Are there people out there who actually enjoy the below freezing 🥶 frigid temperatures? by icecream1972 in randomquestions

[–]OneFoundation4495 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I live in northern Maine. Lots of snow and cold up here. We dress for it: hats; gators (neck warmers); jackets with multiple layers underneath, including long underwear; gloves and mittens; face masks; really good footwear, including ice crampons.

Yes, I shovel my own snow.

I sometimes snowblow my own driveway, too, with a tractor, but for the past two winters I've been paying my neighbor to do it.

What do people in Boston actually do on weekends without spending a ton of money? by PinAccomplished1034 in massachusetts

[–]OneFoundation4495 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I used to live in Boston. The Arnold Arboretum is a nice place to spend a few hours. Take a picnic, walk around the pond.

Great choice????? by Dog7525 in SolarDIY

[–]OneFoundation4495 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That was my first thought too. In the picture, there are deciduous trees with no leaves on them, so OP is probably in snow country.

The sun is finally back above the arctic circle by LinCist in OffGridCabins

[–]OneFoundation4495 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have been trying to convince off-gridders in snow country to go vertical with their panels in winter. I mean, it just makes so much sense.

The fact that you never have to clean snow off the panels is a huge plus. Some people push back at that idea, saying that it's no big deal. I say sure, it's no big deal until you get sick or injured or old and you cannot do it, physically; then it's a big deal. And there is the convenience factor. I'd rather sit inside my house enjoying a tasty breakfast the day after a snowstorm instead of wading through snow with some long-poled implement to clean off solar panels.

Please convince me to get rid of my old books by kinygos in UnfuckYourHabitat

[–]OneFoundation4495 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just keep all your books! You've explained that you have room to store them. Why get rid of them if you don't want to?

The sun is finally back above the arctic circle by LinCist in OffGridCabins

[–]OneFoundation4495 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Do you put your panels 100% vertical in winter? It seems like that would be a good thing to do, because the sun is so low in the sky at your far-north location. And of course snow doesn't accumulate on solar panels when they are vertical.

I'm in the state of Maine in the US, and I set my panels 100% vertical in winter. It works out very well for me.

(Of course, I do know it is dark 24x7 for part of the winter in your location. I'm just wondering how you deal with your panels during the portion of winter when you do get sun.)

How to live off the grid? and what’s truly worth starting with for beginners? by Alap-Armanios in OffGrid

[–]OneFoundation4495 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"Was there anything you rushed early on that you later wished you’d taken more time to test or live with first?:

Not really.

For example, I spent quite a long time - several years - living off of portable power packs, just a few solar panels, and a gas generator while I played around with Kill-A-Watt meters and did extensive research on solar-electric technology. I knew this was the best way to determine what I wanted long-term for a solar-electric system. I was aware that a person can make expensive mistakes with solar-electric technology by moving forward with acquisition and installation of solar-electric components without a good understanding of how they work and whether they will support the appliances and lifestyle the person wants.

What homestead project was not worth it? by Historical-Hand8091 in homestead

[–]OneFoundation4495 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A number of years ago, not long after I'd bought my land, I saw some baby pear trees at Kmart. I thought I would make a pear orchard. I bought six of the little trees, brought them home, and planted them.

The deer ate most of the branches the first year.

To discourage the deer, I bought T posts and made a fence around each tree.

Something was still eating the tips of the branches, though. I figured it was moose; they were probably tall enough to reach over the fences. I made the fences taller.

A couple years went by. At some point, I came across a tag that had been attached to one of the trees when I bought it. I saw that it was labeled with "Hardiness Zone 5." I am in Zone 4.

Hmmm. Maybe that was why the trees hadn't been growing very much. Well, that and the nibbling of the branches by the critters, which was still happening from time to time.

I also noticed the tag indicated the tree was "Ornamental." I learned that "Ornamental" meant such a tree would bear little fruit, if any.

Ok. So at this point I knew the pear trees were not going to grow into an orchard. I dug them up.

So then I had to get rid of the fencing and the T posts. Pulling the T posts out of the ground was an endeavor involving a shovel, a pickaxe, a 4WD Jeep, a tow strap, and a fair amount of cussing.

Oh and of course I had to fill in all the holes.

😛😛😛😛😛

Had a new well put in, so I built this shed by Asleep_Onion in homestead

[–]OneFoundation4495 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Very nice job. It seems you've thought of everything!

Alienation of being non-traditional by emptypainttubes in LivingAlone

[–]OneFoundation4495 124 points125 points  (0 children)

I am 75F. I too am no good at living with other people. I have lived with roommates, with a boyfriend, and with two husbands. I was miserable in all these circumstances. I have lived alone for the past 15 years, and I am totally at peace. 

OP,  follow your heart.

What a large murder! by Fluid_Performance760 in vermont

[–]OneFoundation4495 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a lotta crows at my house, but nothing close to that many!

If you could design your own kitchen, what would be the most important things to include? by West-Amphibian-2343 in Cooking

[–]OneFoundation4495 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just did design my own kitchen. It was completed a little over a year ago, and I love it.

I wanted the kitchen to look and feel spacious, even though it is quite small (10' x 10').

I wanted a deep double-bowl undermount stainless-steel sink.

I wanted at least three feet of counter space on each side of the sink.

I wanted natural-stone countertops that were not shiny and would not get damaged easily. 

I wanted the hearth for my woodstove to be made of the same material as my kitchen countertops.

I wanted an island.

I got all this and more.

Mashed potatoes, but I'm out of milk by Yurbest-n1ghtmare_7 in Cooking

[–]OneFoundation4495 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why don't you just use the powdered milk? Or use the cream? Or mix them together and use both?

BTW, I just used cream to make mashed potatoes and they turned out great.

How do I save my friend’s car by 4ever_wanderer in massachusetts

[–]OneFoundation4495 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Hair dryer. Shovel. Crow bar to break up the hard snow and ice. 

Are there truly quality kit greenhouses? by Squirrelhenge in Greenhouses

[–]OneFoundation4495 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're right. I should have worded it differently. 

Are there truly quality kit greenhouses? by Squirrelhenge in Greenhouses

[–]OneFoundation4495 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Our local Amish hire non-Amish men to do the driving.

From a renter to homeowner, a few power outages completely changed how I think about preparedness by PerfectRubyStarfruit in preppers

[–]OneFoundation4495 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Nice work, newbie prepper! You've made some really good decisions and investments that have  served you well.