Thank you for the photos. Twice. And again. Reminds me of my young years in Swiss.
I wanted to show you my grey sky but this medium won’t support. I’ll just make a separate post about it.
You do understand, I hope, how lucky you are. And like minded people should get together as neighbors. I hope to see you and your wife in the Nextdoor lot next season, to exchange tomato seeds. I have some great pepper seeds. :)
Grey skies can be beautiful, too, but not if you live in the rolling areas before high mountains: I distinctly remember that odd feature of my life in Switzerland: you could go for weeks on end without spotting even a glimpse of blue sky, let along the sun.
I do count myself lucky, if that's the right word for it. We talked about this for years, and the vagaries of academia kept us from settling down anywhere until now. So, rural Norway it is, and our kids, even though the house is a construction site right now (we don't even have internet set up yet, but that's alright--and it explains the hiatus), they were super-sad to go back to 'the city'.
As to seed-swapping: always, I'll trade them for some hardened plums, apples, and potatoes, if you'd like (but I've got to build a greenhouse first ;-)
"Given the trajectory of 'Western Civ,' well, it's probably not the worst point in history to 'get out.'"
So true. I've been trying to think of a way to "get out." We live in a relatively small town, but at the southern end of a small but well-populated little valley. The other side of the mountain range we live at the western base of is largely unpopulated. Plenty of open land there. I'm retired (though I image my time to receive SS benefits will be brief as I believe the gov will make getting the poison shots necessary for receiving the money I paid in over the years) but my wife still works. Commenting over the mountain isn't feasible. She should've been in HR instead of facilities; HR people barely come in anymore. Good luck!
You know, it's not a quick'n'easy thing to do. Small towns are, I'd propose, much better than big towns, cities, or mega-cities.
The area on the other sie of the mountain range sounds like a good spot to be: perhaps you can take out a large chunk of the SS beenfits to buy a place there?
You know, one of the bigger obstacles of 'getting out' is the income part: no way around it, and us moving 'out there' only works because of the qualities of academia (esp. here with its comparatively low teaching load), which allows for a lot of remote work. Still, I do get to go to the city at least twice a month, I suspect, but then again, who knows about what restrictions will be instituted in autumn…
Ah, the Pacific Northwest: much like where I'm right now--lots of rain, awesome nature (from what I see online, for I've never been there).
Svalbard is actually very far away, and I doubt I'll ever get there: it's about as expensive as Hawaii is to more inland areas of the country, in US terms.
You are going to enjoy the challenge of farming when the growing season is only 4-5 months, that I think I can claim from experience, having lived in Scania where you can get two harvests/year. I'd recommend looking into cheap ways of building movable greenhouses of the tunnel variety: aluminum or wooden frame with a sturdy see-through tarp or plexiglass panes. That way you circumvent any need for building permits. (Though if your neighbours play it the way we do this side of Kjölen (or Skanderna, both nicknames for the fjells) 'building permit' is something that's for city folks on holiday, not permanent residents.)
Don't know if you're going to have livestock, but chickens are a must - eggs, meat, and fertiliser. Also, they can eat kitchen leftovers of most kinds and setting up the coop next to the compost heap means they'll get plenty of insects too. Though I would advise an insulated coop, where the insulation can be easily removed for summer, and put back in before it hits -25C in winter (and that's without the wind factor). Also, a roof over their outside area, at least partially not only for rain or shade but predatory birds. Despite wind turbines doing their level best, there are still eagles and other raptors. Oh, and look into breeds what can take the cold, such as cochin chicken.
What else, that you've probably already thought of? Oh yes, do the shopping monthly or even quarterly - saves on gas an all the 'extra' stuff one is primed to buy. Maybe see if there's a local auto club or car enthusiast (raggare as we call them in Sweden), always good to know since they seem to have a magical insitnct for engines. Look into wood gas - there are wood gas powered electrical generators which can be set up to pull double duty so that all the excess heat goes into warming water or the house itself - just mind the carbon monoxide if you get one of those.
Tools. Hand tools and power tools. Do /not/ buy chinese knock off brands or if possible any kind of tool or safety equipment from the PRC. It is crap. They do not usesteel or other pure metals or real alloys but what is called "chinese alloy" meaning metal sludge from smelting junk together, so you'll have an iron/copper/brass/other uneven unfinished mix which gives out under stress. Example:
I have a chinese made carbine hook, now in two pieces, and the break shows clear crystalisation, the breaks looking pink/yellow/steel mottled and matted. According to the receipt, it's "stainless steel" what should hold 250 kilos load. In reality it is junk metal sludge with a chromium plating. Still CE marked. I also have a clip hook, made in Orsa, Sweden, in the 1950s. Solid swedish steel, minor rusting and pitting on the outside after seven decades of outdoor use, but even the internal spring is still good.
That's why one should never buy chinese - asians can't beat western engineering, quality and craft.
Anyways, best of luck and welcome above the 60th parallel North!
Thank you for the photos. Twice. And again. Reminds me of my young years in Swiss.
I wanted to show you my grey sky but this medium won’t support. I’ll just make a separate post about it.
You do understand, I hope, how lucky you are. And like minded people should get together as neighbors. I hope to see you and your wife in the Nextdoor lot next season, to exchange tomato seeds. I have some great pepper seeds. :)
My best!
You're welcome, my friend!
Grey skies can be beautiful, too, but not if you live in the rolling areas before high mountains: I distinctly remember that odd feature of my life in Switzerland: you could go for weeks on end without spotting even a glimpse of blue sky, let along the sun.
I do count myself lucky, if that's the right word for it. We talked about this for years, and the vagaries of academia kept us from settling down anywhere until now. So, rural Norway it is, and our kids, even though the house is a construction site right now (we don't even have internet set up yet, but that's alright--and it explains the hiatus), they were super-sad to go back to 'the city'.
As to seed-swapping: always, I'll trade them for some hardened plums, apples, and potatoes, if you'd like (but I've got to build a greenhouse first ;-)
Cheers!
"Given the trajectory of 'Western Civ,' well, it's probably not the worst point in history to 'get out.'"
So true. I've been trying to think of a way to "get out." We live in a relatively small town, but at the southern end of a small but well-populated little valley. The other side of the mountain range we live at the western base of is largely unpopulated. Plenty of open land there. I'm retired (though I image my time to receive SS benefits will be brief as I believe the gov will make getting the poison shots necessary for receiving the money I paid in over the years) but my wife still works. Commenting over the mountain isn't feasible. She should've been in HR instead of facilities; HR people barely come in anymore. Good luck!
You know, it's not a quick'n'easy thing to do. Small towns are, I'd propose, much better than big towns, cities, or mega-cities.
The area on the other sie of the mountain range sounds like a good spot to be: perhaps you can take out a large chunk of the SS beenfits to buy a place there?
You know, one of the bigger obstacles of 'getting out' is the income part: no way around it, and us moving 'out there' only works because of the qualities of academia (esp. here with its comparatively low teaching load), which allows for a lot of remote work. Still, I do get to go to the city at least twice a month, I suspect, but then again, who knows about what restrictions will be instituted in autumn…
I really wish you and your family all the best. It's a marvellous thing that you are doing.
Thank you, Cynthia, I greatly appreciate it.
You had to pick Holy Week to make me jealous ;-)
Hi Felix, I didn't intend to make anyone jealous--rather to explain why I took some time off posting.
Enjoy the introspection of Holy Week!
I am soooo jealous, and I live in Ziphole, Oregon (that's just south of East Jesus.)
Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. You are super lucky.
Enjoy Svalbard, lol.
Ah, the Pacific Northwest: much like where I'm right now--lots of rain, awesome nature (from what I see online, for I've never been there).
Svalbard is actually very far away, and I doubt I'll ever get there: it's about as expensive as Hawaii is to more inland areas of the country, in US terms.
You are going to enjoy the challenge of farming when the growing season is only 4-5 months, that I think I can claim from experience, having lived in Scania where you can get two harvests/year. I'd recommend looking into cheap ways of building movable greenhouses of the tunnel variety: aluminum or wooden frame with a sturdy see-through tarp or plexiglass panes. That way you circumvent any need for building permits. (Though if your neighbours play it the way we do this side of Kjölen (or Skanderna, both nicknames for the fjells) 'building permit' is something that's for city folks on holiday, not permanent residents.)
Don't know if you're going to have livestock, but chickens are a must - eggs, meat, and fertiliser. Also, they can eat kitchen leftovers of most kinds and setting up the coop next to the compost heap means they'll get plenty of insects too. Though I would advise an insulated coop, where the insulation can be easily removed for summer, and put back in before it hits -25C in winter (and that's without the wind factor). Also, a roof over their outside area, at least partially not only for rain or shade but predatory birds. Despite wind turbines doing their level best, there are still eagles and other raptors. Oh, and look into breeds what can take the cold, such as cochin chicken.
What else, that you've probably already thought of? Oh yes, do the shopping monthly or even quarterly - saves on gas an all the 'extra' stuff one is primed to buy. Maybe see if there's a local auto club or car enthusiast (raggare as we call them in Sweden), always good to know since they seem to have a magical insitnct for engines. Look into wood gas - there are wood gas powered electrical generators which can be set up to pull double duty so that all the excess heat goes into warming water or the house itself - just mind the carbon monoxide if you get one of those.
Tools. Hand tools and power tools. Do /not/ buy chinese knock off brands or if possible any kind of tool or safety equipment from the PRC. It is crap. They do not usesteel or other pure metals or real alloys but what is called "chinese alloy" meaning metal sludge from smelting junk together, so you'll have an iron/copper/brass/other uneven unfinished mix which gives out under stress. Example:
I have a chinese made carbine hook, now in two pieces, and the break shows clear crystalisation, the breaks looking pink/yellow/steel mottled and matted. According to the receipt, it's "stainless steel" what should hold 250 kilos load. In reality it is junk metal sludge with a chromium plating. Still CE marked. I also have a clip hook, made in Orsa, Sweden, in the 1950s. Solid swedish steel, minor rusting and pitting on the outside after seven decades of outdoor use, but even the internal spring is still good.
That's why one should never buy chinese - asians can't beat western engineering, quality and craft.
Anyways, best of luck and welcome above the 60th parallel North!