All seven varieties of Blue Agave are loving the Carrizo life and are going into their second winter healthy and strong.
We started with this experimental garden of 19 and are now setting up rabbit fencing around a one acre plot that will hold 968 plants.
​Any suggestions on what we call our Mezcal and/or Tequila in about 10 years? (We can’t call it Mezcal or Tequila;-)

Kam and I spent a couple nights at the Hideout this week to get a few projects done on the tiny house.
We were so glad to see that the smoke had cleared and we could once again see all the way up to Soda Lake and across the valley to the Temblor Range. 
Just as we were cresting the hill into our little valley, we had front row seats to watch a Coyote in pursuit of a Jackrabbit, with a magnificent Golden Eagle following just 2-10' above, hoping to share the meal, but the jack finally made it to its burrow to live another day. A once in a lifetime experience for Kam and I, while just another day on the Carrizo Plain.

I finally got the hot water working at the kitchen sink!
Brought up and installed the drop down writing desk, hung some shelves and installed the water closet ceiling panel. Mom made this beautiful Roman Shade for the kitchen window. Thanks Mom!!!
With all of the fires, the air quality is pretty bad right now and I can just barely make out the Temblor Mountain range across the valley, but the temps have subsided and it is so peaceful up here this week.

Still aways away from harvest and distillation, but these Blue Agaves that Doug Richardson gave us to plant at the Hideout are loving the Carrizo summer. 
I met a farmer a couple years ago that farms the Agave at La Paloma Ranch and decided that I wanted to try some myself.
I have now discovered https://venturaspirits.com has distilled La Paloma Tequila as well as Wilder Gin, which is distilled using Juniper berries. This year the Junipers at the Hideout have more berries than I have ever seen!
How about some Hideout Gin to go with our future Carrizo Tequila? 

Temperatures have risen this past month and summer is officially here at the Rideout Hideout.
Sunsets and Sunrises are magical, the California Quail presented their second brood now that hunting season is over and I just watched a mother Quail chase off a Roadrunner this past week.
I sold the '89 Honda Pilot after a couple last runs, mostly due to liability concerns and terrain damage. This cart was too much fun, but only a matter of time before one of us got seriously hurt.
The tiny house is getting the finishing touches and so fitting that the photo of Grandma Betty now looks over us while we enjoy her legacy.
Finally wired up the inverter and have 110V at all of the interior and exterior outlets. Kameron and I finished up the deck guardrail and I am just about complete on the interior trim.
The Agave, Palo Verde trees and newly planted Mexican Cherry Trees are all loving life in the Carrizo Plain.

The world is a strange place all of a sudden, and we have taken advantage of this time to spend time up in Carrizo. 
The wildflowers are fading now and the plains are reverting to normal shades of brown. 
The tiny house has been getting closer to completion, while spending time with Chris and Kam in the tranquility of North America's Serengeti.

What started out to be just a little storage shed at the hideout, evolved into what will surely be one of the coolest and coziest Tiny Homes ever built (at least in Carrizo). 
It's been a lot of fun learning how to build off-grid and scaled-down. 
I would love to do more of these tiny builds! 

I just returned from a couple days at the hideout to meet my buddies (and their two sons) to finish off the tiny house porch/deck. Thank you Josh and Joey! It looks amazing and I know will entertain for many years to come. A special thanks to David for setting the new footings that not only supported the deck, but will also “hold down the fort”.
I also took up a few experimental Agave species that I believe will do very well with this climate. I have been studying farming them and consulted with Doug Richardson on which species to try and he will continue coaching for the next few years. Fun new hobby!