Comments for An American Homestead http://www.homesteading.us Chris & Cyndi down on the farm Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:55:30 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on February 22, 2012 by Cyndi http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1238&cpage=1#comment-613 Cyndi Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:55:30 +0000 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1238#comment-613 Hello and glad you found us here. Congratulations on choosing an off grid lifestyle. Where in Middle Tennessee? The outhouse thing is tricky. It really depends on the county you move to. No one seemed to know the laws on it here in McMinn or Polk Counties in East Tennessee. I had to call the health department and also the courthouse to see what the laws were and if it was legal. I found in both counties that it was legal and perfectly OK as long as it was at least 50 feet from the bordering property and water sources. It varies from county to county, so I would start with the health department. They can at least send you in the right direction for answers. Be prepared to get the "well you can but why would you?" from at least one person you talk to. lol I love my outhouse and am thankful we ripped the toilet out of the house and got the outhouse built behind the house! It provides me a nice quiet place to stare at my home with the door open and contemplate many important things in life. lol I wish you luck on your adventure and keep me updated. My email is thebrokenhousefarm@gmail.com Hello and glad you found us here. Congratulations on choosing an off grid lifestyle. Where in Middle Tennessee? The outhouse thing is tricky. It really depends on the county you move to. No one seemed to know the laws on it here in McMinn or Polk Counties in East Tennessee. I had to call the health department and also the courthouse to see what the laws were and if it was legal. I found in both counties that it was legal and perfectly OK as long as it was at least 50 feet from the bordering property and water sources. It varies from county to county, so I would start with the health department. They can at least send you in the right direction for answers.

Be prepared to get the “well you can but why would you?” from at least one person you talk to. lol

I love my outhouse and am thankful we ripped the toilet out of the house and got the outhouse built behind the house! It provides me a nice quiet place to stare at my home with the door open and contemplate many important things in life. lol

I wish you luck on your adventure and keep me updated. My email is thebrokenhousefarm@gmail.com

]]> Comment on February 22, 2012 by JM0712 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1238&cpage=1#comment-581 JM0712 Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:35:51 +0000 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1238#comment-581 First let me say that I read your story on the city data forum and it was so enthralling, touching, sad, but great at the same time - great because you were able to pull away from the hardship and find your home. Congratulations on everything including the wedding! (It reminds me of my fiance and I putting off setting a wedding date even though I purchased my $50 wedding dress already...LOL) I wanted to ask you a question, though. My fiance and I are planning to lead an off-grid lifestyle in middle TN - we're going to buy some land soon first. That means putting in an outhouse. Do you know if an outhouse is legal? I have seen designs of an outdoor shower (connected with the outhouse) but I am just worried about the outhouse's legality. We know that if you don't have running water in the house (we want to do a small 1 room cabin as well) you don't need a septic. But then there's a funny thing with the greywater considered as blackwater... Thanks for any advice you can provide. First let me say that I read your story on the city data forum and it was so enthralling, touching, sad, but great at the same time – great because you were able to pull away from the hardship and find your home. Congratulations on everything including the wedding! (It reminds me of my fiance and I putting off setting a wedding date even though I purchased my $50 wedding dress already…LOL)

I wanted to ask you a question, though. My fiance and I are planning to lead an off-grid lifestyle in middle TN – we’re going to buy some land soon first. That means putting in an outhouse. Do you know if an outhouse is legal? I have seen designs of an outdoor shower (connected with the outhouse) but I am just worried about the outhouse’s legality. We know that if you don’t have running water in the house (we want to do a small 1 room cabin as well) you don’t need a septic. But then there’s a funny thing with the greywater considered as blackwater…

Thanks for any advice you can provide.

]]> Comment on An update….finally by jamac722 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1086&cpage=1#comment-472 jamac722 Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:26:19 +0000 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1086#comment-472 Wow I'm so glad to see you were back. I've really missed reading your updates. Hope to see more soon. May you and the family have a wonderful New Year Wow I’m so glad to see you were back. I’ve really missed reading your updates. Hope to see more soon. May you and the family have a wonderful New Year

]]> Comment on An update….finally by Foxie http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1086&cpage=1#comment-451 Foxie Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:08:48 +0000 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1086#comment-451 YAY!! Your back.. I was missing your posts ALOT! I enjoy this site and find it a good peaceful place to read at .. Hugs to both and all of you and know you made us readers of the Broken House blog very very happy with your updates .. /|\ Foxie YAY!! Your back.. I was missing your posts ALOT! I enjoy this site and find it a good peaceful place to read at ..
Hugs to both and all of you and know you made us readers of the Broken House blog very very happy with your updates ..
/|\
Foxie

]]> Comment on August 21, 2011 by Foxie http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077&cpage=1#comment-447 Foxie Thu, 17 Nov 2011 13:19:47 +0000 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077#comment-447 11-17-11 Ok you guys .. I have lit the candles and said all the prayers I can think of and your still not on line to update .. What has happened ? .. *I* ( we your online friends miss you!) am deeply worried and concerned? ::sighs:; Please contact me if you can and let me know your all well and safe.. Your friend Foxie wintercrone@ymail.com 11-17-11

Ok you guys .. I have lit the candles and said all the prayers I can think of and your still not on line to update .. What has happened ? .. *I* ( we your online friends miss you!) am deeply worried and concerned? ::sighs:; Please contact me if you can and let me know your all well and safe.. Your friend Foxie
wintercrone@ymail.com

]]> Comment on August 21, 2011 by Foxie http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077&cpage=1#comment-433 Foxie Tue, 01 Nov 2011 00:35:17 +0000 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077#comment-433 Now I am getting worried Cyndi.. Chris... Is everything ok? Not like you guys to let the blog go unposted to this long .. Yer in my prayers and thoughts .. Foxie Now I am getting worried Cyndi.. Chris… Is everything ok? Not like you guys to let the blog go unposted to this long ..
Yer in my prayers and thoughts ..
Foxie

]]> Comment on August 21, 2011 by Foxie http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077&cpage=1#comment-420 Foxie Sun, 23 Oct 2011 17:23:42 +0000 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077#comment-420 Thinking of you .. and watching for a new update SOON! Sheesh its Oct23 already whats happin??!! Prayers and love and good thoughts sent your way .. /|\ Foxie Thinking of you .. and watching for a new update SOON! Sheesh its Oct23 already whats happin??!! Prayers and love and good thoughts sent your way ..

/|\
Foxie

]]> Comment on August 21, 2011 by kate sheridan http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077&cpage=1#comment-312 kate sheridan Mon, 29 Aug 2011 01:23:41 +0000 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077#comment-312 So glad you've updated and added pictures. Hope the weather down there has cooled down a bit for you. Even up here in Michigan, managing the garden was nearly impossible in those awful weeks of heat. You're amazing to be able to do it all without electricity. I use the replenishing wet rag trick at night, too, but also use two fans! Best luck to you and Chris. I love reading your site! So glad you’ve updated and added pictures. Hope the weather down there has cooled down a bit for you. Even up here in Michigan, managing the garden was nearly impossible in those awful weeks of heat. You’re amazing to be able to do it all without electricity. I use the replenishing wet rag trick at night, too, but also use two fans! Best luck to you and Chris. I love reading your site!

]]> Comment on August 21, 2011 by Cyndi http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077&cpage=1#comment-307 Cyndi Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:03:24 +0000 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077#comment-307 Good news is, I can feel a wee bit of a difference in the temperature at night and that is so nice. I actually had to throw a thin blanket across me a few nights lately. I had another snake on my foot when I went out to pee in the yard the other night and thought it was a slug because the little guy was cold. A baby King Snake. I am so VERY thankful we have those on the farm! Things are looking a bit better and I should be able to update more often. I plan to get pics up in the next few days as well. We will be putting some awnings on some of the windows that I got for free recently and I hope to maybe get a bit if painting done on the outside of the house. I will be sire to get pics. Good news is, I can feel a wee bit of a difference in the temperature at night and that is so nice. I actually had to throw a thin blanket across me a few nights lately. I had another snake on my foot when I went out to pee in the yard the other night and thought it was a slug because the little guy was cold. A baby King Snake. I am so VERY thankful we have those on the farm! Things are looking a bit better and I should be able to update more often. I plan to get pics up in the next few days as well. We will be putting some awnings on some of the windows that I got for free recently and I hope to maybe get a bit if painting done on the outside of the house. I will be sire to get pics.

]]> Comment on August 21, 2011 by Annie143 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077&cpage=1#comment-306 Annie143 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:49:10 +0000 http://www.homesteading.us/?p=1077#comment-306 I am so glad to get an update. I know it has been very busy for you all but, it is good to hear how things are going. Thx for the update. I am so glad to get an update. I know it has been very busy for you all but, it is good to hear how things are going. Thx for the update.

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