A Living Magazine - Tap Root: Days 91 to 108 - Winterizing with a Tarp Chrysalis

In the last few weeks I have been setting up and securing an outer tarp layer (see the blue sections below). At first all I could make was a roof, but it gave a good test of what something like this can handle--having made it through a week of rain and then the freak wind storm. So, for the first two weeks this was the structure that remained above the tent. You can think of this as a "before" structure...

West side.

South side.

East side.

North side.

Then, just two days ago, my buddy Jason came up to visit. He lives in Greene and has helped me do some errands in the past. He took me to Walmart where I bought enough tarps to finish surrounding the tent.

Knowing that it is not as important to retain heat as it is to avoid cold airflow and preventing snow accumulation around the tent, I took the next days to construct what I call a "chrysalis." Every creature who must get through the winter makes a shelter of some kind in order to survive. In moving the many stone I have on this property I have found hundreds of moth cocoons. Surely I could do the same thing?

First I collapsed the south side of the tent, since I don't use it anyway, and to reduce the amount of space I would need to heat. I also half-reduced the north side (which I use to sleep in) to become the exact width of my bed. 

So here is my chrysalis, protecting the fragile tent inside, and the even more fragile human who will reside in the tent. The following could be considered "after" shots...

Amazing how few items it took.

West side.

South side.

East side.

North side.

Close ups of how stones hold down the base.

Now a look inside, between the outer tarp and the tent...

Space left by collapsing the tent's south section.

West entranceway.

East entranceway, sowing the greatly shortened length of the tent.

Living area is the tall section, with a small section for sleeping.

Rain shoot for filling the barrel and other containers.

Large space for storage.

Looking west.

Large space.

Looking east.

Completely covered tent as seen from the driveway.

I'm feeling especially satisfied with this design. Last night it rained hard and the wind blew pretty ferociously. Everything remained where it was supposed to be. The tent was nearly dry, even around it, which was a real change. I still have to make a door for the front and patch a bunch of oddly shaped holes, but I am now way ahead of the game.

With Jason's help I was able to buy a propane tank and will now purchase a carbon monoxide-free propane heating element. I also bought a warm weather sleeping bag, which fits inside a large comforter I already had and chemical body heating pads (which work incredibly well, by the way, put right under the sleeping bag by my feet).

Aside from a final trip to buy insulating foam board, I am pretty much set for the winter. Walking in and out of the property will still be a challenge when it finally snows. For sure, a snow shovel must be obtained in the next couple of weeks.

My money lasted just long enough to outfit this tent and winterize So, let me put out the call for contributions from readers who are enjoying this project and are ready to see what happens over the next five months. If you consider yourself to be one of these people, please click the PayPal donate button at the top of the blog page, choose what amount feel right to you and send a small gift if you can.

 Thank you once again for reading, sharing and caring!