A New Well Pump
We moved to the Ranch in December of 1996. Everything was brand new and shiny. The well had gone in a few months before as part of building the house, so by now it was about 15 years old. Most … Continue reading →
Waste Not, Want Not.
Two years ago, I bought a packet of Italian beans at the nursery thinking it would be fun to have a trellis or wall of beans growing in the garden. There were (as I recall) three types of beans in … Continue reading →
A Tankless Water Heater
As houses age, repairs are needed. I have been living in the Log Home for nearly 14 years, and it is no exception. We originally installed a propane water heater reasoning that we would have hot water without electricity, and modest amounts of … Continue reading →
The New Pond
It’s been very hot here this summer, with very little rain, and we’ve had to take steps to shelter animals and any plants and trees that we value. With temperatures rising to around 105 degrees nearly every day for the … Continue reading →
Rebuilding A Piano
We like music at Roy Creek Ranch, and some time ago I decided to get one of my pianos rebuilt. There are two pianos here, an 1893 Weber (originally purchased at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1893 — but that’s … Continue reading →
A Second Tank
In the post of April 17, 2008, I mentioned the addition of a second rainwater tank to the north tank farm. It was actually purchased and delivered last spring and has been sitting on a decomposed granite pad since then. … Continue reading →
Cleaning Rainwater
There are various strategies for keeping the rainwater in your tanks clean, including filters, “roof washers” and so forth. No matter what though, you find that the water collects debris over time — especially when it’s stored for a while. … Continue reading →
Penning the Plants
In an earlier post, I alluded to “bins” or “pens” That I constructed in the greenhouse. Something of a cross between a raised bed and a giant pot, these miniature gardens are very efficient, and easy to construct. Here’s how: … Continue reading →
The Greenhouse “Flowers”
The greenhouse has been in operation for a couple of months now, and beginning to show some results. Since this is my first real experience with one, I’m learning as I go along, and there are some surprises along the … Continue reading →
A Commercial Greenhouse
This morning marks the completion of a long-standing project here at the ranch. You may recall the construction of a greenhouse last year, one made of PVC and plastic sheeting. Well, now for the rest of the story: it was … Continue reading →