We Tried to Buy Land.. It Didn’t Go Well

I just noticed that Riley is sitting in a wheelchair. Why? I am a person that uses a wheelchair and i'm very curious to know why riley is in a wheelchair

Good choice to scratch these islands of your list.

Hi Elayna & Riley — We heard your comment about looking for a songwriter. My wife Stephanie and I have followed you for about 10 years (on Patreon), and wanted to reach out to you on this Our son David is a gifted poet/lyricist, and we’ve recently started bringing his writing into music together. One piece in particular — “Somewhere” — felt unexpectedly aligned with the transition you’re in right now. We put together a simple visual version here if you’re open to taking a look: 
🎬 Full version: https://youtu.be/GLROEe3TbXU If it resonates at all, David would absolutely be open to collaborating or writing something specifically with you in mind. Either way, thank you for sharing your journey all these years — it’s meant a lot to us.
🙏

Greece baby !!!

Elayna & Riley ! I've mentioned before but my husband and I are in a similar chapter of our lives and we just bought 32 acres to build our home on & slowly develop into a farm that sustains our family. We're doing things a bit differently than we thought, mostly because like you've found in your experience, well... the dream slowly gets shaped and reshaped and refined and redefined as you take each step forward toward it... I don't have any doubts you will make the right decisions for your family, and it seems you're in good practice of making the 'right decisions for right now' and being brave enough to pivot when it's required of you... anyway. You'll be getting a lot of advice and input along this journey. I see a lot of folks saying you should work for a year on other farms, or you're not aware of what an undertaking you're about to step into, etc - well. I grew up farming (produce) and so did my husband (cattle and horses) and I can tell you right now one year on a farm isn't going to teach you half of what you'll need to know. I think you two are well equipped to jump in head first like this and your fair youth and courage will give you what you need to make it work. But start slow, one project at a time, and be willing to adjust your vision. Animal husbandry is an incredibly difficult thing to master. But you'll also find it's not as hard as everyone says 😂 anyway. I'd focus on plants first and animals secondarily, and I'd stress that pigs, chickens and goats are always going to be easier to learn to care for and less stressful than cows, horses and ducks. As for acreage, from living on a 8 acre farm now to working on a 75 acre farm through high school, I would say 6 acres or about 4 hectares is a minimum for what you want to do, excluding cows. We have had 4 horses, 6 cattle and two dozen chickens on our families property at one time and it was the maximum but it wasn't overcrowded and it was well balanced. We also have huge garden spaces and a small orchard. Ann of All Trades is a great person to learn from on YouTube! And last thought, if you aren't going to volunteer or work on other farms to learn, then consider the hire of farmers who have a LOT of experience to come and work with you on your project, like you've had other experienced sailors join you on the boat. Loved this episode. Relate deeply to the complexity of the process and wishing you so much luck and continued courage.

I don't know much about farming. I do follow Laura Farms on YouTube. Prime land in Nebraska growing soybeans and corn. It is a lot of work. Not really relevant, because your farming will really depend on the climate and land where you buy. As I listen to you it just seems like all you know is that farming is easier if the land is flat, haha. I would take the advice and work on someone's else's farm to learn. It is much harder than sailing. Also, as far as building your own home, do you have the skills to build a home that will hold up in a typhoon, or a decent earthquake.? Do you have the skills to clear land? Are you going to buy a tractor? Do you know how much seed, fertilizer, livestock and feed cost? On your boat you always relied on other people with more knowledge than you had for repairs, where will that person be on this farm? In the comments people are mentioning how many hectares they own, but that knowledge needs to be in the context of the location. And finally, you are dreaming of your kids bringing their friends to visit during a break at a boarding school, but in the meantime, they are playing with poisonous scorpions. Unbelievable.

We have 2.7 hectares (6.82 acres) and I reckon you will need that as an absolute minimum for what you have in mind. Even looking after one horse or one dog is a big commitment. Maybe volunteer in an animal shelter, on a farm and as produce pickers before going ahead. It’s very hard work, weather affected and relentless. Disease and pest control is a constant challenge (which includes thieving monkeys 🙊. Owning land overseas is a minefield as boundaries get disputed and many old law systems cause problems for foreign ownership. Taxing foreign owned land is one to watch out for too. Sorry to put a damper on your dreams, but reality will do it soon enough anyway.

oops, that went too soon. Hope it works out well.

As soon as i heard Vanuatu, I felt like that was the place. Never heard of it before though. :)

Please, please please do not send the boys to boarding school. We know that you've chosen Vanuatu. Hopefully there are international schools nearby.

If you haven't, you should really connect with nomadic movement? Jordan and Kaylee built a beautiful farm in Panama

My wife and I built a subsistence farm, growing our own food for years, and rarely bought produce. You'd be surprised how small a piece of land it takes to feed four people. Our little year-round vegetable patch covered 1/4 acre of fertile soil. When I was young, we had animals, and you'd be surprised at how much land that requires. Cows need about 1.5 acres each. A bit more for each horse, so they can run and play. Goats can thrive on .25 acres each. For what you want to do, ten acres is a minimum. To be able to rotate crops and livestock, double that. Anything under one hectare shouldn't even be considered, unless you want to downsize your dream. And that doesn't include the house, yard, and wild areas. IMHO, you will want to look at 1.5 to 2 hectares. The wild areas won't be for you, it's for the boys to explore. Growing up, my brothers and I had 15 acres for our animals, and the right to ride and explore 600 acres. Boys on land need a lot of room.

It’s exciting to see you going for it! Looks like Vanuatu 🇻🇺 could be the place. It could be good to start with a lot fewer animals than Riley mentioned to be sure you’re picking up the skills well enough to care for them properly, and then increase as you climb the learning curve. You also might want to consider the presence of veterinary care along with access to good medical care for yourselves. Cheers!

Great ep guys. Stressful but exciting times! Given your connection with Strick and Fran, it might be worth reaching out to Az to pick his brain on all things farming. While it’s a different country, I’d imagine the same principles would apply when it comes to caring for animals and growing produce in similar climates and environments.

My Dad bought 40acres and my brothers and I had 3 horses, 10 goats, countless fowl, dogs and cats. We had a huge acre garden with 1/4 chickens, 1/4 potatoes, 1/4 raspberries and 1/4 garden veg and canned it all up for the winter. I think anything less than 10 will feel squeezed. I have a few friends I grew up with who were in 4-H with me who have turned into organic farmers, Newalkum Valley Farms and Boistfort Valley Farms. They have purchased old established farms and then added onto that. One of them has a huge greenhouse, like 1/2 a soccer field and had to be heated by a wood fired heater, it has a full sized lemon and lime tree and a gigantic pond in the middle. They have converted it to a drying shed and hosting area for catered dinners. That is really a thing that has taken off around here in the PNW is hyper-local food and catered dinners with fancy chef's. If friends and family have taught me about land life, don't be afraid to start festivals, or block parties. Being in a small town and small area has taught me anything people love a good get together. My friends and family has started several that are still going both here in Toledo, WA(Cheese Days) and in Baton Rouge, Louisiana(Gleaux Parade). So don't be afraid to be bold, make mistakes and go boldly forth even if it is in the wrong direction...eventually you will figure it out.

This is exciting. Look forward to hearing about Vanuatu.

Hey guys, another great video, love the honesty and transparency about the project… but it’s really sounding like Vanuatu 🇻🇺 might be a better fit.. especially with its proximity to Australia ( family & friends) and all the conveniences you both are so familiar with ( education & healthcare) for the boys future 🧡 I’m so excited for you guys, this will be a great adventure!!

As a former farmer and return farmer in remote mountains, I highly recommend you do a a year of working on others farms, volunteering, learning, getting into the daily flow of it- then determine what, how and where you want to farm. As sailors, you are not afraid of learning and hard work, so for sure you got the ethic to be self sufficient farmers. But the skill set that will support your endeavors is learned through doing; experiencing the seasons, the water flows, soil type, bloom to seed, bugs, pests.... do yourselves a huge favor- and quite the adventure- volunteer at farms. Benefiting farms who always need labour in exchange for learning from the best- sorry chat gpt cannot do this for you. Food cultures all over the world are an endless dive into history, politics and really, what fuels us all. Also, the most transformative act we can do. https://wwoof.net/

I currently live in Sanur Bali the sunrise side. It would be so kool to meet you and your gang. I’m still sitting on plans for a Wharram Tiki 38