Why I’m Building SimitianNest: Grow • Build • Live (In Public)
Most people start a farm website after they already have the farm.
I’m doing it the other way around.
I’m building SimitianNest now - before I own the land, before the first tree goes in the ground, before I know exactly what I’ll end up selling (maybe meat, maybe trout, maybe seedlings… I’m not locked in yet).
The goal is simple:
By the time I’m ready to grow food at scale - and eventually sell something - this won’t be a “brand new” site that nobody trusts.
It’ll be a working website with real history, real learning, real progress, and a real record of how I got there.
That’s what “in public” means.
What SimitianNest is
SimitianNest is a family homestead journey built around one idea:
Grow • Build • Live
Grow: food trees, gardens, soil, water, and anything that turns land into a place that feeds people
Build: the practical stuff - fencing, sheds, tools, layout, systems, mistakes, fixes
Live: the lifestyle - comfort, freedom, routine, and a future that feels like it’s yours
This isn’t going to be “perfect farm content.”
It’s going to be real steps, real decisions, and real tradeoffs.
Why I’m starting now (before I buy land)
Because the hardest part of any homestead dream is the part nobody posts about:
learning what actually matters when you’re buying land
learning what climate you can live in long-term
figuring out what food trees make sense where you’re looking
understanding the difference between land that looks pretty and land that works
And honestly… I don’t want to waste time.
I’d rather build the knowledge, the plan, and the site one piece at a time - so when I finally buy the property, I’m not starting from zero.
What I’m going to publish here
I’m planning to post every other day when I can - not because I’m rushing, but because consistency builds momentum.
Here’s what you’ll see on SimitianNest:
1) Land + location research (the foundation)
This is where everything starts.
I’ll share how I evaluate places based on:
weather comfort (not crazy hot, not crazy cold)
growing potential (zones, frost, rainfall)
practicality (water, drainage, access, utilities)
You’ll also see ZIP-code spotlights and “region shortlists,” because that’s how I’m thinking about land right now.
2) Food trees + orchard planning
A big part of my long-term plan is planting a lot of food trees.
That means I’ll be documenting:
what grows where
what fails (and why)
what I’m prioritizing first
what’s low maintenance vs high maintenance
3) Build projects and systems (once land is real)
When I buy land, this site becomes a working log:
fencing
layout
water systems
storage
basic structures
day-to-day solutions
Not “Pinterest builds.” Practical builds.
4) Eventually: products (when I’m ready)
I’m not selling anything right now.
But later, when I’m ready, I may sell something that fits the land and the system:
meat
trout
seedlings
maybe something else entirely
The point is: the site will already have trust, content, and a real story behind it.
What “Grow • Build • Live” means to me
This isn’t a motivational slogan.
It’s a filter for decisions.
Grow: Does this move me closer to producing food and building long-term value?
Build: Does this improve the property in a way that reduces future work?
Live: Does this support a lifestyle I can actually sustain for years?
If it doesn’t fit those three, I’m probably not doing it.
What’s coming next
To keep this site honest and useful, I’m going to publish the “boring but important” stuff first - the things that actually decide whether this works.
Here are the next posts I’m building:
The ZIP Code Homestead Scorecard (how I screen locations before I waste time)
Orchard-Ready Land Checklist (what land needs to have for food trees)
What I’m Doing Before I Buy Land (the first real steps)
If you’re following along
If you’re also thinking about land, food trees, or building a homestead lifestyle - you’re in the right place.
SimitianNest is going to be a long game.
I’m building it the same way I plan to build the farm:
one good decision at a time.