Kirsten Laney

Hi there, we are an older couple with young children (17 mo and nearly 4) looking for another family to share homesteading with a sustainable focus on our off-grid farm here in the mountains of New Mexico. We are still building infrastructure and have lots of projects including cob-log retreat cabins, goat housing with milking and kidding room, feed storage, and a small apartment, terracing and leveling irrigated pasture, elk fencing, grant writing, market garden, compost building, milling lumber, building a root cellar, and much more. We own the land which is part of a family ranch and my husband works part time as a cowboy. Seeking folks to share work, visioning and creating a sustainable life for our kids to grow in, and sharing homeschooling. Hard working, open minded, willing to research, try, and learn through doing are qualities more important to us than already having a lot of knowledge. We have a lot of skills between us and could mentor the right folks. We offer an opportunity to co-create in a beautiful setting and to share in what we all create.

We are a family 2 years into homesteading on 150 acres, part of a ranch my husbands people have had for four generations. We have two young children (1 and 3) and figure this far-from-town land is the best place for them to grow up. It’s beautiful and off-grid, along the San Francisco River in the mountains of NM.

We are looking for another family with children to come live on our land and subsistence farm and homeschool with us. My husband is a cowboy working nearly full time right now so we have more projects than time to do them. We need more hands to make the work short and for a sense of community, especially playmates for the children.

We’re interested in giving an opportunity to a family committed to the farming lifestyle who may not have land. We are also willing to collaborate with planning and developing a low-key nature/healing retreat as an income producer, as we border National Forest and have a lot of scenic beauty along the river. We anticipate a long-term working relationship and friendship, where our kids can grow together and enjoy healthy, sustained relationships.

We tend dairy goats and chickens, started a young orchard, have some irrigated pasture and three garden plots. One goal is to raise feed for our animals—my husband’s father dry farmed corn, barley, wheat and oats here in days gone by.
We also have a shire draft horse, chicken tractors and a fair amount of infrastructure.

Our criteria include: a strong work ethic, family values, love of land and respect for nature, farming/gardening skills, a deep interest and experience in rural living, no drugs or habitual alcohol, spiritual rather than religious, an open mind, low technology dependence and at least one child.

Our ideals include: the ability to make work fun, good people skills, innovation, tree grafting and building skills, horse skills, enthusiasm for learning, speak Spanish, and music making.

Inquiries can go to Kit and Kirsten Laney, PO Box 12, Luna, NM, 87824. Or call 575-654-0695. We rarely get on line so calling or snail mail is best.

Thanks!!! Farm Mom