Part of this journey is choosing where I can actually live the life I’m trying to build. California has made that harder over the years. My insurance situation is one of the biggest reasons I’m leaving. In many areas, the only option left is California FAIR Plan, and it’s expensive, limited, and unreliable. I just can’t do this anymore.
On top of that, California’s rules around plants, trees, and agricultural materials make simple homesteading incredibly difficult. Many nurseries won’t ship here at all. Some varieties are blocked entirely. Even harmless fruit trees, grape vines, or berry plants get tangled up in restrictions, inspections, or outright bans. Trying to bring in the plants I need or want for my orchard or garden often turns into a maze of regulations, delays, or “not allowed to ship to California.”
It’s frustrating to want to grow your own food and be told you can’t even order the plants.
The bureaucracy touches everything — from insurance to land use, to what you’re allowed to import. It feels like every simple step requires permission, paperwork, or a workaround. I want a homestead where I can plant what I need, build what I need, and live simply without fighting the system at every turn.
That’s why I’m selling and starting over. I want a place where a small homestead is welcomed, not restricted. A place where I can bring in fruit trees, grains, vines, and heritage plants without worrying about shipping bans. A place where insurance is normal, not a crisis. A place where the land and the laws actually support the life I’m trying to build.
This dream homestead deserves a home where it can grow — and that means leaving California behind.
SMALL HOMESTEAD by the river 