Hey, Tikkun Homestead crew!

It’s been a hot minute since our last chat, and I owe you the back brief on what’s been cooking. Spoiler alert: a lot!

So, why the radio silence? The truth is, I’ve been knee-deep in the wild world of land shopping and wading through the intricacies of the purchasing process – which had more factors than usual. It’s been yet another large stack of paperwork, negotiations and networking on top of quite a bit of personal life thrown in for good measure.

Now, I know you’re probably itching for some major updates on Tikkun Homestead. Here’s the scoop – not a lot has changed since the last post, but a huge step was made. But before you roll your eyes, hear me out. Sometimes, the biggest leaps happen behind the scenes, right? We’ve been refining our vision, fine-tuning the details, and fine tuning the course of action for the homesteading adventure of a lifetime.

And let me tell you, finding the perfect plot of land? It’s been a journey. The twists and turns of the purchasing process have kept me on my toes, but we’ve finally secured almost 8 acres to call our own. The search wasn’t a walk in the park, with rising interest rates and the housing market doing its funky dance, but all good things come at the right time.

The quest began with the essential duo: a good realtor and a savvy mortgage broker. We scoped out quite a few properties, keeping in mind that this investment was for the long haul. This land had to be just right – cutting corners or settling on land to get it faster would just lead to long term issues in the future.

Enter the crucial considerations: topography, water table, soil viability, and climate. These were the ingredients that I was scouting for to enable a plan to set up access, infrastructure, and water management systems as quickly and best as possible. Topography, showing us where the water flows and the best patches of land are; the water table, our partner in crime for water management systems; soil viability, the lifeblood of everything that grows, from cattle grass to market produce. And of course, climate, with its subtle quirks thanks to those rolling hills and elevation changes.

Now, let me take you back a bit. I was living in my camper for a few months, parked on a gentleman’s rural property near Roundup, Montana. Being a bit higher than the elevation of Billings, Montana, these dry summer prairie lands stretch out past the horizon in every direction. Because of this, there are very few natural wind breaks or diversions, and the weather can be a bit more extreme.

Coming from the lush and fertile Pacific Northwest, I initially side-eyed the dry, arid prairie land and thought the soil was a bit of a bummer. But I found out that the soil wasn’t dead; it just needed a wake-up call. When refilling my 35-gallon water tank in the camper, I would pour out the last of water from my 325-gallon tank onto strategic spots on the property, and almost immediately, the soil would come alive. Plants started sprouting and waking up, prairie dogs, bugs, and birds had a new hangout, and the native ecosystem woke up from its summer hibernation. Additionally, the water would percolate into the ground pretty quickly, and the soil would remain damp for a week or two, even in the summer sun and wind. This is because the normal soil type in this area is very close to my picture of the ideal soil type; a loose sandy-loam with a healthy amount of clay in the mix to hold onto the water and give structure. This little unintentional experiment gave me hope. With proper land and water management, our farm could indeed support life.

So, these past few months have been a hustle. Land shopping, paperwork, negotiations, networking – you name it. On top of that, a few large personal topics have been taking shape, adding a sprinkle of life’s unpredictability into the mix, but have also been productive. Moving to Montana, renting out the Tennessee house, progress with some complicated family details, traveling back to Tennessee for my final out from the military, dealing with Veterans Affairs, attending a family wedding in British Colombia, Canada, moving equipment from Washington State to Montana while juggling mechanical issues, finding a small supplementary local security job, and coordinating the moving of my household goods and farm tools from Tennessee to Montana. Additionally, living in a camper is great for a short time, but with a grown adult, a dog, cat, and at times a toddler, the time for living in a small space became ripe and ready to move on. This tempted me to cut corners in the land shopping, but all things come with a bit of patience – and I’m glad we waited.

So, here’s the deal: Tikkun Homestead might not have transformed overnight, but trust me, the foundations are getting stronger and big steps are being made. The dream is alive, and we’re gearing up for the next big chapter – building the access and infrastructure to officially begin operations. The goal is to start with 150 chicks in the springtime, then add 150 chicks a couple of months later. This way we not only don’t need to be rushed to build the infrastructure, but we also don’t have to fight the potentially brutal winter while trying to keep 300 baby chickens alive. The spacing will allow for market development and flexibility with sales for the first year of operations. Additionally, this strategy will allow for more observation of the land and the climate, which will lead to more informed decisions in solidifying the locations and design for the access, infrastructure and water management systems.

The next big chapter may start in the spring, but there are a few smaller sections to be written during the wintertime. Getting the property set up and ready for the building, setting up a few RV and Camper spots in the front of the property to rent out, renovating and finishing the tiny-house to rent out, and updating the current house.

Stay tuned for more updates as we break this silence and dive into the homesteading journey. Beginning from scratch and with the trajectory of success, stability, and growth, we’ll keep you posted on what’s going on with Tikkun Homestead. Your support means the world to us, and we can’t wait to share every twist and turn of this odyssey with you. Until next time, let’s keep repairing today for a better tomorrow!