Winter Blues...

It's been hard not being able to live out at the Micro Mansion. Primarily because the 1-5 year plan has been created and we are chomping at the bit to get out to the land and get started.

We have been planning and budgeting for the past couple weeks and the results are impressive. We will have 2-4 internships available beginning in April to help on a great assortment of farm projects which range from infrastructure projects (e.g. barn and 3-season outdoor kitchen) to agriculture and energy projects including hoop house, organic garden, swales, new fruit trees and solar arrays. We are hoping to add chickens and bees as well.

We have finalized the name for the property... Walton Farms. Since the land is an old Oak Grove that has been in existence for hundreds of years we felt that the name should not be altered from the location that it has been referred to for so long. It would seem arrogant to place a new name on such an historically established piece of land.  

Change in Plans: Floor Insulation

In Fall, the plan was to build a 2x4 frame on the micro mansion floor to stuff with insulation. I've decided to take some left over pink board and lay it down on the existing plywood floor then top it off with 1/2" plywood. I was able to find the plywood needed at the local ReStore for only $25. With the pink board being left over from another project, this is a better economical choice for the micro mansion and the overall budget!

As soon as the weather reaches above freezing, hopefully by mid-March, the floor will be able to be insulated and installed.  

Winter Wrap Up

So the original plan was to complete the micro mansion insulation prior to Iowa's deep winter freeze so we could live in the micro mansion throughout the winter. As we all know, plans change. The largest lesson that I have learned with my Tiny House Project is that having expectations can lead to disappointment and frustration. Instead, I've learned to roll with the punches with the only true expectation being "This is going to be an unforeseen adventure, and I'm going to enjoy it no matter what happens!" This frame of mind has served me very well over the past several months.

The winter freeze came late but unforeseeably quick. For most of the Fall overnight temps were in the low 40s to high 30s which is very doable. Without warning the temps plummeted down near zero resulting in the micro mansion being uninhabitable with out the insulation completely finished.

Before the winter move-out we were able to install the wood stove, which was a blessing as it extended our stay several weeks. In early December we packed up the three cats and the dog and moved everyone out for the winter, in GREAT anticipation for a return as soon as temps rose in March...