What GROWS in Northern NEVADA? Another Fun ROAD TRIP! Could I Homestead in Northern Nevada?

[@MichelleG-zj5ot]

Hi there! It is important to note that last year, and also this year, are both some of the latest and most mild winters we have seen in years. Also, FYI, you are very close to the right name. It's actually the Wilbur D. May museum. My cousin got married there a few years ago, and it is indeed beautiful. There is also a small but VERY passionate "off grid" community here, loosely associated with the hippy/burner community. The rural areas around us are difficult to work on, but once built up CAN be done. The dirt is very hard so it takes some effort to get through the top layer, to the point where it can support some foundations on its own. I personally had to use a drill to get stakes into my ground for basic Christmas decorations. A lot of people install above-ground garden beds for that reason. There are also several local urban/community gardens I recommend checking out. They can educate you about the absolutely terrible nutrition in the soil. The farmers around us have had to cultivate their land for quite some time, and the Piute Indians used to call the ground something like "dirt rock." Water does not flow well into the the ground because of how hard-packed it is, which is probably why they had to install a vertical drop pipe for the water feature you saw. There is an agricultural college at UNR because we are surrounded by a lot of farm land, which takes some real know-how and education to do it well. There was a tree guy who we talked to once who said that we only have about 4% organic material in the soil here, which is why I asked him to drop off a ton of his wood chips to my small garden. He knew what he was talking about (WAY more than me) and appreciated that we were taking the wood chips and putting the organic material back into the soil. BTW, apparently most people anywhere can get free wood chips delivered to their driveway for free by local arborists who need to get rid of wood chips. Also, the hot air balloon races are out of this park. Good luck!! :)

[@jennifersutherland4705]

I realize this video was made a year or so ago. But as a native Nevadan, I really appreciate the effort you made to find beauty in this "desolate" environment. Bravo!! I'm sure that you've identified the Virginia creeper vines, Crab apple and Choke cherry trees by now but I thought I would add that info for anyone else watching. Thanks again and I hope you are thriving and creating a beautiful sanctuary for yourself!

[@OliveCityOasis]

Hi, Jennifer! Thanks so much for your comment! I'm happy you added that info here. I just *LOVE* the Virginia Creeper vines and plan to grow some on my perimeter metal fencing. Gorgeous fall color and great for privacy! I really *was* pleasantly surprised by the beauty that exists in Nevada, as well as the potential for more beauty with all that can grow there. I visited the area again just a few months ago in December 2022 (a few videos back now), and it was definitely colder! ☺️ Still, I saw so much I liked and so many possibilities for starting a new homestead there. 😊 I think Nevada is quite underrated in many ways!

[@OliveCityOasis]

Thanks so much for your comment - lots of interesting info! ❤ Sorry I left out the middle initial D. from the museum name. 😁 I agree wholeheartedly about using woodchips to build up soil fertility. I do that regularly here on my land in Northern California where we also have access to free arborist woodchips. I'm a huge fan of composting, too and my ducks, chickens, and sheep help out a lot with that! Agricultural colleges give some excellent regional advice, so good to know UNR has one. I'm still a couple of years away from finding new land and moving, as I've decided to stay here while my youngest completes community college. However, northern Nevada remains one of my top choices for relocation. In fact, I'm sure I'll be doing another road trip out there soon! ❤ Thanks again for your great comment! I appreciate it. 😊

[@MySliceOfHeavenoutdoors]

What a beautiful park, so much to see.

[@OliveCityOasis]

Yes, it was a wonderful discovery in Reno and a very relaxing and interesting afternoon. 😊

[@bristolveggiebeds5310]

Beautiful place to walk around!

[@OliveCityOasis]

Yes, it was a wonderful afternoon. Peaceful and inspiring. 😊

[@BrambleHillHomestead]

so beautiful. It looks so pleasant own there! Its starting to get quite cold up here in Western Canada, which is also its own kind of beautiful. But was sure nice to see your neck of the woods :) ~Erinn

[@OliveCityOasis]

Thanks so much! It was a great road trip with my son. The area we explored in northern Nevada is 4-5.5 hrs east of me here in northern California. It's also a completely different garden zone - Zone 6b-7a compared to my current hot and dry Zone 9b. 😮 I really enjoyed seeing what grows there, and now I'm super excited about moving my homestead there in another year or two. Quite a change, but I love a good challenge! ☺️ Also, I spent a summer in western Canada eons ago back in my college days and visited Alberta again a few years ago. Absolutely gorgeous up there!

[@nottherealmccoy4955]

Moving! What! I'm in shock, I've taken to my bed with the vapours....Exciting news, Kim, I did not see this coming! :)

[@OliveCityOasis]

Oh, you heard that, did you? I was wondering if anyone would notice. Yes, moving is definitely in my future. Could be as soon as a year, or it might be two or three, but it's *going* to happen. I've been 80-90% sure of this general plan for a couple of years, but I recently made the final decision, and it feels great to have a specific location in mind now. For one thing, it's really motivated me to get projects done around here that need doing before I put the place up for sale - like taking out my old pool. (My oldest son helped me demo it this week!) Another benefit is that knowing where I'm going, being able to picture it and research specifically, has removed all doubts from my mind. Now I'm just super excited about the future! ☺️ The new homestead I'm going to design and build *AND* the part-time traveling nomad life I'll finally be able to enjoy. 😎

[@nottherealmccoy4955]

@@OliveCityOasis Good for you, Kim, your plan sounds fantastic! Doing the same things repeatedly makes us stale & old before our time! New places, fresh challenges & adventures are exciting & invigourating, love it! :)

[@lauriemasters5596]

Hi, did you end up moving here? Reno is great and so is Carson City! Thank you

[@OliveCityOasis]

Yes, I love both of these cities and the surrounding areas. I'm still 90% sure I'll be moving there in about two years. Time for my youngest to graduate and me to make a few improvements to my home and sell it. 🙂 Still dreaming and planning!

[@OliveCityOasis]

Thanks for watching and commenting, Laurie! 😊

[@NdesFarmer]

👍

[@OliveCityOasis]

Thanks!

[@EMB-o9p]

Year round outdoor fruit, vegetable & herb gardening in Northern Nevada??? I'm not sure how accurate that is an I live in Minden, NV.

[@OliveCityOasis]

Hello there! You're correct that it would be quite difficult to grow a lot of year-round fruit & veggies in northern NV. Certainly nothing like my current year-round food forest here in Zone 9B northern California! 😎 In fact, that's actually one of the things that really *appealed* to me about the area just outside Reno, NV. As I mentioned in this video (around the 2-3 minute mark), it would be nice to take a *break* from gardening over the fall and winter and do some traveling and focus more on my writing. 😊 Of course, if I do move there (still thinking about it!), I'd still grow perennials like rhubarb and asparagus and plenty of fruit trees! I'd probably build a greenhouse, too. 😁

[@Oldandnewmoneypodcast]

I just si dived, I enjoyed your video. Im wanting to move to that same area . What city is it where we can have some sheep and goats? Along w great fruit trees? Thank you

[@OliveCityOasis]

Hello there.... Not sure if you're interested in northern Nevada (which is the area I showcased in this video) or in northern California (where I currently live). However, there are great places where you can grow fruit trees and gardens, as well as raise chickens, sheep, and other farm animals, in almost every state. Just requires a lot of time, effort, patience, and luck to find the best place for you. Best wishes!