Claiming the land

Today we finally had our first weekend together as land owners with a break in the rain this morning. With ceremonial bolt cutters, we removed the chain across the driveway and drove on to our land. 

Today's work was to extend the "theoretically drive-able" section further into the property, in the general direction of our future well site. It was decided, through some trial and error, that - though passable - this is not yet a road for rear-wheel-drive light-weight pick-up trucks with racing tires in the rain.

Not deterred by our inability to test out our new road as we went, we pushed forward into the alder thicket. Tim felled his first tree with a chainsaw, and then many more up the trail widening our path to a drive-able width.

Tilly watched from her new tie-out line, not super impressed we were making her stand around in the rain and limiting her exploration, but entertained herself by digging a small well.

After felling all our trees, I limbed the alters and Tim started chopping them into 4' chunks with the chainsaw, before quickly realizing what we really needed was a proper woodshed to store all the newly cut wood.

With mule tape for lashing, Tim got busy creating a raised, fairly level platform for our logs and a frame for a future tarp roof.

We didn't quite break through to the proposed well-site before calling it a day as the rain and wind started to pick up, but we did clear the existing trail to the point where it needs to branch off for the well, plus framed in our beautifully rustic woodshed. All in all, a successful morning having fun working together on the homestead.