This is a picture of my great great grandparents and their log home. It was located about 10 miles from our farm. It was taken in 1911 and my gg grandparents Levi and Hannah Coles are to the left and Levi’s sister Phoebe and her husband John Matson to the right.
My great great grandparents moved to Iowa after he fought in the Civil War, for the North, and he got 40 acres given to him by the government for his services in the war. It was located in Iowa near Otter Creek by the community of Norwood just about 10 miles from our current farm. It must have been a difficult journey to come all the way from Ohio in a covered wagon and build his log home with his own two hands from trees on his property and get it all done before winter set in. That first winter must have been real tough in 1865. He was a true homesteader. Thankfully, building our own log home from the ground up will be hard but nothing compared to what my gg grandparents went through. So we are going to take that same pioneer spirit and build our own homestead and start farming using the same methods my great great grandparents used. Its going to take some planning on our part and this post will be about our plans for the log home.
Our log home will not have a front dormer like this one but will have a basement and we want to have it raised off the ground like this to help keep the logs dry.
After countless hours looking online and going to log home shows we have chosen the Ridgeview from Meadow Valley Log Homes for our log home. It is 28 x 40. I like this model because it reminds me of log homes from back in the 1800’s. We have modified this model a little to take advantage of the views of our pond and forest and have added a gable end truss porch like the picture below.
The home will have a loft with a shed dormer with 3 bedrooms and two baths. The great room will look similar to the picture below.
Floor Plan
First Floor
Loft and Master bedroom
Planning the Décor
Our plans for the décor is to have that old hunting lodge feel to the home because our land is really well suited for hunting. No matter if we would have built the pole barn house or the farm we just tried to buy, we would have had tried to make that same feel just by adding log siding to the inside of the structure. We have already been to antique stores, flee markets, estate and garage sales and have been buying things that will work for a log home and I want to show you some of the things we have collected so far.
The 16 point buck I shot with this Kentucky long rifle that is above this back bar that I put together as a kit back in 1991. Most things in this picture will go in our log home.
I bought this lamp at Cabela’s for half price because it had a small crack that you can’t see. The end table it’s on we got at an antique shop.
A bedroom set I have owned for years with a buffalo skull over the bed.
This is of the same bedroom, with an old saddle and an oil painting that was picked up real cheap at a garage sale.
This is my favorite piece of furniture. I have had this leather chair and ottoman since 1998. I can’t wait to set in it in front of the fireplace on in our log home.
I bought this original water color picture in a barn board wood frame at an garage sale for 10.00 in 1997. The scene reminds me of many old barns I have seen in Iowa.
I caught this 22 lb King Salmon in lake Michigan in 1999.
This is a 250 lb black bear that I shot on a hunt in Canada in 2004.
These are wildlife panels that we plan to put in our log railing. We waited for these to go on sale at Menards before buying them.
Just picked this old barrel up at an estate sale, couldn’t pass it up for only 20.00
My wife bought this cool weather vane last year at a flee market.
We are already thinking about lighting for the log home and bought this cool rustic moose and pine tree chandelier at Menards when it had a 25% price drop.
As you can see we have really been thinking about this old hunting lodge look for a long time. We can’t wait to get started. We will brake ground for the foundation April 2016.
I have always wanted to be a farmer, but never had the money or the knowledge to live my dream until now. I have now bought the farm ground and am in the process of turning my bare land into a farm and myself into a farmer. I am finding out that it isn't always easy, but still love the journey. This is my journal of that journey.
Milligan's Gander Hill Farm 
I love it!! So glad you decided to go ahead and custom build your new home, I will keep my eyes open for treasures to add to your collection, can’t wait to see it done, your sis, Becky.
Thanks Sis, I can’t wait to have you over when it is done.
Gordon, it looks to be interesting reading. Good luck!
I’ll bet time is starting to move fast as you get closer to starting.
Thanks Mathew, it starting to move fast but still not fast enough for my liking.
So exciting Gordon!!!!
That date will be here before you know it, Gordon! I’m so excited for you guys! I love, love, love that old barrel. If it doesn’t fit in anywhere, let me know. Or if it comes up missing after we’ve visited, it wasn’t me. Another great place for picking up cool things at good prices is an auction. We’ve got good ones down here. You can’t bid against me, though. It’s an auction rule.
Thanks Langela I tell you what if we don’t find a place for the wooden barrel in our log home I will give it to you for what I paid for it. I know about those auctions over there in Iowa and we can’t wait to go to some. That’s going to be part of the fun, looking for stuff there in Iowa after our house is done.
Your log house looks fantastic, and I really love the connection to your family history. That makes it even more special. SO glad you’re thinking ahead about decor–it definitely makes it cheaper when you can pick things up as they come on sale. It’s great to have a feel for what you want it to look like because that will guide your shopping. Your old barrel is too nice to do this, but have you ever seen a barrel used to hold a bathroom sink? It’s a cool look! So is putting a stone basin on a great log stump, I’ve just never come across one that would work. I really can’t wait for the post about your first night in your new home! I’ll be following along, rooting for you as you make progress.
Thanks Susan, I never thought about putting sink in the barrel, but that just might work. We also can’t wait to spend that first night in our new log home.
My mother grew up on a farm by Lacona Iowa and my Dad grew up on a farm by summerset Iowa and then moved to Milo Iowa, all three places are not that far from our current farm, so I really do feel connected to the area, it already feels like home.
This is very cool, and I really like the open layout of the house design.
Thanks Brent, we are a fan of the open layout too.
Wonderful! I’m excited for you and looking forward to photos of it when it’s done. The day is fast approaching when your house will be your home.
Thanks Bill, we have already started looking at flooring options and things like that. I think my remaining time will go pretty fast now.
It all looks really great Gordon – – I really love that picture of your easy chair and we have a chandelier that is something like the one you have shown here . . not quite but similar.
Your plans for furnishings look great – – rustic – – homey – – comfortable – – just the kind of place a farmer would love to come home to after long hours in the field and the barns – – yes, you are doing some truly wonderful things and I am thrilled to follow your progress on your blog.
Thanks so much John, I always appreciate your comments, and I am thankful you follow along
I can’t wait to see the finished product. It sounds heavenly!