Here is the Modern Steaders Property Tour you have been waiting for!
We have had a lot of Modern Steaders asking about the layout of Lumnah Acres. In today’s video, we did an overview of our Modern Homestead. If you would like to see the layout of Lumnah Acres here is the Link to the video. http://bit.ly/2watYbW
Here is a little bit more of the backstory. We decided that living in Massachusetts wasn’t for us, and decided that New Hampshire was where we wanted to put our roots down. In 2014, we purchased a property that was in foreclosure. It was 8.5 acres with a house that was pretty much burnt to the ground. Crazy right? The foundation was still in good shape, and we took our chances that the septic and well were still good as well.
The purchase of the property took awhile. When you are dealing with bank owned property nothing happens fast. Finally, in the summer of 2014, we were able to get the mess cleaned up. We were very fortunate that the foundation was still in great shape. We cleaned it out, made the walk out basement wall bigger. Power washed the inside. We didn’t have water at the site but a power washer hooked to an IBC filled with 225 gallons of water in the back of a truck has enough water press to feed the pressure washer from 10 feet above it.
We were still living in Massachusetts at this time. To assure the foundation would stay in good shape, hired someone to cap it for us. (meaning we had floor joists put in and plywood put on it). We painted the plywood cap and then we covered it with a huge tarp, to help weather proof it. That winter we got a ton of snow and rain, and then, even more, snow and rain. Luckily we check on the property when we were up visiting family because one of the times we came it was about ready to cave in! 🙁 We had to shovel it off! It was not fun, there was over two feet of wet heavy snow! After that, we were nervous the rest of the winter and kept our fingers crossed that we would not get that much snow again. Spring finally came and we never had to shovel it again!
Since we were living in MA and trying to sell our house there, we didn’t have the time to start the construction of our soon to be NH home. The construction season in Northern NH is short since winter comes early. That being said, we made the decision to hire a contractor to put up the shell of our soon to be house! The contractor constructed the exterior walls, sheathed them, set the roof trusses and put the metal roof on.
Fortunately, our house in Massachusetts sold very quickly. Everything was falling into place. After we got done with the closing, we jumped in a moving truck and drove up to Northern NH with the rest of our belongings. The very next day, we started building the rest of the house!
Let us know your thoughts on our video tour of Lumnah Acres, and how it all started!!!
*Some of the links in this post may contain affiliate links, which I will earn a commission on if purchases are made at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Lumnah Acres.
Simon B
You have a wonderful property that has a lovely mixture of pasture, woodland, gardens and general land and I love the beautifully timbered house that you built, which feels somewhat Scandinavian in nature to me. I think you did very well spotting a bargain opportunity with the land and it’s been a pleasure watching you continue to employ that sort of clever and resourceful approach on projects like the outdoor kitchen. A beautful property, a beautiful family and a beautiful dream. Here’s to ‘Modern homesteading, self-sufficiency and freedom’!
LumnahAcres
Thanks, I can live with a Scandinavian feel! Were do you live? We are getting excited to start using the off grid out door kitchen.
Simon B
I live in the UK these days but I’m originally Australian. Not currently steading but I grew up around them and went to agricultural high school but after many jobs, some animal-related, I ended up as a programmer. We’re all excited to see you start using the outdoor kitchen as well I think 🙂
Carmelo
Y’all are an extreme inspiration! Love the website and the story! Keep up the great work, we will be following along on this journey!
LumnahAcres
Thanks, we are very excited that you like the website and the story. Thank you for following our journey.
Joan Lady
Just love you, Al, and your beautiful family. Your video is the first one I see each morning and look forward to what you are doing next. Especially enjoyed the lumbering and you on the excavator…..my faves! When I was a girl, my family often traveled to NH….Mt. Wash, Littleton, etc. from L.I., NY where I was born. Later, after I married, we spent several weeks each summer at a cabin on Crystal Lake. Right now I live in Central NY and am 82. Have a sister in Fitzwilliam, 1 in Concord and another (recently deceased) in Newport (her large family still lives there). You are an inspiration to me; your outlook on life is very appealing. Endearing to see lovely Olivia spending time with her Daddy…..building so many memories. If I find your email address, I’ll send you a photo of my 14 acre farm with 2 level barn. My daughter lives with me and we did raise sheep for our freezer for several years. We always had a garden while my husband was alive but daughter works and I am disabled. Read your back story about anxiety…..look how far you have come! Isn’t God good?!!!
Joan
Do you plan to build a garage? You could use one with all that snow. Love your channel.
Amy
Great article.
Scott M. Vinzant
AWESOME!
Thank you again, Al (and fam!) for taking us along on your property tour!
You made quite a jump from a home in MA to NOTHING in NH.
I’m sure your faith carried you through building your wonderful homestead.
We are new(er) subscribers to your YouTube channel and enjoy seeing your projects take shape, livestock interactions and the end of video wrap-up!
Stay safe, happy and healthy!
Michael Tener
Al,
Thanks for all the great vids. My wife and I are enjoying them all. We have a garden in our back yard. We love to watch your channel.
Robyn Taylor
We’ve only recently started watching utube videos and yours were one of the first. I’m hooked. I really enjoy the information you provide on your videos, and can see the amazing amount of work you’ve both done over the last few years. We live in the UK but have visited the US many times though never NH. It’s interesting to see the differences in growing things and the pests you have to deal with. The skunk videos had me in stitches, but those huge tomato worm caterpillar things had me thinking how grateful we don’t get them here. I used to grow many things when was younger but health and age has stopped all that so I now enjoy watching you guys. I know that somethings won’t be the same over the pond as in the UK but if ever you get a growing problem then feel free to ask as I was known to grow anything and have learnt many tricks over my 64 years.
sriyan gulavita
HI Everybody @Lumnah Acres
Your channel is fantabulous, and I’m all excited when I go on utbe to watch the latest episodes. It has a bit of ‘ Little house on the prairie ‘ feel about it. Keep up the good work and love the way you cover the work with stationary, handheld , fixed, forhead mounted and drone cameras. can’t wait for you to start on the 500 acres.
Good luck and Cheers from Melbourne Australia.
Sriyan Gulavita