Water System Win (Finally Something That Just Works)

The underground ferrocement water tank is officially holding strong. After relining, it has now been filled twice with zero issues. No leaks, no failures—just quiet, dependable performance. That’s a hard-earned win.

This system is critical infrastructure out here, so having it function reliably changes everything. One less thing trying to break at the worst possible time.

Clover Setback (A Painful Lesson in Water Choice)

Here’s where things took a hit.

The clover crop—meant to support soil regeneration and upcoming bee integration—was accidentally watered with chlorinated water from the human-use tank instead of the living soil system.

Result:

• Roughly half the crop burned
• The remaining growth is stunted

That’s not a small setback. Clover isn’t just ground cover here—it’s part of the soil-building system and a key food source for pollinators.

Now there’s a tight window:

• Replant immediately with remaining seed
• Beat the closing window for spring establishment

No pressure, just the entire timeline for the bee program riding on it.

Bees Arriving Soon (Ready or Not)

The bees arrive on Cinco de Mayo.

Under ideal conditions, they’d be arriving to a thriving clover field. That’s not the current reality. There’s some anxiety here—because timing matters, and nature doesn’t negotiate.

Plan moving forward:

• Replant what’s possible immediately
• Supplement forage if needed
• Focus on keeping the bees stable through early establishment

Not perfect conditions—but resilience is the whole point of this work.

Greenhouse + Rocket Mass Heater Progress

The greenhouse is moving forward steadily, and the rocket mass heater manifold is nearly complete—which is a big step toward stable temperature control.

A generous donation brought in:

• Bagged compost
• Additional plants

Next steps:

• Blend compost with native soil
• Load seedling starters
• Push new growth cycles inside the greenhouse

Creative build note:
Old RV refrigerators (professionally stripped of all toxic components) are being repurposed as raised seed-starting beds. Doors removed, flipped orientation—what used to keep food cold will now grow it.

That’s the kind of full-circle reuse this place runs on.

A Difficult Situation: Standing Ground and Protecting What Matters

A neighboring landowner—someone I knew and respected — passed away months ago.

Prior to his passing, there were direct conversations about concerns for his property—specifically that it could be taken or stripped if left unattended. To prevent that, a notarized gift affidavit was executed, granting legal authority to step in and protect the RV and its contents if necessary.

Unfortunately, That moment came.

After his passing:

• The RV was entered by others without authorization
• Items were being removed
• The condition of the property began to decline

At that point, action was taken to secure and protect the RV, consistent with the authority granted and the prior agreement made with the owner.

Shortly after:

• Law enforcement was contacted to document the situation
• Contact with the family was actively pursued
• The goal remained to safeguard the property until rightful next steps could be determined

However, the RV is now temporarily positioned in a way that blocks access to critical work areas, creating a logistical challenge that still needs to be resolved.

This is part of rural reality that doesn’t make it into glossy homesteading posts:

The situation escalated when false claims were made that the RV had been taken unlawfully. Those claims do not reflect what occurred.

To be clear:

• The RV was not taken for personal gain
• It was secured to prevent ongoing loss and damage
• There was documented authorization in place prior to the owner’s passing
• Efforts were made in good faith to locate and coordinate with the family

Since then, communication with the family has been established. They have requested assistance in selling the RV on consignment, which is now being handled.

This adds:

• Sales coordination
• Logistics and access challenges
• Time and workload to an already full schedule

But it is being done to help ease the burden on a grieving family and to see the situation through responsibly.

In the meantime, the RV’s current position temporarily impacts access to parts of the property, which is an active issue being worked through.

Clearing Out What Others Leave Behind

After nearly two years of ongoing issues, a problematic situation on our land has finally ended.

for the past two years, part of this land has been occupied by squatters.

due to the land deed issues and the quiet title suit, there was no clear way to get them off of the land.

They have finally decided to leave on their own. However, they left a huge mess that now needs cleaned up.

What remains:

• Large volumes of accumulated trash
• Human waste
• DILAPIDATED RV
• old teardrop camper
• broke down truck
• Significant cleanup required before the land can be restored

This wasn’t a temporary inconvenience. It was two years of impact that now has to be reversed by hand.

The upside:
The situation is no longer ongoing. The damage has stopped. Now it’s just hard cleanup work.

Education Milestone: PSR Passed

A major personal and professional milestone:

The PSR (Professional Session Recording) was completed and passed with a mentor with strong results.

For context:

• A PSR is a recorded hypnotherapy session reviewed for competency
• It evaluates structure, safety, communication, and effectiveness
• Passing it confirms readiness for real client work at a higher level

This marks a solid step forward for Rooted Empowerment and the integration of therapeutic work into the farm’s mission.

Where Things Stand

This phase has been a mix of:

• Real wins (water system success, education progress)
• Real setbacks (clover damage, logistical disruptions)
• Real-world challenges (conflict, cleanup, protection of property)

And still—forward motion continues.

Immediate priorities:

• Replant clover before the seasonal window closes
• Prepare for bee arrival despite imperfect conditions
• Clear obstructions and restore access routes
• Continue greenhouse planting cycles

Nothing about this path is clean or easy. But it is working—piece by piece, system by system.

That’s how things out here get built.