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Starting a thread sharing the process of turning a raw land into Camp Gregan*.
After spending last summer in the woods, we decided we wanted more of that.
Not a home, but Nature, somewhere the opposite of city. To be In It.
After spending last summer in the woods, we decided we wanted more of that.
Not a home, but Nature, somewhere the opposite of city. To be In It.
We found a good fit.
- 2 hours from NYC
- Logged about 100 years ago, nothing since then.
- Cheap (hard to do conventional development on because of access & base rock)
- weird shape
- end of road on top of hill.
- close to towns along a rail trail
- 2 hours from NYC
- Logged about 100 years ago, nothing since then.
- Cheap (hard to do conventional development on because of access & base rock)
- weird shape
- end of road on top of hill.
- close to towns along a rail trail
We bought cash. You can do land mortgages but it's like 7% and max 10 years.
We made a budget including the first years requirements (camping deck etc), and stuck to it.
That was a bit hard. It always seemed like something perfect was *just* too much.
We made a budget including the first years requirements (camping deck etc), and stuck to it.
That was a bit hard. It always seemed like something perfect was *just* too much.
Offer to closing was faster. We had a survey done, lawyer etc. But there isn't any appraisal, no bank, no house to inspect. Fast, and a bit anti-climactic.
No keys to hand over.
"Okay, they're your trees now."
No keys to hand over.
"Okay, they're your trees now."
Last weekend we did a sitemap walking around it. Driveway, utility shed, camping deck.
Done.
We also noted good treehouse trees.
Done.
We also noted good treehouse trees.
Today was my first real day making headway.
- Put up some outdoor yard tool sheds
- Cleared the decking site ground cover
- Graveled and leveled footing post sites.
- Put together a sawhorse
- Cut 4x4s for posts (hacky)
- made an 8'x8' frame
This is it. Us, tiny in Nature.
- Put up some outdoor yard tool sheds
- Cleared the decking site ground cover
- Graveled and leveled footing post sites.
- Put together a sawhorse
- Cut 4x4s for posts (hacky)
- made an 8'x8' frame
This is it. Us, tiny in Nature.
The work was hard, I made stupid mistakes, and my back is going to be grumpy tomorrow.
I had to lug everything about 1/8th of a mile into the woods.
I'm literally backpacking pebbles and lumber into the forest (cc @choffstein).
I had to lug everything about 1/8th of a mile into the woods.
I'm literally backpacking pebbles and lumber into the forest (cc @choffstein).
So yeah, I loved it. Can't wait to do more.
Brief interlude of recommended reading.
First up: "The Woodland Homestead" by Brett McLeod, Philip Ackerman-Leist.
Excellent, concise overview of how to take woodland and make it sustainably produce a variety of benefits. https://a.co/6GGk4yI
First up: "The Woodland Homestead" by Brett McLeod, Philip Ackerman-Leist.
Excellent, concise overview of how to take woodland and make it sustainably produce a variety of benefits. https://a.co/6GGk4yI
Second, "Working Alone" by John Carroll.
A how to guide for doing construction work by yourself. As @DaveNadig told me, with tools and planning you can do pretty much anything.
Clamps are
. https://a.co/0vRSMJj
A how to guide for doing construction work by yourself. As @DaveNadig told me, with tools and planning you can do pretty much anything.
Clamps are
. https://a.co/0vRSMJj
* Name provisional. Not approved by any other stakeholders.
