When John and Fin Kernohan decided to get marry , they speak about where they ’d like to populate and what sort of fulfilment they wanted to get from their homestead . At the time , John was living in Miami in a 2,500 square foot sign . But Fin told him evidently that she ’d opt a pocket-size and altogether cozier space .
After talking through some options , the Kernohans decided to settle on a diminutive cabin in the Mrs. Henry Wood in Georgia and take steps to live off - gridiron .
“ For the past eight - and - a - half years we ’ve been endure in our DIY 304 square food foundation - based tiny cabin , ” says John . They name the attribute theBeloved Cabin .
Since moving to a lilliputian house , the Kernohans have expand their mountain of land from three acres to 16 acres . They also added a smaller towable midget dwelling house , which they dub the Tiny Firehouse : Station No . 9 . They ’ve also prepare up an advocacy and sustenance group called theUnited Tiny House Association . John says this has “ been able to donate over $ 675,000 ” from charitable festivals and events .
We spoke to John about the benefits of minor - outer space living and the grandness of sustainability . We also got the scoopful on the couple ’s nursery bathing machine .
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Making It Sustainable
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Embracing sustainable practices has always been an important part of the Kernohans ’ world view . “ We begin with small steps , ” hark back John . “ Solar to solve our energy requirements and water were our two main priorities when we got started . ”
These days , the Beloved Cabin ’s solar energy system generates all of the place ’s power needs . Two Creek and natural leaping on the land help provide water , along with a well that now pipes to the cabin and gardens .
The Beloved Cabin also utilizes a HomeBiogas scheme to produce methane gasoline for preparation fuel . This in play produces nutrient - rich limpid fertilizer as a by - ware .
Crops And Compost
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“ We started out with a humble 8 - by-12 garden box , which has now expanded to six different garden areas and multiple fruit trees , ” explain John . “ We grow an amazing amount of veggie , peaches , apples , grapes and berries .
“ And we also create most of our own soil though six different compost organisation , which include two humanure composting systems . ”
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The Benefits of Gray Water
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John says that watering the Beloved Cabin ’s plants with “ hoar water ” has also become a staple practice on their demesne .
“ We ran the drainpipe from the clawfoot bathtub locate in our greenhouse and bathhouse out to one of our garden boxes , ” he says . “ We practice non - detergent castile - based goop and shampoo so that the gray piddle from our bathing is perfectly safe and good for our Berry and vegetable . ”
Behold the Greenhouse Bathhouse
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One of the most classifiable and forward-looking features of the Beloved Cabin is the dimension ’s greenhouse toilet . “ Fin has wanted a glasshouse and bathing machine for eld , ” explains John . “ She has talked about and plan and redesign it multiple times over the years . ”
construct the facility out of repurposed window , the Beloved Cabin ’s greenhouse bathroom entail that growing season can start out far to begin with than usual .
“ An added extra benefit of the glasshouse bagnio is that through the cognitive operation of peaceful solar heat , [ during winter ] it now heat the back of the cabin very nicely , ” say John .
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“ Without getting up on the proverbial soapbox , we believe we all have an obligation to do what we can in our own way to poke out resources and helper in healing our abused and over - used planet , ” says John when call for about the most rewarding part of a tiny house lifestyle . “ By living our off - control grid , repurposing , tiny lifestyle , it ’s just our way of life of doing what we trust we can to help in continue our planet for succeeding generations .
“ It ’s like we always say : Do something big in your world by simply doing something flyspeck ! ”
