Back to the land
I keep daydreaming about how I would build the farm if I was a pioneer like my great grandad Peter Johanson. I'd be way ahead of my time:-I'd put a well in the basement. The water from the well would be 38 degrees, year-round. A windmill would pump this water over a galvanized steel box we'd use as a refrigerator.
-We'd be the only farm in the county with an indoor flush toilet, septic tank and drainage field.
-We'd need good insulation just about a row of straw-bales wide. The siding could be lifted off the house to replace the straw every few years.
-I'd plant windbreaks (OK, Peter did this too) around the farmyard and barn, and around the garden plot. Open to the south to admit sunlight. The windbreaks would be multilevel-- high cottonwoods, medium ash, low level cedars. Also an orchard with apple, pear, plum and cherry trees.
-Sheep would keep the lawn cut and we'd have fresh eggs from the chickens.
-I would make heavy duty leather boots with felt linings and turn them into frontier Sorels by dipping them in molten beeswax.
posted by Matt_J @ 9:21 AM
5 Comments:
Those are great ideas. I really like the well that cools the refrigerator and the straw bail insulation.
38 degrees? Are you sure? That's colder than the bottom of the ocean.
Also, it's going to take a week or so to put together your package. Anything you want from Trader Joes?
Actually yes! Karin said she'd like some chocolate from TJs. Me, I'd eat just about anything.
I made up that part about 38 degrees but even so I think it would work pretty well. I'd have a water tank in the attic.
Dark or milk?
Not white, not too bitter, milk is good.
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