Ahh, the beginning...

On September 30, 2011, we closed on a 104 year old farmhouse with a 1,000 square foot home, a two car barn/garage, 4 grain silos and 4.3 acres, connected to a large irrigated field of an organic farm (check out the corners of those pivot fields, total land scores!). We obtained an FHA rehab loan. Total headache to get but totally worth it, so far. This allowed us $30,000 over the asking price to rehab the house. We will spend the next 3-6 months renovating the house before moving in. (Via the luxury of a day job.) With this extra, we will replace the electric, plumbing, heating, add cooling, new windows, new roof and insulation and new clapboard siding, and whatever else we can manage to do.

So, at 6pm that first evening, we went to our new stead and started tearing down the 1970's paneling. The house was originally 1/3rd of the current house. Like a one room schoolhouse on the plains. Since then, we have determined through renovation forensics, that one side of the house was added on later and the second addition, circa late 60's early 70's. (Ironically, that part of the house has not stood up as valiantly as the original section.)

In removing the paneling, we discovered a cutout for an old window and walls of 2x12 concrete forms as sheathing (love this). We decided to put a window back in to allow natural light from the "reading room" to the "living room". Since a previous feline has marked it's territory, somewhat endlessly, on the panelling and subsequently the drywall, the bottom section will need to be cut away and replaced. In its place we aim to put a half wall of beetle kill pine, stained with a pickle wash, in board and batten fashion around the room. (We were lucky to find they put insulation in this part of the house, as the original part, well there is none.) We hope to use as many reclaimed and sustainable resources as possible.

This weekend, we began bathroom renovation. Move over bath crashers! (or please come to help!!) I have longed for a claw foot tub, well, since I last had one. True heaven. J believes it is the true motivation behind buying the farm. He is only partially correct. Several days before closing I found an old cast iron claw foot, in reasonably good shape, at an antique store for $149.00. Total steal! So, while I held off any purchases so as not to jinx the buying, I had to. As it so happens, a five foot claw foot won't fit in a five foot wide bathroom. This weekend, we took down the wall and closet between one of the bedrooms and the bathroom to add 18 inches to the room and a space for the air intake for the heating system.

We also took out 2 layers of bathroom flooring (can you say GROSS), that was over hardwood. J now believes that process took 10 years off our life. Let's hope he is just being dramatic. Not that he does that, too often.

You find amazing things when renovating. We haven't quite found any jelly jars loaded with cash, or savings bonds insulating the kitchen. Though we are still looking, quite closely I might add! We have found petrified mice, of the field variety, mold, and insulation in the strangest of places, thanks to previously mentioned field mice, along with spiders galore. And, after an unseasonable downpour all day Saturday, a seriously leaking barn roof and many large weather enhancing cracks between the siding of said barn. Note to self, no storage there yet.

Well, thanks to Columbus and his merry adventure, I am off to do many errands and many projects. Let's hope I can catch someone at small acreage extension services today!!