New and eager to learn, and find my own way

I still can't figure out the answer it's been bugging me all week! Whats the answer? Is it because they are well hidden?

 

Skills and money. The only cabins to survive were made with wood dowel joints, not nails. Nails were hard to come by, and very expensive, as they had to be made by a blacksmith. When folks moved, they burnt down their own cabins to recover the nails. Trees were everywhere, but nails were real money.

 

I wouldn't suggest an RV trailer for areas where subject to below zero temperatures. The typical "trailer parks" around here have become "manufactured housing developments". The difference ? No wheels underneath, 2X6 construction, double hung insulated windows, better insulation, ect, ect. Here's a link to one site in NH - the only one posting prices. It is possible to place a new unit onto a vacant lot but many towns have started restricting single manufactured housing units as they are taxed at a MUCH lower rate and towns were starting to lose revenue. Call the zoning department of the town you are considering for better information. Some can be quite nice and can be better made than new stick built homes. They also qualify for standard 30 year mortgages.

Opinions like the homes can vary. Do your research !

Here's another link for small log cabins so you can get an ides of pricing. Keep in mind costs may double once shipping, assembly and site preparation are taken into account.

An internet search for either Log Cabin Kits & "Your Town" or Mobile Home Sales & "Your Area" would yield valuable information.

As for energy, there are ways to minimize, and options. If you don't want a wood fired cook stove, you can go with propane/gas.
Building a fire every time you want a hot cup of tea or coffee gets old quickly (and hot in the summer too !) .
Instead of an electric refrigerator there are propane/gas units available or you could dig a root cellar and learn to home can your own food.

There are propane/gas lights and kerosene lamps which can be almost as bright as electric lights too.

Best wishes.

 

How efficient are old school cook stoves? They heat your house/cabin, as well as a small amount of water right? And as far as normal woodstoves, what are small, efficient brands/varieties that don't look ugly?

 

Vogelzang is looking good as far as reviews and prices go, this item here looks pretty cool although there arent many reviews on it and I typically don't get anything that doesnt have more than 10 reviews - Vogelzang The Rancher Cast Iron Stove - SR57E

 

Fine enough stove - you can find something on craigslist much cheaper or if you're rural enough - yard sales - people think this stuff is "junk" so you can get it for next to nothin.

Might help to think aboot converting heat to USB hydro so you can charge little things up like tablets or power tools...while making dinner.

This is what you want to put directly on that stove, 10 watts - no screwing around.
This is what you want to charge power tool batteries.



This is what you want for a backup/bugout bag to charge your usb electroeverying.
Reviews:




Enjoy.

 

If you can afford a piece of land to put it on and a shed to run the grid hydro/cable internet/telco phone from....
If you're broke...you need to explore and think about growing "value added" crops or something else that gives you am edge. I like pigs, chicken and cows almost as much as horses...I eat them all the same and wish I could get cheap smoked horse meat for cheap every day.

MG