April 24, 2007

oday was a really cool day. Well other than it was raining for the last 20 hours.. We got to go with a friend to her friend's home out in the middle of the bush 40 miles from town. They live on a homestead which is completely off grid. I was expecting a small remote knocked together cabin on the mountain and when we were yet a mile away, I said "That is their house"? It was HUGE!

I do not want to invade their privacy and post pictures of their place on here, but you must trust me when I say that if anyone is dreaming of living off in the wilderness and off grid, this is the place you are dreaming for. True.. they are still up on the mountain and there is alot of snow and in the horrible stage of meltdown, but it is 'the dream'.

Picture Below: This is the wall in their power room.

We went there so I could meet a family who lives off-grid. I did not see one single thing in their place that would not be in a normal home. They had a dishwasher, dryer, hot water heater, large screen wall TV, phone, high speed internet etc. They use a huge wood cookstove that Mary was lusting over for most of the year and when it is too hot they have another full sized work camp propane stove which they use instead. But they prefer the wooden one. They are on hybrid wind/solar set-up and his 21 yr old son is the one who put it all together and seems to do alot of the upkeep on it. I am sure I will be talking to him alot!!!

They had just had a baby calf born a few hours before we got there. He was pretty fine. Of course we had to go out and see the rest of their livestock as well. They have milk/meat goats and I think there were 9 does and a buck downstairs. Upstairs in the barn they had 13-14 few weeks old kids. They are all bottle babies so of course we were 'attacked' and quickly searched for bottles the second we appeared. When no bottle was found, they latched onto anything on your person, whether it was fingers, earlobes, or cords for your sweatshirt hood. They also had an heirloom turkey breed which suspiciously looks like Slates or Lilacs and they are getting me the name and phone number so I can get some hatching eggs or something from her. I could have also brought home one of their baby goat does, but I declined at this time as they are not dehorned. I told them if they get a dehorner for next year, I will dehorn them in trade for a baby in 2008.

Picture Above: Mary being searched by 3 of the 13 kids for milk bottles. I do not think she knew how affectionate goat kids can be.

The day flew by, as it always does when you are in good company. We left with an invite to come back and visit again (and invited to a wedding in June).

On our way back, I spied a roof through the trees as we crossed a river and Sheila our tour guide for the day, told me it is where the community  gets its water. I asked if we could go down there to the springhouse and she said we could.

Pictures: The building is the community springhouse. It was a nice little drive up into the area and camping is allowed for 14 days at a time. A lovely river is just behind me in the picture.  The pump was easy to prime after 4-5 times at the handle and the water was fresh and cold, though a slight bit of iron taste in it. From the water or from the pump I am not sure, but it was not at all unpleasant.