54 replies to this topic

[Tom Bombadil]

yup, I know i need to contact the local yokels but i only have one contact at present, and he does not always get back to me. I need to go back soon and do a face to face. Ah the joys of living 250 miles away.


Moving on....

[Tom Bombadil]

The short of this post is to express my missgivings on the loss of the lawfull pages that have been removed. 

 

I am miffed that the very good information was just deleted and not locked.  I understand that the threads were hot, but that did add to the content.

 

The order of the day was information.   Others that disliked that information did not have to disrepect it and if they knew it to be false then they can report to the administration witth their proof and the posters could be warned.

 

Rant over.

 

I appreciate that the owner of the site can do as they want.

 

But, you know, the information was valid, it did not effect the rules laid out by the book and in truth could run hand in hand with the book's ideals. 

 

I know that I can use this site to ask questions to clarify issues when I finally get going, but you know something?  I was also happy knowing how to deal with the suits too!  A while back, wasn't the handbook used by the siuts posted on this site?  Is that not the same thing?  Knowing how to act is part of tbe book.

 

I am confused. 

 

I am peeved too.

 

Back to my quest...  Got a new car to get us up that hill.

Next we need to fit a tow bar for the trailer caravan we will use as a base of operations when we start to put in the growy things and the pointy posty things.

 

I purchased a toy too.  A bow and arrows.  Just to compliment my crossbow.  I will have some fun with my place in the sun.

 

 

 

Moving on...

 

[Tom Bombadil]

So far, everything we have done has gone like cockwork.

 

No probs with the new car.  Still looking to install a towbar for a trip with a secondhand caravan in mid to late August.

 

We looked at a caravan today.  5 berth, one axel, lots of use.  No go on that one.  They pop up and go in two days in my area.  We drove to look at one on the coast today.  It was pants.

 

My plants needed some TLC.  I got them some bone and blood mix and a good liquid feed.  They perked up a bit since.  I cant wait for winter to plant them.  Late winter will be best.

 

Stopped making plans at home.  Apart from logistics of our trip, I have decided to wake-up on the land and observe.

 

Purchased some bits;  Orange string and large pegs to use as a marker to see where best to place roads and fences etc.  A set of fold-up tables from Lidl as a base of operations in a gazeebo that we will soon get.  One of these;  Foneso F100 100m(328ft) Laser Distance Measurer Handheld Rangefinder Measuring Tool with Backlit Display (100m)

I am gonna use this with a mirror or white card on a stick to measure.  It also does triganomatry and area too.  I want to see how tall my trees are without going back to school!

 

Now!  Back to looking for a caravan...

 

 

Moving on...

[Tom Bombadil]

Picked up a single axle, two bed, pull along caravan.  I am sure that it will feel tiny at the end of each day, as we come in from doing the planning on our land, but the awning will help.  £575 all in.  It all works so they say, so I am testing it out as I get ready to visit the land.  As long as the shower works, and the taps and drainage then I wil be happy. It has a gas fridge and oven and hob.  Everything we might need to spend a couple of weeks planning.

 

This is not the live-in jobbie that we are going to need when we start building the farm.  It will do for now.

 

It needs a little effort with the ceiling, but that will be a dodle.

 

 

All in all we are very happy with it.  We went in thinking it was selling at 850.  We mis-read it and it was going for 650.  We chatted, and thanks to lilly, we got it down to 575.  Yay.  The bits that need fixing will set us back around £60, so all in it was a good day.

 

Moving on...

 

 

 

PS.  We know jack-poo about running a caravan.  I will be visiting you tube this week.  AND we still need a tow-bar fitted...

 

 

 

Moving on...

[Sunnysouthdevon]

What you towing it with?

[Tom Bombadil]

We will fit a towbar to the car in time for the trip.

[Sunnysouthdevon]

You said previously you got a new tow vehicle ... Just wondering what it is, have you done much towing?

[Tom Bombadil]

You said previously you got a new tow vehicle ... Just wondering what it is, have you done much towing?

yup. Just a more powerful, bigger car. Never towed before. We like a challenge. I will let y'all know how it goes.

I don't foresee any problems with towing.

If the towbar has not been fitted by Sunday, then i will do it myself. If it has not been done by the time we go, i will hire a big car with a towbar.


moving on...

[tottenham]

You said previously you got a new tow vehicle ... Just wondering what it is, have you done much towing?

 

i was wondering what colour it is ? lol

[Tom Bombadil]

Pink!

[Sunnysouthdevon]

Smart car? Or a pink Nissan figaro?

[Tom Bombadil]

I had no real time to respond, but I am ready for bed so I have 5 mins.

We had a 1.2 engine size, that was a semi-auto. Fine for city and rural life on the road but it lacked pull. We dumped it for a 1.9 manual diesel which will be fine.

We don't need a 4x4 this year and indeed we plan to do without for as long as we can. They are not always necessary, handy yes, but not essential where we are and with our plans. Ah but what about snow and floods and ice etc? So what? We will do what we have to to start but i am not in this for the gung-ho 4 x4x4 type that has all the kit. That will come in time.

If we get snowed in then cool. If it floods, just turn back. Ifs and buts! We might get the best 4x4 and it STILL not be enough. So time will tell.

Moving on....



Testing the gas and water tomorrow. If it does not work, we have enough time to buy new bits.

Does anyone know how to cleanse a water system on a caravan? Pump it with dilute Milton Fluid?

Aldi were selling a caravan cover for 50 quid or so, so we got one. It will help keep it fresh until we visit again next month from this first trip.


Moving on...

[Tom Bombadil]

Me NOT in the quarry.

GRRRR still no pic.

Moving on...

[Sunnysouthdevon]

I've got a tourer that we use for holidays.... Put Milton in your water carrier and run it threw every tap, try to avoid using that caravan cover .... They appear to be all singing and dancing but they trap moisture and the caravan can't breath properly... Just my opinion but up to you

[Tom Bombadil]

I've got a tourer that we use for holidays.... Put Milton in your water carrier and run it threw every tap, try to avoid using that caravan cover .... They appear to be all singing and dancing but they trap moisture and the caravan can't breath properly... Just my opinion but up to you

 

Thanks for the water tip.

 

Oppinions are always welcome    I make you right on that cover.  It will be a bacterial and mould magnet.  But I intend to 'prime' the caravan on leaving it, and before putting the cover on it, with an anti mould spray.  I also intend to alow it to 'air' by not having the cover touch the surfaces too much by using spacers.

 

I also intend to use a simple computer fan set-up to filter air in to the caravan and create a differing air pressure within, to make the ingress of damp air through the vents in the floor and thus keeping that within to remain free from damp.  I think that if I semi-seal all the floor vents before we leave it on site, the natural cracks and fissures in the caravan will be enough to create the desired effects.  I will link the fan to the internal batts via a solar panel to keep it charged.

 

Just an idea

 

 

 

 

Moving on...

[j and H]

personally, i would be looking for a 4x4… for many reasons, 

ours has been priceless and especially when moving livestock and feed around the place, and now winter is around the corner, its one tool that really needs to be in the box

 

good luck with your project, you seem to be enjoying

[Greenbeast]

I agree, the 4x4 is extremely useful. We paid £600 for our fourtrak and it will tow 3.5tn (obviously driving licence dependent)
We had to get the clutch done almost immediately but at £420 was worth while for shifting our stock trailer about

[Tom Bombadil]

4x4 will follow if needed.

We will more than likely be getting 'farm' machinery first.


moving on...

[Tom Bombadil]

Hey ho! Back from a double visit. Remember that we live in London and the farm (Heh, I called it a farm) is in Wales.

We drove the caravan there chock full of things we needed to measure, dig, cut and plan for things to start the venture in 12 months time. By start I mean that the gates are in, the new fences are in, the dividing hedges are planted and the hard standing and paths are ready.

The chap next door has a digger that will assist us with drainage. He is gonna charge but we are cool with the prices. We can't clear too much of the existing hedges until we get our strimmer (Our first big power tool) in a month or so, but no rush just yet.

When we got there it was late in the day and we were shattered. The motorways were chock and we had been on the road all flipping day. It was a simple task to take the things from the caravan and port it in the car to the top of the hill. Its a steep hill and the caravan had to be as light as poss.

After the caravan was at its position we set down to sleep after a cheer and a smile. Nah, we crashed out after a draining day, swearing and pissed off that it took so long. It was inside, in our minds that we were happy. But we were smiling.

Woke up for the first time on the farm. No name yet. Peeing with rain for the first quarter, by 8am it had stopped. Set about making plans. Its so much better when you are there.

Cant find the flipping spring yet, but plan b would be to dig a well or have one dug. We do need a water supply. But for now potable water will be supplied by the stream that's midway point is halfway down my elevation that will enable us to store it in tanks and then position it where we want. Filtered out and cleaned, it will do until we drill a bore.

For the first year the water is not for us or animals but for the growing area.

We made new friends, we worked out just where to start too.

Next time we visit we will be putting in a 350 ft fence and cutting some 'growth' with the strimmer. It will be a Stihl FS 460 C-EM Brush cutter. That will clear the first grass from the line of the new fence and get to work on all the greenery that has over grown onto the farm.

On the other hand, a hand saw and clippers costing 15 quid from Lidl has seen the trees and bushes look far better than they were originally. the place is looking neater.

As I wander around with a saw and clippers in hand, the layout takes shape. I am going with the flow. For example, as I was opening up the fence to the steps down to the quarry, I noticed that there was a line of sight from the top of the steps along through the only gap in the hedge (There is a broken gate) that ends exactly where the home will be. Cool. Well almost, I will shift the house two meters to its left. Heh. Best £15 spent ever.

Noticed more that drainage will be VERY needed to keep the quarry less damp.

Where to start? My true start to becoming a 'farm' will be to re-read that red book of ours get back to asking questions here on these pages I suppose...


...moving on...

[Tom Bombadil]

Back again from a long weekend on the farm. First fog, and frost on the roof of the caravan on monday as we left.

A utiliterian post today folks.

Used the brush cutter to remove some of the greenry around the culvert inlet. Looks much better now. Its a start. The pipe is 8ins across.
Lots of the work was done with the hoe. A good tool.

Made some path ways in the long grass. It needed the right blade that the shop did not have that weekend. It just mushed it up instead of cutting.
But lots done. Next time I will cut it like a scythe and mulch it!

Because of the fog, i have unilaterally agreed to situate the garden/veg plot on the top field. We will still run that fence on the lower field to cordon it off for no good reason.

Decided that we wont need the digger hire to clear the ditches as they can be done by hand. Slower but more rewarding, and we get to know all the parts of the farm more intimately.

Decided that a wind turbine-to-battery configuration is better for us for leccy to start with. 800+watts will do for now. It does not need to be raised high.

Still looking for that spring. Anyone here have an ear trumpet? It looks like I will have to dig a big hole, and dam that off, and pipe it to a tank.

Next big buy will be the new chainsaw...and the new fence posts.

Moving on...