Retiring (sort of) On the Cheap

 Tortuga Thursday 

In 2012, on the plains of Northern Arizona, two families joined forces and began the trials and tribulations of building a small family farm with nothing in the bank but love.

Sadi and her doggies romp

Winter has definitely come to Tortuga Flats Farm. We're all hibernating, doing odd jobs that get put off when the fields are alive and growing. We do have life with the garlic, but it's below ground and hidden.

We still intend to vend at the Prescott Farmers' Market on Saturdays, weather permitting. As Frank says "we're pirates, not Eskimos!"

Now is the time of year that I might not post weekly unless something noteworthy happens. Just a heads up.

Welcome to the Lazy JR

Other news in the land of Tortuga is Frank and I have moved the RV to Tonto Basin. We're at the Lazy JR Ranch which is an over 55 park set in the trees on the edge of Tonto National Forest. It's a short walk down to Tonto Creek. We're in a beautiful basin surrounded by tall mountains and a short drive to the rim country of Arizona. Some of the

Down our road

residents are year round while others are winter visitors. We're on a small site that still accommodates the RV, boat, both cars, outdoor table and barbecue. We have our name on a waiting list for a bigger site that will cost another $5 a month. But as I understand it, we might have to wait for someone to die before a spot opens up. I've written a few murders in my books. Hmm...

As promised, I'll share the details for living on a dime. It took some research on Frank's part to find this place. There are some other sites in the Tonto Basin area but they charge a little more and aren't nearly as scenic. This place has a rustic feel to it. But they have a nice laundromat, an outdoor barbecue

The Laundromat

gathering area and a nice clubhouse. Most of all, the people are friendly. The owners live on-site too. Our site is $180 a month. It cost us that for a week in Laughlin. Retiring on a shoestring, if you don't mind RV living, is possible. We're 35 minutes out of Payson - a great little cowboy town for those not familiar. We're under 2 hours to the valley and major shopping. And what is great for Frank is the proximity to three lakes. For a fisherman, this is like the best spot in all of AZ. I'm throwing myself into my writing cave while he fishes. And for retiring without much moola, it's great.

Across the street and...

We're 3 hours from the farm through some of the most gorgeous

...all around us

country in Arizona so I don't mind the drive which we've been making once a week for the Farmers Market. It's about 10 degrees warmer here than Paulden. Yesterday we had snow all around us, literally minutes away. As the winter progresses, I'll share more about this style of RVing.