Happy New Year

Wishing you all a Happy New Year with hope that 2015 will be a safe and productive year for us all. Reuben

Almost 5 years of blogging - and not one SELFIE yet!

In just a few months it will be 5 years since I started this little blog about some of the things we are working on here at Juniper Hill Farm.

When I started, the kids were 3, 5, 7 and 9 and I was less than middle aged. In the beginning we had two dogs and one cat, now we have the one dog and 5 cats. In the past 5 years we have planted many gardens, baled lots of hay, boiled lots of sap and cut all kinds of firewood. We've bought an extra house, raised a few calves, butchered lots of old hens and milked the goats, twice a day, every day. We added the Hud-son sawmill to our farm, cleared some more field and finished the barn. In eight days we built a little camp in Aroostook County and it took us just one more day to roof the camp as well. I guess we've been busy. During this time we've somehow managed to pay the bills, feed the kids and keep the cars running. I've surveyed more than ever, despite a housing market in the dumps for all that time. The Gatherer has got a job, outside the home, that she loves. The whole family is still busy with band and sports, poetry and church. Gid & I have joined the Fire Department to help in our community. During these last 5 years we've had hundreds of baseball, softball, basketball games and cross country meets. We've made lots of great friends and had to say goodbye to some special ones as well. It's been a busy time in our lives. Posting these little thoughts, almost 100 in the past 5 years, has taken some time, but it has been fun. Maybe someday, when I'm being fed through a tube, my kids can read them to my grandkids and have a laugh. I hope you've enjoy my rambling.

Gideon's Getaway - More progress

I'm finally trying to update you all on the progress on Gideon's camp, known as "Gideon's Getaway". After the framing was done, the sheathing was next. We used rough 1" pine boards straight from the mill. Using rough lumber can be a challenge, but the builder has to be mindful where a little gap can be accepted and where it cannot. The camp will be stout and warm once the siding is on and the place is insulated.

With the steel roofing we decided to lay it over a layer of tar paper. Not so much for water but maybe just to make us feel better. The steel went on quite quick and will make a solid roof for decades to come.

Caution was used to make sure that we didn't "overscrew" the steel. Sometimes less is more when it comes to screwing down steel roofing.

If OSHA is looking, we were using the "sky hook" and the lightweight invisible harness when working on the ladder. Actually I think if kids learn how to work at a young age they will be better off in the long haul. Lots of people were so sheltered as kids they aren't worth a darn as an adult. I'll post some more pics soon. As it turns out I'm a better builder than a blogger. See you soon.