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Tiny House on the Prairie: From 3,000 to 480 Sq. Ft.


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This is the Tiny House on the Prairie owned by widower Gary Martens.

He downsized from his 3,000 sq. ft. house after his wife passed, and loves life in his new 480 sq. ft. home.

Please enjoy, learn more, and re-share below!

Tiny House on the Prairie: From 3,000 to 480 Sq. Ft.

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Images via Steinbach Online

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Images via Steinbach Online

Video: A Look Inside the “Tiny House on the Prairie”

Highlights:

  • Cost about $100,000 (includes the $25,000 he spent on his septic field, digging a well and connecting hydro)
  • Wants to build a garden and get livestock to live off the land
  • One big area
  • Living room, kitchen, bookshelves, full bath, utility room
  • Murphy bed/desk combo
  • Electric wench ladder lift to loft playroom for grandkids

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Natalie C. McKee

Natalie C. McKee is a contributor for Tiny House Talk and the Tiny House Newsletter. She's a wife, and mama of three little kids. She and her family are homesteaders with sheep, goats, chickens, ducks and quail on their happy little acre.

Latest posts by Natalie C. McKee (see all)

{ 31 comments… add one }
  • Gigi
    November 22, 2016, 5:42 pm

    This is really nice. Love all the windows and the clever loft access for grandkids.

    • Natalie
      November 23, 2016, 7:35 am

      I thought the loft access was awesome 🙂 — Tiny House Talk Team

  • oxide
    November 22, 2016, 7:25 pm

    If this man wants to homestead off the land, he’s going to need a much bigger house, or a shed that’s larger than his house. He’ll need a huge kitchen to pots and pans, canning equipment etc, a dedicated freezer, a utility sink, etc. Not to mention tools, soil, hoses, seeds, crop storage, and the like. And that’s before dealing with any livestock. Unlike those Millenial hipster tiny housers who make a living on their smartphones, homesteading is HARD WORK that takes a lot of stuff. Why didn’t this guy buy an existing farm for his $100K?

    And I’m pretty sure that’s a *winch* ladder. Do NOT google “wench ladder.” (seriously, don’t)

    • Natalie
      November 23, 2016, 7:42 am

      He might have just wanted to design his own 🙂 And I’m sure he’ll build additional structures as needed for his homesteading. — And sorry about the typo on the winch! I’ll fix that 😉 — Tiny House Talk Team

      • Eric
        December 16, 2017, 3:31 am

        Well the wench ladder typo is still in the article.

        And I am soooo disappointed, searched on that term and got… no wenches at all. I’m now going into the corner to pack a sad… : ( heh heh.

    • Eric
      December 16, 2017, 3:47 am

      I disagree. If he is homesteading for himself then he isn’t going to need a lot of livestock. A few chooks perhaps, maybe a few sheep, goats, pigs or mixture thereof. Personally I’m not au fait about the weather in winter where he is, and he may need a “small” for livestock in winter. Given the way he was talking in the video I really don’t think he is looking at having 100 of cattle plus various other animals.

      And remember a little over 80 years ago refrigeration was not a common thing in many parts of the country… and they survived quite well without it. Ok, he might need to do a bit of canning but a small shed could take care of the storage needs there.

  • Deborah West
    November 22, 2016, 9:06 pm

    I think Murphy Beds were made for tiny houses! I don’t want to have to climb narrow stairs or, God forbid, a ladder at my age. Very smartly built. If he’s going to get animals he’s going to have to build a barn to keep their food and his supplies (tractor, etc.) if he’s truly going to live off the land. Very nice!

    • Natalie
      November 23, 2016, 7:43 am

      I love a Murphy bed and the ones with desks underneath are the coolest 🙂 And yes, a barn will be a must. — Tiny House Talk Team

  • bruce CG Gallagher
    November 23, 2016, 3:52 am

    Steinbech is in the province of Manitoba….so any readers outside of
    Canada would have to do the dollar conversion….The 100,000 cost
    would be approx. 30% less in the US for example…

    • Natalie
      November 23, 2016, 7:43 am

      Bruce thanks so much for that! — Tiny House Talk Team

    • oxide
      November 23, 2016, 10:38 am

      $100,000 Canadian dollars ==> $74,178 US Dollars as of today.

  • Kim
    November 23, 2016, 8:38 pm

    Perfect size. Very nice.

    • Natalie
      November 24, 2016, 10:46 am

      That it is! — Tiny House Talk Team

  • ZACHARY E MOHRMANN
    November 24, 2016, 10:11 am

    I wonder if that price is including the land…?

    • Natalie
      November 24, 2016, 10:47 am

      Hmm good point! — Tiny House Talk Team

  • jm
    November 26, 2016, 1:00 am

    I like it. It’s nice. Where can I get a wench ladder?

    • Eric
      December 16, 2017, 3:48 am

      Off the tights of a wench? ; )

  • November 29, 2016, 9:13 am

    Wow! His home is just beautiful! He seems to have thought of everything! I love his kitchen and sitting area! What a clever idea to install a Murphy Bed and have a desk underneath and not have to move anything from it. Hats off to him! His grandchildren must love the playroom in the loft area they can use their imaginations and pretend that they can be anywhere or do anything! He has a lot of great ideas! I’m so sorry that his wife passed away. It would be nice if she could be there to share this beautiful home that he has created!????Good Luck in farming! I’m sure you will enjoy it and come up with a lot of creative ideas to maintain it!?????????????

    • Natalie
      November 29, 2016, 9:32 am

      Yes he did an excellent job 🙂 — and I love your animal emojiis hehe — Tiny House Talk Team

  • Sandi B
    December 2, 2016, 1:28 am

    This is indeed a very nice little house, well thought out and planned. The Murphy Bed/office is such a great idea — gives one pause on things they can do in their own places. Even if you are living in a larger house, if you do not have room for a den, but always wanted one you can just turn your bedroom into a den that you also just happen to sleep in. Easy-Peasy. Too cool!!

    • Natalie
      December 2, 2016, 8:31 am

      Yes the Murphy bed/office is one of my favorite parts of this house. Such a great idea 🙂 — Tiny House Talk Team

  • Sarah
    March 25, 2017, 2:10 pm

    Wow, a way to have all those books in a tiny house. I say YAY! Some of the special things that people have developed have really awed me (a bench to a desk to a can opener, etc.) but this desk to bed conversion wins hands down. I still don’t get how all the stuff on the desk doesn’t slide down. I think this is genius. I too am so sorry for the loss of your wife, she would’ve been very proud of your design!

    • Natalie C. McKee
      March 27, 2017, 8:25 am

      Yes the bed/desk is the coolest!

    • Eric
      December 16, 2017, 3:51 am

      Those bed to desk devices have been around since at least 2012 as Alex could attest. Thought it was the bees knees when I first saw them and now I think nothing of it. It is just a relatively new way of saving space that works so extremely well.

      • Alex
        December 16, 2017, 10:18 am

        I attest! 😀

  • iris
    March 25, 2017, 4:15 pm

    Awesome. A bachelor apt in Toronto is $760 a month + $50 hydro. You mite consider wrapping stove pipe around your young fruit trees to keep rabbits and deer from shredding the bark and tie the end down to the roots.

    • Liz
      March 25, 2017, 7:55 pm

      So cozy and well planned out! It actually looks like it is bigger than square footage suggests. Very reasonably priced too. Well done!

      • Natalie C. McKee
        March 27, 2017, 8:20 am

        Yes it really does! So spacious.

    • Natalie C. McKee
      March 27, 2017, 8:23 am

      Good advice!

  • Glema
    March 29, 2017, 4:33 am

    Great job on the tiny home Gary! And no worries, they make
    tiny barns now too. 🙂

  • Charlie
    December 19, 2017, 5:41 am

    This article and video is a year old. Is there an update on the owner and what he’s done with the property since then?

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