, I sat down with my kids and we talked about their needs so we could nail down space requirements and settle on a budget. Next week, I will be heading to the office to order their buildings on their behalf and they will confirm their payment structure over the phone. These will be THEIR homes to do with as they please and should they buy a piece of property of their own, they can take them with them.

In the meantime, once it stops raining, I have some work to do moving the fence equipment I have stored in their home spaces into the barn on the hill. With that obstacle out of the way, their homes can be delivered and set on blocks without further ado. Then the task of getting their utilities attached can begin and I can make their homes comfortable to live in. At that point, they can move down and the next phase can begin.

Such is the fun being the architect of your own life.

Driver’s License Updates

Posted on by AutumnDawn

It’s been a bit since I wrote a blog post. We’ve been focusing on YouTube and getting on with building stuff, but yes… I should also write more. Well, let me get to the topic at hand.

After the last kerfuffle with with the Drivers License Center, I got my voter registration card and that was pretty painless. I returned to the office in December with all the paperwork they had requested of me… until they asked me for my medical card. In Ohio, CDL drivers that travel out-of-state must get a physical and carry the card given as proof that they are medically sound to drive. If you don’t travel out-of-state with your commercial vehicle, you don’t need one. Not so in Tennessee.

They told me that there are places you can walk in as an outpatient and get your exam done, but they couldn’t tell me any of them because they were not allowed to recommend any. I don’t know the area so I didn’t even begin to know where to start. They mentioned a chiropractor could do it. I gathered my paperwork and went out to the parking lot to research places that could do exams in the area. None of the chiropractors could see me. Exasperated, I drove home; defeated once again by bureaucracy.

I stepped away from it, enjoyed Christmas with my kids, and waited for the weather to clear up some. I finally found out that there are walk-in clinics in the area that can do CDL medical exams and visited one. No problem.

I returned once more to the keymaster of driving legally, with all paperwork once again. By this time, I’m sure they were tired of me. I, again, submitted to their scrutiny and finally, I was able to secure my Tennessee Drivers License.

James went up in March and got his license the first try. 😛

Bureaucracy Run Amok: More address problems

Posted on by AutumnDawn

Another story of Bureaucratic Red Tape gone berserk, I tried to get my license transferred from Ohio to Tennessee. The nearest Drivers License Center is 56 minutes away that can handle out-of-state license transfers. The clerk was very kind and I lay zero blame at his feet. If I had not needed to transfer a CDL license, I could have gotten it done today.

Because we live off-grid, we have zero utilities. So I cannot use a utility bill as a form of address verification. I cannot open a bank account with my new address until I have a driver’s license. I cannot use a cell phone bill as a utility. I cannot use forwarded mail envelopes to show proof of mail delivery. I cannot use a rental agreement on a shed on the property as proof. The only things I had were a change of address letter from the post office, and a mortgage statement that we had managed to get changed to the new address.

There are only two options open to me at this point. I could bring a vehicle title in with the new address, which I cannot do easily because both vehicles are in James’ name and would require a trip for both of us to Ohio to add my name to the title. The other is to apply for a voter registration card and wait for it to be mailed to me. I was told to go to the post office but… our post office “doesn’t do that.” I will have to make a 25 minute trip to the Benton County Election Commission. I tried the online option but because I do not have a signature on record in Tennessee’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security office, that is not an option for me. I can of course print and mail an application in, but at this point, I’d rather not take the chance of Murphy poking me in the eye any further.

Again, if I had not needed my CDL, they would have been able to sort me out today as the list of required documents is less stringent for a regular license. I think I’ll have to gather up all of these little tidbits and turn it into a heads-up for other folks looking to move state to Tennessee.

Stay tuned to see how transfers finish out for me and see how James’ go with a Permanent Resident card.

We’ve Got Mail!

Posted on by AutumnDawn

While the post office started delivering the odd junk mail a week or so ago, we’ve just been added to the online database and can now start receiving packages through other shipping methods. We’re still waiting on our mail forwarding to kick in, but I imagine it won’t be long now.

With the mail sorted, James has finally been able to order the next equipment we need for the solar expansion and we’ll have some new videos to make once that gets here.

Earthquake 301cc Woodchipper/Shredder

In the meantime, we’ve picked up a wood chipper/leaf shredder and an auger for digging post holes. We have also gotten some insulation to start getting the shed prepped to become a temperature controlled area to work in. I’ll be taking out some saplings and branches and stacking them for a chipping run, while making space for the ShelterLogic barn so we can get that set up. The auger will be used to get the posts installed for the compost bin and shelter, and the gate for the driveway.

I’m relieved to be able to get back to work!

Getting ready for Phase Two

Posted on by AutumnDawn
Loading has begun

Prepping for Phase Two is hitting a fevered pace.

The water totes have been power washed, sanitized, and loaded. The grill has been sandwiched between totes for stability. The RV has had some much-needed maintenance and repairs, as well as some spit and polish. Tools have been sorted and boxed. Books have been sorted and boxed. Water, toilet, and power have been accounted for.

I have left my job here in Ohio for the final push on packing and loading, as well as some home maintenance on the Ohio property. We’re also prepping the kids for their duties in taking care of things while we’re gone. I have faith in their ability to do what needs done, but I’d like to make it as painless as possible.

The adventure is imminent. I am both excited and worried about forgetting things. Oh well. Sally forth!

Culvert and 911 Address

Posted on by AutumnDawn

We have set things in motion with the county seat to get ready for the driveway installation. In Benton County, they have a 911 address form to be filled out and mailed in and the Transportation department installs the culvert for you once you purchase the prescribed size. We expect that these should be completed mid to late July, in time for the driveway installation.

In the meantime, we will be working on getting the RV ready to move. It has sat in the same place for a few years now and I’m sure it has issues that will need to be addressed. If anyone knows an RV tech near Cincinnati, Ohio, feel free to reach out.

Goats (Zone 1 – 4)

Posted on by AutumnDawn

At the new farm, we want to get Nigerian Dwarf goats. We’ve had a pair of goats in the past and we were not at all ready with infrastructure, but they did the job we asked of them (clearing briars) and they moved on to another home.

This time, we want them for milk. We like the ND for its small size, milkfat ratio, and the fact that they’re adorable is icing on the cake. We don’t yet feel ready for a dairy cow and the sheer volume of milk they produce.

We are planning for their fresh water needs, minerals, forage, and browse. Does will need alfalfa and grain in the last month of pregnancy and while in milk, bucks or wethers will need grass hay, but not alfalfa (too rich), and kids may need some grain for the first 6 months while growing. I think the bucks may live with the rams in the ram base as their diet is similar. Bucks will need some loose copper mineral and the rams won’t be attracted to it.

I’d like to rotate the does with the ewes during the day and bring them in at night to be milked in the morning. Maybe even milk the sheep. The handling system for the sheep should also work well for the goats.

Property Progress: May/June 2022

Posted on by AutumnDawn

We had a property visit from Nick Ferguson and he helped us locate the best spot for our driveway based on our desired homesite. He also helped us site some other important infrastructure on the property once other things are in place, but his visit led us to the place where we could engage someone to break ground for us.

We have scheduled a highly recommended excavation expert to start removing trees and cut out our driveway and homesite. He breaks ground for us in August. From there, we can start moving things down to the property and begin making it livable.

Now that we have at least the beginning to a timeline and concrete knowledge on the terrain, we can begin updating our Transition posts with more details.

Stay tuned!

We bought a property in Tennessee!

Posted on by AutumnDawn
Map
Lots 2, 3, and 4

Oh my gosh! We are so excited and impatient to get started!

The property is hilly, forested, and has a small watershed that we can use to collect water.

We have entered into an owner-financed contract to purchase the land and avoid the banks.

Our restrictions are that we can’t remove any trees over 15″ diameter except to site a house, driveway, or barn/garage until such time as we’ve paid the property off or we pay for the trees removed. We are happy to keep as many big trees as possible so that’s not really much of a limitation for us.

We are not permitted to raise hogs, pigs, swine, or poultry commercially, but homestead use is fine. No junkyards, trash, etc. The seller retains the deed until we’ve paid off the property and does not want the land to lose value in the event that we default on the contract. I believe what they really don’t want is a CAFO on the land and we totally agree with that.

We are planning our next trip down to take soil samples, water samples, and map out the topography of the property so we can site the driveway, house, barn, and RV. I’m hoping to get the expertise of a Permaculture Expert to help us with site planning to be sure we are not making more work for ourselves than we need to.

Water

Posted on by AutumnDawn
Photo by Daniel Sinoca on Unsplash

The lifeblood of a farm is water. Without water, everything will die. Luckily, Tennessee gets a lot of rain (50 to 60 inches). If water is not available on-grid (and maybe even if it is) we will want ways to capture and store rainwater.

Humans
We will need potable water for drinking, cooking, bathing, dishes, and laundry. Water catchment entering the domiciles will go through a filtration system and then into a holding tank. For water heating, we may install a propane or electric system. A solar water heater could be installed to preheat water. There will likely be experiments with thermo-siphoning heated water to a tank on an upper level for showers.

Gardens/Greenhouse
This captured water will not require the amount of filtration that the potable water will get. Rainwater is much healthier for plants and soil life. By using a combination of hydroponics and wicking beds, water use will be minimized in the greenhouse system and nutrients can be added directly to the water supply.

Barn
We will need water for servicing livestock in or near the barn. The Drinking Post waterers from Timeless Posts are interesting and might service some of our livestock. If we’re on grid, we’ll also get a frost-free hydrant for work that requires a hose or bucket.

Acreage
For getting water out onto acreage, you’ll want multiple water sources. A stream on the property would be ideal. Ponds that catch rainwater runoff will probably be needed as well. To get that water to the pastures and livestock, Joel Salatin recommends an irrigation system called K-Line Irrigation. It’s modular, expandable, and cost effective. You can put it where you want it with no digging and no affecting your fencing or trees. In freezing weather, you just drain it, roll it up, and store it in the barn until the spring thaw.

Water Storage
Tanks and water lines will need to be protected from freezing. The frost depth for Tennessee is 12 inches according to this website which is a great improvement to our current depth of 32 inches. For water pressure, we will need to either raise the holding tank or install a pump or water pressure tank, or some combination of the two.