Newsletter May 2012. Dear Sea gypsies Spring has come to the farm! And then came summer, and then a few blustery days of fall, and finally last Friday and Saturday it snowed again. But that will be the last snow of the year, we hope - the mild weather seems to have returned, the trees are leafing out, the wildflowers are springing up around the river, the bees and the neighbors have come out of hibernation (again), and we are hard at work. This week we mixed a few tons of lovely manure compost into the soil of the north field, and planted eleven rows of potatoes - by hand - which should give us about 300 kilos of potatoes in the fall to feed hungry sea-gypsies all next winter. Next week we'll plant carrots and onions, and move some tender warm-weather starts to our new greenhouse - radishes, bok choi, spinach, parsley, beets, and sugar peas so tall, they might start climbing us if we don't get them out of the kitchen soon. Work on the boat has really picked up recently. We've been distracted with planting, and replumbing the bathroom, and building coldframes and the new greenhouse - but now that the potatoes are in the ground and the sea-gypsies are in the bath (phew), we are back in the boatshed all the time. Our resident woodworker is about to start work on a wooden dinghy from a traditional Norwegian design, just as soon as he gets the greenhouse finished. And we cast two tons of lead ballast, a very medieval process involving a wood-fired furnace in the yard. The boat will eventually carry five tons, so there is more casting to do as soon as the scrap yard has more lead for us. Inside the boat we're sealing off the keel with aluminum plates - the bow is nearly done, and then we can put in the last of the bow ribs. In the stern, we're wrestling with engine placement - it needs to be high enough to fit the cooling system and the primary diesel tank underneath, but low enough that the propeller clears the stern. Hmmmmm. Fortunately there's plenty to do while we're thinking about it - like put on the deck! The boat will start looking dramatically different very soon and we're all pretty excited. As always, there's room for more in our big sea-gypsy tribe - so if you like planting, weeding, shoveling, soldering, sawing, nailing, welding, grinding, sewing, cooking, drilling, knitting, routering, getting headbutted by chickens, watching 2-hour sunsets, measuring, cutting, re-measuring, thinking, re-re-measuring, making bread, reading sea books, eating waffles or knot-tying, drop us a line! Picture from last weeks. a: Sea gypsy girl making psykedelic chair-protection for the chairs. b: Shaping wood with router c: Potato-planting. d: lead melting girl finished melting 2 tonns in one week. http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161891&stc=1&d=1337015044 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161901&stc=1&d=1337015051 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161911&stc=1&d=1337015058 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=161921&stc=1&d=1337015064
Tell her to think about Pewter maybe? Safer if it's anywhere near potable water just a bit? Have you folks seen the rep rap systems yet? If you learn to process bioplastics from seaweed (Biochar retort can give you most of the components b.t.w.) you can print out more flotillas at sea even. I'm looking to get to Oregon to start one myself, but may jump to Australia if Romney wins the election. Well wat no... I WILL be going if Romney wins. period. http://www.************/biocharmovie
Newsletter June 2012. Dear Sea gypsies We're back to a full farm - the current crew of sea-gypsies hail from Norway, Germany (times two), Finland, France/Belgium, the UK and the US - it makes for lively, er, discussions in the evenings while we're watching Euro Cup matches. It also makes for rapid progress - in the last few weeks we've picked the entire farm clean of rocks, planted two fields in a mixture of cover crops (including phacelia, whose blue flowers are a favorite bee snack), built and painted a fence around the yard, re-plumbed the basement, fixed our fleet of bicycles, put in almost a kilometer of fence around the biggest field, dug up half the far field looking for a pipe leak, refinished a beautiful old door... and then, in our spare time, built a model for the boat's dinghy, biked all over the area, hiked down the river, spent a weekend in Oslo, foraged local plants for dinner, built a campfire spot overlooking the valley, installed a swing under the barn ramp, given each other mohawks, and baked about forty loaves of bread. And we're going to be parents! Kind of! One of our chickens has very motherly instincts, and she's been incubating thirteen eggs - some hers, some laid by the rest of our flock. We're expecting chicks in a week or so. All the farming hasn't left us much time for boatbuilding, but we still managed to make some progress this month: the keelbox has been welded shut in bow and stern, the last ribs are being bent to shape and welded in, and the calculations for the curve of the deck have begun. This week we'll finish the ribs and begin the wood patterns for the deck frames. We've been eating like royalty - everybody has learned to bake, and the spring plants are out in force, so we feast on nettles, milkweed, chaga mushrooms, dandelions, wood sorrel, and our own bread. After a long winter of turnips, potatoes and carrots, it's wonderful to have the green leaves that come with warm days, and the new dishes that come with new comrades. So, enjoy summer folks, and if you want to join us, just send us an email. Pictures from last weeks. a: Sea-gypsy girl busy planning the route with help of the world-map in background. b: Fence-banging guys! c: The Fencing-crew on the way to the field. d: Enjoy a short rest after hours of rockpicking in the field. e: Welding up the keelbox inside the boat. http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182061&stc=1&d=1339612761 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182071&stc=1&d=1339612773 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182081&stc=1&d=1339612784 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182091&stc=1&d=1339612791 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=182101&stc=1&d=1339612800
Newsletter July 2012. Dear Sea gypsies The summer has been good and productive to us. Mostly nice and warm weather for whole june which is more than you can expect up here.. The potatoefield and carrot field grow nicely. The sugar peas in the small greenhouse is now blooming and soon we will be self-sufficient on sugar-pies (that is, if we dont eat more than one pea a day each) Mid summerday arrived with nice weather and as normal we had a the traditional midsummer party sitting around the camp fire eating burned marshmallows and dreaming about life out on the deep blue sea... Talking about dreaming.. We have been discussing the deck curve for so long that we started to get nightmares about this.. but in the end it looks pretty good. The deck ribs are bent in, and we are in the stage of plating the deck. Sofar the curve looks really nice! The deck area will be around 40m2 totally, means we will have space for a hammock or two between the masts! Ok, that was all for this month,, if you fancy join our constantly bigger sea gypsy tribe, please drop us a line. Whish you all a warm summer and hope you enjoy our pictures below. a: Mid summer party with camp fire and burned marshmallows. b: British metalworker. Carpentry is for kids! Big boys only work with metal! c: Our french plating crew. d: Two pretty mermaids (US/Germany) working on deck ribs. Hard hat is mandatory when you work under the boat. e: Fishing from the pier behind the boatshed. One of these days he will hopefully get a fish! http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=195081&stc=1&d=1341733638 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=195091&stc=1&d=1341733644 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=195101&stc=1&d=1341733649 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=195111&stc=1&d=1341733655 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=195121&stc=1&d=1341733663
Hello, I am an American looking to experience life to the fullest. I have always lived on water and the ocean is my favorite thing in life. I am also Norwegian and would love to be able to speak to you more about your plans with your boat and life. I am 29, healthy, straight, and first and foremost a wide eyed wanderer. I want my mind to be filled with expeiences on my deathbed and your paragraph pretty much summed up what I find beautiful about life. Please let me know how you are doing and if you do want someone who can cook, build, create, and learn quickly please do get in touch with me! Also, I am a massage therapist and believe and practice balance of mind and body. I do hope to hear from you soon! Thanks , Adam.
Newsletter Late August 2012. Howdy Sea gypsies August has been a good one.... The weather was much nicer than july i must admit. even some of those wwoofers start to complain about too much sun! We have had quite an invasion from volunteers lately, and majority has been from US, so now we have a distinct texas-slang around here. Boatbuilding is going forward with the speed of light kind of... The deck is on. The deckhouse is fixed. Even with the possibility to remove to store big stuff inside. We are now working on interior. Space for six bunk beds, kitchen and toilet/shower needs some thinking... We got some cool news lately. two volunteers (french/american) who met less than one year ago here on farm, got married... even after struggeling so hard to keep those girls and boys in separate barracks! ... some stuff must have been happening after dark... hmm. That was big and small news from our coolest sea gypsy tribe this month. If you fancy joining us, please drop us a line... Some pictures from last month. a: happy volunteers eating lunch b: Deckhouse is soon on. c: two pretty mermaids taking care of the raspberry field. d: forehatch girl cleaning up inside boat. e: wedding picture... http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223081&stc=1&d=1346596178 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223091&stc=1&d=1346596185 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223101&stc=1&d=1346596191 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223111&stc=1&d=1346596196 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223121&stc=1&d=1346596203 Love from Sailing the farm - a sea gypsy tribe of tomorrow.
Newsletter December 2012. Dear All, First of all, Mucho Gracias for all contribution this year - This doesent goes just for those of you who have been flying, driving, peddaling, walking and swimming up here to lend a hand on the farm and the shipbuilding - but it goes also to you who have send support mails, commented on forums, asked to help sponsoring the project and mailed us. Without your support, we would never have come this far. We are now going into the last year of building the Seagypsy Boat #1 and hopefully start sailing. Yes, i know some of you think she will sail only backwards, or even upside down, but sail she will.. .. Together we have come a long way taking into consideration that most of volunteers coming up here have never done any metalwork or even farmwork before, but they all share the same dream... To sum up for 2012. We have used more than 2 metric tonns of aluminium this year, welded hundreds and hundreds of meters of welding, consumed a few hundred kg of Argon gas, melted 5 tonns lead. Not to mention breathing way too much welding fumes and aluminium dust... On the farm, we have had lots and lots of volunteers who has been in charge of growing potatoes, sugar pees, carrots, berries and lots of other stuff. They have got new friends and met old ones from prior years. They have shared and learned, maybe eating too much porridge and waffles, laughed, cried, made love (tough I really worked hard here to keep those sneaky wwoffers in separate girls/guys barracks!!) Some have even taken step to marry! So in sum I think 2012 has been quite a good year. As we are nearing the end of this year (and not end of the world i hope!) I wish you all a peaceful 2013 with much joy and happiness for the coming year and we up on the farm really look forward to meet new and old volunteers both here and out on the seven seas. Fair winds and smooth sailing from Sailing the farm - A Sea gypsy tribe of tomorrow. Ze picture: Boatshed in winter night. http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=289481&stc=1&d=1356891300
It was a cold winter morning at the marina here but the Dickinson keeps us warm and cozy below. Been enjoying a cup of coffee, jellyroll and cleaning out a blocked strum box. Hope you'll soon be tinkering with a nautical mystery of your own while listening to the cries of seabirds.
Newsletter March 2013. . Dear Sea Gypsies, Spring is slowly coming our way, Its been maybe the coldest winter for as long as people can remember up here. Minus -30 for weeks out and weeks for january and february and even in march we have -20 degrees for many days. But we dont complain (at least loudly!) the shed was filled to the brink with firewood and during evening and weekends time have been spent reading about small pacific islands where the sun always shine... Guess where to boat is sailing! Last two months have been spent doing foundry work (melting aluminium). We are now making our own portholes and all small bits and pieces out of the all the scrap alloy we have floating around. Next would be to make a few dolphins for decoration Anyway, enjoy the early spring folks! .. and if you want to join our tribe please contact us! Pictures. a. making a sand-cast for a small porthole. b. Out enjoy the skiing in cold winter weather. c. a cake? Nope. Its called cores and used for foundry work! Its a miks of sand and linseed oil. Taste awful, but works good. d. welding small boxes and stuff together. e. Porthole production. http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=348001&stc=1&d=1363531570 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=348011&stc=1&d=1363531577 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=348021&stc=1&d=1363531582 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=348031&stc=1&d=1363531588 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_y-Gh6_YI"]YouTube
Hello, It's my dream to get a boat 100% wood like those pirate boats in the sea movies and modify it to work on sea and land by putting wheels on the bottom, no motor only wind and paddle power clean energy yeah!~ ^_^ Maybe some solar-powered crystals for light.~ Simple life, home on the move best of both worlds.~ Live life by wild foraging, if I don't get it myself I don't want it unless it's a gift but I will not accept gifts if they promote waste.~ This is my dream one day, I am eager to learn anything and everything about sailing and building a boat.~ I would be honored to maybe join your effort and team.~ The only thing I'm concerned about is that WWOOF requires you to pay to just be a member, and I'm pretty much almost broke with only $80 to my name and would a non-WWOOFer be welcome or is this project for WOOFers only?~
zeyang I sent an e-mail to you asking about what kind of collective this is and you haven't gotten back to me yet.~ I am really curious on the whole 'separating the sexes' thing, what kind of place is this?~
Just got a reply from zeyang@laowai.no, apparently quoteing, "its an uptight military tribe." ze seriously?, are you serious?~ Or are you just joking?~
Wow, I just figured out that this place is in NORWAY!~ XD I have no idea how I would even get to Norway with $80 to my name, no job, no valid driver's license, no car insurance, no sense of direction, and no expierence or knowledge of how to live on my own in modern society let alone in the wild!~ ^_^ Maybe I'll find a way, maybe I won't, thanks for the opportunity anyways!~ ^_^ Good travels!~ Love, ~Bliss
Newsletter April 2013. Dear Sea Gypsies, The potatoes are planted just a few days ago. Thats even earlier than last year. It a little risky since its still frostnights up here but they are protected under a bed of soil so hopefully they wont freeze. Summer is coming very slowly. Still no leafs on the trees, but the small yellow flowers - coltsfoot (tussilago farfara) are starting to show up along the roads. They are important pollen plants for the bees this early in season (together with salix) Sailing the farm have 3 nice girls now (irish,zchech,french). 2 guys (swedish/english) who have been here the first part of april. We have mostly been working on casting portholes for the boat which is pretty timeconsuming. It means making molds, melting aluminium and then shape the half-finished product in the lathe. The result looks really good i must say. Even if not even close to being foundrymen/girls or machinists we manage to get quite a professional result after some weeks of trial and error. Thats enough for now, If you fancy joining the seagypsy tribe - just drop us a line. Love from Sailing the farm Pictures. a. irish girl making sand-castles (sort of) b. inspecting the casting results. c. swedish sand-crab. d. unfinished and finished result. (with the help of a lathe) e. turning soil. a: http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=380071&stc=1&d=1367131663 b: http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=380081&stc=1&d=1367131670 c: http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=380091&stc=1&d=1367131675 d: http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=380101&stc=1&d=1367131679 e: http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=380111&stc=1&d=1367131684
are you still looking for people im a quick learner when it comes to hands on work and am willing to travel where ever needed
Dear Sea Gypsies Summer is here, its more or less rain every day but the wwofers order sun in the weekends so weather is always nice when we go hiking during weekends, (not sure who they order it from though) We are now up to full speed on boat and the farm. Last week we planted another field of rasperries, which will be give us lots and lots of rasperries in 2 years time. Then another field with potatoes and even more herbs of all different kind. Its getting interesting when the weed is coming up. It will be plenty of weeding soon. The bees are busy collecting honey, and flying all over. they seems pretty happy now after a quite cold may. The portholes are more or less finished - that was a long journey. Its quite a few steps. The good thing: which casting and machining skills there is limit to what we can make in alloy. Plenty of blocks for the boat is already on the list.. We are in the stage of insulating all over inside. Then make ready for the wood deck and railings. The wood deck is not just to make the boat look like a boat, but avoid burned feet on hot alloy deck in the tropics - besides since we are faking everything to look lke wood, so why not a proper wood-deck. Lots of sea gypsies are coming next months, both returning ones and new ones, but we still have some space, so if you have any skills you think could be useful - drop us a line! Pictures: a: sorting out weed in the rasperry field. Then we planted out some hundreds sq-meter more. b: metal girls at work moving heavy alloy-plates. c: casting stuff for the boat. We use sand to mould them. d: welding guy busy welding up ears on the portholes. e: dumpsterdiving. one night catch from the bin at the foodstore. Now we go every weekend to stack up on free fancy food. http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=402921&stc=1&d=1370093474 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=402931&stc=1&d=1370093482 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=402941&stc=1&d=1370093489 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=402951&stc=1&d=1370093497 http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=402961&stc=1&d=1370093504