Brigitte Melchert

Not exactly what you might be looking for, but we are still dealing with people that are living in tents and warm weather rv's and could use help.  We are a large distribution hub for 11 counties in WNC and ETN.  We supply United Cajun Navy in Black Mountain so we run out of stuff quickly.  We always need people to load and unload trucks and trailers, sort and put away supplies or gather them for deliveries, make deliveries, and repair or help build a multitude of things.  We have seeds, gardening supplies, hatching eggs / chicks, fencing, etc coming in the spring to help rebuild farms and homesteads that were destroyed by Helene.  I live in my van and have been volunteering here since the beginning of October.  There are cots, sleeping bags, food and coffee for volunteers.  I am at Fines Creek Community Center north of Clyde, NC.

"Hi Brigitte!
I'm wrapping up the last of the rewards from the Free Heat Kickstarter, and I have not heard back from you regarding whether you want to receive a one-hour consultation with Paul Wheaton.

Do you want it?  If so, let's work out the details!

thanks,
Beau "

Whelp, I can't find my replay any more so, I guess I lost out.  Sorry about not getting back to you sooner.  Back on the road again....more families need help on the homesteads!

That was from me, and I was answering a PM that you sent to me while I was on the road and not getting messages.  Would it help to post your original post to me and my answer on here if it doesn't go through to you as a PM?  Maybe someone could help if they had context.

Max Kane’s?  I am heading out in a couple of hours! I am so glad you will be there!  I will be there with my SKIP books and i was going to see if there were folks there that were interested in them!
 I have a few more things to accomplish at a family compound, then i was going to ask about heading up there.  I must get my hunting license first!  And finish moving my ‘stuff’ to storage.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0LiG3jkyCtccs8XohN3TH1?si=mMzc9rNbSF-Ufnne3UZgCg

I am 54, and an empty nester.  I keep looking at properties, then thinking "I really don't want to do this all by myself!!"  I went on a three month adventure and stopped at multiple homesteads on the way and stayed for varying amounts of time to help with establishing regenerative practices.  I had a blast!!  I would love to continue doing that in a camper van, but with gas prices going up, I am afraid that might not work well.  I have a full sized skoolie that needs changing and then finishing, because I used it to go help in Texas a few years ago after the hurricane.  So now it needs changes to make it more for living, although it is too big for just me.  I was considering looking for raw land and living in the bus until I was able to build something earth friendly, but alas, see above for why I haven't.  
Right now I am in WI trying to get my "stuff" into storage and get my financial base figured out.  But I need to get back to the land and animals and LEARN so much more.  I have participated in homesteading events and conferences, programs teaching intensive grazing management, and basic classes on food storage options.  Prepping without a home base, is proving VERY difficult.  So I am looking for friends to farm, homestead, prep, hunt, cook, garden, discuss Paul Wheaton's books and videos, and learn or teach with instead of doing it all with just me and Pippin (the grinning Springer!)
Mid June, I will be at Max Kane's party for homesteading and health at his homestead in Viroqua, WI.  Joel Salatin, Sally Fallon Morell, Del Bigtree and more are participating.  Then a trip to a few homesteads in western WI, before embarking on the adventure for finding my tribe and community.
Thanks for reading this!  I hope you guys will be a part of my tribe!
Brigitte in Wisconsin

My family all thinks I am off my rocker as well.  My mom's idea of growing food is to buy thousands of dollars worth of plants each year and then have the guy that works for her go plant and tend it, and ruin most of it.    She used to love gardening when I was little.....but that was over 45 years ago.  No one else in my family does much of anything outside.  They pretty much see everything I do as annoying or wrong.  

Good morning!  
My name is Brigitte Melchert, and I am looking for acreage to start my regenerative homestead or share property, work, etc.  I have been learning about regenerative land management for about 5 years, and I recently participated in Greg Judy's grazing school.  I also participated in a weekend intensive all about homesteading in May.  Both were packed chock full of excellent information along with some hands on learning.  I helped another family get their regenerative homestead started up, but then the owner was in a very bad accident, so they had to postpone for a couple of years.  They sold all of their animals and are moving into the city to be near medical care.  So I am back home in Wisconsin looking to partner up with some like minded individuals or families to put a regenerative homestead in high gear!  And I had better say that first and foremost I am interested in animals, not so much in gardening.  I don't eat a whole lot of plants, so although I am always happy to help some with tending gardens (especially if I get to work WITH people on projects), I prefer the animal, building, maintenance side of a homestead.  
I also come with an English Springer Spaniel with a tail, an old frail cat (maybe), and some chickens and ducks.
So if anyone wants to talk more or consider a crazy 53 year old crone (crazy for the grazers!) that loves hard work sometimes alone and sometimes with others, who comes with critters to begin with, who also is working on a way too big tiny home skoolie......then lets chat!!!
Have a wonderful day!  
Brigitte Melchert near Milwaukee, WI.

I love your descriptions of your farm and your hay baling adventure.  I laughed at your description of Aunt Rona!  
I would love to come help you guys, but I am in Wisconsin, and I have a dog, a cat, some chickens and some ducks.  But I would absolutely love living where you guys are!  I homeschooled my daughter all the way, but now she is in college, and doing very well!!  Yikes, I am an empty-nester!!!  
As for the hay, what about leaving it as stockpile for your livestock in the winter?  You can check out Greg Judy's YouTube channel to find some good descriptions of how he does it!  
I am always interested in talking and figuring out how to help other regenerative land management farmers!!
Have an amazing day!
Brigitte!!

I am absolutely charmed by your story here! I found your link on PermacultureGeezer.com. I have no idea if anything could ever work out for me to come work with you on your land, but I would love to at least engage in some wonderful discourse. My daughter is a writer, and I love when she gives me a snippet to read, or a well orated chapter of adventure. LOL, I am not a writer, but I do love words and reading! My name is Brigitte Melchert, I am 53 years old, and I have been trying to find a mentor for picking raw land and setting up a regenerative farm. I attempted to help a family start one earlier this year……until it didn’t work any more due to the owner getting into a very bad accident. 😦 Alas, I would love to chat about everything you have written about in your blog or your intoduction here.
P.S. I have a bus that I was working on converting into my house on wheels that I could travel in to WWOOF farms around the country. It is just too big for me, so I am looking into selling it and getting a short bus or sprinter van-size. As a semi-permenant abode, it might work okay!
Anyway, I am excited to hear from you! Who knows where the road leads?!?!
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Brigitte (and Pippin-canine, Windy-feline and Cherry-galline)