Just a quick update for you today. I met up with Dave and Smitty at Dual Homestead yesterday. We spent the whole day out there getting stuff done. Progress is still going slow. Still waiting on some things to move along the project. It was great to see the transformation yesterday. It was a huge transformation when we left out. Let me share what we did to keep all of you up to date.
Off grid internet was a necessity when I moved into my tiny house. I can’t run survivalpunk without the internet. The idea of driving thirty miles to Starbucks to mooch while drinking coffee did occur. I spent a long time researching off grid internet. I was looking for the most bang for my buck. I have become spoiled with cheap and fast internet. I’ve had cable Internet for over 10 years. With that there’s no limits on data. With many of the off grid options you have data caps. What did I end up going with? Let me walk you through the decision.
I thought I would give you guys a quick update on Dual Homestead. We have been dealing with some homestead frustrations. It seems like one thing after another. Being that we are friends I’m going to share with you. The Dual homestead driveway was badly washed out when we got it. I’m not sure that it’s much better now.
The driveway had huge gashes of water damage. Getting up the hill in my little hatchback was a chore. If it was wet even harder. That was the big reason for Smitty to bring out his tractor. He filled in the holes. Smitty graded the driveway really well. For the first time it was easy to get up and down the driveway.
The problem is that in grading the driveway the top no longer had gravel. It was bare dirt on the top of the hill. We knew we needed to get gravel and soon. Cash was in short supply and gravel got pushed back. We were hopping that the rain would hold off long enough for us to get things taken care of. Mother Nature is not cooperating. So far this is the third wettest October in Tennessee with half the month left to go.
We had a three-day long rain this week. Smitty and I went to go see if the land was passable for delivery of my shed. We get to the driveway to see that is has some washout damage. The soil is very soft. He was able to get his truck to the top with only a little tire spinning. We make the call to reschedule the shed delivery. To give the driveway a few days to dry out. I also call Dish Network to see if we need to reschedule setup. I told them on the phone that my building was delayed. The lady I spoke with said they could still set it up. I would just need to bring a TV out to the land. Great one less thing to worry about.
This morning I get up at 5am to eat breakfast and head out to the land. The drive is about 2 hours away. I get out there and set out my mailbox. Then I drive up the hill. I see that it is more muddy but my tiny car gets up no problem. I do a few things around the homestead while I wait for the installer. When I hear him coming up the driveway I head that way to great him. I can hear his van struggling to make it up the hill. Then I hear the worst sound. I hear the van sliding down the hill and abruptly stop. Great..
I get to the driveway to see the installer in the ditch. This is already going south. He is stuck completely. No getting out. He says he’s going to try to call and get pulled out. He has two phones on his a Verizon and an ATT&T. I know Verizon does not work on the land. In fact We have not see any service work. He manages to make a call on the ATT&T phone to his supervisor to let him know.
He ask to see where we are setting up the satellite dishes. I show him over to where I want them. I had my tv hooked up on table over there. I tell him about how the building was delayed. I just want him to put the poles in the ground and test them. I’ll run them inside myself when the building gets there. Well he can’t dig holes until he gets the ok that it’s safe to dig. Also he can’t install the satellite dishes without a building there. I tell him that IS NOT what I was told. I will do it myself I just want the equipment. Not possible. The lady on the phone was wrong.
I wasted half my day and a lot of gas for nothing. I hate wasting time. The whole thing has me so frustrated. I’m ready to get this started and we keep hitting road blocks. We are trying to get this going fast. Maybe too fast. The new plan is to scrape up money for gravel before the shed is scheduled to be delivered on Tuesday. Stay tuned friends.
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First of all today is a landmark episode for us. Today is episode number 30 of the Survivalpunk podcast. It has been a blast so far. Mike and I are just getting warmed. Join us today as we talk about the new Dual Homestead Project. Other topics discussed are: The Oklahoma beheading. FBI say’s no one killed at Sandy Hook Elementary. How’s Mikes journey into paleo? 20 terrifying facts food companies don’t want you to know. MPowered Luci Lantern is the gadget punk of the week. Ben Law is the permaculture minute. The wild edible of the week is passion fruit.
Dual Homestead is the new project David Nash from The Shepherd School and I are working on. We both are big DIY advocates. That might be where our similarities end though.
Have you ever wanted to drop everything and leave the rat-race?
Everyone has….
Nobody does….
UNTIL NOW….
Meet David and James, two Tennessee Preppers carving out a homestead with virtually no budget, no support, and no backing down.
Both are rugged individualists,
Experts in their fields,
But they have widely different knowledge, skills, attitudes, and goals.
Can a Punk Anarchist dedicated to green living coexist with a gun toting ultra conservative?
Can an overweight bookworm keep up with a crossfit disciple?
Can they do the impossible without killing each other?
Meet James, owner of Survivalpunk.com
James came to prepping from his experience as a homeless teen , thrives on a paleo diet, is deeply involved with sustainable living, comes to the homestead to get in touch with Nature and become food self-reliant .
David is a former Marine and author of several preparedness related materials, his company, Shepherd School has trained firearm instructors for the past decade. His work as a professional emergency manager showed him how fragile the system is and his goal is to prepare a defensible off grid homestead to protect his family in the event of a catastrophic societal collapse…
Before they build they have to demolish the remnants of the former occupants…
James wants to recycle to materials to make a mobile tiny house; Dave just wants to blow it up…
How will they decide what to do, How to do it, and what compromises, hacks, and DIY tricks will they have to use to carve a farm out of the forest…
FBI say no on killed at Sandy Hook.
20 Terrifying facts food companies don’t want you to know
If you like what your hearing consider Subscribing to the podcast. Subscribe In Itunes or RSS. Thank you for all the support.
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Also please enter our Reader appreciation contest and help spread the word about our blog.
