WELCOME to B-Green Acres!

Welcome to the first installment of B-Green Acres Blog. I thought that "B-Green" was a very fun play on words! The "B" stands for our last name...as well as "BE"! Ha! How fun!

I knew I wanted to blog our sustainable homesteading process, and what better time to start than TODAY! I'm happy to announce...that as of TODAY, we now have our new address and driveway permit! But before I get ahead of myself too much, I assume that a little background information is in order! So read at your leisure, as I'm sure it will be long! Enjoy!

We'll go back to 1991. I'm a junior in High School, taking a "home decorating" class for an elective! My teacher was the first to expose me to sustainable living and environmental issues. She was the first one to tell me about STRAWBALE homes! I was immediately intrigued by the idea, as well as the environmental benefits that it offered. I KNEW in my heart that I was going to have a strawbale home someday! Of course...my hubby thought I was crazy, and since there was so little information available, I had nothing to base my ideas on...much less research processes and building specs. So the idea was shelved for several years as we went about delivering three beautiful children, and striving for what we THOUGHT was the "Great American Dream"

We were crazy in debt, and struggling to attain that "appearance of the Jones'" And doing quite well at it, as our financial situation kept improving! But were we any happier? Nope...always stressed over finances! ENTER...the advent of the INTERNET! YEA! In desperation to find ways to cut back, I stumbled upon STRAWBALE building again, and found the idea of Christian Homesteading! (which I didn't know it HAD a name, till my Mama Bear told me!) Through all my research, and collecting enough info to fill a 3 ring binder...I had all the argument I needed to take my case to my hubby! It wasn't tooooooo long before he was on board with my ideas...and quite frankly...he was just plum tired of the rat race.

So we set out to become as DEBT free as possible. We worked hard at cutting back...getting away from consumerism, and not giving in to the "I WANT IT NOW" mentality of many of our peers. It really wasn't THAT hard...at least not on us...can't really say that the kids were jumping on the "live without" bandwagon as easily. BUT amazingly, they WERE in favor of our plans and ideas! Kid's are smarter than a lot of people give them credit for. When they KNOW and can UNDERSTAND the reasons behind it, they're much more willing and enthusiastic to help work towards our goals.

Jump ahead to last summer, (summer of 2008) We happen upon some land that came available...4 beautiful acres! Financially we were in a great position to buy. So we bought it! YEA! Then shortly after, we finally paid off 2 of our vehicles, giving us 3 vehicles free and clear...(we kept my buick regal for our son who'll be driving in 2 years!) Now we're just down to our current mortgage, and our land payment. I ONLY tell you this, so that you'll KNOW and understand that this wasn't a "fly by night" idea...and that "debt free" isn't just a smart financial decision, it takes time...but it is also deeply rooted in my relationship with God. When we borrow money, we become a slave to the person who lended. God will provide our needs, not a credit card or second mortgage, or personal loan. It doesn't mean we shouldn't work hard for our stuff...but just that it's God who is ultimately our provider. That being said...if you're following this blog because you desire a more simpler life...more sustainable...more HEALTHY...more enjoyment...it DOES help to become as debt free as possible before starting the process.

So here's the gameplan! We'll be building our homestead in stages, through blood, sweat, and tears! hehehe

We'll be putting in the driveway early next week...(as we're camping out for spring break!) Which we're getting help from a wonderful friend with a bobcat! So our driveway will be somewhat complete (with the exception of the top layer of smaller stone after settling) for $300 worth of rock, delivered. (I'll try to keep a running total, so people have an idea of costs should they want to follow our lead!)

The first structure going up is a 40x60 pole barn. The polebarn serves two purposes. The first 40 feet will hold my Photography studio, (yes...I'm a photographer...moved out of my commercial location in Jan.) And the last 20 feet are small living quarter for us, (5 of us...Me, Hubby, son 14, son 12, daughter soon to be 7)

So you're probably wondering....20x40 living space???? "You've got to be KIDDING ME?" LOL...I know...I know... Not quite the "McMansion" you were expecting huh? BUT...there's LOGIC in the madness! (really...there is!) I mean...just HOW MUCH room do you need to sleep anyhow? You'll see from the floor plan that it's very much adequate. (scroll down to the end of the page to see the design.) Our great grandparents may have had less room with more kids! The way that I have it designed, it actually has 3 bedrooms, and and open space for living and kitchen. Then there's a "family" walk in closet, and a small bathroom. This will be our living quarters for UP TO 2 years, while we pay off the land and building...sell our current home...and get ready to start the strawbale home.

So...what GREEN features will be in the building? SO GLAD YOU ASKED! Here's a quick rundown:
Composing toilet
Greywater disposal system
Rain water harvesting
cistern
solar hot water (homemade)
(*Eventually we'll be adding solar panels one at a time)

So...what SUSTAINABLE homesteading features will be on the homestead? So glad you asked!
Chickens! We LOVE eggs! And a good friend already gave us a great coop!
locavore eating! (well...as close to it as we can!)
Large Garden and canning our own food!
I'd LOVE a billy goat for the milk and soap! (My hubby put his foot down when I wanted a cow!)


So...this blog will follow all the steps, trials and errors, ups and downs, pictures, etc... of our lives as we chronicle our goal of sustainable living. This blog will also follow our processes up to and during the building of our strawbale home. So please bookmark this blog, and we'll take this journey together~ God Bless! (OH...and please be advised that I've never blogged before...so it may take me some time to grasp the "learning curve" of how to do everything!)(and I promise that not all of my posts will be so long!)