How we chose to buy farmland was based on price, quality and availability of water. Price was a major factor as we are “Bootstrapping” our move once again. Bootstrapping means being frugal with the money you have and purchase what you can afford to buy without incurring more debt.
The difference that we have this time, is that we are working with a friend who has the same dream and vision as us. To build a farm that produces Healthy Natural nutritious food that goes beyond all of the buzz words of today. Better quality than Certified Organic. Better than what some companies call “Natural”.
So with that said, we do have 40 acres to start with. The well water that is already on the land is tested and very pure. Good quality water without chemicals or contaminants!!! Yahoo! The next step was to have a place to live while building the green house. Why a greenhouse you ask? The land is 8,400 feet in elevation. It is cold in the winter and the outdoor growing season is very short. That being said, a greenhouse is a great way to grow food year round.
For the past month, we have been searching for a good quality camping trailer to live in while building. We were finally successful, after looking at many options. The costs were anywhere from $800 for basically a bed, cook top and no bathroom all the way to over $100,000 for a 36 foot trailer that the walls slide out and create a home on wheels. Bigger that most apartments in a big city!!
Remember I told you that we are bootstrapping our way forward right? Well, that left out the majority of trailers for sale. But I knew that the right one was waiting for us! And it was!
I have included pictures of the trailer on the farm, next to the well. We got a great deal on the trailer, it is perfect for us. Clean, everything works and it is a roof over our heads! We moved it up to the property this last Wednesday, July 3rd.
We had to install a 5th wheel hitch on our truck, and that was straight forward. A friend of mine gifted us the hitch, Thank you Brian, then we only had to purchase the rails to hold the hitch securely in the bed of the truck.
I could bolt the back brackets to the frame of the truck, but the front ones needed to be welded. I went to Knob Hill Welding at 612 Juanita St Colorado Springs, CO 80909 (719) 471-3964. Ray, the owner is 83 years old and bounces around like a younger man! When I find a business that treats you this well, I just have to share!
So if you are in Colorado Springs area, this is a great business. Back to moving the trailer. I still had to install the brake controller so that the brakes would work on the trailer. That took another couple of hours, but it worked flawlessly. I love it when the items you purchase work like they are supposed to.
The trailer pulled very nicely, and now it is located on the property. We spent about 1 hour finding the right place to temporarily set the trailer. It is level front to back and side to side.
We still need to properly prepare the trailer before we move anything into it. Since there is no electricity or phone available to the property, we are also looking for alternative power options. I have built a generator with some new steel and recycled lawnmower engine.
We will be using the Food4Weatlh system for some of our beds. We are also adding fruit trees to our green house with the plans to add a more tropical environment for a second greenhouse to be built later.
We are already contacting potential customers in the restaurant business, as well as local customers who are looking for good quality food. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is the model we are following.
We will be sharing more as we continue to move forward on our Journey! We look forward to what you are doing to grow your own food, whether you are in a small apartment or on a large farm. The best nutrition from food is when it is fresh and fully ready to harvest.
Today is a Great Day!