Sustainable living

SPLURGE!

All of you who are keeping track of the progress at Tiny House Ontario know that she is very much a project who is still underway.

Today I hoped to get the siding on but without the tools basically my husband and I had the day off to look around and while doing so we stopped at Canadian Tire because it was on our route.  It turns out that the off grid stuff was on sale, so we sort of borrowed from Peter to pay Paul and made a couple of big ticket purchases.

It seems to me that with a little 12 volt (18 litre) fridge and a few solar panels that Tiny House Ontario will not feel so off grid anymore.  The two items together cost $474. plus tax, with the sale it was as though the fridge got thrown in and so too did the tax.  Now we have another job to do because we have to figure out how the system works, and actually connect the fridge to power.  I also need to get a battery…

The great thing is that now that I have the little fridge I can actually start to plan in earnest what the end result kitchen will look like.

 

UPDATE: July 7 2012… I was informed by a couple of people in the know that these sort of solar panels are not great because they are encased in plastic.  I understand that it would have been the same cost to by aluminium and they last at least twice as long.

Categories: Environmentalism, Materialism, Money, Off Grid, Ontario, Simple living, Sustainable living, Tiny House Ontario | Leave a comment

Tiny House Community: Possible?

I have noticed many people in (and around) the Tiny House community wondering about building Tiny House Communities.  I was out for a little drive around my community and decided to take a few peeks in at the beautiful Rideau Canal.  On one of my stops I noticed a Tiny Cottage community which I realize is simply small rental cottages; however, I wonder since these are already built, would these not be a good location for a Tiny House Community?  I also think that they set a precedence for Tiny House Communities to be allowed within Ontario.  At least in the communities which have allowed these Tiny seasonal cottages.  Any lawyers reading who have experience with municipal building codes, input would be excellent!

Adorable aren’t they?

Categories: Building code, Ontario, Re-Use, Rules, Sustainable living, Time, Tiny House Ontario | 5 Comments

Where’s Waldo’s Garden?

It is filling in around Tiny House Ontario quite a lot more since we put the garden in.  I guess I will have to pull out some of the surrounding plants.

From just about fifteen feet away one can hardly find the raised garden.

Can you find it?

Categories: Environmentalism, Food, Forest, Off Grid, Ontario, Open your eyes, Sustainable living | Leave a comment

Invaders!

When we were removing the Ant Tree, I noticed that we were being invaded!  Apparently buckthorn is not just isolated in Southern Ontario.  We have scads of them!

I yanked out about 100 of the smallish ones after the rain and chopped down another 25 big ones even though I know that they will come right back up from the trunk.  Just like any invasive species, they are hardy here.

Sadly, we have both the common as well as the glossy leaf.  Even more sadly is that they still allow these to be sold at nurseries.  Like most invasive species, these plants take hold and choke out indigenous plants.

Here is a photo.

 

Categories: Environmentalism, Forest, Kingston, Nature, Off Grid, Sustainable living, Tiny House Ontario | Leave a comment

Forest Food

After a few days away, I arrived at about midnight back at Tiny House Ontario.  The thing that I was most curious about is my little garden in the forest clearing.  Was it actually growing and not being eaten by the forest creatures while it sat there unattended to?  I took the LED flashlight that my Aunt Marion and Uncle Mac gifted me and went out to have a look.  I could see that there was green and that the green seemed to be in rows, but could not tell for sure if there was anything really coming up that well, what had taken root, and if the plants seemed healthy.

This morning I got out of bed and practically ran out to see what the garden was up to.

I am pleasantly surprised!  I have a few weeds to yank up, and I have to put up stakes for the pole beans but so far it looks like I might be able to do that 0 mile diet this summer!  Woot!

Categories: Food, Forest, Off Grid, Ontario, Sustainable living, Tiny House Ontario | 1 Comment