Tag Archives: 2007

DINKS on the Farm

April 2007

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Tuesday, April 3, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

My mom and dad have been helping us figure out house plans. FYI, here’s how you build a really cheap (but decent quality) home:

1. Ask your municipality (or regional district, if you aren’t in a municipality, like us) for their building & zoning restrictions. The Cowichan Valley Regional District sent me a whole whack of pdf files with arcane charts, etc. on them, which I forwarded post-haste to my daddy for translation. Also, it helps to have a dad who builds million-dollar homes for a living.

2. To save costs, use pre-made trusses (the thing that makes your roof pointy) so your home will have an “A” shape. Also, use a “slab on grade” foundation instead of a crawlspace/basement/proper foundation. We’re lucky — we live in the enviro-bubble known as the West Coast, which prevents us from having four-foot deep frost levels (or something like that). We can use cheap-ass foundation styles. Yay!

3. Build small. Decks can be added later, and they are super-cheap to build — with outside furniture and the occassional heater, this will add a lot of space to a small house.

Don’t I sound wise???

This week we’re getting the “perc test” done, which determines whether we can have a septic field (cheaper) or need a septic tank (expensiver). Also, Dad is going to help us figure out blueprints, which we’ll need to get our financing figured out. (Oh, and provide a place for us to live as of June 1.)

Yesterday was our 1 year anniversary (from our first date) — we drank champagne and watched the sunset from our penthouse deck, and read garden books, and Brock decided he’s going to be an artsy landscaper.

Any bets on what we’ll be doing in another year?

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Wednesday, April 4, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

Here are some blueprints that Brock designed — essentially Brock measured our king size mattress & couch, then drew walls around them:

[sorry, no image available — imagine a box]

Also: we’ve decided not to do a perc test before we buy the property. Tony (the septic guy) had a look at the farm and decided there wouldn’t be any issue. We save $400 or thereabouts, and get to remove another “subject to” in the contract!

And, upon discussion with mom, I’ve learned that a septic field and a septic tank are not opposites. It’s field + tank, or nothing. So that’s good to know.

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Wednesday, April 11, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

We made a list last night of all the things we have to do over the next 2 months. It was exhausting. Previously simple moving chores, like “change hydro,” have become “install hydro.” We’re planning to rent something (an apartment or hotel room or whatever) in Duncan for June while the septic and foundation is prepared, then build our wee house the first-ist week of July and move in. Also, Brock’s brother Craig suggested we get an old shipping container (the kind that CN Rail carries, then they’re filled with stuff and shipped via boats to China) for storage of all our books, etc. A co-worker of Brock’s did this, and she’s investigating cost & logistics for us.

AND: tomorrow is my 27th birthday 🙂

Here’s a plan my Dad did for us — it’s perfect . . . except that we want the longer (sunny/view) side to have the living room and kitchen:

[again, no image available — imagine a nicer box]

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Saturday, April 14, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

I forgot to mention last time — the landmark attraction that’s existed for eons at our intersection (TransCanada & Bench Road) is a run-down, generally sketchy nightclub called the Galaxy. Last time we visited/stalked our farm, we noticed a huge rezoning sign on the Galaxy property: someone wants to make it a strip mall, with a restaurant and etc! This is WONDERFUL news for us. A strip mall will draw more people off the highway and onto our side of the road. Business hours will certainly be better than a nightclub’s. There’s a restaurant that we’ll be able to sell our farm stuff to, and maybe a convenience store. It’ll be easy to put up a sign: “Stretch your legs! Walk a few metres and visit our farmer’s market!” And it’ll provide a walkable-source of services for us. Hopefully it’s also a sign of development moving south of Duncan — which means more neighbours/customers for us. Anyhoo, that’s exciting.

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Wednesday, April 18, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Today I was offered a new job!!! I’m ridiculously excited. Everything’s great about it, but the things that I SHOULD be excited about are: 1. it’s in Duncan, so I won’t have to commute to Victoria from the farm, and 2. the excellent benefits/pay. However, the thing I’m most excited about is that I’ll be exposed to marketing and advertising stuff, which I suspect might be my Calling. My new boss is a really friendly, experienced professional who will teach me everything I don’t know. And it sounds like a perfect balance of individual accountability + team brainstorming . . . perfect.

With Brock in Victoria and me in Duncan, we’re totally going to corner the farm eggs & fresh veggies market on this island.

Today was also the deadline for our last “subject to” — I faxed the form this morning. So from now on we either REALLY own a farm, or we lose our $8,000 deposit.

There’s so much change and excitement in my life these days that I’ve decided to host a Tupperware Party, to ground myself in the practicality of plastic storage products.

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Monday, April 23, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

We spent the weekend driving around Southern Vancouver Island checking out free stuff. Once we were done scouting, we picked up a 16-foot rental van (yay Budget!) and loaded it with free wood, glass, a really heavy desk and a massive wood table, and dropped everything off at Brock’s parents’ house and the farm. (Farmer Matt, the current owner of our dirt, was kind enough to let us store some things there even though we don’t take possession until June 1.)

It was exhausting. Then Sunday we drove out to Metchosin and learned how to make a greenhouse out of sliding glass doors, and then we toured Marigold Nursery, and by then I was too grumpy to continue so we went home and Brock made me tacos.

Not a very relaxing weekend, despite the sunshine, but it was certainly productive! Brock is all excited about building his greenhouse, and I’m in love with our new table — it’s 8×4 or bigger and perfect for my rooting/potting plans. We’ve decided that I will be the seed/rooting person in our operation, and Brock will do everything else farm-ish. And I’m doing compost too. Or Peter is.

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Tuesday, April 24, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

Where do roosters come from? I’ve learned that there are two kinds of chickens: egg layers and meat birds. The egg laying kind are all female (obviously) — the males are “disposed of” at birth. Meat birds are both male and female (I think). So are roosters actually male egg layers that were allowed to live? How were they selected? Or are they a third species altogether? In which case, where are all the female roosters??????

Farming is so complicated.

DINKS on the Farm

March 2007

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Monday, March 12, 2007 a.m. – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo)

This page (and site) is still under construction — partly because our offer on The Farm has yet to be accepted.

But please stay tuned — bookmark this site — and within a day or nine you’ll be able to hear all about the exciting adventures of Brock and Heather, Canadian DINKS (Double Income, No Kids) as they revolutionize their Starbucks-card-holding lives and move onto 10 acres of dirt, which will one day be a really great organic farm!

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Monday, March 12, 2007 8:35 p.m. – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo)

Well, we are stymied. We heard back from the owners of our farm tonight (via realtor) and they’ve counter-offered . . . at $2,000 less than the asking price. We had offered $50,000 less than the asking price. Clearly there is some miscommunication here about the value of the property and/or our net worth. Brock’s on the phone with his dad, I’m here updating you. What to do?? Is it worth going DEEP into debt to live a pastoral lifestyle? It’s not like I have to kill chickens or anything, just weed gardens. I don’t mind owing thousands per month in mortgage payments, as long as I get to wear gumboots on the weekend.

Real estate is tricky. That is what I have learned today.

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Tuesday, March 13, 2007 8:15 p.m. – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo)

We met with Banker Nils at 4 pm today and he comforted us, petted us, and told us that everything would be okay. So we’re charged up and ready to do this real estate thing.

Also I bought seven Canadian farm magazines today at lunch to cheer me up and inspire me to freelance our amusing (albeit short, so far) experience of returning to the land. My Harrowsmith (Canadian version) describes us as “urban refugees.” Or “cidiots” (city + idiots), but I like urban refugees better. I never knew how inspiring an agricultural magazine could be. Did you know there are chickens that lay blue eggs? I want those chickens.

Anyhoo: negotiating the price of our new farm. We’re meeting the realtor at 5:30pm tomorrow, at which time we will make a firm, emphatic (yet reasonable) counter-counter-offer. We’ve consulted with Brock’s daddy, Nils, and my (gov’t) coworkers, and we’re ready to negotiate.

Assuming we do get this property, our next step will be choosing a small but comfy home to build. We’re going to have so much debt, this is nuts . . . I was in a stupor/stupour (Canadian spelling???) yesterday by the time Brock came home from work, I was so exhausted and excited and confused and frustrated and impotent. All I could do was lie in bed and think about how pretty yellow sheets are. I’m still dizzy, but I’ve concluded that this (debt-funded) farm existence will make me a lot more satisfied with my life. We’re a lazy generation. The thought of having to work (literally, not via office job) for my food is refreshing. I’m not a total back-to-the-lander, though — I’ll still need high-speed internet.

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Wednesday, March 14, 2007 8:52 p.m. – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo)

Negotiations are getting intense. We increased our offer by $25,000 — still $25,000 less than the original asking price. We also, however, got permission from the owners to get the land appraised, which will give us some idea of whether we’re totally cheap and/or ignorant of land values, or if the asking price really is inflated and goofy.

The owners have until Friday pm to respond — I don’t think they’ll accept or even counter, but Brock thinks they’ll lower their price by another thousand or three.

Working farmland will be easy, compared to this.

Lego model of our future farm.

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Thursday, March 15, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo)

While the appraiser checks out our property today (THANK YOU BANKER NILS!!!!!), I am browsing gumboots.

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Sunday, March 18, 2007 7:52 p.m. – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo)

We haven’t heard anything official back from the appraiser yet, but Friday’s rough estimate was $400,000. Today Brock and I decided that we want that farm, dammit, and we can make it worth whatever we end up paying — so we offered $418,000 today and we’re pretty confident that this offer will be accepted. It’s hard not to get too scared/excited. The sellers’ deadline for acceptance is 9am tomorrow morning, but the realtor is meeting with them RIGHT NOW so hopefully we’ll hear the answer before we go to bed, and therefore only be kept awake by exciting ideas rather than apprehension.

Also, the realtor says that there are assets to the property that wouldn’t have been apparent to an uninformed appraiser, so it’s likely we can get a higher appraisal than $400,000 and therefore qualify for a larger mortgage, which will give us more cash to establish our “farm.”

It’s all scary, the huge debt we’re taking on and this whole “farm” thing, when we’re basically operating on Brock’s adolescent memories of his parents’ organic strawberry farm and whatever we’ve read in Harrowsmith. But this is the best time in our lives to take risks: we don’t have any kids, we’re making a ton of money so qualify for mortgages and etc., and if everything goes to shit we can always sell the works to some retired oil tycoon from Calgary.

Or maybe we’ll be ridiculously happy, make a fortune selling raspberry pies and live in bliss until we die surrounded by our farm-loving grandchildren.

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Monday, March 19, 2007 9:59 a.m. – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

THEY’VE ACCEPTED OUR OFFER. WE OWN A FARM.

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Thursday, March 22, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

Can’t sleep. Don’t know what to do about shelter as of June 1. Very excited about 10 acres of land, though. Yurt? Motorhome? Trailer? Build something new and tiny? Move a house from Nickel Brothers?

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Tuesday, March 27, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

We’ve been so busy. I wish we could just stop working for a week or two so we can focus on the farm, and all the decisions we have to make, and daydream together on our couch about our future crops. Name the chickens, etc.

This weekend we learned EVERYTHING about motorhomes/RVs/5th wheels, which is one option we’re considering as shelter come June 1 (aka the day we gain a farm and have to leave our penthouse). Unless we’re prepared to live in it for two or more years, though, it won’t be financially beneficial — we’ll lose the GST/PST and the payments we make, which (for a $30,000 trailer) are in the $400/month range. Financially, it seems to make the most sense to build SOMETHING permanent this summer, and either camp on the farm or squat at Brock’s parents’ house for the summer. The problem with this, of course, is that neither of us know how to build a house. And once the house is there, we’re limited as to what else we can build, although A1 ALR zoning does allow a second house . . . anyhoo, this is so confusing. We need to figure out what we’re doing before April 18, which is the deadline to have our financing in order.

FYI, for a few hours we were totally sold on a $79,000 5th wheel that was bigger than most people’s apartments. We figured we could live there for five or more years. Until we realized that monthly payments would be $800. For a trailer.

Last night Byron called to suggest pre-fab homes — like the ones at Home Depot.

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Tuesday, March 30, 2007 – Victoria, BC, Canada (in a condo – BUT WE OWN A FARM!!!!!)

Coworker Lisa has suggested we have a worm farm. I thought she was on drugs, but apparently there is such a thing.

Also, the other day I saw an article on farming truffles (the mushroom sort). That’d be cool.