Thread: My Machinery Shed WIP - a bit different!

I agree with about living with nature. We have a resident population of kangaroos that do no harm at all and help in keeping the grass down. I've given up re-straining the top wire of the fences as they keep breaking it.

The deer though are a different matter. We certainly don't have just the one and they can make a real mess in the vineyard and significantly impact on the yield. On the edges of the vineyard they strip entire vines of the new growth and leaves meaning no grapes on those vines. In the orchard, I agree they do just a bit of tip pruning but their rubbing of antlers can have a devastating effect. Last year we shifted 2, 15 year pear trees and nursed them through summer. I notice yesterday that the deer had rubbed the trunk on one side of all bark. The trees will survive but will take a while to heal. The neighbour has had deer hunters in and they do bag the odd stag. The problem is that they are all after trophy deer and just shoot the big stags. What we really need is a cull. Laws have just been changed to allow land holders to shoot deer on their own property without a permit and using a spotlight. That's an indication of the numbers that are about.

We also have wombats that use our place as a thoroughfare. They do push under the fences and cause a bit of damage but I'm happy to cut them a bit of slack. They were here first after all.

Thanks for taking the time to comment. I'll think we might agree to disagree when it comes to deer.

Rickey

A view from the top of the block looking over the big dam and down the Cassilis Valley to Swifts Creek.

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When I was farming deer - we sold more deer netting to wine growers in Margaret River than we ever did to farmers taking up deer farming!

They used it to keep the kangaroos out that were damaging their vines.

If you really want to fix the problem a deer fence around the property will keep the wild deer out just as it keeps farmed deer in (and the roos).

If you have to have a fence anyway - why not one 7 ft tall made from deer netting? Its not that much dearer than rolls of ringlock...in fact ringlock make a deer netting now... just 7 ft tall...

Just a thought.... if your that determined to sort them out, the deer netting fence will do it in one go, and for a long time.

...and they still taste great...hmmmmmmmm

smoked, braised, roasted, venison with a chilli & chocolate sauce

No argument with that enelef! Funny though that the kangaroos are no problem at all. Don't touch the vines. Hope to be full time up there at the end of next year so problem solved then I reckon.

Hi I've just read your thread from start to finish. Your doing an amazing job. How's the house coming along? Do you have any pictures of the house build? I have a 1940's cottage made out of the offcuts from the local saw mill that was closed down 30 years ago. I've always wanted to renovate the other side (currently just used a shed). I like the use of recycled products but wonder if there are any long term affects having tyre's in you walls? are there any long term studies of leaching of chemicals associated with car tyres? Look forward to seeing the rest of your build. Kind regards, Ash.

Thanks Ash, we enjoyed building the shed and are starting to get somewhere with the house.

The 'house' consists of 2 buildings; the guest wing which we are building first and then the main house.

The guest wing is concrete block set back in the side of the hill. The back wall is 5 metres high at its highest point and will be back filled so that only 1.5 metres will be above ground. We have been filling the blocks with concrete since July and are very pleased be nearly finished. The blocks were laid 1 metre high at a time to ensure that the fill was done properly. The front stud wall will have compressed earth blocks both sides (on their edge) and then rendered (as with the concrete blocks) with a lime and sand render. Hope to have the roof on by the end of the month and to start on the main house early next year.

Check out https://plus.google.com/photos/11734...83444382910273 for lots (lots!) more photos.
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I am not aware of any health issues with using tyres. If you google 'earthship' you will see plenty of examples of them being used for homes. In our case it is only in the shed but it wouldn't worry me if it was the house.

Regards

Rickey

Wow you have been busy and you are not kidding on lots and lots of photos.

Wow it looks amazing, that's one hell of a wall. I look forward to seeing the rest of the build.

Amazing looking shed. And the house build looks just incredible. Hope it goes well.

Thanks Bob

Man - that's a lot of work. I go tired looking at the photos.

But it looks great!

Rickey just finished reading your WIP on the shed. You deserve all the accolades given throughout. Looking forward to reading about the house build. Congratulations Ross.

Originally Posted by old1955

Rickey just finished reading your WIP on the shed. You deserve all the accolades given throughout. Looking forward to reading about the house build. Congratulations Ross.

Thanks a lot Ross - I some times wonder whether anyone is actually interested in this stuff so it is good to get feedback like yours.

I wasn't too sure about doing a thread on the house build. If people are interested I might start one in 'My Rural Block'.

Regards

Rickey

Originally Posted by Rickey Herb

....I wasn't too sure about doing a thread on the house build. If people are interested I might start one in 'My Rural Block'......

Interesting at the very least to discuss. There are not that many threads in that sub-forum and the replies not so heavy as other parts of the forum but the views are over the thousands. So if you do post in there I am sure there will be people following and at the very least viewing.