84 acre commune looking for people!!!

I'd never heard of "Terra preta". TP = toilet paper? Most likely not! But there's a long article on Wikipedia about it. Very interesting, but how long does it take to create good growing conditions?

 

Well the stuff I mixed in the Ozarks was ready in a few days. But that was mostly broken down leaf mulch and mold right into the Char. Much more dead leaf than mulch around here,,, we'll see. Should be making a 5 gallon test batch as a starter soil later today, maybe tomorrow. But not till I work the trail deeper into the clearcut wood field so we can get the tractor in there to grab the bigger stuff (Getting a lil' tired of throwing 10'x10" trees over my shoulder and carrying them across an acre of deadwood & branches. )

:cheers2:

 

I know that feeling. I just lucked into a truck load of black walnut. That wood is HEAVY! But burns all night.
Have you had any problem with the flue or chimney getting creosote build up? I had a elbow turn red hot and cooled it down and it was filled with creosote. Freaked me out. I tore the whole pipe out from th4e stove to the chimney opening and got at least a 5 gallon bucket full of creosote. This has never happened before in the last 8 years of burning wood. I must have been burning pine and didnt realize it or the wood was to green. Black stove pipe should never turn cherry red hot!!!!!
I'm so ready for spring!

Very cool! I'm always on the look out for those old tech an engineering books. Thanks for the link! Just unclogged the toilet with baking soda. My mate spent all day using the plunger. I read in the last months Mother Earth News a tip about baking soda. WE cant use chemicals because of the septic system and I didn't want to pay for a snake. The baking soda made the pipes slippery and hot water and the plunger unclogged it. We have two new lab pups 2 months old and I think the kids put their crap in it and clogged the drains.

 

Google Books is loaded with them from way back in full view, just do an advanved search for full view and set the years from like 1800 to 1950 or so. Lindsay Publications has a good amount of reprints for cheap too if ya' dont mind spending a few bucks for a hard copy here and there.

 

Well feel free to ask them in here by all means.

I'm actually going to be moving on from here soonish (Hoping within a month, need to find a job in the destination area first but I might have.) so I'll be passing the torch of Thread monitoring, most likely to TryingAgain or Sam herself if we can ever get her issue with making a profile straightened out.

Once I settle where I'm heading (About 180 miles west of here), I'll certainly be visiting here as often as feasable to help out and to finish off some of the projects I've begun (Ceramics studio, "Terra preta factory" etc.) but that may not be for 3-4 months.

Planting has begun in some areas of the garden.

Leaves are being piled and composting away as they await the addition of the pulverized char. (Which is waiting on me or maybe you making a proper mill to do so with) Plenty of wood chips and bark down in the wood field needing hauling up to the burn area.

That broken linkage on the Tractor got welded up yesterday, now it's a matter of getting it back on then seeing what if anything else may be wrong with it which includes some "rigged" hydraulics lines in the rear.

Chickens are getting back in the habit of laying again, theres really no comparison to the difference of a real egg and those paper thin shelled ones with the sickly pale yellow yolk one buy's at the store.

I'll upload some pic's later.

 

Well things have been going on for about 3 years overall with the community aspect having gone on for a bit over a year from what I understand. Currently there are 7 people here, 4 males including me so when I leave the number will be balanced.

And to clarify, we do not condone drug use of any kind but are aware of the simple fact that what people do in their private space, or off in the woods is not something we can controll any more than it is in the ability of the DEA to controll the flow of drugs into this country. BUT if your personal habits interfere with your ability to be a productive member of the community then you will be asked to leave. :cheers2:

 

Moderator aside
please do not ask people , especially with known addresses to condone illegal activities

thank you

 

What does being an active part of your commune include? What sort of activities are people wanting to join asked to take part in?

 

Well, we generally all take part in gathering firewood and gardening activities like raking leaves from the woods for mulching or prepping the soil & planting. We currently have about 2 acres worth of garden plots in various stages of preparedness just waiting to get around that last frost, some need more work than others as theres a lot of clay here.

We run the housekeeping chores like dishwashing and cleaning on a rotating schedule.

As far as crafts workshops and such go, that boils down to who's interested in what but the sooner these get done, the sooner the Community can develop a solid, secondary income, it can be a hard act to juggle at times but in the long run it should all fit together rather nicely imho.

Ooooh, I forgot pictures

Here's a shot out the back door, off in the distance you can see the main garden



And a bit more up close,




Heres the clearcut wood field we've been pulling from, Tons of chips and small stuff for the Charcoal making too,,,




And again, more garden plots, much closer to the main cabin here.

 

And of course, heres the Creek, great spot to cool off in the heat of the summer, or a nice place to chill and collect one's thoughts in solitude if desired, works for me at least.




:cheers2:

And of course, we mostly take turns cooking various meals but at times we fend for ourselves as well.

 

its transforming beautifully lovely to see your space - I will keep connected
:sunny:

 

hay all,just a quick note about the poor dirt (clay) anything organic that can be tilled in even newspaper,cardboard,hay,straw what ever will work wonders and add some worms also,they will help tremendously.
compost the waste from the out house also,grind your eggshells also,coffee grounds are great 4 a garden also.
layer the paper with a layer of manure or dirt and another layer with cardboard ext ext in the fall and plant your green crop right on top of it all and plow in come spring and you will be amazed at the difference it will make....

 

Welcome to the forums, Mr. Bananasman!!!

 

Alright, I've read this entire post. whew. I live in Virginia and it's a possibility that I live not too very far from you all. I have my own small homestead that I'm not able to give up at the moment but I would absolutely love to day trip it up there and help out with whatever needs to be done, and we can see where it would go from there.

I'm female, I'm 25. I have a bit of background in gardening (not necessarily farming though). I have chickens. I was a home-birth midwifery student, and I have some knowledge of herbalism and holistic health. I have a massive interest in sustainable building methods.

I could be an asset if you don't mind someone possibly camping up there for periods of time but commuting back to their own piece of land (which I would be willing to host other people at if that was ever necessary).

I live in Bath county, for what it's worth.

 

My name is Matt Gibson and have been gathering information on commune living, I am a single father with 3 sons, and would love more information and to contact some one at Spirit Wynd.

Maybe a little more about myself,, I am a 37 year old man. My professions thus far have been in Construction[Framing, roofing, and painting]. My parents were apart of the Yippie Party in their younger days , so i was raised with a peaceful core attitude, with alot of inspired anti system beliefs. my life choices have made me accept the grind to raise my childeren. But with the way "america is today" it has me wanting to return to the way i was raised . Spirit Wynd is just what me and my sons need and would be an assett to the community. contact me at m.gibson44@yahoo.com

 

Hi this is my first post ever!!!!!!!
not just on this forum or site i mean ever!!!
i hope i do it alright
i have always been interested in communal living. in fairness i have also been interested in making millions and owning my own corporate empire(lol). in other words i have an enormous quantity of interests. i have learned a lot of things becuase of this. on my own volition i grew my hair out starting in the 3rd grade. i cut it a couple of years ago and wish i had not
my recent most work experiences have left me interested in alternate living situations and have destroyed my thoughts of a coporate empire. grin
i am interested in joining and helping but i also would like to know more before i commit so i fully under stand yall wanting to know more too.
i am generally preaty capable. i have put roofs on barns and houses built fences firepits trails picnic tables. i am an eagle scout which i am proud of however i do NOT agree with large quantities of the values laid down by the boyscouts.
the work i have probably enjoyed most in my life was that on a farm and i know i would greatly prefer a loving community than a job on one. i am assuming yall are generally loving

so PLEASE tell me more here or at my email quaidlogic@gmail.com

 

hey all... i live at the farm and i will be responding to these post for as of this moment. ok lets see here... BannaMan

"hay all,just a quick note about the poor dirt (clay) anything organic that can be tilled in even newspaper,cardboard,hay,straw what ever will work wonders and add some worms also,they will help tremendously.
compost the waste from the out house also,grind your eggshells also,coffee grounds are great 4 a garden also.
layer the paper with a layer of manure or dirt and another layer with cardboard ext ext in the fall and plant your green crop right on top of it all and plow in come spring and you will be amazed at the difference it will make.... "------- we are not doing much with the clay as of now. no kelm to have it dryed. we were supposed to have it done by now. but the garden is taking over ha ha. we grind our egg shells for the chickes it puts some kind of thing into their eggs that they make. the owner does that... we are collecting coffee grounds for the shatacki mushrooms. we are going to do some of those here soon too i am guessing... alot of the tings u have said we are already doing... but thank u very much for the pointers. If u have anymore. that would be cool. that way we can try some new things maybe.....

ADAVYA- to ur post.... i do not know if our friend royal has gotten to u or not. but we would love for u to come down for a day visit. we can swap info and what not if u would like. here is my email address stone_shaped_heart@yahoo.com i can not wait for u to come down. we have been wanting some visters for a while now. i am very sure u would be welcomed and would havea ball!

 

opps sorry forgot something. loving u all kids. peace and love

hailey aka !exclamation!

 

Kindly,,, Bananaman was referring to the clay in the garden, not the clay for ceramics. Organic matter like all the leaves I've been raking and so forth,,, :cheers2: