3 Years in a Tent | Episode 4

by girlseeksjoy · February 28, 2023

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3 years in a tent millennial pioneers podcast

Have you ever thought about pairing way down and living small? Here is an incredibly funny and super interesting interview with Sammy Davis about her experience living 3 years in a tent on a farm in central California.

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One of my most favorite memories that I have of Sammy and me together was a night my little family and her little family shared a meal together in their home. Sammy and I made dinner with twinkle lights and candles everywhere. There was a warm fire in the wood stove. And french cafe music serenaded us through the speakers. We chopped and laughed (per the usual) as little two-year-old Bennett played at our feet. Then as our husbands came in from outside, we all sat and ate an amazing meal, laughing and sharing stories.

Sound idyllic, as if it were out of a story? It felt like that to me. I remember saying to Sammy, “buddy, this is your life!”

And would you believe that this idyllic story all took place within the walls of a tent?

Sammy and her partner Casey spent almost 3 years living in a tent on a beautiful farm in Ojai Valley, CA. In this episode, Sammy answers some of the most fundamental questions, while also sharing and painting a vivid picture of some of her best moments in the tent…and some of the worst.

You’ll want to stick around to hear those.

In this episode we cover:

Basic logistics: what kind of tent, electricity, water, and where is the bathroom?
What sort of daily routine did you have in the tent that looked different than “normal life”
What that conversation went like when Casey asked Sammy to move into a tent
Different kinds of arguments you have when living in a tent
What was the best day? What were some of the worst?
What Sammy and Casey woke up to the sound of one morning, just outside their bedroom
and so much more…

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Here are so many amazing photos that Sammy shared with us from their 3 years in the tent. Baby Bennett even made a cameo in a couple of them. But you can see some beautiful images of their setup and the gardens they created around them.
Casey and Sammy talk more about living 3 years in a tent on Casey’s podcast The Sovereign Homestead. I’m so frustrated I didn’t get around to mentioning Casey’s podcast. But if you are interested in this lifestyle, his podcast is 100% a resource you want to have. Casey is one of the smartest people I have ever met and he’s such a wealth of information. Check out his podcast.
More about Casey’s work in permaculture design
Permaculture News, a great place to learn about and be inspired by permaculture
Casitas Valley Pastures – One of our farm friends now runs CVP, sustainable animal production in the Ojai valley (check them out if you’re in SB – they’re at the farmer’s markets)
The Biggest Little Farm movie– I loved this documentary so much. The cinematography was incredible. And it paints such a beautiful picture of how permaculture works while somehow being able to still appeal to the mainstream. Bravo…