It seems we haven’t been progressing very fast on the house. We’ve been trying to get our webstore up and running and all sorts of other things are happening, too. We’ve been skiing a lot, in an effort to get our family in good shape this winter. I’ve picked up a few new clients, one of them very exciting and interesting. Chris has been working with the kids on some school projects. He and Helen have been planning the garden and ordering seeds while we’ve been working with both the girls on 4-H speeches and with Stephen on the start of his 4-H demonstration with a friend. The car needed an oil change which meant actually getting it in the shop through a few feet of snow that hadn’t been plowed yet this year. We are readying the ewes for lambing in about 5 weeks and the kids Aunt has been trying to convince them to raise ducks for her this year.
All in all very busy. It almost feels like it did “before” we slowed down…can’t wait for spring when everything seems easier and warmer. I’m feeling a bit neither-here-nor-there…something my mom used to say once in while. Never thought I’d feel the same sometimes! On a positive note, I think we’ve had something like 40 hours of sunshine already in February and only 7 each in Decemer and January! It was -5 today outside and +12 inside the earthship…bring on spring.
You are amazing. The market lambs from last year are the ewes or did you get more sheep.
My wife of 25 years has said yes lets build an earthship I bought the books in 1994 so you can see it has been on my mind and I owe it all to your blog.
you showed me it is possable to do this yourself which I had kind of given up on.
I really wanted to see yours being built but never could find the time.
Our situation is very like yours I am 49 and have an 8 year old daughter and 12 year old son,I am a realtor and do renovations as well so I have some constuction background.
I am hoping to do an internship this summer there is a build in Canada May June on the website I have asked for more info on.
Anyway Thanks
Brian S
Hi couple of other things how was your permit process I can not seem to find blog info and very glad you won So Nice I voted every day.
Scouts Canada won 50000 from Pepsi this year as wekll on same system but we are using the money for no scout left behind, I votedc for you every day and at the end I was ytying to see who won by checking numbers. You were somewher aronud 6000 votes and the others seemed to be in the hundredrs at most while lots only had 5 or 6 I think that is a good statement for society nand it gives me hope that more people will get involved. I am reading a great book called the Geography of Hope and it makes me realize the world is getting greener not just all doom and gloom.
Thanks
Brian S
Hi Brian, to get a permit we had to submit plans that were to code. That meant our plans had to meet the regulations that other houses meet. For example, we had to prove we had an adequate septic in place (we did) and that all other setacks, etc. were correct. The place that differs is that any item that does not fall under Part 9 of the building code, had to have engineering analysis on it to show that it was equal or in excess of Part 9. Chris is an engineer and he spent a fair bit of time on the plans.
Thanks for voting every day! It’s people like you who helped us win! We had about 1600 votes (I think) and ended up 4th in the voting. HOWEVER, as you know, it all came down to the judges at the end of the day and I really believe that all the attention and kind comments from our supporters helped promote our project. A group in our local community is trying for $100,000 from Pepsi. That is an interesting contest, too…
If I thought it was all gloom and doom, I wouldn’t be building an earthship…I’m not sure we’re getting “greener” as fast as we should…but I believe we just need to keep changing and moving forward as individuals…
I’m blushing…I guess sometimes we are amazing..mostly just normal though! 🙂 No the market lambs are long gone, but the kids have been raising ewe lambs since 2009 and last fall we bred them. Three are part of their 4-H projects and the other two are Chris’. He bred the hair sheep and the Friesen (a dairy breed) to a Barbados Blue Belly…they look a little like goats, so it should be interesting to see what we get…maybe something out of The Lord of the Rings???
I had heard the internship on L’Esceda Island (there, I’m sure I’ve spelled that incorrectly) is filled up now. Just a rumour, so I could be wrong. Please post any information about that internship on our Darfield Earthship Facebook page, if you hear back. I know others have been curious, too.