You learn as you go. I am asked quite often where I learned to build a log cabin and the truth is that’s the wrong question. It had to be built completely debt free. This is our life. 2. It’s a life we worked hard to have. Each day a little closer to being completely self-sufficient. That’s one reason we are seeing a rise in the number of self-built and often off the grid cabins and other types of building construction. It was then that we decided we would choose a different life. A year earlier, I had purchased a Wood-Mizer LT15 sawmill to mill lumber for repairs around the farm and we had a plot of land that was mortgage free. All MOTHER EARTH NEWS community bloggers have agreed to follow our Blogging Best Practices, and they are responsible for the accuracy of their posts. It was the cold weekends I slept in the cabin without windows or heat so I could save gas money and time driving back and forth. It was cutting out things we used to consider necessities and working part time jobs to pay for materials. It’s a good life. On most mornings, I can see a dozen or so deer grazing in our hayfield below the cabin. We wanted to invest in things that matter and remove ourselves from the things that offered an illusion of security and nothing more. After that the hard part was dedicating what little free time I had to the cabin and learning to be okay with slow progress. The world is still dark when I wake with only the faintest hint of red on the eastern horizon. The hardest part was getting up one day and actually doing something tangible to make it a reality. After that, the hard part was dedicating what little free time I had to the cabin and learning to be okay with slow progress. The heifers start working their way to their feed troughs. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. A year earlier, I had purchased a portable sawmill to mill lumber for repairs around the farm and we had a plot of land that was mortgage-free. Watching so many others lose their life savings and homes as the result of a financial system out of control, we realized how close we came to being part of that statistic. When I called the forest service, they offered me a salvage permit to log the trees. As daylight begins to emerge, the early morning greyness is reflected on the frost covering our world. Sign in with your online account. And when the last nail was driven, it was ours. A year earlier, I had purchased a Wood-Mizer LT15 sawmill to mill lumber for repairs around the farm and we had a plot of land that was mortgage free. It had to be built strong enough to endure generations of use. I slowly make my way down the stairs to add wood to the stove and pour a cup of coffee. The hard part is getting over inertia. Of all the tools at my disposal, it proved to be one of the most valuable at making my goal a reality. It chewed through every log I offered, no matter how hard, and never failed me. Then during what seemed like one of the hottest Arkansas summers in history, I cranked up the portable sawmill and began milling the pine into lumber and 6-by-12 logs. The world is still dark when I wake. I am asked quite often where I learned to build a log cabin and the truth is that’s the wrong question. While not a large mill, it’s a workhorse. Years later, it’s still going strong as I mill lumber for barns, sheds, fences and other projects around the farm, saving me thousands of dollars in lumber. I set my coffee mug into its holder as I crank the tractor to life. Submitting this form indicates that you agree to the terms of Wood-Mizer's Privacy Policy. Already a Member? It was over the course of the next four years of working weekends and evenings and cutting out all the unessential expenses in our lives that the pile of pine logs became an 800-square-foot log cabin. The Wood-Mizer Team includes a diverse group of individuals including woodworkers, farmers, homesteaders, arborists, entrepreneurs, and more who are excited to share their knowledge and experiences of working with wood from forest to final form. A good life. By now, the sun is breaking over the horizon and a plume of smoke is rising from the flue. While not a large mill, it’s a workhorse. If you have your own trees, have someone saw them for you. And when the last nail was driven, it was ours. It chewed through every log I offered, no matter how hard, and never failed me. Homesteaders are constantly looking for good DIY projects that can save money. After breakfast, we say our goodbyes as she heads off to teach her students. 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