We are selling our beloved homestead only 45 minutes from Austin. 2 years of effort put into making this a stress and virtually utility free home is going to go to a lucky buyer! This approximately 4.6 acre property would make a wonderful getaway from the trials of city-living. Located halfway between Lockhart (BBQ Capital of Texas and county seat of Caldwell County) and Bastrop (the county seat of Bastrop county), you can find the best these large towns have to offer with only a 15 minute drive while keeping the quiet serenity of the oak trees around you like a blanket. At the center of things on this hobby farm is an approx 1000 sq ft cottage with all the amenities you could expect. 2 bedrooms, bath, a loft, a study and large utility room attach to the living room, kitchen, and library with a 15 foot ceiling. Strategically placed windows allow the sun to shine down on the stone backed woodstove, surrounded by tall bookshelves. Modern appliances grace the kitchen, including a propane cooking stove and oven in its own island, a ultra-quiet dishwasher and refrigerator. Washer and dryer hookups are in place in the oversized utility room, and there is plenty of storage space available. The house has air-conditioning units in place, and ceiling fans are in many room. Wiring is already completed for a micro-split air conditioning system to be installed, which can be run entirely on solar. Power is supplied both from the grid, and a 2.5 kw solar array with battery bank. There are dual sets of outlets strategically placed throughout the house to allow you to choose which power source is best at any time. Propane is available throughout the home for heating the bathroom, cooking, firestarting the woodstove, outdoor barbeque and on-demand water heating. A 250 gallon propane tank is setup outside the home, which lasted our entire stay of 2 years without refilling (was still half full when we left!). Alongside the house is a huge woodshed with several cords of wood already cut, stacked, and ready for use during the winter months. To conserve water, a low flush dual stage toilet and water conscious showerhead along with a grey-water system outside ensure that every drop is used to its fullest. A brand new septic system has been installed that easily outsizes this dwelling. House water comes from an outdoor well that is run through a water softening system. Reverse osmosis is setup in the kitchen to provide you with the clearest crispest water you could ask for. The metal roof is only a year old, and is drinking water safe. Gutters are already in place and 55 gallon tanks catch every bit of water they can. It would be a simple matter to put a large water tank into play for serious rainwater collection! Go out the front french doors and onto the porch with hottub for a look at that wide Texas sky! In the center of the circular driveway is an enormous three level deck with a ladder pad designed for the above ground swimming pool. Complete privacy is yours, as the homestead is at the end of a very long private drive. When you do meet your new neighbors you will be delighted to find a friendly close-knit bunch of folks who value the same privacy and sustainability that this property provides. Behind the cottage is a small barn, also with a new roof, gutters and rain catchment barrels, including a 750 gallon tank! It has been divided into three parts. One side is a workshop with plenty of tool storage and in the center is a large insulated chicken coop. Inside are a full complement of laying boxes, perches, and an enclosed brooder cage, along with windows complete with chicken wire and lowering shutters that make sure there is always fresh air available. A 55 gallon water barrel sits just inside the door that runs to a pvc pipe with drinker nipples. Your chickens can get all the water they need without fouling the water one bit. A covered large storage area behind the chicken coop rounds out this wonderfully useable barn, and both the workshop and storage area provide shaded walls on either side of the chicken coop. It is noticeably warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer! There is an automated chicken coop door with a timer set...it opens and shuts when you determine, and chickens will be kept warm and protected each evening without you lifting a finger! On the side of the barn are rabbit hutches, designed for easy care of your growing colony of rabbits, and removable bins below the cages mean easy transfer of their waste to the compost bin. A large two section compost collection area has been established that is large enough for a bobcat to push in and collect your rich new soil. Where better to use that compost than in the large fenced garden with 7 wicking beds? In the hot summers, the water reservoir beneath each wicking bed ensures that your garden vegetables always have access to cool fresh water. The fluffy soil that has built up over the years is a welcoming place for your favorite herbs and veggies! Raised beds have been located throughout the garden as well, and our asparagus that we so patiently raised is tall and just waiting to be harvested! Rounding out the structures on the property, there are 2 storage sheds available for your use, and one of them has an a/c unit in the wall in case you need it to be climate controlled. A large wellhouse protects the TWO wells on the property. The first supplies water using a traditional setup with both grid power or off-grid with the throw of a switch. We had the second well working off a single solar panel and dc pump. Think about that, free water powered by nothing but the sun! Lastly, the solar room houses all the electrical equipment that changes the rays of the sun into power for your devices. A compartment just outside houses the batteries with an easy lift cover to protect them from the elements while providing you easy access for their maintenance and care. The rest of the oak covered property has been divided up and fenced in three areas. The first is an orchard with pasture. This area has several fruit trees planted but we didn't have time to see them mature. It will likely need some waterworks run into it so that you can water with more ease. There are two other large areas fenced in for rotational grazing. They are both setup for electric if needed. Don't like the locations of the fencing? You have enough t-posts, wire, and corral panels to set up an enormous system of paddocks without having to purchase anything at all! Inside the house is a large white board that still has the plans we made for our dream home written upon it. The design was created by a well known permaculturist, and we've included his entire workup with the package. Even though we can't be there to see it, it would warm our hearts to see this property raised to its highest potential. Being able to supply yourself with all the basic necessities without other inputs is a valuable commodity in today's world. The price for this one of a kind homestead has been reduced 10k to $149,000 and we are not using a realtor. We don't expect this property to stay on the market long, so contact us right away if you are interested!
