Heather Brenner

5G isn't truly necessary for working remotely, even at a high end IT job.  We live off-grid in western Montana.  Achieving 4G cell service here requires a cell signal booster, so we use one of those, plus we have satellite internet, because reliable internet is necessary to our bread and butter.  Between the two, my husband works his Silicon Valley IT job from our Montana mountainside.  The plan is to pay the place off and get other major, one time expenditures out of the way, while developing other income streams, because he has been working IT for over 20 years and wants out of it--or maybe part time, as a very expen$ive consultant.

We know that we want to keep dairy animals, and will eventually want at least one cow, but are wondering whether or not we should start out with a dairy goat or two first, to get our feet wet. We have 40 acres that is mostly pasture.

IMO, about the most energy efficient and water efficient way to clean clothes is a wringer washer and clotheslines. My current washer is a 60 year old Maytag that was $5 at an auction. You can adjust agitating time and water use infinitely, to your own needs. My usual routine is to wash the next load in the rinse water from the last load, starting with the light clothes. Others wash all the loads in the same water, then rinse them all in the same water, but our stuff is generally to dirty for that to work well (we have 3 kids under 8, and we are building a homestead. Dirt is our constant companion. . )
Then, dry on the line. In freezing weather, I dry stuff that is needed soon on racks inside, the rest on the line outside. A pair of the really cheap fit-everyone winter gloves under a pair of rubber dish gloves does a fair job of allowing clothes hanging without frostbit fingers.

If you are hungry a bit east of Missoula, Parker's Restaurant in Drummond serves local beef, as 125 or so different kinds of burgers. I don't know what else is local/organic, but the couple that run it are a chef from San Francisco and his wife that got bitten by the Montana bug. Yummy burgers, some of the best homemade fries, ever, and friendly people.

This looks viable--in summer. In winter, it looks like a fancy way to commit suicide, for several different reasons.

Analysis of our situation and available materials has led us to the conclusion that we will be building a round, bermed, cordwood house this summer in the mountains between Drummond and Helmville, MT. If anyone has a yen to gain hands on experience, feel free to give us a yell.

We are planning to talk to the Small Wonders Futons folks when we need a mattress.
If anyone wants to get wool from the lady near Dillon, there is a woolen mill near Hall (between Drummond and Phillipsburg) that can do the cleaning and carding. https://www.sugarloafwool.com

I like the idea, but, being new to beekeeping AND new to the area AND I generally have 3 little kids in tow, I'm thinking catching a swarm is not the way for me to go this year.

Thank you! They look more suitable than anyone I found last night.

I'm building a top bar hive, and I think a shook swarm/package is probably my best option at this point. Do any of you have particular favorite places to buy such things? I'm in western MT, so a northerly place to buy bees would probably be best. Thanks!