An overdue introduction (and book) with pictures!

Wisconsintimber · January 24, 2015, 12:39:00 AM

Hi all, I am Peter and I have enjoyed the forum here for a year or so. I have learned a great deal of information and have enjoyed the humor! Just thought I'd tell a little about my life...

I grew up on a dairy farm here in WI and have always liked the mechanical side of things(milking cows not so much!) My dad, brother and I have always enjoyed working out in the woods cutting firewood and timber. When I was in high school, dad had an old persnickety circle saw that we ran on and off. We did cut a fair amount of lumber, but it required a lot of work to keep working properly. When I graduated farming was not the way I wanted to go so I took a job in town but still lived on the farm.

Fast forward 10 years to me getting married in June 2010... At that point My wife and I decided we wanted to live on the farm but didn't know where or how.(my parents still live in the farm house) We spent that summer brainstorming where and what to build. You would think that on almost 500 acres it would be simple to find the perfect building site. My dream was to find an old hand hewn barn to relocate for a house, we looked at a couple, but it just didn't work out. That fall, maybe out of desperation, we bought a 12x28 log cabin shell from a friend that we would move, put on a new basement, and add on to.(it seemed logical at the time ;D) And we would be living with my parents while we built

The cabin shell was built a few years prior and never finished and this friend had a log lathe that we could turn more logs for the addition. At this point we didn't know what the addition was going to look like. So that winter was spent building a band sawmill, logging out some white pines, and drawing up plans as to what the finished house would look like. And in Apr. 2011 we had our first baby! The sawmill was a success and we spent early summer sawing lumber and cants. We started digging in Sept. and by Nov. we had a basement and the original cabin lifted on with a crane. The next 2 year were a blur of building, working, and baby raising, but we had made pretty good progress considering that we were building it ourselves with volunteer help as our budget would allow.
In the spring of 2013 we found out that we would be expecting another baby in Oct. so now the heat is on! My wife has been very patient through out the build, but we NEEDED to be in our house by the time baby #2 comes. How can the summer be so long and strenuous yet too short at the same time? We did make it. Moved in on Oct.15 and 4 days later had a new baby boy! The house was far from finished, but very livable. We have also found out that it does get harder to finish while living in it!
In Nov. 2014 we receive another blessing with our 3rd baby and the business continues...

In conclusion... The Lord has blessed our family. We have a somewhat finished home that keeps us warm and sheltered and couldn't be happier at how it is turning out and we have 3 beautiful, healthy children. God is good!

Peter

Ps..I guess my first pic posted as a link... (Note from admin, you inadvertently removed the first image tag, I replaced it)

Migal · January 24, 2015, 12:55:53 AM

Welcome Peter
That is a fine story book, I like picture's more than reading 8) Look's great and glad you decided to build on the farm. Keep up the good work and post as you can. I know life has a way of taking shape without remembering to stop and just enjoy. I find it hard to take pictures while doing something. Let alone get on the internet.This forum has been a lot of help to me. I always think Dang wish I was better at photo time post's of things I am doing.
Migal

sandhills · January 24, 2015, 01:08:51 AM

Welcome to the forum, nice job with the house!

Roxie · January 24, 2015, 05:35:19 AM

What a nice introduction! What a beautiful home! Welcome to the forum!

thecfarm · January 24, 2015, 05:52:46 AM

Like the wrap around porch. You have done a mighty fine job with taking care of the family and building at the same time.

Just Me · January 24, 2015, 06:07:11 AM

Nice, And beautiful country.

Are you close to that big Montessori on the hill?

Corley5 · January 24, 2015, 07:21:13 AM

Very nice

Chuck White · January 24, 2015, 07:32:48 AM

Welcome to the Forestry Forum, Peter!

Great job on the house, love it!

bobby s · January 24, 2015, 07:35:52 AM

Congratulations on all you've accomplished. Beautiful family and home.

drobertson · January 24, 2015, 08:16:33 AM

Howdy and welcome, you folks did an amazing job, I like the looks of that log build,

POSTON WIDEHEAD · January 24, 2015, 09:30:57 AM

This is AWESOME Peter! Very detailed pictures. Thanks for sharing with us.

Wisconsintimber · January 24, 2015, 09:40:37 AM

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome and compliments, we have been blessed for sure. I know my pics went from early building stages to finished, I must have lost a lot of the middle stage building pics :(

Quote from: Just Me on January 24, 2015, 06:07:11 AM
Nice, And beautiful country.

Are you close to that big Montessori on the hill?

Trying to figure out where that would be???

Here are some pics of my sawmill build and some shameful ones of it after...It is now covered, but I need to get it painted and a shed built.

samandothers · January 24, 2015, 09:51:22 AM

Great job! Looks like you can do anything you put your mind to!

Bill Gaiche · January 24, 2015, 10:20:42 AM

Welcome aboard. Nice story and photos. bg

fishpharmer · January 24, 2015, 10:34:41 AM

Peter, glad to have you here on FF! Welcome!

Great pictures and commentary. Nice mill too, now it has a nice "patina." ;D

buzywoodliff · January 25, 2015, 07:10:37 AM

That's a great story and a good job of taking pictures along the journey.

I'm guessing "that can't be done" is not in your vocabulary.

Autocar · January 25, 2015, 07:31:28 AM

What a great story 8) living the American dream welcome aboard !

WDH · January 25, 2015, 07:47:15 AM

Very impressive.

Just Me · January 25, 2015, 02:12:43 PM

Quote from: Wisconsintimber on January 24, 2015, 09:40:37 AM

Quote from: Just Me on January 24, 2015, 06:07:11 AM
Nice, And beautiful country.

Are you close to that big Montessori on the hill?

Trying to figure out where that would be???

Got spell checked. I meant to spell Monastery. I was wandering around central Wisconsin a while ago and saw this huge castle looking thing up on a hilltop, and the terrain looked a lot like where you are. Have no clue where I was at, I was just wandering aimlessly.

Nice fabrication on that Mill.

Magicman · January 25, 2015, 05:47:25 PM

Your home building project was quite an undertaking. Very nice.

fat olde elf · January 27, 2015, 01:13:54 AM

Welcome to the Forum......WOW !

pine · January 27, 2015, 02:03:38 AM

Great story and pictures

jueston · January 27, 2015, 10:19:56 AM

that looks like it was quite a project, and the results are beautiful. great job!

Wisconsintimber · January 27, 2015, 02:15:07 PM

Thanks for all of the positive feedback!
We are now working on finishing off a bedroom and den in the basement. Since the main floor is log and rustic pine t&g, we had to compromise and do some sheetrock in the basement :( It has been a tight fit with all 5 of us on the main level with 1 finished bedroom and 1 temporary bedroom so it will be good to have more livable space! Eventually our master bedroom will be up in the loft, but it looks like it might be awhile before we get to that...