hennypenny9
Lovin' The Homestead
Omg, you're building a house!? So lucky! The thought of designing and building a house to live in forever is just the best thing.
Mackay's Back To The Land Project- The Fruits of Our Labor
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murphysranch
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Hi there. I've just found your journal and have been enthralled with all that you've written about. I wasn't sure where Mackay was, but now see it on a map.
My husband's brother lived in Ketchum for over 25 years, but just a few years ago "escaped" the movie stars and moved up to Coeur d'Alene. About 29 years ago, my first husband and I bought a plot in Spirit Lake, north of CdA. Loved loved loved it there. Alas, the marriage fell apart and the land went up for sale. Since then, DH of 20 years and I have visted the BIL/SIL and love CdA. What wonderful country Idaho has.
Keep the postings coming, please. And the photos of a very different part of the country for many of us! Thank you!
My husband's brother lived in Ketchum for over 25 years, but just a few years ago "escaped" the movie stars and moved up to Coeur d'Alene. About 29 years ago, my first husband and I bought a plot in Spirit Lake, north of CdA. Loved loved loved it there. Alas, the marriage fell apart and the land went up for sale. Since then, DH of 20 years and I have visted the BIL/SIL and love CdA. What wonderful country Idaho has.
Keep the postings coming, please. And the photos of a very different part of the country for many of us! Thank you!
TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
I am glad to hear your visit with ds went well. I am sure he probably enjoyed it as much as you!!
The cost of building is high. I agree with you there. I was looking into building on some land we found in Mo. Just running the numbers to see if we could sell here and build there with cash. Unfortunately it's not going to happen.
I can't wait to see the garden.
gina
The cost of building is high. I agree with you there. I was looking into building on some land we found in Mo. Just running the numbers to see if we could sell here and build there with cash. Unfortunately it's not going to happen.
I can't wait to see the garden.
gina
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Mackay
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Well building a house would be a lot more fun if we had more money. We have constantly been working at downsizing the drawings... but yes, it still is fun....but then its not me really doing much of the work. thats DH's realm
This part of Idaho is very different from around Corer 'dalene or Spirit lake. Its high and dry here. very desert like but pretty similar to Ketcham which is just over the mountain from us. Thats where the rich folks hang out these days, Like Jackson Hole, but some are starting to tumble over the hill and land in Mackay and surrounding areas. The land is still afordable here.
We are just going to sit tight until prices come down and I think they will. Probably lots of folks are sitting tight and construction slows down.. eventually the wood market will break and prices will fall when they start to really need a bigger paycheck....right now they are choking themselves to death with their prices!
Cant remember if I mentioned this or not. When DH starting planning the pasture he talked to other ranchers about how to get one going.
first you strip it, then you apply round up, then something 24D poison and yuck, I was freaking out., But now over the winter we got some education on how to do a pasture organically and seems we will bypass the chemicals much to my relief. I would like to claim organic someday with grass fed beef and free range chickens.
This part of Idaho is very different from around Corer 'dalene or Spirit lake. Its high and dry here. very desert like but pretty similar to Ketcham which is just over the mountain from us. Thats where the rich folks hang out these days, Like Jackson Hole, but some are starting to tumble over the hill and land in Mackay and surrounding areas. The land is still afordable here.
We are just going to sit tight until prices come down and I think they will. Probably lots of folks are sitting tight and construction slows down.. eventually the wood market will break and prices will fall when they start to really need a bigger paycheck....right now they are choking themselves to death with their prices!
Cant remember if I mentioned this or not. When DH starting planning the pasture he talked to other ranchers about how to get one going.
first you strip it, then you apply round up, then something 24D poison and yuck, I was freaking out., But now over the winter we got some education on how to do a pasture organically and seems we will bypass the chemicals much to my relief. I would like to claim organic someday with grass fed beef and free range chickens.
TanksHill
Super Self-Sufficient
That pasture management sounds very interesting. When your dh starts the process take some notes. I would love to hear about it.
have a great day.
gina
have a great day.
gina
And the losers couldn't even cut it for me (it is for a garden bed).- Thread starter
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Mackay
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Finally a sunny morning! We've been getting a lot of rain for this high desert. Just when it starts to warm up it comes in torrents and you've got to wait again.
In between cloudbursts and drizzle I run out and work on the beds my husband built a few weeks ago. We used redwood as he got a great deal on them, damaged in some way that I can't see.. anyway, 30% off and he says they are worth it cause he won't have to bother rebuilding them for a long long time. They still need wind breaks added and a couple of removable cold frames to fit on top.
so here they are...
I added a frameless above ground bed for potatoes and beans. Still put the wire mesh under. Just have to figure out what I'm going to top it off with and if I should put alfalfa hay in it or not. Seems the alfalfa hay has made my other new beds hot pretty quick!
I got the big old tractor tire to plant tomatoes in as they need all the help they can get around here for holdin heat. Went and picked out plants a couple of days ago. A lady who lives up near the summit, really high altitude, has a large green house she purchased used from a failed nursery.This was her first year making seedlings for sale and she did just a fine job. The best seedlings I have ever seen anywhere, so I purchased about 15 plants ($40) and she will even harden them for me so they are still with her till I plant next week some time. Many plants you just can't start from seed here due to the short growing season I hope that problem will go away when the house is completed with the sunroom. Suppose to go up almost 20 degrees real soon!
In between cloudbursts and drizzle I run out and work on the beds my husband built a few weeks ago. We used redwood as he got a great deal on them, damaged in some way that I can't see.. anyway, 30% off and he says they are worth it cause he won't have to bother rebuilding them for a long long time. They still need wind breaks added and a couple of removable cold frames to fit on top.
so here they are...
I added a frameless above ground bed for potatoes and beans. Still put the wire mesh under. Just have to figure out what I'm going to top it off with and if I should put alfalfa hay in it or not. Seems the alfalfa hay has made my other new beds hot pretty quick!
I got the big old tractor tire to plant tomatoes in as they need all the help they can get around here for holdin heat. Went and picked out plants a couple of days ago. A lady who lives up near the summit, really high altitude, has a large green house she purchased used from a failed nursery.This was her first year making seedlings for sale and she did just a fine job. The best seedlings I have ever seen anywhere, so I purchased about 15 plants ($40) and she will even harden them for me so they are still with her till I plant next week some time. Many plants you just can't start from seed here due to the short growing season I hope that problem will go away when the house is completed with the sunroom. Suppose to go up almost 20 degrees real soon!
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Mackay
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This one I had a hard time uploading for some reason.
This is the view from my deck in our little studio apartment over the garage last evening after the rain at sunset time.
We are off to collect firewood in the high mountains today. There will still be snow up there but clear enough to do some wood gathering, and rocks. Everywhere my husband goes he brings home a few rocks...We underestimated last fall and gave to much wood away last fall to the boys in the city for their fireplaces...
This is the view from my deck in our little studio apartment over the garage last evening after the rain at sunset time.
We are off to collect firewood in the high mountains today. There will still be snow up there but clear enough to do some wood gathering, and rocks. Everywhere my husband goes he brings home a few rocks...We underestimated last fall and gave to much wood away last fall to the boys in the city for their fireplaces...
Henrietta23
Yard Farmer
Whoa! Snow on the mountain tops??
Beautiful picture!
Beautiful picture!
