WE HOMESTEADED WITHOUT CAPITAL

(Page 3 of 3)

March/April 1976
 
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"Log cabin," we answered.

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"Well, I declare," he said. "I just cleared two acres of straight pines and put me in a pasture. Now I sure got no use for those trees. Mebbe you have."

We were happy to accept that offer and, the next day, our new friend started dragging logs to our homestead with his tractor. The generous gift inspired us to go right out and buy a chain saw so we could begin cutting the rough timber into the lengths we needed for the walls of our house. We also picked up three drawknives for 50c apiece at an auction . . . and, for the next three months, Jan and I spent every weekend cutting off branches and peeling logs out on our property.

About the first of March Terry Atwater, a friend from New York, came down to visit . . . and was so impressed at our progress that he decided to stay and help us erect our cabin, One month later—on April 1—we moved into the 14 X 24 dwelling. And by May 21, our garden was in the ground . . . which resulted in plenty of fresh vegetables for the summer and a surplus that we canned for winter use.

Although we still have no electricity (we heat with wood and light our home with kerosene), we have had running water piped in to the cabin. Our monthly bills, then, are $65.00 for a land payment and $4.00 for water.

The total cost of that first cabin—including chain saw-was $700. We built the structure in just seven months' time and paid cash for everything we bought as we went along. And now, with the money we've saved during the past year, we're starting on our new 24 X 32 log cabin!

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