sailing the farm - join our sea gypsy commune!

[zeyang]

Sailing the Farm tribe december 2010.

Dear friends.

Its been a cold november and december (coldest since 1919 they say) It
feels more like january with temperatures down to -25 C but work goes
forward as usual. We are still working with the sails model and still
not really happy with the construction so some time to go before we
scale up in real size and start to make it. 5-6 people have been here
last weeks. We managed also to melt some hundreds kg of beeswax out
of old beeframes which hopefully will be candles in future. Then we
also are working on the boat as normal.

Im sitting alone in front of the fire and writing up the last
Newsletter of 2010. Looking back, 53 people from all over the world
have been helping moving "Sailing the Farm" project forward in
2010. All more or less amateurs but they have all done a tremendous
work both on farm and on the boat. This adds up to 836 working days
or more than 6000 hours! Without this help this project will be
impossible to finish.. Im very grateful for all who have been
contributed, the laughter and jokes around the dinnertable and most of
all the good memories.

So when the fire slowly burns out and its time to go to bed, I wish
you and your loved ones a peaceful christmas and a happy new year and
hope to see you in 2011.

Pictures from last weeks: The sailmaking model goes forward. Mr Cat
and boatbuilding dog share the couch after a hard day. Boathouse in
wintersnow.

Peace and love from
Sailing-the-farm tribe.

<img src="http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=59898&stc=1&d=1292968656"/><br />
<img src="http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=59899&stc=1&d=1292968661"/><br />
<img src="http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=59900&stc=1&d=1292968665"/><br />

--
If you want to join our sea gypsy tribe, please contact us.
Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse
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[zeyang]

pictures...

 

[zeyang]

Sailing the Farm tribe january 2011

Dear friends.

New year and new possibilites! I bet 2011 will be a good year for our
dream project. More and more people are joining to help pushing
sailing the farm tribe forward so sofar it looks good.

Last weeks we have been working hard on the boat project and farm. Its
5 people here now from different countries from all the world. The
farm has also got a few more permanent inhabitants - we found out that
its time to get self sufficient on eggs so now we have chickens -
hopefully there will be plenty of eggs in a few months time. The
indoor garden is growing slowly and wonder of wonder we have now 2 red
tomatoes! That is really a slow growing plant!

Of more serious farm work we are cleaning 2500 frames in Sodium
hydroxide (NaOH) or better known as caustic soda which will be used
for next years beekeeping project. We made a 2x1 meter box out of 1 mm
aluminium for washing those frames, but suddenly found out that this
stuff was extremely corrosive. That box lasted only 2 days! Thankfully
there will be no NaOH on the boat!

Pictures from last weeks: chickens under the green lamp, cleaning
beekeeping frames, a boatbuilding girl in front of the boat.

Peace and love from
Sailing-the-farm tribe.

<img src="http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=61721&stc=1&d=1295653435"/><br />
<img src="http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=61722&stc=1&d=1295653440"/><br />
<img src="http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=61723&stc=1&d=1295653444"/><br />

--
If you want to join our sea gypsy tribe, please contact us.
Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse
If you want to receive our newsletter on email:
Sailing-the-farm Info Page

 

[DennisS]

Hi

I'm just curious to know what kind of schedule destinations are being planned.

I spent about 25 years at sea collecting oceanographic data, with about 200-300 days a year actually at ses. We had scientists rotating on and off, hot fresh water for showers, excellent plumbing and air conditioning, good paychecks, overtime on weekends and a great cook. Even with all these amenities after 30 days we were ready for port, after 45 days everyone was getting antsy. Shipboard living is life under a microsope, everyone knows everyones business and bathroom schedule.

Are you planning on spending most of your time at sea or just visiting different ports around the world. Living on a ship and visiting port with crew mates and friends is great. Everyone has a slightly different perspective and finds niches that others wouldn't find. It's a great way to travel. You always have someone to go out and see the town and different people for different interests.

Long periods at sea with short inports get very tiring and stressful.

I wish you all the best in your endeavor, it sounds like it would be fun. I had my time out on the ocean and wouldn't trade it for anything.

The most important person on the ship isn't the captain, it's the chief engineer that keeps everything running

 

[bogdwell]

I am also part of a group that has some similar aims.

I really have enjoyed watching your boat progress. As a bit of a boat builder, I found your idea of sheet alum over a lofted wooden frame interesting. Who designed it?

We are also looking at a no to low pollution, self-sufficient sea-going existence. Although we are looking at a more permanent floating platform. We have been working on a number of "high tech" problems using "low tech" solutions. I would be very interested in learning about some of your solutions.

I hope that some of us can visit with you folks in the near future!

 

[zeyang]

Sailing the Farm tribe march 2011

Dear friends.

The coldest months are behind us thankfully. Daylight get longer
every day and soon the springtime will be here. It has been maybe
10-15 very nice wannabee sea-gypsies here last 2-3 months and we have
made good progress.

We have been working hard on the boat and farm since last
newsletter. Since last time we are more or less finished with the
dieseltanks and watertanks inside the boat and also fixed the position
of the small engine we plan to install.

Making stuff for beehives is more or less finished. Cleaning and make
wax-moulds for 200 bee-hive boxes took a lot of time but only a few
days away finish up this step.

Of less serious business, as tradition on the farm goes - we made
another igloo this year and its a popular place to sleep during
night. Even if its -20 celcius its cozy and warm inside the
igloo. Skiing is also a popular pasttime.

When spring is coming we plan to grow potatoes, carrots and onion to
get more selfsufficient on food. Welding up the deck has also high
priority so until then - have a nice early spring (or autumn/winter
for those of you in the southern hemisphere!)


If you are interested in joining sailing the farm project please
contact us!

Pictures from last time.

1. The ladies are making wax-moulds for the bees.
2. Cutting wood for next winter.
3. A nice Igloo, very popular indeed!
4. Our birds are taking sun-bath.
5. Out skiing in nice winter weather.

http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=64302&stc=1&d=1300028959
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http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=64306&stc=1&d=1300028980

--
If you want to join our sea gypsy tribe, please contact us.
Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse
If you want to receive our newsletter on email:
Sailing-the-farm Info Page

 

[zeyang]

Sailing the Farm tribe early april 2011

Dear friends.

Spring is slowly coming and even if it is still snowing it usually
melt a little every day. We are into summertime so sun goes down after
2000 so we have long days ahead of us thankfully.

There has been many nice wannabee seagypsies last weeks on farm and
everyone talks eagerly about the future life of roaming the seas. We
have a huge stocks of sailingbooks on the farm so its easy to dream
about distance shores and nice sunsets.

The work goes forward as normal, we are melting lead for the ballast
keel (totally around 4500 tonns). It will be in big V-shaped form,
with average weight of around 60 kg. It makes it easier to take them
out in emergency. Lead is quite poisonous so we are using masks and
work outside. It melts around 300 degress, so easy to use a wood
burning stove.

The wax-melting process for the bees is finished thankfully. Now we
have 150 boxes with clean organic wax. We started this process in
october so it was a long and tedious work.


If you are interested in joining sailing the farm project please
contact us!

Comments to the pictures.

1: 3 hardworking seagypsies taking a rest on the couch.
2. the girl with the rooster. Look at the matching colors. The rooster
might think they belong to the same tribe.
3. Our Igloo got a nice shaped door.
4. Balancing on a line. A little cold without shoes.
5. Melting lead for the boat. Each weight 60 kg.
6. Time to hit the road again. Our professional hitchhiking girl
decide to go south after many month on farm. Deeply missed.


http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=65497&stc=1&d=1301815379
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--
If you want to join our sea gypsy tribe, please contact us.
Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse
If you want to receive our newsletter on email:
Sailing-the-farm Info Page

 

[Kiwi303]

sounds interesting.

 

[kathydee]

I love reading your stories and hearing your enthusiasm .

Best wishes for safe journeys filled with many enlightening adventures !

 

[zeyang]

Sailing the Farm tribe late april 2011

Dear sea gypsy friends.

Hard to believe but summer arrived early this year! it has been 15-16
degrees last days and we are still talking april! This looks good, our
sea gypsies even complain its a little too warm in the boatshed. How
fast we forget our frostbitten toes!

We are still into lead melting. Biggest problem is actually getting
scrap lead to a price we are willing to pay. It seems china is driving
up the prices so much so its hard to get scrap metal cheap anymore,
but we are more or less halfway through this process.

Latest news on farm is: We are now almost selfsufficient on eggs!! we
get one each day!!! just incredible. Will soon start to plow the field
and start planting potatoes, pacelia (for the bees) and raspberries.

Happy easter!


If you are interested in joining sailing the farm project please
contact us!


And as usual some pictures from the last weeks:

1. this girl is a serious sea gypsy. even have a fisherman anchor on
her left leg. so together with our 4 other fisherman anchor I think
we have enough!
2. second batch of chickens.Its incredible how fast they grow - almost
magic.
3. Yes, Spring time is here, cleaning and painting antofouling on the
small sailboat.
4. Easter dinner. What else than chinese hotpot! For those
landlubbers out there. this kerosene stove is stolen from the
boat to simulate that we have a real hotpot table.

http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66396&stc=1&d=1303641976
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http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66398&stc=1&d=1303641990
http://weldingweb.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66399&stc=1&d=1303641996


--
If you want to join our sea gypsy tribe, please contact us.
Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse
If you want to receive our newsletter on email:
Sailing-the-farm Info Page