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We lived in a caravan for the first four months. A shed was completed the first week we were here & a house was built on the side. We had help with the block-work & the roofing. Then hubby & I were on our own. We sanded & sealed the concrete floors, fitted doors & windows & painted inside & out. It’s a pretty reasonable temporary house! We do plan to build our Dream House, but when….???
There are no services to the property. No electricity at the flick of a switch or water in a tap – unless we make it happen. Hubby has installed an extensive solar system. We are able to run normal household appliances as well as his workshop. He is even threatening three-phase at some point!
Dams were, and continue to be, built. Pipes are laid, pumps run & filtration systems are in place so that we have water in our taps.
Roads have been built & maintained. Hubby is brilliant at civils!
We have built fences, lots of fences. There are plenty of predators around who would love to snack on our assortment of animals! So that also means that we make extensive use of electric fences.
I try to grow produce. I am challenged in this department! I do manage lots of chard for us & the livestock & onions do well. The rest is a bit hit & miss. An area I need to keep working on.
Hubby has set up a hydroponics system which is starting to deliver – YaY!
I love my animals! Chickens & ducks give us eggs & meat, rabbits, sheep & goats provide meat. Boris the Ox will one day fill our deep-freeze. The goats also provide lots of kids & creamy milk. I make yoghurt, kefir & cheese, most days.
It’s wonderful to sit in the early morning milking a contented animal as they munch away on their treats. Being a milk goat means you get to snack on apples, pears, bananas, beetroot & carrots! No wonder our milk is sweet & tasty!
We aren’t entirely self sufficient, yet. But we have come a long road & are continuing with this journey.