With my curious parents in tow we set out to pay a visit to Garth, Emma and their beautiful giant of a dog, a Great Dane by the name of Oliver. They have found a perfect spot in The Craggs close to the town of Plettenberg Bay to live the dream of sustainable and tiny house living. Nestled next to a small dam with a few ducks happily paddling about, even the overcast and grim weather couldn’t distract from the quaint charm of the micro homestead they have built for themselves. Thanks to their warm hospitality there was non stop chatter, stories and questions. A tour around their house felt almost surreal being the first tiny house I’ve ever visited.
Garth is a South African pioneer in having started this project 3 years ago on a property nearby. While I was daydreaming about this movement clicking through endless tiny house blogs, he was already living it. Emma joined him later and has worked her own charm into the mix. Compromising in such a small space is surely the ultimate test of any relationship and adding another housemate the size of a small horse I’m sure is not without its challenges. Many alterations to the living space and the stairs to the loft/sleeping area have been made to find the most optimal use of space that they were comfortable with. His tiny house structure is built with a steel frame on a quad trailer that he modified to extend the base, saving a substantial amount of money compared to getting one custom built to his specifications. The exterior, cladded in Nutec fiber cement board really works well with the wooden framed windows that are strategically place allowing for plenty of light to fill the interior space. Although the space is small, wherever you looked you could see outside, this is an essential part of making the space not feel cramped. They have their own solar and rainwater harvesting system as well as process their own human waste and grow their own vegetables and fruit trees.
Emma is a big advocate for waste reduction and zero waste living. From reusing all organic waste to minimizing as much waste as possible that would go to landfill. Last year their total waste output to landfill was one whole big black plastic bag, for a whole year! That compared to the 2 or 3 bags we on average put out every week is a phenomenal feat. How does she do this? Separating your waste is essential. Knowing what can and can’t be recycled comes with practice and asking companies for details on products if they are not clear. Buying wholesale and bulk is the first step, if their products still have excessive packaging don’t be shy to request or suggest they reduce it. Start some eco-bricks and donate them to your local community projects.
A lot of what Garth said resonated with me in terms of the affordability of projects such as these in South Africa compared to first world countries like America and Europe where the tiny house
movement is immensely popular. The people who would benefit from these projects the most
generally can’t afford them here. To own a tiny house and travel one would need a SUV or bakkie
capable of towing it. The affordability of a such a vehicle or even just a trailer is a far stretch here compared to first world countries. Getting a loan for $10 000 in the states is a lot easier and affordable than trying to get a loan in SA for between R120000 and R300 000 that doesn't involve a vehicle or fixed property where you will end up paying insane interest rates. This is not saying it can’t be done but rather that one has to approach it differently.
Want to start building your own tiny house or homestead? Garth’s best advice is to start with the
most affordable and easiest solution you can to make sure this is a lifestyle that you are
comfortable with. I agree that it is largely glamorized as a quaint and sustainable way of living but don’t be surprised if it is not something you can live with. It took me two years to downsize my life to be able to say I was ready to move into a Tuk tuk and not feel like I was losing out on anything. Garth suggests buy a Yurt, put it on a platform and if you still happy after a year you have spent a fraction of what it would have cost in time and finances to pursue your tiny house dream. What you learn in this process will help you determine what level you are comfortable with and what you regard as essential. Everybody is different and that should that not deter you from pursuing it in some form or another.
Big thanks to Garth and Emma for having us in your home, I wish you much success in your inspirational way of living, I’m sure many of us city slickers dream of such a life. When asked what their New Years plans were they replied, no plans, we live every day like it’s our best day. Good words to live by.
You can see more pictures and get info by following Garth’s tiny house journey and adventures on his website with links to his YouTube channel, Facebook and Instagram.
www.garthensley.co.za
All Photos courtesy Garth Ensley