Building Our Island Homestead: A Rewarding Challenge
Building our island homestead from scratch is a big task! We had no idea how much work it would take. From clearing the forest to transporting supplies, building our cabin, outdoor bathroom, trails, and solar systems, it’s a lot! But it’s incredibly rewarding! We may not be typical pioneers, but our struggles and joys are real. Despite the challenges, we wouldn’t change a thing and cherish every moment!
Table of Contents
- What We Do for Water
- Making Room for the Generator
- Tussling with a Sasquatch
- Scavenging for Building Material
- Increasing Solar Production
- Hooking Up and Testing the New Panels
What We Do for Water
We’ve had a lot of people ask us what we do for water. So, here’s how it all works! We use a big neon green hose submerged in the lake, which has a filter and is plugged into a pump. This setup brings water all the way up through the trees to a covered tub beside our outdoor kitchen. We turn on the pump that feeds the Joolca hot water system which supplies hot water for showers and washing dishes.
Making Room for the Generator
Next, we need to relocate the generator behind our battery shed. This requires taking out a couple of tiny trees, which is a lot of work. Melodi uses her trusty Saker saw for this task. It’s amazing how efficient this tool is!
Tussling with a Sasquatch
While working in the forest, Ryan jokingly mentions that he tussled with a Sasquatch, which lightened up the mood. It’s moments like these that remind us how much fun we have, even amidst hard work.
Scavenging for Building Material
Today, we are reclaiming wood from some derelict cabins that have stood for about 80 years. The wood is still in decent shape, and we plan to use it for our solar panel supports and other projects. It feels good to repurpose materials and honor the history of these structures.
Increasing Solar Production
With the addition of more modern conveniences, we realized our current solar setup wasn’t keeping up. We only had eight panels installed, so we decided to increase our capacity. By salvaging wood, we managed to build additional supports for two more solar panels, which will increase our solar production by 25%!
Hooking Up and Testing the New Panels
Finally, we connected the new panels. This is a crucial step, as we want to ensure we are generating enough voltage. We managed to increase the voltage significantly, making a big difference in our energy production. Seeing the solar input ramp up was an exciting moment!
Building our island homestead from scratch is indeed a huge task, but every step we take brings us closer to our dream. We are grateful for the challenges and the rewards they bring.
If you want to follow along with our progress, check us out on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and x.com. Also, feel free to browse our favorite products on My Wild Holm’s Favorite Things or visit our Amazon Store.