First Photos of the Homestead
Caitlin and I visited our homestead on Cape Breton Island this morning, under the blessing of the good omen of a fresh snowfall making it absolutely dreamlike — as if stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia…
The property itself, located about ten minutes from Sydney, Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island and just off the Mira River, is about thirty acres with a large clearing at the northern end. Covered in smaller clearings with well-defined trails connecting them, it is fully treed with mature pine and birch (as well as an abundance of moss, lichen, and rabbits), and a trout-filled brook flows through the southern section. It has significant road frontage on an all-season maintained road and is on grid (including cell phone coverage)… and we got it for pennies via Dignam.
Some photos from our walk:
Our home will surely contain a good supply of rubber boots for guests who want to explore (the property is high and mostly dry but like I said, a brook flows through the lower section at the southern end). We can’t wait to see it in the summer, and over the winter will explore our requirements for building permits and so on.
Finally, a few more pictures from the surrounding landscape:
Oh yeah, and we need to come up with a name… Maybe one of my winter projects back in Toronto will be carving an entry gate, piece by piece in small sections, that I can reassemble on location this upcoming summer.
December 2nd, 2007 at 5:33 pm
those photos are amazing! Its snowing here on Vancouver Island to and my backyard looks like that as I look out the window. Thank you for bringing Dingam to my attention, my spouse and I are now receiving their cataloge and we plan on going this route rather than the enslavement of a morgage!
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:08 pm
I bet there is good fishing there .. both salt water and in the streams for trout… When can I bring my fly rod?
December 2nd, 2007 at 7:21 pm
*yay* love that last photo of you guys!!
the property looks incredible…i am jealous, but you’ve motivated me to stop being so passive and we’ve started looking at property ourselves!
December 2nd, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Narnia indeed. I always thought Cair Paravel sounded interesting… Please consider a randomly placed lamppost.
December 2nd, 2007 at 7:42 pm
love caitlin’s hat.
i’d love such a place but maybe not somewhere cold, i’m hating the cold here and it’s only been hanging around less than a week
December 2nd, 2007 at 8:36 pm
I’m jealous for several things, namely the beautiful property and also the snow. It’s done nothing but rain all day here
December 2nd, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Beautiful, cheap, private, and yet connected with the outside world … sounds like paradise to me! (I’ve always wanted to visit Cape Breton for the music.)
Congratulations!
December 2nd, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Absolutely goregous Shannon.
I wish it was snowing here (central KY), all it’s done the past few days is rain, which is not nearly as fun as snow.
And I second whoever said that they love the last photo of you and Caitlin, it’s adorable.
December 2nd, 2007 at 10:00 pm
looks like cb got hit worse then halifax with the snow. travel safely
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Wow. That is literally a winter wonderland!
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Rabbits are usually good neighbours. Please post a few sketches of what you want to build there.
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:30 pm
oh my goodness it looks so amazingly beautiful. i’m so excited for the both of you. i just got my dignam catalogue in the mail!
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:42 pm
I want more grand-children.
Do your duty. Love you both.
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:17 am
wow, Shannon, you were right, it is gorgeous..Congrats..I cant wait to hear all about the trip…It looks so beautiful even on the drive up there..
And you better have remembered my birthday rock pal
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:57 am
Again, someone else posting who is jealous. If Mr. Allahkat and I can figure out a source of income we totally want to do this as well.
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:04 am
chop wood
carry water
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:35 am
Dig a well!
Truly a winter wonderland scene. BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
December 3rd, 2007 at 9:57 am
Oh and please repost snail mail addy if you desire holiday greetings from ‘Bama.
December 3rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm
We have room on the property for anyone willing to help out, and help themselves.
Slow down, Richard. We love you too.
December 3rd, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Are you guys any closer to deciding what types of housing, barns and such to build? I bet a sod barn would be awesome, very toasty and what with the short life span of cattle and the like, no worries of radon poisoning. If there is a concern about radon poisoning with sod structures…
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:24 pm
Absolutely INCREDIBLE. I’m entirely too jealous for my own liking.
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:38 pm
I’m leaning toward earth bag construction personally…
December 3rd, 2007 at 2:55 pm
What’s with our suggestive dots? Oh yeah, always fun…
Anyway, yeah earth bag construction would essentially be the same as a sod structure but with a great deal more simplicity and neatness.
Good linkage
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:24 pm
i second richard…babies now!!! i’m a great nanny and my hubby is strong and can lift and build stuff
December 3rd, 2007 at 4:55 pm
There’s an ever-increasing part of me that wants to run away from here to somewhere semi remote…On the grid with cell coverage, enough land to grow food, hunt, BUILD A PLACE and maintain healthy sustainance…
I envy your chance to chase your dreams.
Best of luck, dude.
*n
December 3rd, 2007 at 5:47 pm
ok
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Do you have to worry about building codes there? Or would the place be small enough that it’s not an issue?
December 3rd, 2007 at 7:34 pm
Thats a really nice piece of land and the scenery were so beautiful!
December 3rd, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Hope you’re up for visitors! Congrats for finding such a gem.
December 4th, 2007 at 3:17 am
It’s beautiful there! I can’t wait to see what the two of you accomplish with that land.
And that last photo is so sweet.
made me all smiley 
December 5th, 2007 at 3:01 pm
Damn. I said I was jealous of Gillian and Clive and now I’m REALLY jealous. Oh boo!
CJ:
I
December 5th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
oops.
CJ:
I LOVE the hat and shades. Such a snow bunny!
December 5th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Nicole: I believe the new term all the kids are using is “Snoho”
December 5th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
And, to go along with the randomly-placed-lampost idea (which I totally think is an EXCELLENT idea -says the girl with the Narnia sleeve) you need a wardrobe. Somewhere.
December 6th, 2007 at 2:37 pm
There’s one in Ari’s room. It’s kinda little kid sized though, and I think it might just lead to a greenhouse.
December 6th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
Here Shannon, you need these guys to build the house:
http://www.thepeacock.com/Front_View_of_Rock_House.htm
(just kidding, sort-of. it’s probably one of the crazier websites i’ve run across)
December 6th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
And I definitely want to come see your land!
December 6th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I don’t know why, but when I see the picture of Caitlin in the Welcome picture, I think of Mrs. Olsen :
http://tesla.liketelevision.com/liketelevision/images/lowrez/folgersbbq212.jpg
December 6th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
forgive me!? Please!
December 6th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Gorgeous! Congratulations. I love the “Narnia” look! It all looks so peaceful…
December 9th, 2007 at 2:58 pm
Wow this is beautiful. My Fiance and I are very much looking into homesteading as well but have been VERY discouraged by land prices. This is encouraging, how do I become a canadian citizen?
December 10th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
[…] agree completely! Caitlin and I got really lucky when we went out East to the homestead and got there the day of the first major snowfall of the year… but it’s sad how little […]
December 15th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
Hey, don’t advertise it too much. We don’t want to draw too many people here.
December 19th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
I’m so jealous. You guys are living my dream.
January 31st, 2008 at 10:51 pm
So anyway…
March 7th, 2008 at 5:18 am
I will bring a fly-rod when I come to visit (the brook)
When I am down to my target of 77KG I will be able to fly again and you may just see me again.
March 11th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I am so jealous. It is most dramatic and so beautiful…no better words than to use plain language! Best of luck!