Live Free in private TX island cabin & trade your Permaculture efforts while you build your home!

Hello Permie Friends,

My son and I own a sweet little two room totally off grid cabin on our private Texas coastal Island. We only get there every year or so. Its a lot of work every time we arrive. So here's the offer:

If your Young and strong and a person of ethical and moral behavior we want to give you our home to live in for a year while you plant a food forest.

If all goes well, then we'll give you a place to build your own home and you can stay in our cabin while you build it and grow the food forest which we will share.

We'd like to visit from time to time and maybe even eventually share our island adventure as the Texas Gulf Coast Experience to vacationers. This business we'd like to share with you.

I've lived and raised a family of seven minimally attached to and often unattached to the grid for 30 years.  I have a lot of experience to offer, but I'm getting older and don't have the strength to build it all again.  So I want to share. This Island is about a mile wide at its widest and 22 miles long. other "island family" members have some vacation cabins out there as well but only one senior couple lives out there. to get to the island is an eight mile trip across the bay or by plane, if you have one. I have an old 18 foot bay boat that you're welcome to clean up and use for as long as your out there. I also own a couple of 4x4 suburbans that are on  the island but will need new gas, batteries and maybe a good bit of help now. they've been sitting for over a year.

I need to add, the recent hurricane passed right over the island, a few cabins and trailers were damaged. I've been way to busy to go inspect ours. But my neighbors tell me they think it's still all in tact.  

I'd like a young couple or small family or maybe your idea. But it's not good to be out there alone. It would be irresponsible of me to accept just one individual.

I'm sure you'll have many questions. if your the right person then comment.

Hey David,

Welcome to Permies! Sounds like an adventure. I hope you find some people to take you up on the offer. You might want to post some pictures or make a little intro video. I find that's helpful for getting people's attention.

thanks

David,

As someone born on Galveston Island just up the coast, I can't tell you how appealing this generous offer sounds.  I have had similar aspirations to find a place on the Bolivar Peninsula after Hurricane Ike came through.  (I am not your guy, as a single person likely your age.)  If you care to discuss your plan on what a food forest or permaculture site might look like on the unique geographic area, I would enjoy that discussion.

I hope you find the right persons.  If you do, I hope we get to follow along with the progress as the project develops.  Welcome to Permies

Hey Jack, I appreciate your response. It's my hope that someone will want to create a youtube channel that we all can follow along with.

Hello:

Saw your message and wondering if more specifics can be given. I. have a park model RV plus 2 dogs and a tortoise looking for a small place to homestead and retire at.  I'm familiar with the area, as my last home was in Pasadena, Texas and owned another home previous to that. I am currently located in LRGV @ Mission, Texas saving up to make a small land purchase within the next 5 years.

Heather-age 49, retired military
heatherkirk35@yahoo.com

hey David not wanting to over share too much info on here as I'm a face to face or over the phone conversation type of gal.
I'm just wondering if you found anyone to fulfil your request & wondering how's it coming along.
if not me and my little family would be very much interested and would love to speak more! God bless and good looks!

Theegreenhuman@gmail.com

Hi David I'm very interested in your offer I have a small family an have been trying to facilitate something similar to this for awhile.


Title: Turnkey Fortune 500 Tech & Tradesman Seeking Land-for-Labor Homestead Agreement (Self-Contained with RV/Tools)
Body:
Are you a landowner with acreage that needs development, maintenance, or complex technical management?
I am an exceptionally skilled, versatile industrial technician and tradesman looking to trade high-level labor, infrastructure development, and estate maintenance in exchange for a deeded parcel of land to build a homestead.
I am completely self-sufficient. I bring my own RV, generators, professional diagnostic tools, and chainsaws. I can live off-grid and start working on raw land from day one.

🛠️ Professional Capabilities & Experience

• Master Electrical & Automation: AST Degree (2012) in Maintenance Electricity & Construction. Worked for leaders like Hershey, Hydro Extrusions, and Wise Snacks as an Electronics Tech, Craftmaster Electrician, and Controls Tech. Expert in solar, battery banks, and generators.
• Mechanical & Fluid Power: Expert troubleshooting and repair of heavy machinery, tractors, hydraulics, and pneumatics.
• Land Development: Heavy chainsaw operation, tree felling, brush clearing, earthworks, digging, and sustainable cultivation.
• Rapid Learner: Instantly master unique, specialized, or vintage property systems.

🤝 The Agreement

I am seeking a formal, legally structured contract to exchange a guaranteed number of skilled labor hours or project milestones for a deeded parcel of acreage on your property. You save tens of thousands in contractor fees and get a high-level caretaker; I earn a spot to build my future homestead.
Contact me today to discuss how we can build a mutually beneficial partnership.

This seem like an awesome dream opportunity.

I would like to ask some questions.

If a person does not own an airplane how do they get to the island?

What is the nearest town for groceries and supplies?

Is there mail service?

If the person cannot get the 18 ft boat serviceable how do they get groceries and supplies?

This one is a biggie, is there fresh water for drinking and to water the food forest?  Water catchment?  How many gallons?

How much rainfall per year?

Thank you for your consideration.