# New missouri homestead starting



## kycrawler

Pictures of new barn I am building on my new homestead property in Missouri. I live 450 miles away in Indiana so I have to make my trips count . This is the livestock barn 30x40 with a 15 ft lean to on the south side. The side walls are 13 ft height for a small hay loft above . the majority of the lumber was sawn on my woodmizer sawmill in Indiana and hauled to the new farm . I also hauled the poles and metal because there was a $1500 price difference between buying in Indiana and Missouri . We are 4 days into construction with just my brother in law and I doing all of the work


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## InTheHills

Looks great. Where are you in MO?


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## MoCat

Yes what part of Mo and In?


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## Post_Oakie

Missouri, portable sawmill, 8N Ford, flatbed truck... sounds a lot like me. Best of luck! Drop me a line if you're in the Joplin area. I'd love to swap experiences.


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## texican

Don't mind me asking, what did you use for your upright posts? Post oak? Cypress? If not a naturally rot/insect resistant species, did you treat them? 

I've got a local barn, about a mile away from here, in the middle of the 'river bottom', where it floods every couple of years, ~60 years old, and still rock solid, made of post oak beams and planks.


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## Pony

Dang! You are making good use of your time! 

hmm.... Are you in the 'Zarks?


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## mpwithem

Love this!! I'm definitely excited for you! Something I hope to one day do too. (I am determined I will within the next 10 years!)


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## kycrawler

10 miles south of nevada 50 miles north of joplin . Posts are cca treated syp . most of the rest of the lumber is red oak and poplar i did run somewhat short and had to buy some pine to finish framing the building with . 6 days start to finish we had it up and dried in and the doors hung


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## Pony

So real S and W. 

You guys must have worked from sunup to sundown. Nice job! :goodjob:


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## tarbe

This ain't your first rodeo....


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## kycrawler

I have built a few barns . This will be my first venture into building a house . I have 1 more shop barn to build then I am going to set a house trailer we will move to the property then begin building a house ( I may frame the house before the move ). I had to get a barn and some fence up as when we move I have a small herd of jersey cows I am keeping and a good sized herd of goats and its hard to care for animals 500 miles away . i do have some more pictures i will post once i get caught up here from my week away and first cutting hay done


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## kycrawler

have been busy most of the summer logging my woods in indiana and sawing lumber kids have fall break from school the end of this week so we will be installing perimeter fence and a cross fence or two so we have a place to put the cows when we move next spring / summer


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## Snowfan

IMPRESSIVE! Nice work.:bow:


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## motdaugrnds

Oh dear, as soon as I saw those 4x4 studs being used to hold all that lumber, I shivered!


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## kycrawler

4x4 studs? the posts are pressure treated 6x6 spaced 8 ft apart along the walls and the posts are 15 feet apart the other way . I am in mo now working on fence the 2 oldest kids and I put up right at 1/2 mile of 6 strand barb wire we put h braces every 330 ft with 6 inch wood corners alternating 4 steel line posts then 1 wood pictures to come when I get home


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## motdaugrnds

((whew)) Glad to know those are 6x6s! Place is looking good!


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## homebody

What kind of roof are you gonna put on it? I have been thinking of one that is 20x32'. The 8' wide travel trailer could go under one half and there would be a covered 10x32' in front of it.


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## kycrawler

that barn has been done since memorial day i used 26 gauge galvalume ag panels for the roof they cover 36 inches wide per panel we are setting up rainwater collection off the barn shop[ and house roof for the homestead water supply should be plenty for a family of 7 15 cows 40-50 goats and irrigate the garden


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## katy

Congratulations, it's looking and sounding great. You have a plan and sticking to it, it's what counts.


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## kycrawler

Like all plans there are kinks the power company quoted me $2800 to bring power back to the barn site in march when i bought the property now were looking at $8500 as of this october. so we decided to go solar and completely offgrid with the 30% fed tax credit i can put in a nice solar setup for the house and they can keep the grid power I already have 2 10kw kubota diesel gen sets a smaller propane gen set and just bought a new gererac gas unit


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## homebody

Why did the price go up so much? Btw, your land is beautiful, grass is thick/lush.


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## kycrawler

different staking engineer 1890 ft to the road not counting the 300' they would run for free 5.20 per foot and i have to clear the row . I dont mind the solar power just make it less likely anyone will build to the north of me in the 120ac tract of woods kids will be gone in a few years and the wife and i can do fine with minimal power the only thing i will miss is my outdoor woodburner as it is a power hog with 2 blower fans and a circulating pump . I may have to investigate a little more as there are a few amish families we deal with that have outdoor burners and they are not on grid power but they also have different boilers than i do


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## FarmerDavid

kycrawler said:


> 10 miles south of nevada 50 miles north of joplin . Posts are cca treated syp . most of the rest of the lumber is red oak and poplar i did run somewhat short and had to buy some pine to finish framing the building with . 6 days start to finish we had it up and dried in and the doors hung


Enjoy the pics. Sounds like your close to me. Lamar?


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## kycrawler

Between milo and sheldon so just a little north of lamar i hop down to lamar to go over to pittsburg kansas to the home depot for supplies i get a good discount at home depot that makes it worth the trip


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## FarmerDavid

kycrawler said:


> Between milo and sheldon so just a little north of lamar i hop down to lamar to go over to pittsburg kansas to the home depot for supplies i get a good discount at home depot that makes it worth the trip


Cool the Amish in that area did some work on my house a few years ago. I prefer to go to lowes in Carthage but if you can get a discount at HD that's the way to go. Plus you can get some good fried chicken if your so inclined. I've also been supprised that eisenhours in Lamar has had a lot more then I expected them to have. I'm in Golden City so its not worth making a trip there as opposed to Carthage but my wife works in Lamar so she's been able to pick up stuff for me. 

Any questions about the area or anything feel free to shoot me a private message I'd be happy to help.


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## Post_Oakie

Sounds like you're making great progress! Hope we'll have the chance to meet one of these days. I get over to Pittsburg from time to time to deliver lumber from my sawmill. I'm about 8 miles from Neosho.


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## kycrawler

Here are a few other pics I found on my camera


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## Deeplines

Looks great.


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## kycrawler

Working on lumber for the house and shop barns. Can't wait for some warmer weather we have had record cold and snow here in Indiana this year


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## FarmerDavid

It's not much warmer here. Hope you didn't think you'd be moving to a tropical climate.


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## kycrawler

34 below zero. And 48 inches of snow on average Missouri has been 15 to 20 degrees warmer this year than here this morning was 4 and didn't feel too bad I don't mind some cold. But I am tired of this ---- snow and ice


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## Greybush

Good job looks great


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## kycrawler

I am in Missouri now working for the week today the kids and I set the poles and framed up the side walls for my shop barn . Tomorrow we are going to start setting the house poles. And menards should be delivering the roof trusses for the shop and house


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## kycrawler

Here are a few of today's pics


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## kycrawler

Menards dropped the ball for the delivery of the house and shop trusses when I ordered I set up delivery for first thing yesterday am . I called them at noon and they didn't even have delivery scheduled so we wasted a building day putting up fence instead about 6 pm the trusses arrived we got them offloaded and back to the house site . It was still about an hour till dark so we put up a few shop trusses so as to have an easy start today


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## Dixie Bee Acres

I envy you. Your equipment, and the entire experience you are living by building an entirely new farmstead, all from scratch.
Everything looks fantastic. Congrats and keep the pics coming.


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## kycrawler

Today


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## tarbe

Are the 6x6 vertical posts set in concrete, or are they in tamped dirt?

Thanks for the updates. Enjoy watching your great progress.


Tim


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## kycrawler

The house poles are 5 foot deep holes with 6 inches of concrete in the bottom backfilled with tamped gravel dirt mix. I also put a dead man block on the bottom of the posts.


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## kycrawler

I just noticed all the pictures so far are of my work shop I will post some house pics after I get tools cleaned up and put away


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## kycrawler

Shop barn


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## kycrawler

Started on the house 30x48 post frame


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## Muleman

Enjoy the thread and the pictures. Nice projects you got going there. I am really curious to see how the house comes out, never seen a post frame house built, but like the idea. Man, this thread makes me want to go build something.


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## kycrawler

I will be installing a normal 2x8 and OSB floor and framing up mini stud walls to go between each post sheeting with OSB then installing 30 lb felt and whatever siding m wife decides on


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## kycrawler

This week after my day job we sawed out 80 2 x8 16 footers and a pile of 1 x6 oak for subfloor. So now on memorial day I can get the floor joists subfloor and side walls started


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## kycrawler

New pics


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Sawdust angel.....cool!


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## kycrawler

The sawdust angelwas cool the hand full of sawdust she threw down the back of my pants was not somuch


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## kycrawler

One sheet of metal and a short piece of ridge cap to go


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## Greybush

Looking good, are you having to wait for the wood to cure or how exactly are you doing it


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## kycrawler

The poplar will be installed semi green. I cut most of the logs when the sap was down last fall the oak sub floor is the same way . The oak I sawed for the finish flooring will be dried in a solar kiln then finished . Poplar is a great wood for building you can get use it green and it won't split like oak when it Dries in place


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Looking good as always. Once done, will you be living there permanently?


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## kycrawler

Yes this is to be our permanent home after I sell my house here the proceeds will go towards more pasture ground for my cows


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## jgalvan8804

Awesome thread. Keep it coming...


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## kycrawler

Right now I am home in Indiana getting ready for hay season I cut a few big poplar trees for the wall studs and will be making a 2 week trip to the farm over memorial day to finish drying in the house and we should be set to move about July 4


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## badlander

Missouri is definitely worth the drive.

Question on your local power co-op. Didn't they offer you a rebate on your installation? Our costs to hook into the grid were about 2400 dollars. Another 2 thousand or so in equipment/materials. BUT, they are giving us a 60 dollar a month credit on our power bill for 40 months. So far I think we have had one bill that was 24$.

A lot of Amish have moved from our little North East corner of MO down around Jopllin. You might consider looking for a cabinet maker to custom make your kitchen cabinets. The price and quality will definitely be better.


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## kycrawler

No rebates on the power they want cash up front before running lines
Plan is to build my own cabinets out of cherry I have about 3 k board feet of kiln dried 4-4 and 5-4 cherry ready to go will be using some red oak as well


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## badlander

Bummer. It must be a county to county thing. We had to pay cash up front also but then they credit each months power bill 60$, giving it back to us.

Good choice on the oak. Our house and barn are Amish built from green oak, both white and red that was harvested from our property. Once it dries, it is as hard as rock. Every nail we drive and screw we use has to be pre drilled.


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## kycrawler

Most of the framing is poplar using oak for flooring and some of the cabinet work and trim


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## kycrawler

Well it looks like I have enough 2x6 sawn out for the wall studs and a good start on the intended interior wall studs. I will be going out next week a and staying for 2 weeks to get the house dried in and the last little piece f fence in so we will be able to move


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## kycrawler

Has been an eventful weekend working my helper and I took 2 trucks and trailers from Indiana and about 3 hours into the trip a car ran him off the road and totaled the truck and trailer so thankfully with some help from friends and some creative maneuvering 2 of us went onto work for a day and drop a load . We will be taking the injured home and getting another lad and going out to work to a week


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## kycrawler

Pics of the wreck my stepdaughter and her dad were driving this truck she was a little banged up but not too bad. He was beat pretty good and got about 30 stitches but both of them seem to be doing pretty good


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Holy moly! From the looks of that wreck, they are lucky to be alive. Very good to hear it was only minor injuries.
Did the person who caused the wreck even stop?


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## kycrawler

Yes college girl on her way home hit the truck in the side. Mind damage to her car spun her out and she was in the ditch as well working with insurance now to hopefully get everything replaced


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## kycrawler

I hate insurance companies they say that they will not pay for contents of the vehicle time to get my lawyer involved I guess . I am now back in. Missouri to workon the house for a week hope to get floor done and install outter stud walls and sheeting and get it fully dried in


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## kycrawler

Made some progress today ready for subfloor tomorrow


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## obleo+6

You da man! You got some Energizer Bunny blood that runs in your family? And am so glad everyone survived the accident.

Good work!


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## kycrawler

My wife's ex husband and my step daughter were in the other truck I wasn't hurt at all they are back at my house in Indiana laying low while we push forward on the house


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## Muleman

Glad to hear everyone is ok. I do believe the insurance company will have to pay for all damage, including the contents, not just what they pick and choose to pay for. Once your insurance co. finds out they will have to pay for contents, because you are going to turn in a claim they will probably be very helpful in insuring the girls co. pays more. 
More a question than an observation, but what about the post in the ground in the middle. Why not concrete blocks? What is your thought on rot with the wood in the ground? I assume they are all concreted in? I have built barns and such with such methods, just not sure what your thoughts on this are, as far as a house, which may be considered a longer term structure? I have enjoyed your projects thus far and look forward to more updates.


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## kycrawler

There will be some blocks under the center beams not too worried about rot they are sitting on concrete but no concrete around the posts just tamped dirt and gravel mix going to put in a 6 inch perimeter drain around the house to keep water away


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## kycrawler

Got about half the subfloor down today and worked on some fencing ran 3 strands of band wire about an 80 rod stretch


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## kycrawler

Little more progress


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## Muleman

I have to ask. Are you measuring and framing each section or are you really that good and got all of the post spaced the same. I know I have never been able to, but I never build one of my buildings as a house, so maybe I could if I had to, but it never was critical for me. I did learn while building my shop those treated pine poles will definitely warp if left to long. I was building as I had money and a few of the poles were up for a few months. One twisted like a candy cane about half way around. I just had to trim it an do the best I could, never could twist it back strait.
The building is looking real good, making progress for sure. Glad to see someone else having their daughters work. Now I can prove to mine it is Normal. Mine always seem to take offense when they complain something is too hard and tell them they just need to be more "Manly Women". haha.


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## kycrawler

Measuring and framing every section individually some were really easy the ones with windows and the french door on the south wall were a little tricky after today we only have 2 sections to do and those are where the walk in doors go I am going to buy the doors before framing them


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## kycrawler

Today


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## Dixie Bee Acres

One question.....
Where will my room be?


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## kycrawler

Yep my wife and daughter are here helping as well as 1 of the boys. We have 5 kids between my wife and I they aren't overly fond of work but every body has daily chores and all work on the big jobs such as this. Bailing hay and firewood time we also start and raise a couple hundred bucket/bottle calves a year and milk some jersey cows always something to do


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## kycrawler

Well not much room left in the house for another room 5 8x12 bedrooms for the kids the pantry 2 bath rooms living room and kitchen we did build a mini barn to camp out in and keep for guest quarters later


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Once your place is done and you move, will you ne transporting all of your cattle to the new place, or keeping them pastured in Indiana?


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## kycrawler

I have already sold the herd down really hard went from 25 milk cows to 9 and about 15 replacement heifers and sold all 120 head of feeder steers and the Angus corinete cross cows I had basically have 1 trailer load to take to the new farm


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## fordy

kycrawler said:


> I have already sold the herd down really hard went from 25 milk cows to 9 and about 15 replacement heifers and sold all 120 head of feeder steers and the Angus corinete cross cows I had basically have 1 trailer load to take to the new farm


 ...........Do you have an option on additional land after you sell your current home ? Your new land looks like they've been cutting hay there before your purchase . I bet this is your last big move ! You'll have a really nice homestead once you're finished . , fordy


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## kycrawler

There is a lot of land for sale around here after i sell my house in Indiana I intend to roll it all into more property. I feel the land in this s area is really under valued . Yes is ground has been cut for hay last fall I applied lime and triple 19 fertilizer and this spring I no tilled clover into the sod . Plowed about 10 acres and drilled it in cereal rye and wheat to cut out some weedy areas


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## kycrawler

Now we have it dried in


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## kycrawler

Installed 1 door and framed in the holes for the french doors and the back door I have 2 small pieces of plywood to install on 1 gable end but the hornets nest I smashed occupants took objection to my working there anymore tonight tomorrow we will finish the gable on the house and probably work on the hayloft in the barn so I have a spot to put some square bales


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## kycrawler

We got the shell of the house dried in and closed up early this morning . Spent an few hours working on putting a hay loft in the barn and finishing up a fence line


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## kycrawler

Pics from today


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## kycrawler

I have about 400 ft f fence to run yet and we can move anytime now . The house is dried in just need to hang doors and cncrte shop floor and we can finish the rest while living onsite I m back at my day job now bored out of my mind. Thinking what All i could be doing at the farm


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## Muleman

I know it is past the point of no return now, but just curious. Is everyone still all on board with the move? You sure are making some good progress. Amazing what can be accomplished by several people working together.


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## kycrawler

Ex wife is not happy and is fighting me moving with my 2 kids they. Bothwant to go My wife and 2 of hers are all for it one daughter has a boyfriend and doesn't want to go. But from what we have dealt with from her in the past few months the distance will be a good thing


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## HMAN

Any Updates ?


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## kycrawler

No updates on the house. Been in Indiana getting everything packed to move. Bailing hay here getting some lumber sawn and working a 44 hour a week day job we will be making the move here in the next few weeks. It will be somewhat primitive for the first week or so but the house work will push along pretty fast. Also still fighting the insurance company on the wreck that was about a $15000 setback


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## Dixie Bee Acres

KYC, none of my business, but curious, what is your day job, and will you be continuing a day job once you move?


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## kycrawler

I am an auto/diesel mechanic yes I will continue working I am only 34 years old and with 5 kids at home I have to continue on just for the insurance alone one accident the medical bills can wipe you out and then don't have the greatest luck. Last year my boy drowned in the school swimming pool he was revived but the life flight bill alone was 37000 I have great insurance and after all was said and done I was still 7500 out of pocket. Then this truck wreck deal could have been much much worse . Did learn an important lesson though every vehicle I own now has full coverage insurance very little extra cost per year and would have saved me loads of hassle . I also have state farm insurance instead of progressivenow


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## kycrawler

Random pictures


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## BudMan5

This is an absolutely great thread and hope you continue to post. I have also re-located to SW Missouri but from northern Illinois.

("Escaping" from Illinois may be a better term)

Please keep posting your progress


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## Pony

BudMan5 said:


> This is an absolutely great thread and hope you continue to post. I have also re-located to SW Missouri but from northern Illinois.
> 
> ("Escaping" from Illinois may be a better term)
> 
> Please keep posting your progress


Hey, BudMan5!

From where in northern Ill-annoy did you escape? We moved to MO from the n'west suburbs.


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## kycrawler

Well I am getting everything almost done here in Indiana won't be long until we are headed west semi is scheduled for 2 weeks from now to do the major moving


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## BudMan5

Pony said:


> Hey, BudMan5!
> 
> From where in northern Ill-annoy did you escape? We moved to MO from the n'west suburbs.


From 20 miles south of DeKalb but we still have a home there. There is no market for homes so we are back and forth until we sell it.

Kycrawler, keep them coming pics are great


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## kycrawler

Tomorrow is my last day at work getting laid off so I may get a unemployment . Will be heading out next week to work n the house and get it ready for the move


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Sorry to hear you are getting layed off.
Maybe once moved you can find a simmilar job in missourri.


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## kycrawler

I'm not I hope to get unemployment while doing some chores at home:sing:


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## FarmerDavid

BudMan5 said:


> This is an absolutely great thread and hope you continue to post. I have also re-located to SW Missouri but from northern Illinois.
> 
> ("Escaping" from Illinois may be a better term)
> 
> Please keep posting your progress


Why are you guys moving here? We're all stuck here, you have options.


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## Pony

FarmerDavid said:


> Why are you guys moving here? We're all stuck here, you have options.


Wow. I'm sorry you feel you're stuck.

We moved to the MoZarks quite intentionally, and we're glad to be here.

No one is ever stuck. There are different options for everyone. You just have to make your choice and make it work.


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## Pony

BudMan5 said:


> From 20 miles south of DeKalb but we still have a home there.


I remember the area well. 

Good luck with your escape from occupied territory!


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## FarmerDavid

Pony said:


> Wow. I'm sorry you feel you're stuck.
> 
> We moved to the MoZarks quite intentionally, and we're glad to be here.
> 
> No one is ever stuck. There are different options for everyone. You just have to make your choice and make it work.


Lol no its a joke. Probably a running joke else ware also but old timers would say they ran out of money when they got here and never could make enough to leave. 

They also called it the promise land. It's promises a crop every year but doesn't deliver. 

There are things I love about it here and things I don't like so much but its like that everywhere.


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## kycrawler

Well 12000 per acre for farm ground and junk pasture bringing 6-9k per acre herein Indiana yuppie city folk complaining about my cows mooing. And even went so far last year as to send letters and ***** about it when I put 50 round bales in a row along the road in my front yard


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Isn't that about typical. Guy down the road (family farm for over 120 years) said the last people who lived in my house were constantly complaining to him for the smell when he spread manure on his fields, and complaining to him over dust on their nice caddilac SUV when he harvested.
The driveway of my place is less than 65 feet from the corn/bean field.

Well, DUH! You buy property next to a farm, you need to expect farming to happen.


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## Pony

FarmerDavid said:


> Lol no its a joke. Probably a running joke else ware also but old timers would say they ran out of money when they got here and never could make enough to leave.
> 
> They also called it the promise land. It's promises a crop every year but doesn't deliver.
> 
> There are things I love about it here and things I don't like so much but its like that everywhere.


Whew! I'm glad. 

Thanks for clearing that up. I'm not terribly dense, but sometimes, subtlety goes right over my head. :lookout:


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## FarmerDavid

kycrawler said:


> Well 12000 per acre for farm ground and junk pasture bringing 6-9k per acre herein Indiana yuppie city folk complaining about my cows mooing. And even went so far last year as to send letters and ***** about it when I put 50 round bales in a row along the road in my front yard


You'll still run into people that complain. People that sue over odor. Land values seem out of line but probably not as much as elseware. My sister is a
Real estate lawyer and her companies, a very large company, issued its second quarter report stating that land values are stabilizing in the Midwest. With commodity prices at current levels ill be supprised if we don't see some back tracking.


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## Le Petit Norman

Dixie Bee Acres said:


> Well, DUH! You buy property next to a farm, you need to expect farming to happen.


Yes but how dare farmer farm 7 days a week ...:gaptooth:


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## harmon

kycrawler said:


> 10 miles south of nevada 50 miles north of joplin . Posts are cca treated syp . most of the rest of the lumber is red oak and poplar i did run somewhat short and had to buy some pine to finish framing the building with . 6 days start to finish we had it up and dried in and the doors hung


My great great grandfather was a vernon county partisan ranger, then bushwhacker from Nevada. Let me know when you get settled in I'd like to talk to you about Nevada


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## kycrawler

Work goes on


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## kycrawler

All of the interior walls are framed 3/4 of the ceiling is in we wired half of the house and put lights in I hooked the 2 circuits to a cord and plugged into the gen set really cuts down on extension cords outside metal siding will be in Tuesday then we will cut the rest of the windows out and put the paper on before siding


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## fordy

..............As soon as your unemployment starts you'll have some positive cash flow to offset the large fuel and food expenses you're incurring making the moves from the old to the new homestead ! 
..............I hope you can hold off working at a new job until you get your building over with and your family relocated . , fordy


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## kycrawler

Yep that's the plan savings is holding up pretty well my wife's dad is a owner operator trucker so we are getting the bulky and heavy stiff moved really reasonable


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Interesting choice for the ceiling material.
Don't you think it will echo a lot?


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## kycrawler

My current shop has same ceiling no echo easy to clean cheap and easy to put up


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Fair enough, my other concern would be, how will you finish the wall to the ceiling due to the ribs in the ceiling?


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## fordy

kycrawler said:


> My current shop has same ceiling no echo easy to clean cheap and easy to put up


 
................Once you layin fiberglass or some other insulation on top of the metal all sound will probably be absorbed ! Crawling over those 2x4's isn't going to be any fun when you have to get up there and work . , fordy


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## kycrawler

I left access holes from the house up into the attic area there are 2x6 laid flat so you can crouch/walk from end to end . On the east west walls the metal goes into trim and will get oak trim boards after I plane them the north south walls are going to get a bead of spray foam then a trim board set like crown molding probably going to use blown in insulation in the attic


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## kycrawler

Progress is moving along. Dang if I'm not tired though


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Looking great! What will you be "skirting" the house with?


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## mpulse

what are the outside dimensions on the house?


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## kycrawler

House is 30x48. Wife wants the fake brick looking panels for skirting I was thinking of using pole barn metal and running it long ways and sawing the sheets to fit


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## kycrawler

Today we got the last of the outside metal on the house and the last door sealed and mounted I still have to do the soffits but I still have to decide what I am going to use tomorrow we are going to finish wiring the last 3 rooms in the house and finish framing up the utility shed behind the house it is a 21x24 building that will be 1/2 dog house the other half will house the water storage tanks hot water heater , pressure pump ,solar charge controller ,inverter and battery bank , as well as my chest freezer


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## FarmerDavid

Where did you get your windows and doors? Last home I did the Amish up in that area could build and install them cheeper then I could get them anywhere else.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Any updates?


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## kycrawler

Ex wife filed court motion to keep me from moving with kids. Court on Oct 8 the now been working at home and side jobs selling a lot of firewood got some tree work cutting a few big maples down going to Missouri next week to finish house build and fill woodshed and work on road


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## kycrawler

On a side note now that I am not at a day job I hate and on concrete all day I feel better am loosing weight and getting so much mor accomplished I made a months wages in a week selling wood and cutting 2 big maples . I also bought a 87 f 350 with a dump bed on it. Rebuilt the mean all transmission and put a clutch in it fixed a power steering leak have about 1100 in a handy little truck . I have been cutting and splitting all of my old log tops and dry dead trees for firewood I have been splitting 3 1/2 ricks into the dump truck and delivering local in our county for $200 per load normally do about 2 loads a day and try to back haul some gravel


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Sounds like you are making the best of being unemployed, kudos.
Sorry to hear about your ex causing problems. If you moving was going to be such an issue, why did she wait until you were practically done?
Wimmins is funny creatures at times.


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## kycrawler

Hung 80 sheets of drywall 9 interior doors and started setting bath and kitchen fixtures . Need to get 20 sheets of green board in the morning and about 10 more sheet rock  so I can finish up the walls then we are onto the kitchen cabinets


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## kycrawler

More pics


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## Muleman

All I can say is I am happy for you. Forget the fact that you will have a nice place when you are done and a nice house. Nothing can be better than times like these spent working with your children. The day will come when the memories and stories of these times together will be worth more than money can buy. These are the things kids will remember long after we are dead and gone. "Remember that time when we moved to Missouri and dad had us working daylight to dark on that house!!" Good Times for sure. These are the things memories are made of


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## kycrawler

Actually we took today off and got a hotel. Between the different allergens temps and sanding dust I have a pretty good head cold going on this morning was COLD I am sleeping on an old army cot with a sleeping bag and this morning I woke up about 4 and put on extra clothes and a jacket


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## kycrawler

Some other pics.


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## kycrawler

Pretty much down to finishing drywall and paint. And kitchen and bath plumbing


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## Greybush

Looking good, been watching your progress since you started and you guys are making great timing from the looks of things and hopefully you can move in before you know it and enjoy your completed house, keep up the good work


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## kycrawler

Final Court custody case for the kids is 8 Oct I still have to install the septic tank and leach field the kitchen cabinets and the hot water heat system and the solar electric setup

Should be able to move in a couple weeks


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## kycrawler

Judge decided in our favor we are moving for sure. I am on my way to Missouri now with my 1 to dump truck bobcat and some hay equipment and misc on the first load oldest daughter is following in car I have 4 trucks to get moved out here so I am loading and driving them pulling a trailer with each then riding backin car. Next week I am renting a small excavator and installing the septic and fixing the road to the property that's also part of why I needed the dump truck and bobcat out here on the first tripq


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Congrats!


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## Greybush

Congratulations on everything coming together for you


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## kycrawler

Still lots of work left to do hooking up solar electric. Water and sewer and installing the wood boiler and associated plumbing fixing the road still have to cut firewood for the year


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## Muleman

When you get all finished to where there is nothing to do but sit around on the porch all day cause everything is done you let me know. I would like to know how long that takes. I have been working on my place for years and just don't ever see a time when it will be "ALL Done" seems there is always something to do, even if it is just to redo something, cause you thought of a new idea??? 

I have been enjoying your journey, thanks for letting us share your families adventure.


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## kycrawler

I ll be done the day they shovel dirt over my pine box . Right now I am just concentrating on basic living for the family still have hog barn milk parlor equipment shed wood shed and who knows what else to do later also


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## kycrawler

Couple pics of the utility barn garden area and a snake I hit when plowing


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## kycrawler

Busy week


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## kycrawler

Installed septic system , dug in 350 ft of drain tile pipe , ditched the side of our driveway road . Trench in piping for outdoor wood burner cut out plywood top backer for cement board for tile countertop


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## nosedirt

Kycrawler,
I've been following your progress and have decided that you are a full blown wildman. I like the way you have your plan together and move on it. No fiddlin, just getting at it. Really enjoying watching your progress. Keep up the good work good man!


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Once everything is done, you're gonna be bored.


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## kycrawler

I somehow doubt that , both that it will ever be done and that I will be bored working a deal now with a neighbor on some overgrown pasture he is getting up there in years and just can't do much anymore , it would be a really nice farm but would need re fenced and a good bit of time on an excavator and a bobcat with a tree shear


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## kycrawler

Some new pics. We will be moving this weekend renting a 26 ft penske truck and using my trucks and stock trailers Saturday gonna be a long day


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## kycrawler

Also in the past I have run some 3 and 5 stick backhoes and various dozers. This was my first time running an excavator with pilot controlls wow they dig so and smooth easy that small 7k excavator with a 24 inch bucket dug much nicer than a full size backhoe I was looking at buying a backhoe for farm use. But now am going to look for a full size excavator instead


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## kycrawler

Moving not so much fun. No faith at all in penske will post more after this is over


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## kycrawler

moving truck is unloaded i finished up fresh water plumbing today all seems to be coming together and working well so far


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## kycrawler

We have been living in the house for about a week now working out some of the bugs going to need to get the utility shed finished up and insulated here pretty soon calling for mid 20"s this week don't want the water to freeze and I still need to hook up the solar electric right now we are e running the generator 3 hours or so per day . Today I got the gas lines ran and hooked up the kitchen stove and a 30k but ventless wall heater for backup heat


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## kycrawler

OK back story rented a penske truck 26 ft jobber drove 30 miles to Lafayette in to get the truck filled out papers all is good $1020 for unlimited miles 6 day rental started the truck and low coolant alarm blaring back in the office clerks have no clue I put 1.5 gal of coolant in truck because they don't have another truck . Truck cab had soda bottles and trash in it . Loaded in Indiana my wife drove the penske truck loaded with all of our household goods I drove truck and stocktrailer with cows and feeder pigs daughter drove van with the dogs we have 6 purebred akc registered Rottweilers, unloaded truck and got the cows settled in slept one night then back to Indiana for shop items tools and gun safe and guns turned around and straight back to Missouri to unload and get the truck cleaned out to drop it off . Penskes directions to drop off point weren't even close drove around for half hour trying to find the place drop truck off all is good . Spent the last 2 days getting gas hooked up hauling water working on utility shed insulating air leaks in the house built a wood shed. Cut about 10 ricks of firewood and poured a concrete pad so I can set my wood burner when I get back from Indiana again weather man is talking freezing temps starting tomorrow and I don't have the water setup freezer proofed yet


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## Rosepath

That is such an amazing amount of work you have done, congrats on how it's turning out.
I will pray for your water not to freeze, 'sposed to get pretty cold most everywhere next few days.


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## kycrawler

I spent a good part of the morning sealing up the building won't matter in a few days when i get the burner hooked up will have heat to spare then. Thanks to all for the kind words


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## kycrawler

Couple pics


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Great pics, tho, I'm not sure I would trust the purple post you set in the last pic, doesn't appear that it would support much


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## kycrawler

She can hold her own lol. Down side is. Utility shed wasn't insulated well enough to yet and some water pipes froze I brought the pump and pressure tank in to keep them from busting I used all pex pipe so no problem there tomorrow I get to insulate and heat that side of the shed to get the water up and running again also have to get the outdoor wood burner going and get some real heat going


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## kycrawler

Few pics of the wood shed we built , cover crop wheat in the garden and my wife stained the lower kitchen cabinets. Also bagged 2 deer and have been cutting them up and raw pack pressure canning them


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## kycrawler

Few more


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Wow, you really have been busy. Great work! I have enjoyed following your journey from the beginning.


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## ad in wnc

Amazing! You have done a wonderful job on a wide variety of projects in a short time! I wish you the absolute best in your future projects!


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## kycrawler

next major projects are to get the outdoor woodburner and solar electric operational and to get a job here I've run out of money


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## kycrawler

I got a job in Joplin 55 miles one way to work pay is good long hours not much getting done on the homestead did get a chicken coop framed in the barn and got a few hens and some Muscovy ducks to go with the guineas we already have


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Congrats on the job.
Long drive would do me in, but that's just me, I don't like driving.
Did you get your wood burner hooked up?

Was also wondering, have you sold your place here in Indiana yet?


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## kycrawler

Wood burner has been running for almost a month thermostat isn't hooked up but I just run the circulator pump a few hours every evening and the house stays warm . The drive is rough this isn't a permenant deal I had to borrow some money and I am doing this to clear those debts in a few months I will be able to b debt free again and will get a job here in town although it will be less money . Hopefully next weekend I will have time to get the sloar setup . As of now we are just running the generator a few hours a day and everything is working pretty well  I do have the water pump hooked to a pair of car batteries with a charger so the running water works all the time . We designed this house for off grid and it is surprising how little power we really use all lighting is CFL's and LED's fridge is a converted chest freezer that runs about 15 min every 4 hours the main power hogs are the deep freezer and the outdoor wood burner deep freeze and woodburner only get run 3-4 hours per day on the generator and are keeping up fine .


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## kycrawler

Not many updates lately been working day job pretty hard . Weekends I have been working on minor stuff and trying to keep up with chores and firewood . Found a neighbor a few miles down the road let's me cut all the oak hedge and cedar I want . We cut a truck and trailer load of cedar and here fence posts last weekend and 2 loads of firewood. And cut another 4 rick of wood today . Missouri climate is a lot milder than Indiana not nearly as cold and only a dusting of snow so far using less than half the hay here for the cows that I would have in indiana . Need to haul more rock for driveway and more lime for pasture . Soon time to get the garden started still trying to find big bales of straw for mulch reasonable but no luck yet . No luck finding a decent used small square baler yet either


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## kycrawler

Bought a load of straw for garden mulch.big square bales 3x3x8s for $15 each Going to haul lime and rock tomorrow loving the milder climate. Supposed to be 70 here tomorrow last weekend kids and I set some hedge and cedar posts of cross fencing the pasture still need to finish the h braces and string some high tensile wire


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## rockyriver

I found this thread way late in the game! I love it... 
the early posts show attached pix but ? I can't see anything... 
is there a button I need to push, or I'm guessing the site drops them after a while?? 
rr


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## Candogirl

WOW! Yall have done soooooo much! Looking good.


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## kycrawler

I'm guessing the pics get dropped after a while . We have come a long way but there is still a long way to go .


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## chromdome35

Kycrawler...you are a throwback to the old days and I mean that as a compliment.

I am blown away by how much you have accomplished in what is relatively little time.

Great great job!


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## kycrawler

Thanks I just try to keep things simple , we try to do as much as we can by ourselves . Today we cut firewood and I spent a few hours going to look at hay balers and manure spreaders really should have kept the ones I had in Indiana but didn't want to truck them . Finding a decent square baler in this part of Missouri is pretty tough round balers are dime a dozen . Tomorrow we have a pig to butcher only about 150 lbs but just won't grow. Her litter mates are 250 already so we are going to eat her


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## HMAN

How's the place coming along ? this will be your second winter coming right ?


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## fivehillsfarm

Just found your thread, following. I'm just north of Springfield, Mo


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