Here we go again.

Another year, another moving of this pile of One Man’s Trash.  Hopefully, this will be the last time this material is moved.  If wasn’t so useful, it would just be scrapped.  However, my waste-less (everything can be reused at least once more) side just can’t throw it away.  So it gets moved. Again.

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This time, we are moving it to the far side of the property where it should be out of the way for any future plans.  As it in on the property boundary line, I cannot foresee it being in the way anymore.  But who knows.  Being as I cannot plan tomorrow, there is a decent chance the pile will be moved. Again.  Only the future will tell.

And why are we moving this pile again, you ask?  For the Shop Box!  Yeah!!!!  Boxes in Fields has made its first step towards building a building.  Okay, so it is just some stakes in the ground and some string all around, but hey, it is one step more than yesterday.  What a great way to start the new year.  If this is how the rest of the year goes, it is going to be a great year.  Productive, fun, and spent with family.

Stakes were created from 2×4’s.  Pre-made stakes can be bought but they are not designed for sturdiness.  They are not of the use and reuse design.  They are of the use once and dispose of design.  With several layouts needed, it was more cost effective to create our own.

Once cut, came the decision on where to place the first stake.  After much discussion, it was decided to place as close to the boundary line as possible.  Why, when there is 3/4 of an acre would this be done?  For future developments.  You know, you gotta plan ahead so things are built accordingly.  Kinda hard to move a building once in place.  Not impossible, but more work than I am willing to expend energy on.

In the big picture, when all is said and done, this initial Shop Box made of two 8’x40′ shipping containers will have a 30×40 concrete slab added and then an additional two more shipping container boxes for a second Work Box.  That puts the total shop space of 62’x40′ within just a few feet of the spray field and a few feet from the property line.  On the other side of the spray field will be the aquaponics system and at the far end, there is the water management system.  That leaves a little less than two lots for the rental unit or the mother-in-law cottage.  Oh, and there is, of course, our home dwelling.  With most of the space covered in trees, you can see why it was decided to build on the property line.

The first stake was hammered twenty feet off the street side property line and eight feet off the adjoining property lines as according to the county rules and regulations.  From there, the Shop Box was laid out using string lines, a tape measure, an AutoCAD drawing, and the transit to ensure the batter boards were correct elevation.

One step forward today, one step forward tomorrow, one step closer to Boxes in Fields. All in all, it was a great start to 2017!