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This week on our off grid homestead in rural Italy, we begin the brutal groundwork for our biggest homestead project yet. Before anything major can happen around the old stone houses, we need access, water, electricity, a working tractor and a usable path through our abandoned land.
We test the tractor by driving it to the stone houses, deal with problems on the access road, dig trenches, lay water and electric lines, fix leaks, move rocks, uncover old stone floors and continue clearing overgrown land around the ruins.
This is the real behind-the-scenes work of building a homestead from scratch: land clearing, problem-solving, homestead construction, off grid living and slowly turning abandoned property into a self sufficient homestead.
We also check in on the polytunnel garden, harvest our first carrot, deal with spider mites, and give a tour of the old stone houses and caves for anyone new to the channel.
We’re Emily & Robi — turning 5 acres of abandoned land in rural Italy into a self sufficient off grid homestead.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Before we Start Our Biggest Homestead Build
01:45 Testing the Tractor
04:45 Installing Water & Power at the Stone Houses
06:40 Removing Trees
08:12 Saily AD
09:47 Installing Off Grid Water at the Stone Houses
12:56 Your Ideas on our Old Cave
13:57 Finishing the Pergola
15:05 Finishing the Water Installation
17:45 Clearing Land and Building the Access Road
20:09 Homestead Polytunnel Update
21:54 Digging Out the Old Cave Floor
24:16 The Old Cave
25:38 Continuing to Build the Path & Dig the Cave
31:10 Touring the Stone Houses and Caves
34:10 What Comes Next on Our Off Grid Homestead
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#homestead #abandonedland #homesteading #offgridliving
BRUTAL Groundwork Begins Our Biggest Homestead Project Yet
34 Comments
We’re so excited to get started on this project! Let us know what you think in the comments!
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Slate floor for the cave and a nice place to hang out when the temperature is scorching
It makes me tired just watching you work.
Cave roof looks very unstable
Well done Robbi getting the tractor running, and well done both of you for the hard work you put in digging the floor in the cave and fixing the road ❤ hope the doggie is feeling better now. I'm not to good at the mo,bulging disc in spine and nerve trapped,so agonising pain,as soon as I start to feel human again I'm going to binge watch from the beginning. xx lots of love xx take care stay safe xx
An outdoor kitchen and dining area would be lovely in that space
Dear Emily and Robin, you asked what ideas we have for the space and the cave. I'd love to connect the whole area to the house, including with walls and roof. The cave could be an open sleeping area. The front part would have the wonderful old stove and an open kitchen/living area. I'd convert the house itself into a sleeping area with a bathroom. Haha, there are definitely plenty of ideas! The question, of course, is always what's feasible and affordable. Best regards, I'm really looking forward to seeing what you all end up doing❤
put cave drawings at the walls and ceiling of the cave to give it an ancient touch.
Your carrot looked mature but like it could not reach deep into the ground. Just guessing that the ground was too hard. The cave would look nice with the stone floors relaid to go with the overall look.
1:02 Antonelli 🤙 🇮🇹
how can it be that roberto can fix eveything.. after all now the red ferrari 😁 everyone needs someone like him at home 😍 huge start already for renovating the ruin neverless you are still on fully motivated in keeping the progress high.. did you already try the carrot? hope the taste was as you wished in the beginning.. dont forget to give yourselves a little time off during the hard work.. 😘😘 stay safe and keep us updated.. sometimes i just wish that you post twice a week but dont feel pressured ❤
CHILL OUT CAFE AREA……………………
Chicken house in the cave, 🐓🐥🥰👏👏👏❤ an outdoor kitchen/patio area, plus outdoor shower as you will eventually build a swimming pool. 🌟
Great job and enjoyed the video thank you
Probieren geht über Studieren! Always love to hear my old language – Swiss German. Greetings from Texas.
Safety issues seems to bea concern, that tractor could easily flip on its side, better u them me
Por el grado de humedad, aunque sea pequeña la cueva, a lo mejor podríais cultivar algún tipo de hongo, champiñones, setas…no sé, a lo mejor es buena idea…
4:32 that look of pure panic…. 😂😂😁😁😯😯😁😁😯😯
a cool outdoor cinema with a projector would be cool there near the cave 😉😉
❤️🔥We really do enjoy seeing the progress, teamwork, struggles and dedication to your Homestead!! Thanks for sharing😎, your posts bring so much joy 🤩🥰💯
sembra uno spazio per una vecchia botte
You guys worked so hard to clear the cave! That tractor was very useful for moving all that dirt & debris. Plus you’re improving the access throughout your land, well done! 🎉❤️
Piloting that agricultural lump down the hill looked scary 😨
I think the soil will wash downhill in the first storm and submerge the tractor 😉
It looks like a classic local manufactured tractor with a Rotorvator engine. Braking only on the (lighter) rear wheels ?
Hard graft to clear the floor, in the heat.
I've no idea about building/space utilisation. But more generally I think that I'd treat the individual buildings as a complex and convert to a rustic residential holiday let so you always have the option to earn some money, or live in them whilst renting out the house.
I really enjoyed this episode 😎😎
The cave section is perfect for a root cellar or cheese cave. Frankincense milk will kill spider mites.
I’m going for a lie down 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I thought you say that this going to be you dad retirement home
Slow & steady wins the race….. very good progress. Amazing.🙏☀️👍
Super cool unique property and cave houses. Makes for a specisl plan for sure. 👍💙
Baby jesus was born there 😅
Work horses or mules are more vesitile. You both must be wonderful rock climbers.
Beautiful attempts, careful with the top heavy fabrication of your trailer, it will turn over easily kill Land Rovers.
❤
Great (and lots of!) work, as always! Thoses rocks are huge!
Good luck with the path, I hope it'll be stabilized will what you put there but yeah sand is always tricky. Or you could make retaining walls xDDD