Trish Sanders

Hi Linda, nice to meet you! Thank you for the suggestions. I'd love to see pictures of your place. How long have you been there?

I've lived in Arizona 13 years, first in Scottsdale, then Globe (3300 ft), then a little south of Roosevelt Lake (same). So I know the weather patterns fairly well, though my place gets colder than what I'm used to. And the wind is a whole other thing. Is it windy where you are? I was fortunate to be married to an organic farmer + SW plant expert for six years, so learned a lot about the desert plants. I would use mesquite but I believe it gets too cold at my place - USDA zone 6A/B. I haven't settled on the plants for the windbreak yet, but will probably go big on black locust. Would be happy to have other ideas.

I'm away from my place at the moment but will be getting back up there next week, anxious to get there before the rain. It sounds like our rain patterns are similar. I do want to plant a cover crop in the bowl area, which will have water standing in it after rains - but don't have a fence up yet, so it better be something the cattle won't be interested in. I don't have any earthworks done, but there are too many items on the to-do list now - including getting a shelter built for myself that is rainproof. Up till now I've been sleeping in the back of my truck, but it leaks. So at the moment I'm back at my former abode, building something I can take apart and put back together up there - and learning carpentry in the process. I wish I could be up there already. Patience.

A pond! Wouldn't that be great, out there! I will look into it. I keep thinking I should plant bamboo.

I will check to see if you've posted more about your place, as I'm sure I could learn from what you're doing.

Reevis Mountain School of Self-Reliance is located east of Phoenix at 3300'. We have 13 acres off-grid in a remote location at the edge of the Superstition Wilderness - we're an inholding in the Tonto National Forest. We have a 1-acre veg garden, orchard of about 100 fruit and nut trees, a small vineyard, and chickens, ducks, and turkeys. Starting in April we have work-exchange spots open for two to four people. We ask for at least two or three months, and we're looking for helpers through the summer and into fall, as well.

Living here is a rather unique opportunity to learn about SW wild plants, natural healing, and wilderness survival skills from Peter Bigfoot while you are also helping with the farm. Please visit reevismountain.org if this sounds interesting. Info about the work-exchange program is in the About Us area.

Hi Chris,

I'm in eastern AZ, south of Sanders, with 40 acres grazing land at 5800 ft. Have not started work yet.

Thanks for the thread & blog link.

Trish

I just joined up, and since it's kinda quiet here thought I would stand up and introduce myself. My name is Trish, I'm 47 and live in NE AZ, currently at Reevis Mountain School in the Superstitions (reevismountain.org) - but I've got 40 acres out east of Holbrook and will be living there, god willing, by March. Here I go talking about things I haven't done yet - but anyway - the plan is to build as temporary shelter a tiny yurpee, kinda like this but smaller



(this is where I live now) ... and a Lorena stove ... and then a cob house.

The land is at 5800', gently rolling with a slope to the SW.



It's more rolly than it looks in the pic.

Wells go down around 200'. I'll harvest water. There is a community well where I'm entitled to 50 gal/day.

It's just little ol me with no money, so permaculture work will be Trish-scale - swales and Phiri pits and such. We'll see if anything bigger becomes feasible.

Of course I'd love to hear suggestions (not necessarily "you need help" - I know that) - but for now just wanted to say hi. And happy new year.

Trish