I have been asked to update progress on the homestead. I emphasize it is not a doomstead, as it is not self-sufficient in food nor energy. It is a lifestyle property. It affords peace, tranquility, comfort, privacy, and the opportunity to be as independent, or not, as we see fit with respect to food, water, etc. I understand what we have done is not possible for many. But I encourage all to consider such a move, if and as they are able.

The property is fifty acres, located a couple hours outside a major Australian city, and about 30 miles from a fairly large rural town. Some basic amenities are around 20 minutes away. The land was bare upon purchase. We are on a hillside. There are views across a valley and up toward neighboring hills. Our nearest neighbor is around a half mile or so away.



The land is rocky and generally poor, which is not unusual for Australia. It could probably support 30 – 50 sheep, or a handful of cattle. We currently have no interest in raising any farm animals, but that may change over time.

Perhaps a third to half of the property would support fruit trees. No more than a few acres could support general crops, but only poorly. I doubt our water sources could support much general cropping.

With respect to water, we have dams holding somewhere around 2 million gallons, at an informed estimate, which we built or refurbished. These have been linked by 2″ underground pipe. We installed around half a mile of this underground pipe ourselves. The soil conditions made that task difficult. The primary purpose of the pipe is to provide lawn and garden water to the three acres around the house. An electric high volume high pressure pump and filter feeds the local irrigation system from the central dam, while high speed gas engine pumps transfer the water from dam to dam. We created channels to funnel rain runoff from various parts of the property into the dams. We are in a low rainfall area (no surprise there). Average rainfall would be around 18 inches per year. We need only a couple of good rainfalls each year to fill the dams due to the way we have shaped parts of the land and funnelled the water.

We pulled down the ancient boundary fences, and put up about 1.5 miles of 6′ high mesh fence, with help of some friends. In return, I helped them build several miles of fence. So, at this stage I can set strainer posts and stays, tie off wire and mesh, join wire and mesh, strain wire, lay straight lines, drive pickets, clip wire and mesh, hang gates, and bleed like a pig from all the nicks and scrapes associated with building fence.

We cleared many, many trees from the block. We turned these into firewood. I had little experience with chainsaws, but have much more now. Thank you to those TBPers that offered valuable advice on that. We are now in the process of splitting that wood.

The home itself is of course complete. Finally. The home/garage comprises around 8000 square feet under roof. Additionally we built farm shedding. All the water from the roof is funnelled into a 35,000 gallon fresh water tank. That water is then dual filtered and UV sterilized and used in the house. It has no chemicals, and is the best water I have ever drunk. The bulk of the water we use for the house goes to replenish the 20 yard lap pool. We have never run the water tank below 2/3 full, even given the amount used by the pool.

We generate around 21kws of solar electricity per day – but consume far more than that. The house is entirely electric save for a wood burning fireplace that is more for effect than necessity.

The heating/cooling is done by high efficiency 15 kw heat pumps, that can be independently controlled room by room. Cooking is induction, and ovens are steam and standard convection. The biggest user of electricity by far is the pool. The pool itself consumes around 10kw per day for the pump and cleaning system, and more when we run the solar pump for heating the pool. We swim from around October through to around April. The house water system chews through a bit of energy as well. The house is 7+ star energy efficient, and is oriented to avoid absorbing heat in summer, and to absorb heat into its heatsink floors in winter.

To go fully off grid would cost around $70,000. That would provide high quality solar panels and batteries and regulating system. Additionally we would need a diesel generator. Given our electric costs are around $2000 a year, as much as the thought of off grid is enticing, a thirty five year payback does not make sense – even more so given the batteries will need replacing perhaps 3 times in 35 years.

We have had very significant landscaping done. This we contracted out. It took a crew of 4 nine months to complete. It was a very significant task; brick and stone work was involved, irrigation, drainage, path and drive development and installation, lawn and garden installation, earthworks, etc. I simply did not have any interest in undertaking several years of full time work myself. Nor do I have the skills. Nor the patience. And so now it is done. And everything is maturing nicely.

What we have done ourselves is we have built around 110 square yards of raised garden beds, for growing food. These are about 2.5 feet high., and there are over 20 of them. There are several reasons we built these beds. First of course is that the soil is poor. Second is that raised beds, to my understanding, are significantly more efficient and productive than ground height beds, and are easier to work. And third, we have many of the world’s second most poisonous snakes running around these parts. The eastern brown snake is deadly, and I prefer the beds I am working in to be up in the air. They can still probably get into them, but it is much less likely.

We keep the beds going non-stop. Currently we have lettuce, kale, spinach, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, swedes, turnips, broad beans, rocket, onions, shallots, various leaf vegetables, onions, etc. growing very nicely. I am trying to source and establish heirloom varieties of vegetables. For example, I am growing potato onions, which are multiplying onions that were once in just about every backyard, but now are rare. They are not viable to grow commercially, as they do not lend themselves to automated planting and harvesting. These raised beds should be able to supply the bulk of our vegetable needs if managed properly. At the moment I would say we get around 60% of our requirements from the beds, but that is increasing steadily.

We have now raised from puppies a small pack of boerboel dogs. The smallest, and currently most fearsome, is a female of around 120 pounds. She is ever vigilant, and will not take her eyes off anyone not a member of the family. The largest is still not much more than a pup, and will get to around 175 pounds. He is showing traits that will make him a spectacular protection animal. He will not leave your side, and will position himself between the family and anyone else. We spoil these dogs, and they are members of the family. They sleep at the foot of the beds. I would not like to be the stranger that enters those rooms uninvited.

There is ever something to do. Cut wood, clear a bit of land, put in some more fencing, mow, plant, prune, chop, split, rake, harvest, etc. We do something every day. Some days we do a lot. Somedays we do little. We walk the acreage daily (towed by the big beasts is generally more accurate). We celebrate the sun going down most evenings with a glass of wine, a beer, or a nice Scotch. We enjoy the privacy, but have friends all around us who are happy to see us, or to leave us in peace if we so desire. We help them, they help us.

I still have work duties, and perhaps will for some time. But I am able to do them, via Skype or internet, and then forget them instantly. That is a new experience for me. Life has changed, for the far better.

And that is the tale of the homestead. I can recommend such a change to others. It may not suit all. But it just might.