After watching and listening to Tuesday night’s theocratic meeting on Zoom, something settled in my mind. My late husband isn’t holding me here anymore, but the familiarity is. I realized I don’t want to start over in a new place or get to know a new congregation from scratch. I’m still planning to sell my house in April, but I’m not leaving the area. Instead, I’m going to try to find something in Hornbrook CA so I can be closer to everything — especially my congregation. I won’t be isolated. I’ll be able to get to meetings in person and go out in field service again.
I’ve mentioned parts of my shed plan in my blog before, but I want to explain it more clearly, because people often don’t understand how a shed can qualify for a building permit. And before I get into the technical side, I want to explain why I’m choosing this route.
At my age, some might think it’s foolish to build something using a shed. Or to try to build a house at all. But for me, it’s the only realistic way to own the place where I live — and owning my home is non‑negotiable. Cost is the biggest factor. I looked seriously at manufactured homes, but once I added up everything — the home itself, delivery, setup, permits, utilities, and the financing — it simply wasn’t feasible. I would have needed credit, which means another mortgage. That’s not the direction I want to go.
The other piece of this puzzle is land. In Siskiyou County, especially around Hornbrook, there are still small parcels that come up for $4,000 or less. They’re not fancy, but they’re manageable. And that price range is what makes this entire plan possible. If land were $40,000, I wouldn’t be able to do any of this. But with low‑cost parcels, I can buy the land outright and put my money into the structure and utilities instead of into debt.
And I’m not just looking for any parcel — I’m still planning on one acre, because I want to keep goats. That’s been part of my long‑term plan all along. One acre gives me enough room for a small home, a garden, and a proper goat setup with paddocks and a lane. I don’t need a huge farm; I just need enough space to do rotational grazing and grow the roots and greens they thrive on. Hornbrook has parcels that fit that size and price.
A shed, in this context, changes everything. I can pay cash for the shed itself. I’ll hire out the foundation, and I can do the interior work myself. I’ll need help installing the windows, and I’ll need guidance with the plumbing and electrical, but the bulk of the work is manageable and within my abilities.
I’ll be using Old Hickory Buildings, and these are not just garden sheds. They’re built surprisingly close to home standards, and when you order one, you can upgrade the structure, so it meets the requirements the county looks for.
With the upgrades I’m choosing, the shed will have: • 16″ on‑center wall studs and rafters (standard residential spacing) • 3/4″ tongue‑and‑groove plywood flooring (house‑grade subfloor) • engineered trusses • full framing lumber • proper wall and roof sheathing • 8′ walls • 60 PSF roof snow load rating • house wrap • and I can also get engineered plans for the building itself.
These are the parts the county actually cares about when deciding whether a shed shell can be permitted. Once the structure meets residential spacing, load requirements, and framing standards, the county allows it to be finished as a small home — at least based on everything I’ve learned so far.
The other part of the plan is utilities. I won’t be able to afford a well right away, but I can afford to get the septic system installed. My plan is to install the septic first, then use a water storage tank and have water delivered until I can afford a well later on.
So, the shed isn’t “just a shed.” It’s a pre‑built structure that I’m upgrading to residential standards, with a legal foundation, a permitted septic system, and a workable water setup. Combined with the fact that land prices in Hornbrook are still within reach — and that I can still have my one acre and my goats — this is the most practical, realistic path for me to stay in the area I love and remain close to my congregation.
SMALL HOMESTEAD by the river 