The most unlikely candidate

Discussion in 'Introduce Yourself Here' started by TheSiMpLeLife, Mar 5, 2010.

  1. TheSiMpLeLife

    TheSiMpLeLife Junior Member

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    Yep, that's me... I look more like a Gypsy Joker bikie with my tattoo's and long hair than a permaculture person, I play heavy metal guitar and produce doof for a living and I am sure if you saw me walk down the street you would either be feeling for your wallet or crossing the rd. The only thing I learnt to grow I gave up smoking ten years ago:p

    Yet here I am craving the simple life, one away from city lights and masses of robotic clones.

    I have no clue to what I am doing really, I am renowned for winging an idea (usually with better than expected results) so this is all being written/directed/produced on the fly:eek: My philosophy has always been a simple one and that is you only ever learn to swim in the deep end. I am not one to sit back and ponder the idea, if I don't jump in, something else usually comes along and it is either put on the back burner or forgotten.

    As some here know I was going to buy some land and try start a community however plans changed and I manged to score two 1/4 blocks in NSW dirt cheap which seemed more realistic and more importantly doable now. I haven't seen either block (she'll be right mate:p) but for the price I bought them at ($13950 for both) I figure I can't really lose out, if and when I move on I can either sell them cheap or hang onto them for places to escape to.

    One block is mins away from Lake Cowall and the other is a stones throw from Billabong Creek, neither blocks have services that I am aware of but I am not looking to be a part of anything the system has to offer bar the essentials, like internet. I have zero experience in anything that is remotely rural, my thing has always been yachts in urban scenes, a part of the view rather than having one. The ability to shift whenever I pleased.

    This is a life changing experience for me, something just clicked and I went this is all bullshit, I don't want to work my ring off all my life paying off a house and participating in keeping up with the jones's for nothing. I feel like I would be selling myself short so here I am delving into unchartered territory, please be patient with me as most of what I will be asking will seem silly but I am a fast learner and enthusiastic. Nice to meet you all, I am sure I will learn many things from you so thank you in advance.
     
  2. Grahame

    Grahame Senior Member

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    Great stuff SimpleLife. I'm looking forward to hearing about how you go - it'll be a great adventure.
     
  3. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    Occupation:
    Farm manager/ educator
    Location:
    Hunter Valley New South Wales
    Home Page:
    Climate:
    warm temperate - some frost - changing every year
    Indeed welcome to the forum. So you want to go from working your ring off keeping up with the Jonses to working your ring off keeping up with the weeds. My first bit of info for you (I hope there will be many as you build your dream) is to name the weeds by their given names and recognize them as herbs or grass and you will solve alot of problems.lol
    welcome
     
  4. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day Simplelife

    Welcome to the PRI Forum.

    The beauty of this medium is that (personal) looks do not matter; it's the content of your posts that members most will be interested in.

    Concerning questions that you may have:

    I suggest that you fully utilise the 'search' facility. This will not only give you instant results, it will save time/energy of all concerned

    The 'blocks' sound interesting, keep us posted.

    Hooroo, Marko.
     
  5. TheSiMpLeLife

    TheSiMpLeLife Junior Member

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    sorry for the late reply, I have moved the caravan to the block yesterday but the caravan took a beating when the shortcut we took turned out to be longer because of the condition of the rd. The creek has loads of water in it and the land is flat and grassed which is nice, I can only see one farm in the distance and the rd off into the distance. It is quiet, the stars are awesome and for $6000 for a 1/4 acre I am really suprised that I have scored so well. Hopefully the other block I bought is half as good?

    Already my head is ticking over with plans, it looks like I should be able to have enough wind to build a turbine out of a fisher and paykel smart drive washing machine which puts in about 35 amps (google Randy's workshop for DIY plans) so I won't have to rely on a generator. I have an 80w panel and a decent truck battery for now that is doing the job and I have seen a few bunnies which are looking mighty tasty:) but the best thing it looks like is that there will be monster yabbies and decent fish???

    I have shitty yates seeds for now to start a vege patch but I think I need a lamb and a goat in calf so I can have milk and keep the grass down, there are meant to be about 20 blocks here but there are no other people? Probably prefer spending 20 yrs breathing in toxic fumes and paying their mortgage off? :p
     
  6. eco4560

    eco4560 New Member

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    Welcome to the green deep end. You are right that stepping out of comfort zones is the best way to learn to live.
     
  7. kerrip

    kerrip Junior Member

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    Everything sounds great. Congratulations. I love the idea of the wind turbine. Have you found out how close the nearest town is and have met any of your neighbours yet?

    I'd love to know how old you are? I am a sticky nose for sure.

    I am looking forward to following your journey.

    Kerri
     
  8. teela

    teela Junior Member

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    Me too Kerri.
    Simplelife I'm assuming you are a bloke, or a really scary looking woman?
    Oh and hi, welcome :)
     
  9. TheSiMpLeLife

    TheSiMpLeLife Junior Member

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    Hey all, yeah I am a guy, 35 yrs old :)

    So I am roughing it out on the block in the caravan, I have met my only neighbour who is the local "toff" but he seems alright really. I must say I hid all my tatts so we will see? I did get a lift into town today with some people who live 20k's away in Urana and they gave me an open invite to their pad and lifts into Corowa which is 60k's from me. Corowa looks thriving and I was suprised that it has everything I need! I am trying to clear the grass by hand for now and can't wait till I get a few toys to help out as this manual labour thing is hard on my musician hands (yeah I know I am a wuse), I have started a few garden beds and have asked the neighbour if he can help me build a dam to help me feed the garden. Turns out I am on a stock route so I am expecting cows sometime soon? I have asked around for some chooks and a sheep or two but no joy on the goat in calf yet... Things are good, considering I am pretty much camping really but hey you have to start somewhere. I want some fruit trees I think and I stopped in at landcare and they said they will get me some trees soon which will be awesome.
     
  10. bonsai

    bonsai Junior Member

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    You pretty much write what I think mate...

    I have trouble convincing the missus that its all good to live in a tent until you get yourself established. I'm happy to live in the middle of nowhere if I have internet access and some form of electricity.. :)

    Your motivation and ideas are inspiring, I'm also a musician living in the horrid concrete jungle we call Melbourne city. Getting out real soon aye.

    Welcome to the forum man!
     
  11. teela

    teela Junior Member

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    Sorry to tell you this but goats don't have calves....cows have calves, goats have kids.
    Wait till you get the sheep (they have lambs) they will clear the grass for you...that's providing you have good fences, if not the sheep will keep you fit when they escape into your nieghbours paddock and you have to go running after them, but that may be a good thing cause you will get to meet your other neigbours (surely you must have more than just one?). How do you know your neigbour is a toff? Does he get around his property wearing a suit and tie?
    What sort of sheep are you planning to get? I strongly recomend Damara sheep, they look alot like goats, never need shearing or crutching.
    Whats the rainfall like? Is there enough to grow your fruit trees without irrigation?

    Bonsai us women are fussy creatures, most of us prefer warm running water and flushing dunnies.
     
  12. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day Simplelife

    "...and for $6000 for a 1/4 acre I am really suprised that I have scored so well..."

    "Turns out I am on a stock route so I am expecting cows sometime soon?"

    I think the latter answers the former.

    "I am trying to clear the grass by hand for now and can't wait till I get a few toys to help out as this manual labour thing is hard on my musician hands..."

    Um, the sheep idea seems logical. This way you can eat your surplus 'lawnmowers'.

    Glad you are close enough to Corowa to be able to catch the odd lift, and "...that it has everything [you] need".

    Keep up the great work, and don't forget to keep us posted,

    Marko.

    Oh, and if I can be of any assistance from a statutory planning perspective (re: the stock route thingo), please feel free to ask:

    ...Travelling Stock Route and Reserves, more commonly known as TSRRs or the 'long paddock'! It can be more precisely defined as either a chain of Crown land parcels, known as Travelling Stock Reserves linked together to form a route, or a particular route taken by travelling stock, which may be along a public road. In NSW travelling stock are permitted, subject to conditions or restrictions imposed by legislation, to move or graze on a Travelling Stock Reserve or a public road...

    Source: O'Connor (2004) Mapping Australia's transhumance: snow lease and stock route maps of NSW


    Please don't tell us you 'bought' a TSRR, or worse, a road???

    Cheerio, M.
     
  13. TheSiMpLeLife

    TheSiMpLeLife Junior Member

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    I will have to do my homework on the stock route thing??? I am the only block here and surrounded by acres and acres of grazing land so the way I see it is they can feed around me... The township once had a pub and stables, it was a stage coach route and the main rd to Urana from Corowa but there is nothing here now, not even the remains of the hotel except for a few old bottles I have found. There is a rd but it is 100+ metres from me and it is seldom used, the main corowa to Urana rd is a k down the driveway which is good, I hardly get traffic noise but see lights at night.

    I was told by the shire rd workers who are upgrading that the neighbour is the local toff, I assume it is cause his family have been here since day dot and he has his own planes and airstrip (which by google looks like Tullermarine :p). He is decent, he rode down today on his bike and we had a good chat, he is going to put the dam in soon for me which will let me feed the garden, wash clothes and shower easily.

    My hands are shot to pieces already, I am cut and sore from all this hard work but I feel good for it none the less (to my suprise), I put in my first garden bed today and the neighbour told me I shouldn't use the mulch I have been using cause gum mulch is poisonous? news to me so...

    Things are good, tough but good.
     
  14. TheSiMpLeLife

    TheSiMpLeLife Junior Member

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    I was freaking a little after your post but as usual I am like a cat and have landed on my feet :), I spoke to my neighbour and to the shire guys and I am in an old township that has a stock route near it that is seldom used (as in front of the township, used maybe twice a yr from what everyone is saying and not a TSSR, no snow here). The neighbour is turning out to be awesome, he gave me two water tanks, a davey water pump and brought some eggs and pears which both tasted pretty bloody good! Yeah sheep will be good to mow, need a fence though to keep them in otherwise I will be chasing them for miles.
     
  15. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day Simplelife

    Keep up those good relations with your neighbour. Maybe you could invite him over for a feed of roast lamb when the 'lawnmowers' start multiplying?

    Ahhh, the TSSR (Travelling Stock Route and Reserve) is near where you have bought land (being that there was once on old town there), and does not actually form part of your land title? A quick check of your property title should give you a clear indication of property bounderies, come time to put up the fence. However, in order to 'peg it out' correctly (legally :)), you might want to look into getting it surveyed, if it has not already been done for you?

    Keep up the great work!

    Marko
     
  16. TheSiMpLeLife

    TheSiMpLeLife Junior Member

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    I wonder if a cow wanders onto my property can I poach it ?:p
     
  17. bonsai

    bonsai Junior Member

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    hehe, i know teela.. :)

    i think those are the exact reasons I have yet to buy a big tent :p
     
  18. TheSiMpLeLife

    TheSiMpLeLife Junior Member

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    I went in to town today and had a good look around and I sourced a lot of the things I am needing, the more I think the more I realise I am really in the deep end here. Once agin the neighbours have come to the rescue and are helping me freeze supplies and water bottles for the ice box.

    I have a few questions for people if I could...

    Can I wet cow shit, break it up, mix a little soil and grow directly in that?

    Being a dumb arse plank spanker (guitarist) I am not sure what to look at planting in terms of trees, I would like a couple of fast growers for a bit of shade and would like some suggestions?

    Where can I get some good seeds from for the vege garden and once again being a dumb arse plank spanker what will grow over Autum and Winter well?
     
  19. bonsai

    bonsai Junior Member

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    To get some good seeds for my garden initially I found some good fruit in stores and kept the seeds, I also visited the local community gardens and spokes to some of the regulars there and obtained an absolute stack of seeds including summer and winter fruiting tomatoes, pumpkins, berries and I even scored about 30 citrus cuttings.. it doesnt hurt to ask, especially when your intentions are good!

    You should be able to find leguminous trees and shrubs around that you can take cuttings of and plant out, they tend to grow quickly providing shade and foliage for composting and mulch!
     
  20. teela

    teela Junior Member

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    Plank spanker lol never heard that expression before. I'd like to hear more about your plank spanking being a bit of one myself, but just learning atm.
    Regarding fast growing trees - just before christmas I planted a Peppercorn tree, it was one I'd grown from a seed (very easy) and had been in the pot for ages, it had gone a bit tall n lanky and was about 2ft high. I thought well I suppose I'd better get this thing in the ground sooooooo I planted it - by burying not just the root ball but the other half of the tree too - you get what I mean? In other words there's just 1 ft of the tree stickin out the ground. I tossed it a bucket of water and walked away. Come back bout a month later and low and behold the tree is about 3 ft high, another month add another foot and some more branches, I swear one could sit and watch this thing grow. Peppercorns are great survivors and will grow just about anywhere. ........... And in my opinion they are a really nice looking tree.
     

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