We adhere to those principles as well @senorcoconut and often it does involve a lot more physical labour than going to a store and buying material. We've been gathering rocks as well, and as my body aches at the end of the day I keep reminding myself of how fit I'll be when the project is done. :)

I often get overwhelmed with all the ideas and goals we've set for ourselves (especially in the spring after a long winter) and sometimes need to step back and look at what we've achieved and wow! Looking at your photos you've found a beautiful forest to plant your roots in. Simply amazing!!