We are back! I know we left you all hanging in mid-2021. What a crazy couple of years it has been!
Let’s start with the fact that we were able to finish up Kathy’s (Heather’s mother) house. She was able to move into it and enjoy her first holiday season with family in her new house. We are thankful to have it done, just a couple small finishing things here and there to go yet, but nothing major. A contractor is coming in to finish the roof on her porch this spring. She is thoroughly enjoying the newfound freedoms of having a solid structure to live in, the ability to work from home, new appliances and furniture, and for the first time in a very, very long time… central heat and air conditioning. It’s a vast upgrade from what she was living in. While it’s not a mansion, we really do hope that this house will serve her needs for the forseeable future.
What has happened to our ranch? I’m sure that is a question on many minds. The ranch has been closed; all the livestock and equipment were liquidated with a few things left to be moved out yet. Why? Well, we did register the ranch as a business in Texas and went after a USDA loan for a sheep operation. We had all the business documents in line, including a business license, articles of formation, tax identifiers, proof of agriculture background education, various agricultural and professional association registrations, and a functional 30-page business plan. We learned quickly that this is not an easy process, even if you feel prepared. We tried for three properties with three different business plans, all customized for the various environments Texas can present, over 18 months time with no luck.
It was going into fall time with the trees changing colors, but we still had no real path forward. We were frustrated and had spent a bit of capitol trying to find a proper place for us to settle down in Texas. That is when our focus shifted, we started looking at an old adventure we had discussed years ago… What about Alaska?? The wheels started turning, it would be a big change and the logistics of getting there would be a nightmare, but… once we are there, the possibilities would be wide open. We spent the last part of 2022 looking at property in Alaska, I’ll detail that search in another post later on. We did locate and purchase property, eventually, in the Kenai Peninsula and out at Lake Louise in south central Alaska. Our departure from Texas is set for mid-May 2024. We are so excited that we can’t sleep as we inch closer to the day of the big move north!!
Come back next month for more adventures and stories about our journey to the freedoms Alaska offers those who can make the trek! Until then, be blessed and safe in your endeavors’ homesteaders!!
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