Eustace Conway (mountainman) facing charges over Bushcraft school

[British Red]

I'm with the dissenters on this one

unless the common area has a conventional restroom, fire sprinklers and smoke detectors, his entire camp must remain shut down.

They are saying he can't have composting toilets or outhouses and he must have a sprinkler system. He doesn't have pressured water! The whole point of the courses he runs is to teach people a "simpler" lifestyle - in order to do that he has to spend a fortune to get away from the very lifestyle he is teaching which will diminish the courses.

If the buildings are unsafe, thats one thing, but destroying the very simplicity of his life is something else.

Still the Nanny state knows what is best for us all.

Consume, conform, obey. Be a good citizen.

 

[Expat]

Here ya go......

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/12/07/3713079/watauga-county-mountain-man-fighting.html

As one of the commentors says, "If nature were subject to building codes, we'd have to shut down admittance to the outdoors..."

 

[The Joker]

Here ya go......

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/12/07/3713079/watauga-county-mountain-man-fighting.html

As one of the commentors says, "If nature were subject to building codes, we'd have to shut down admittance to the outdoors..."

Totally agree.

Here's another good link.

http://youtu.be/rlZL4bekobA

 

[Stringmaker]

I'm with the dissenters on this one



They are saying he can't have composting toilets or outhouses and he must have a sprinkler system. He doesn't have pressured water! The whole point of the courses he runs is to teach people a "simpler" lifestyle - in order to do that he has to spend a fortune to get away from the very lifestyle he is teaching which will diminish the courses.

If the buildings are unsafe, thats one thing, but destroying the very simplicity of his life is something else.

Still the Nanny state knows what is best for us all.

Consume, conform, obey. Be a good citizen.

I just read the linked article.

It is indeed crazy.

 

[RonW]

Consume, conform, obey. Be a good citizen.

And that is the bottomline to this whole story....

 

[Elen Sentier]

I'm with the dissenters on this one

They are saying he can't have composting toilets or outhouses and he must have a sprinkler system. He doesn't have pressured water! The whole point of the courses he runs is to teach people a "simpler" lifestyle - in order to do that he has to spend a fortune to get away from the very lifestyle he is teaching which will diminish the courses.

If the buildings are unsafe, thats one thing, but destroying the very simplicity of his life is something else.

Still the Nanny state knows what is best for us all.

Consume, conform, obey. Be a good citizen.

Crikey! I don't have pressured water !!! on our own spring !!! and our own sewage system !!! Several farmer friends have compost loos, and one dairy-cheese-maker friend runs a willow/reed-bed system for all his black and grey water !!! Another friend who teaches woodcraft-school has no sprinkler systems, and a compost loo, and her own spring, and her own self-build buildings. Dhhhhhhhh ... elf-n-safety !!! Try getting pressurized mains water on Exmoor, Dartmoor, in the wilds of Wales, in the Highlands, the wilds of anywhere ... towns, maybe, out in the wilds, very unlikely.

And I'll never, ever even begin to try to be a good citizen !!!

 

[rg598]

From what I have read about the issue, it does not appear to be related to the way he lives. He is free to do as he pleases on his land. It is also not an issue if he wants to have guests there who also want to live that way.

The problem comes in when he starts running a commercial enterprise that is open to the public and from which he makes money. At that point safety and health regulation have to be met. You can not run a summer camp for children, or for that matter adults, in a building that is not up to code, whether it be because the beams used are not properly rated, or because proper sanitation facilities are not provided.

If you want to live on your own property as a mountain man, nobody here is going to stop you. If you want to run a business and make money, you have to comply with the necessary regulations.

 

[Bushwhacker]

From what I have read about the issue, it does not appear to be related to the way he lives. He is free to do as he pleases on his land. It is also not an issue if he wants to have guests there who also want to live that way.

The problem comes in when he starts running a commercial enterprise that is open to the public and from which he makes money. At that point safety and health regulation have to be met. You can not run a summer camp for children, or for that matter adults, in a building that is not up to code, whether it be because the beams used are not properly rated, or because proper sanitation facilities are not provided.

If you want to live on your own property as a mountain man, nobody here is going to stop you. If you want to run a business and make money, you have to comply with the necessary regulations.

How would it stand if he did his teachings for free?

 

[Elen Sentier]

Agreed! but I think Rod Paradise hit the nail on the head. Using Eustace's practices and health and safety against him knowing darn well he cant afford to make the changes or pay the taxes, thus evicting him from his land because at the end of the day 1000acres got to be worth millions$$$$.
I also think its hilarious and so OVER the top to send in armed agents and a helicopter...hahahaha!

I think it all has to do with greed and jealousy, wanting to take his land and wanting to stop him being different. Being different is a no-no to so many people now. And to send in the troops to enforce it is so appallingly normal in some countries !!! ye gods !!!

 

[salad]

This reminds me of something that happened in the UK some years ago .

Wasn't it Ben Law who built an amazing house from natural materials on his own land then got told he had to pull it down due to planning permission . Correct me if I am wrong but he went on to fight this as this is a unique house and won , he now runs courses from there I think and does talks

 

[Elen Sentier]

How would it stand if he did his teachings for free?

In the US he'd starve !!!

 

[Bushwhacker]

In the US he'd starve !!!

But he lives off the land doesn't he?

 

[British Red]

Ben got his permission after living in a tree house for years, but his permission is tied to his job. When he dies or retires that house has to be pulled down.

Because pulling down that beautiful house is sensible huh? Classic illustration of the problem!

 

[salad]

Ben got his permission after living in a tree house for years, but his permission is tied to his job. When he dies or retires that house has to be pulled down.

Because pulling down that beautiful house is sensible huh? Classic illustration of the problem!

And for those that dont know here is a short bit of film with an interview with ben

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2FObksO8jA&list=PL20A597D1E1820466

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgduN7uNGOY

 

[Huon]

Ben got his permission after living in a tree house for years, but his permission is tied to his job. When he dies or retires that house has to be pulled down.

Because pulling down that beautiful house is sensible huh? Classic illustration of the problem!

I believe that Ben no longer has to have his house pulled down if he dies or leaves.

 

[British Red]

I believe that Ben no longer has to have his house pulled down if he dies or leaves.

Well thats good - it does rather still illustrate the idiocy though!

 

[treadlightly]

There is a similar case at Brithdir Mawr in Pembrokeshire where the builders of a cob home had to fight for years against planners who wanted to pull it down. It looks a beautiful home and is unique. It does not despoil the landscape ( a National Park) and is only visible from the air. Not sure what the latest on this is, last I heard they were going to be allowed to keep it.

Conway has run his courses for 26 years without anyone getting hurt or poisoned. The main beef seems to be with his buildings. The authorities don't say they're not safe just that they don't follow the codes and they don't follow codes because they are not built in the modern way.

No doubt the building regulators are covering their a**es, imagining what their lives will be like if someone did get hurt and began litigation. The modern state says people need to be protected from themselves and it says that because the lawyers are waiting if things go wrong.

 

[Toddy]

From what I have read about the issue, it does not appear to be related to the way he lives. He is free to do as he pleases on his land. It is also not an issue if he wants to have guests there who also want to live that way.

The problem comes in when he starts running a commercial enterprise that is open to the public and from which he makes money. At that point safety and health regulation have to be met. You can not run a summer camp for children, or for that matter adults, in a building that is not up to code, whether it be because the beams used are not properly rated, or because proper sanitation facilities are not provided.

If you want to live on your own property as a mountain man, nobody here is going to stop you. If you want to run a business and make money, you have to comply with the necessary regulations.

And that is the tidiest summing up of the whole issue

M

 

[IanM]

Agreed, why should someone be allowed to cut corners and/or risk others, the public or clients, so they can make money? It is a flat playing field for all.

 

[The Joker]

Agreed, why should someone be allowed to cut corners and/or risk others, the public or clients, so they can make money? It is a flat playing field for all.

I think you need to read all the facts. He is not cutting corners he is just living and building how they did 170 years ago.
26 years he has been doing what he does with no injury's to others.
Eustace Conway isn't doing what he does for making money he is mearly showing people how we used to live, what he charges doesn't even cover the taxes he has to pay on his property.