UPDATED 15Jun2018: When settlers first came to Manitoulin Island, Canada, they had to be careful when they chose and cleared land for farming. Manitoulin has pockets of good soil but it’s surrounded by areas of thin soil over limestone bedrock. […]
Continue ReadingHOME STANDBY GENERATORS: How To Get Uninterrupted Electric Power at Your Home – No Matter What
More and more people are deciding to get proactive about maintaining electrical power supply at their home, cottage and businesses during an outage, and that’s why home standby generators are gaining in popularity. They provide a secondary source of electricity […]
Continue ReadingBRICK VENEER: A Great Homebuilding Option
Masonry wasn’t my favourite homebuilding material when I got involved in building and renovation back in the mid-1980s, but 30 years of dealing with reality has changed my mind. Brick veneer, in particular, offers the best combination of quality and […]
Continue ReadingRUSTIC, MAINTENANCE-FREE SIDING: A Close Look at One Option
When it comes to exterior siding for homes and cottages in rural locations, it’s not easy to find a durable option that works visually. For some of us at least, choices such as vinyl or aluminum siding simply look too […]
Continue Reading
Got a Question for Steve?
[pirate_forms]
SEPTIC SYSTEM DISASTER: How It Happens & What To Do About It
UPDATED 16May2018: Millions of people rely on septic systems to handle household waste water, and all these systems are an expensive time bomb waiting to explode. It’s not a matter of if your septic system will fail, but when the […]
Continue ReadingBUILD A HOOP HOUSE: Download Free Plans Here
Build your own hoop house with these easy to follow instructions and guidelines. Extend your growing season and make your green thumb even greener. You’ll never garden the same way again!
Continue ReadingRURAL LIFE SKILLS THAT MATTER: A Dozen Tips for Water Wells, Septic Systems, Electricity & Food
Water wells, septic systems, electricity supplies and food storage – these are four of the biggest things you need to deal with directly if you’re a hands-on person leading a hands-on rural life. And success is often based on specific […]
Continue ReadingFORGING STEEL: Working With Iron, Hammer & Anvil
Forging metal is not a mainstream hobby, and it never will be. That said, there are still thousands of people with a little bit of garage space and hidden talents that could be used to create beautiful and useful things with […]
Continue ReadingWORKBENCH PLANS: Download First-Class Design for Free
If you don’t have a workbench somewhere around your home, you should get one. You’ll never find a simpler, more economical source of mental health and household well-being. Fewer and fewer people have home workbenches these days, and maybe that’s […]
Continue ReadingTHE BAILEY LINE ROAD CHRONICLES: Chapter 11 – Tractor, Stones & Social Scenes
This is chapter 11 in my book The Bailey Line Road Chronicles, the 30-year story about moving from the city to live a modern homestead life deep in the country on Manitoulin Island, Canada. Missed Chapter 10? Click here to […]
Continue Reading