Farm

Table of Contents:

• Not Worth Much
• Why I Love It
• What could go Wrong?
• Buildings To Build:
• Income Options
• Animals
• Karen Concerns
• Animals
• Animal Tasks
• Tax Benefits
• Guard Donkeys?
• My Plan
• 2-Year Plan: $125k
• Monthly Income
• Wedding Destination
• Before Committing
• Previous Regrets
• Exit Strategy
• Bus
• Offer on Cabin
• Backup Plan
• Notes
• Heat Requirements
• Solutions
• Practical Land Uses:
• Waterfall
• Mega Garage
• Leveling Land
• Yurts
• Durable Buildings
• Helicopter
• Speed Boat
• Supplies Needed
• Septic
• Interior Design
• Infloor Heating
• Exterior Design:
• Interior Design:
• Design Questions:
• Barn:
• Gambrel Cost:
• Design
• Pics
• Videos
• Air Crete Videos
• Pico Hydro
• To Buy

Why This "favorite" Cabin / Land isn't worth much:

• Entrance off Highway (8030)
• Cabin would likely be considered a liability to anyone not willing to do all the work themselves.
• Squatters Ripped out all the wiring + Plumbing.
• Cabin Very Dirty.
• Acreage very unkept. Poor Land Maintenance
• Driveway is Overgrown, and narrow to do lack of trimming trees.
• One Broken Window
• Un-fenced
• Must turn around on Highway to get into driveway
• Very steep, rocky terrain (no farming).

Why I Love it:

• The Cabin was built to be show-room beautiful, and I can see under the crap, to see its potential.
• It can be subdivided into 3 acre parcels, though that is not my plan.
• Cabin has Power, Water, and Internet.
• Although it is technically on the Trans Canada Highway, you are so high up, you can't hear a peep from traffic.
• BEAUTIFUL views of Grouse Mountain + Duncan from all floors
• New Powered Well + Pump.
• Wild Peacocks living on the property.
• Ready to move in.
• Free Wood for Heating.
• Beautiful Finishings.
• Beautiful Fireplace in Main Room.
• I would never have to work again.

What could go Wrong?:

• I decide I don't like the isolation.
• I get injured.
• A Helper is injured.
• I run far over my budget of $100K before I can get 5 (paying) tenants.
• I decide it is too much work to complete.
• I decide I don't want to raise animals.

(Buildings) To Build:

• Hot Tub
• Storage Barn with suite above
• Garage with suite
• Yurts(with heated floors)
• Indoor Pool.

After the cabin is done of course

Tenant Options / Buildings for income:

• Trailers / RVs (quick, just need water+sewer+elec)
• Yurts (on concrete pad, with heated floor)
• Garage (with Suite above)
• Barn / Stable (with Suite above)

Trailers would be used just in the short term. Eventually moving them out.

Concern #3 Animals::

Although animals are simply an option, I think they will added much-desired character to the property, as well as large tax-benefits.

• I will not be slaughtering my own animals. I will sell them alive, or have them picked up.
• I hear the "sight of blood" is a common feature on a farm. But if I do not slaughter, when would it happen?

Karen Concerns:

• Commute + Isolation
• Injury (Saws, Tripping)
• Exhaustion from never ending tasks
• Adam working alone

To review of property

• Current Condition
• Views of property
• Potential Garage + Yurt Locations
• Areas for Ponds
• Great Room Immediate Priorities
• Things Adam doesnt see

*flashing:

The animal-rearing part of this plan is not required, it is just a hobby I can start for fun, (and to save on taxes).

Animals:

• I am told there are many tax-incentives to become a "hobby farm"
• In order to qualify, I have to produce ~$4000/year in farm produce
• Most of the land isn't suitable for crop production, so that leaves animals
• I don't care, and haven't committed to any particular animal types. And I can change my mind at any time if an animal becomes not worth the hassle.
• My Plan is : 1 Donkey, 4 Pigs, 10 Goats, 20 Chickens, and several cats, 1 dog.
• Clear the entire property, and plant appropriate "crows" (the livestock that can graze 10 months of the year, and eat hay during the winter).
• Purchase $1000/year in hay for the winter.
• Ideally, I would accept any unwanted animals (for free) and expand my flock as opportunities arise.
• Sell the Animals when the reach Maturity.
• 1 acre of Grass = 100 bails of hay= 4500lbs =$450 = enough for 4.8 goats or 2.8 sheep.

Animal Tasks:

I understand that every day, I will have to, or arrange for someone else to:

• Confirm all Fences+Cages are intact.
• Water + Food.
• Scoop a TON of Poop
• Let grazing animals out in the morning, back in at night, search for missing animals.

And:

• Keep cats to kill rats
• Fully Fence the property, including a Cattle-gate.
• Train Bosco to herd stray animals

Tax Benefits:

The purpose of the farm is not to raise livestock. It is just to achieve the tax-exempt minimum of ~$4000.

Livestock:
Animal	Sale Price	Lifespan	Food / Day	Days to Slaugter	Additional Tasks
Sheep	????	11 years	???	270	Yearly Sheering.
Goats	$75-300	15 years	Hay: 3-10 lb	100	Monthly Hoof trimming
Chickens	$12-30	8 years	Feed .25lb	50
Pigs	$500-800	20 years	Slop: 5 lb	150
Donkey	$1000-2500	25 years	Hay: 10 lb	--	Salt Block + Mineral supplement + Carrots
Cats	-	18 years	Cat Food	--	Kills Rats etc.
--I have been told by many people, the hardest thing about Goats+Chickens is preventing pregnancy, and not having enough food in the winter.--

Goats, Donkeys, Cats, and Dog will be given the full property to roam, and graze, and locked up at night.
Chickens Kept in coop + House. They lay eggs after the age of 6 months.
Livestock 101
(Unlikely) Animal Options: Horse (too large), Cattle (too large), Llamas (diseases, Sheering Wool).

Sheep 101.

Guard Donkeys:

• Apparently if you raise Donkeys in close-proximity to the other farm animals, their mammalian-instinct kicks in, and they protect them as if they were their own!
• A Pair would be best
• I am told they will fight off raccoons, coyotes, bears, and even cougars+wolves.
• I would plan to raise it from a foal (baby) to like dogs.
• More

My Plan (in Rough order)::

1. Sell my House.
2. Purchase Cabin for $320K
3. Spend $30K immediately on Plumbing, Electrical, and Finishing Main Cabin.
4. Get 2 or 3 people to live out there in exchange for free rent.
5. Widen the Main Road
6. Start Building outbuildings
7. Gradually Build more Buildings, for More accommodation, with friends.
8. Get 3 or 4 roommates, and/or AirB-n-B
9. Clear the Land of ground-fall
10. Fence the Land
11. Buy in a Truck or ATV. Possibly Borrow Nates?
12. Begin Collecting Livestock.
13. Goal: Having 10 Suites, and 20 people paying $12,000/month in rent. (And trade labour for housing).
14. Live off the Land.
15. Form a massive pile of cleared brush, rent a wood chipper, and create a massive pile of chips, for the automated Wood Stove (Video Below). Of course they will be stored in a manner to prevent fires.

My 2-Year Budget: $125k:

• $40k House
• $20k Road
• $40k MegaGarage
• $10k Septic Upgrade
• $5k Well Upgrade
• $5k for Trailer Services
• $10K Solar, Wind, Hydro Power
• $5K Ponds
• $5k Pool
• $10k Excavator

Monthly Income:

Five Trailers $500/month Corporate Retreat.

Wedding Destination Plan: $125k + 2-Years:

1. $80k 10 Yurts for weddings
2. $ 5K Heat Pumps
3. Yurts
4. $20k grand hall
5. $10k Gazebo
6. $10k Landscaping
7. $10k supplies
8. $10k right of way
9. Insurance
10. Ask: How many are there, how many failed, how full, how much per wedding, weddings / years
11. Ask: 10 brides what they paid.

Before Committing to this plan:

• Work on a Similar Farm for 1 week.
• Finish all the little things on my house.

Regrets from previous Building Projects:

• Prepare a long list of supplies needed, given to friends for them to look out for.
• Making too many trips to HomeDepot etc.
• Not organizing my tools.
• 5Volt Wiring throughout.
• Having volunteers to help with simple tasks, Painting, Yardwork, Cleaning, etc.

Regrets from Designing my current house:

• Make Doors open outwards when possible.
• Don't hide light switches.
• Extra Plugs for TV and chargers.
• Security System
• Durable Floors

Exit Strategy:

If something goes wrong, or I decide cabin-life isn't for me, here are my outs

• 6 months. Once Cabin is wired + plumbed + finished suite, and property reasonable-condition. Invest $40K Sell for ~$600K
• 2 years. Cabin is perfect. Property is great. 6+ tenants + outbuildings. Invest $140 Sell for $800K.

Victoria->Duncan Bus:

• The #66 Bus runs often
• Zone B Commuter Pass $246.00 / month. or $10 one-way.
• Valid for all buses in Duncan, Cowichan and Victoria
• 5:55 AM Duncan-> 6:47 AM VGH Hospital.
• 4:09 PM VGH Hospital -> 5:12 PM Duncan.

Plan to offer to buy John's Cabin:

• I want to buy this plot of land in Duncan.
• I am current considering buying the 38 neighbouring acres for $650k, and selling off 4 three-acre plots for $200k each, and then building a house.
• But I would prefer Johns property / cabin, as I see the potential if it were fixed up properly, and like the log cabin feel.
• There are very similar acreages next door for $12k-$16k per acre.
• I am willing to pay 100% of his purchase price for his 16 acres, including any upgrades he has done. ~320K. or $20K/acre.
• I have a very flexible timeline for when to purchase the place.
• I would love to have you live here, and point out hints on the property, and can offer Free Rent for 2 months.
• Option to Live in a trailer for 4 additional months.

Amanda:

• Remind him he isn't doing any renovations in the last 1+ years.
• Remind him when he got stuck in the snow and had to get a hotel for a week.
• Remind him of health.
• Suggest other options for him. A condo, etc, etc.

If he says no:

• I buy the $650k neighbours 38 acres. Which has paved road access, hydro to lot, same view, etc.
• Pick the best 10-ish acres for myself. And immediately subdivide, and Sell the remainder to pay for the building of the house.
• Borrow Amanda's trailer to live in for a month or two.
• Hire someone to drill a well. Dig my own septic field. Lay foundation, and build simple garage with Suite.
• Then build a 3000sqft dream house
• Get someone with a drone to shoot an aerial shot of the property.

Notes:

• Tamara demands I name the farm "EIEIO".
• Metcoshin Sheep Farm
• Cowichan ALR Rules
• Portable Shower
• Competition Yurts
• Yurts for Rent
• Land Title Search ($9.45)

Heat Requirements:

I have a large need to cheap-heat. For things such as:

• House
• Out Buildings
• In-floor Heating
• Hot Tub
• Indoor Pool?

Solutions:

The only solutions I can think of:

• Regular Heat pump
• Geo Thermal
• Solar Water Heater

Practical, and LEGAL Uses of the Land::

• Brewing or Distilling Alcohol (U-Brew) .
• Bed + Breakfast of 4 bedrooms.
• Dog Kennel / Boarding.
• Field-trips for local School Children.

Practical Idea: Waterfall:

• Artificial waterfalls are classy+Beautiful. But super expensive to run, so normal reserved for mansions/millionaires.
• But this property has the topography to capture+store a ton of water at a high elevation
• Simple pipes can funnel that water to the top of a water feature just using gravity.

Practical Idea: Mega Garage:

• 1200sqft.
• Use 28ft "Attic" Trusses.
• 560ft upstairs suite. 14x40x8ft Attic.
• Of Use 30ft "Gabrel Attic" Trusses.
• 72ft upstairs suite. 18x40x9.5ft Attic.
• Working on Vehicles
• Parking for 3 cars
• Pit for oil changes
• Many Rooms of various sizes
• U-Brew Room
• Tons of Storage
• Craft / Storage Room
• Guest Sleeping.
• Which rooms need windows?
• Plan #1 for 975sqft main floor + 507sqft attic
• Plan #2 for 768sqft main floor + 384sqft attic
• Plan #3. 576 main floor + 288sqft attic
• Plan #4. 576 main floor + 288sqft attic
• Plan #5
• Plan #6
• Plan #7 3500 sqft $37k
• 1 month: Footings, struture, steel walls, steel roof
• 1 month: elec, plumb, door, window
• proffesionals pour concrete slap floor
• 1 month: insulate, vapour barrier, steel walls
• 1 month: floors, paint, fixtures, etc.
• 1 month: final touches
• Similar Crane required to lift the joists
• Cost Savings: Free Windows of various sizes


farmGarage
This garage+attic trusses

Practical Idea: Leveling Land:

• The land is currently not very useful, but has massive potential if leveled properly.
• First, come up with a WHOLE property plan, indicating roads, drainage, etc.
• Widen / Move / Plan out the roads to access each plot.
• Use the small front-end loader Bobcat to spread road base.
• $532+$477 Vacuum Tube Solar Water Heating + Tank
• Use a technique like in the video (below) to break rock. Rent / Buy a drill, and use wedges.

Practical Idea: Yurts:

• Cheap to Construct.
• Legally Temporary, so no restrictions on number.
• Built on Concrete Pads, for 3-season use, and durability.
• In Floor Heating / Cooling.
• Can have plumbing, Electricity, Kitchens, etc.
• Perfect to rent out for weddings.
• Can be made with Plywood, siding, and insulation.
• Great for tenants.
• Can be built on cliffsides easier.

Practical Idea: Durable Buildings:

• I HATED repairing damage from tenants, so I want any suites to be durable and easy to clean.
• This doesn't cost more money, just involves choosing durable designs and building practices.
• 1. Foundations that go up at least 24 inches
• 2. Hard Floor, such as tile. Tenants can lay their own carpets / rugs on top.
• 3. Durable wall panels, that wipe clean. Ideas?
• 4. Trim should be Subway-tiles. Cheap, Easy, clean, looks good.
• I plan to have a laundry room, where I have extra machines, so that if a tenant's breaks, they can immediately use one, and I can store replacements.

Crazy Idea: Helicopter:

• Buy an Ultralight helicopter to commute to Victoria.
• Ultralight has two pontoons to land on water.
• Mosquito XELCost: $50k new, $35k kit, $15k used (all in CAD).
• A pilots license if not required for most models of ultralight.
• But I would get a license. ~$1200.
• Weights 300lbs, and easily rolled into a garage.
• Farm to Victoria Inner Harbour by Road(70km).
• Farm to Victoria Inner Harbour by Air(51km).
• Flight Time @ 140kmhr= 15mins. Uses 7 gallons(26litre) of Regular Gas. $24 Round trip.
• Safety: 75% of the route is over water. Allowing easy landing in an emergency.
• Landing Laws

Crazy Idea: Speedboat:

• $7000- $12000.
• Fire From Crofton Boat Launch in 45 - 120 mins.
• 11 Feet Long. 5 Feet Wide. 30HP. 50km/hr
• Max Pass+Cargo Weight 600 lbs.
• Crofton to: Brentwood: 41km. Goldstream: 55km. Victoria Harbour: 87km.
• CraigCat Mini Speedboats
• Option #2 $7000

Supplies Needed:

I plan to give 200 friends a list of supplies I am in need of, and ask them to place it on the dash of their cars.
When they see an item I want, I'd like a message as to where to pick it up.

• Toilets, Sinks, Bathtubs
• Pipe
• Wire
• Insulation
• Vapour Barrier
• Screws / Nails
• Tile / Flooring
• Appliances.

Tenants on Septic: Major Liability / Headache:

Tenants can cause massive issues if hooked up to sepctic. I know nothing about them.

• Avoid them overflowing and saturating the field.
• Meter the water going into each trailer.
• Store their sewage
• Get Pumped out every 3 to 7 years.
• 1000 gallon tank should be sufficient.
• To be stored locally???????
• 100 ft long max; 5 ft apart; 10ft from property line; 50ft from well; 100ft from ponds; Ends capped or interconnected
• Rules: No Bleach, Kitty Litter, Solids, Femnine Hygiene, Volume restriction 3000 litres/month/person, parking on tank etc.
• What is the second layer of pipes in this video?

Of I had 5 tenants, all use one septic field, what type of device would I need to give accountability for banned items in the sewage?

I.e. a trap on each unit, that catches any bad material, and clogs, and sets off an alarm.

Interior Design Ideas:

• Panels covering TV, etc.
• Speakers Throughout
• Music Throughout House.
• Raise + Lower Chandelier
• Accent Lights
• Under Counter+Cabinet Lights
• Fiber-optic lights / stars
• Brown Paper Floors
• Spots for plants
• Bench at Entryway
• Glass walls

All-Electric infloor Heating::

$22 100m of line. Cut into ten 10-metre sections. 150W per section. Heats 6 cm on each side. 0.06 x 10 =0.6 sq metres. = 6 sqm total = 65 sqft 900sqft = 14 kits = 1400m of line = $308. 150W x 14 sections=2100Watts

• Waterfall
• Motion Censor Door alarm at driveway.
• Big Address Sign at Road.
• Round About with Fountain
• Pond near front door.
• Emergency Backup Generators? (as we would be a low priority in an outage)

Exterior Design Ideas::

• Waterfall
• Motion Censor Door alarm at driveway.
• Big Address Sign at Road.
• Round About with Fountain
• Pond near front door.
• Emergency Backup Generators? (as we would be a low priority in an outage)

Interior Design Ideas::

• Dirt-sucking Vaccuum attachment to sweep to.
• Raise Bed Area for Bosco.
• Hidden water dishes.

Design Questions:

.

• Bosco Area. Where?
• Secret Room. Where
• Where to put road so that tenants don't disturb main cabin?

Barn Design Ideas:

.

Gambrel Cost Estimate:

.

Major Materials Required, to get to a Structure, Roofed, Walled:

• 32-foot Gambrel Trusses@ $525
• Load Bearing Walls- 2x6x8 x 2/foot@ $5
• Concrete Foundation Perimeter 18" x 8" @ $0.47ft
• Concrete Foundation Pad @ $1.88sqft
• Galvanized Metal 8 ft @ $0.93sqft

Not substracted! used insulation, used windows.

Not included! walls on each end (30ft x 2). GST

Three Designs:

• 32 x 30 Cottage / Guest House
• 32 x 40 Mega Garage
• 32 x 90 Dream House

Item	Cost	Cottage	Qty.	Garage	Qty.	Dream	Qty.
Roof Trusses	700	22	$15,400	30	$21,000	68	$47,600
Roof Plywood	0.9	1995	$1,796	2662	$2,396	3634	$3,271
Roof Vapour B	0.07	1995	$140	2662	$186	3634	$254
Roof Insulation	1.01	1995	$2,015	2662	$2,689	3634	$3,670
Roof Felt	1.13	1995	$2,254	2662	$3,008	3634	$4,106
Roof DryWall	3.57	1995	$7,122	2662	$9,503	3634	$12,973
Ext. Plywood	0.9	1995	$1,796	2662	$2,396	3634	$3,271
Ext. Vapour B	0.07	1995	$140	2662	$186	3634	$254
Ext. Insulation	1.01	1995	$2,015	2662	$2,689	3634	$3,670
Ext. DryWall	3.57	1995	$7,122	2662	$9,503	3634	$12,973
Ext. Walls	9.52	124	$1,180	144	$1,371	244	$2,323
Fasteners	7	124	$868	144	$1,008	244	$1,708
Chalking	0.52	124	$64	144	$75	244	$127
Overhang Siding	2.38	124	$295	144	$343	244	$581
Conc. Perimeter	0.47	124	$58	144	$68	244	$115
Conc. Pad	1.88	960	$1,805	1280	$2,406	2880	$5,414
Metal Wall	0.93	992	$923	1152	$1,071	1952	$1,815
Metal Roof	0.93	1200	$1,116	1600	$1,488	3600	$3,348
Total			$46,109		$61,386		$107,475

Assuming:

• Cottage is 29 ft long+6 overhangs=1995 sqft of roof
• Garage is 40 ft long+6 overhangs=2622 sqft of roof
• Dreamhouse is 70 ft long+9 overhangs (combined 22+18+30) =3634 sqft of roof
• (Dreamhouse does not include great room)
• Rebar will be calculated later.
• Concrete at $200 / cubic metre
• 32-ft truss has 60ft of roof to cover

Too Hard to Estimate:

• Gasketted Screws 30 Cents
• Used Windows
• Steel Flashing
• Concrete Form Wood + Stakes

Design Pics:

Closet Design:

Pool Design:

Gate Design:

Floors Design:

Misc Design:

Roof Deck:

Pics- Misc::

Videos:

Videos:

Pico Hydro:

• Wikipedia
• A Cliffside Property like this is perfect for Pico Hydro.
• Something small. Just for my own use.
• Reliable. Would run year-round.
• I would always have BCHydro to hook up to.
• Scalable. Build a bit at a time, and iron out the kinks
• As a large dam would be far too expensive, and too risky, if it were to break. I propose:
  • Channel surface water streams into 5 to 10 small dams. 2-4 ft high.
  • Pipes run to a "main" dam, also small.
  • When is rains, the dams fill, and store what they can
  • The main dam uses the water it has, then "asks" the other dams to send it water.
  • The main dam has one or two generators located as far down the property as possible. (easily 150ft.)
  • The feeder-dams would have valves that open, and send water as needed.
• Output: @ 20L/s * 150 ft * .305m/ft * 1L/kg * 9.8N/kg = 8967 Nm/s = 8967 watts. @ 50% efficiency, so 4.5kW.
  20 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 365 = 630M Litres (166M Gallons).
• Water Requirements: 3.1M Litres(8.2M Gallons) of water / year. ~28" of rain per year over 16 acres= 45.8M Litres(12.1M Gallons).
• Usage: 12,000KwH/year=$1400. 8760 hr/year @ 4.5kW= 6264 KwHr
• Friction Loss is: 5 psi over 200 feet at 20l/s for 4 inch. (10 feet of vertical). Link.
• The "Colorado Example" uses 185GPM(700litres) makes 7800W. Or 53KW/year or $5830/year Link.
• Low Head Hydro Generator.
• Hydro Calculator #1.
• Hydro Calculator #2.

To Buy:

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