♪ [MUSIC PLAYING] - WE'RE ON ROADS THAT WERE BUILT SO THAT A REALTOR COULD SELL LITTLE FIVE ACRE PLOTS OF LAND.

- THE MENTALITY IS STILL TO COME INTO COSTILLA COUNTY AND PURCHASE CHEAP LAND.

- THEY PROBABLY GOOGLED SOMETHING LIKE CHEAP LAND, COLORADO.

- THE REASON THAT I BOUGHT THE LAND THAT I DID, I'M NOT GOING TO LIE, THE LAND WAS CHEAP HERE.

- PREVIOUSLY ON COLORADO VOICES.

- HELLO.

I'M PLEASED YOU HAVE TAKEN THE TIME FROM YOUR BUSY SCHEDULE TO VIEW THIS VIDEO.

- WE ARE IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY IN COSTILLA COUNTY.

IN THE 1970S THE LAND WENT FROM AGRICULTURAL TO SUPPOSEDLY RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISIONS WITH THESE BIG TRACTS OF LAND BEING DIVIDED INTO FIVE ACRE PLOTS AND SOLD TO NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES.

THERE WERE TV ADS.

- OUR 35-ACRE PARCELS START AT $1,000 PER ACRE.

- BUT IT WAS THIS ERA OF LAND BY MAIL AND LOTS OF IT WAS SCAMMY.

- THE DEVELOPERS DIDN'T PUT IN ANY SERVICES AND INDEED THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION CAME AFTER THE PEOPLE WHO SUBDIVIDED THIS LAND.

THEY FORCED THEM TO OFFER REFUNDS TO ANYBODY WHO WANTED ONE.

- REALLY ONLY IN THE LAST TEN YEARS OR SO WHEN SOLAR PANELS GOT AFFORDABLE AND CITIES STARTED GETTING SUPER EXPENSIVE DID PEOPLE ACTUALLY USE THIS LAND TO LIVE ON.

- CALL 888-316-LAND.

- SO THEY SAY THE FIRST SUBDIVISION WAS OF THE SANGRE DE CRISTO LAND GRANT INTO THE COSTILLA ESTATE AND THE TRINCHERA ESTATE AND WE'RE NOW ON THE FORMER COSTILLA ESTATE.

WE'RE APPROACHING THE TOWN OF MESITA.

MESITA IS INTERESTING BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE PREPLANNED COMMUNITIES THAT THE COSTILLA LAND DEVELOPMENT COMPANY WANTED TO ATTRACT FARMERS TO FROM OUTSIDE COLORADO, AND SPECIFICALLY THEY WERE LOOKING TO ATTRACT GERMANS FROM IOWA AND THEY NAMED IT HAMBURG THINKING THAT WILL DO IT.

AND, IT DIDN'T WORK, BUT NOW IT'S -- YEAH, BLINK AND YOU'VE GONE THROUGH.

SO, LIKE A LOT OF THOSE TOWNS IT JUST SLOWLY WENT AWAY.

- I'M SURE EVERYTHING WAS TIED TO THE AVAILABILITY OF WATER WHICH WENT AWAY, IF IT WAS EVER EVEN THERE.

RANDOMLY YOU'LL COME ACROSS FOUNDATIONS SO THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT LIVED OUT HERE.

COSTILLA ESTATES OWNED ALL THIS.

THEY PLANNED ON BRINGING PEOPLE FROM EUROPE.

- THE COSTILLA ESTATE BECAME PRIVATE RANCHES AND WAS THEN PART OF A DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, AND EVENTUALLY SOLD SOME OF THIS LAND THAT WE'RE ON TO THE BANKERS TRUST COMPANY WHICH RAN A CATTLE AND SMALL AGRICULTURE OPERATION AROUND HERE.

- SO, LIKE, SAY I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THIS COMMUNITY.

- ALL THIS LAND BELONGED TO TROY AND HIS FAMILY.

IT WAS SORT OF THE CENTER OF THEIR CATTLE OPERATION.

- MY DAD WAS ONE OF THE LAST OF THE TRUE COWBOYS.

DAD MIGRATED HERE.

HE WAS BORN AND RAISED UP IN NORTHERN WYOMING AND MY MOM WAS A NATIVE OF ALAMOSA BUT SHE WAS TEACHING SCHOOL UP IN CODY, WYOMING AND SHE MET MY DAD AT A RODEO.

A FRIEND OF HERS INTRODUCED THEM AND AS OLD THE SAYING GOES THE REST IS HISTORY.

- THAT ABANDONED BUILDING WAS A BUNK HOUSE, THEN THIS OTHER BUILDING WITH THE METAL ROOF WAS THE MESS HALL.

TROY GREW UP IN A BUILDING THAT NO LONGER EXISTS TO THE LEFT OF ME AND NOW HE LIVES IN THIS HOUSE WITH THE BIGGEST TREE ON THE PRAIRIE.

- WE MOVED HERE IN, I WANT TO SAY, I AM POSITIVE IT WAS THE SPRING OF 72.

IT WAS AFTER IT WAS SUBDIVIDED OUT HERE BUT THERE WASN'T ANYONE OUT HERE.

WENT TO WORK FOR MY MOM AND DAD ON THE RANCH FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

DRIVING TRUCK IN THE WINTERTIME AND FARMING IN THE SUMMERTIME, AND THE OLD TIMERS THAT HAVE GROWN UP AND LIVED HERE THEIR ENTIRE LIVES, SAY, YEAH, PEOPLE COME HERE AND THEN THEY GET TOO BROKE TO LEAVE SO HERE WE ARE.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH -- PRETTY MUCH THE SIZE OF IT.

ALL THE SMALL RANCHERS AND FARMERS THAT USED TO GROW SOME HAY, GROW A FEW POTATOES, YOU KNOW, AND IT ALL JUST DISAPPEARED OVER THE YEARS AND THE BIG FARMS HAVE MOVED IN AND TAKEN OVER.

I LOVE IT HERE.

I MEAN, COURSE THIS IS HOME TO ME.

THIS IS PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY HOME I'VE EVER KNOWN.

I LIKE THE QUIET.

IT'S NOT AS QUIET AS IT WAS WHEN I GREW UP OUT HERE.

THAT'S FOR SURE.

- WE WILL SEE PLACES I'M USED TO BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN HERE FOR YEARS AND THEN NEW SETTLEMENTS THAT HAVE POPPED UP JUST OVER THE SUMMER BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN PEOPLE ARRIVE.

- IT'S GONE ON FOR YEARS.

IT JUST GOT MORE AND MORE EVERY YEAR.

GRACE NAILED IT, SHE SAYS IT BEST.

I MEAN, NEIGHBOR SEASON.

SHE IS LIKE, YEAH, WE'RE IN NEIGHBOR SEASON BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST START FLOCKING OUT HERE LIKE A BUNCH OF DISORIENTED TURKEYS.

- SOMETIMES THEY'LL LEAVE THEIR DWELLING ON IT IF IT'S A TRAILER OR THEY'LL HAVE STARTED TO BUILD A HOUSE AND THEY'LL LEAVE A FOUNDATION AND SOMETIMES THEY WON'T BE BACK UNTIL THE SPRING AND SOMETIMES THEY WILL NEVER BE BACK.

- THEN WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW OF THEM THAT ARE -- THEY'RE COMMITTED ENOUGH THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING DOWN ROOTS.

TECHNOLOGY HAS REALLY OPENED UP A WHOLE NEW FIELD AND A WHOLE NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO COME OUT HERE AND LIVE AND ACTUALLY EVEN WORK, GET SOLAR POWER AND WIND POWER AND WHAT NOT.

UP UNTIL PEOPLE STARTED MOVING HERE PRETTY MUCH THE ONLY THING THEY GOT OUT OF THIS -- THIS OLD ARID VAST EXPANSES OF LAND WERE JUST TAXES AND LAND TAXES WERE DIRT CHEAP ON IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST TOTALLY UNIMPROVED AND TO A CERTAIN DEGREE UNINHABITABLE.

- IN THE 1970S YOU WOULD COME OUT HERE AND REASONABLY IMAGINE THAT THIS WAS ALL GOING TO BECOME A SUBDIVISION, A COMMUNITY OF SOME KIND.

AND NOW IN THE 2020S, YOU CAN SEE IF THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FOR A LONG TIME.

I WANT TO JUST MAKE SURE I DON'T HAVE A FLAT.

I GUESS IT WAS MUD.

BACK WE GO.

I MEAN THERE'S A DYSTOPIAN ASPECT TO THIS AREA THAT WE'RE ON ROADS THAT WERE BUILT SO THAT A REALTOR COULD SELL LITTLE FIVE ACRE PLOTS OF LAND.

AND THAT -- SO THAT THE COUNTY COULD START COLLECTING TAXES ON THAT LAND.

YOU WILL FIND LOTS FOR SALE FOR $5,000.

THAT'S ONE OF THE GREAT APPEALS FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE PAID RENT AND UTILITIES AND GOTTEN BEHIND IN ALL THOSE THINGS.

YOU'RE YOUR OWN LANDLORD AND SO THAT IS THE STARTING FACT.

THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT IT'S REALLY HARD TO ACTUALLY LIVE OUT HERE.

MY SISTER IN DENVER TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD BEEN TO THE SAN LUIS VALLEY AND SEEN A PRESENTATION AT LA PUENTE ABOUT PEOPLE LIVING OFF GRID ON BARE BONES MINIMUM, RIGHT?

LIKE, PARKING THEIR RV ON PRAIRIE AND THEN ADDING A PLYWOOD ADDITION AND GETTING WATER FROM A SPRING AND I HAD NO IDEA PEOPLE WERE REALLY LIVING LIKE THIS IN COLORADO WHICH, MADE ME FEEL A LITTLE BIT IGNORANT BECAUSE I THINK IT HAPPENS IN SEVERAL PARTS OF THE STATE.

I'VE KIND OF RETURNED TO THIS APPROACH TIME AFTER TIME WHICH HAS BEEN CALLED IMMERSION WRITING OR IMMERSION JOURNALISM WHERE YOU'RE LEARNING NOT JUST BY PEOPLE'S ANSWERS BUT BY YOUR WHOLE EXPERIENCE AND YOU CAN BE PART OF THE STORY.

I THOUGHT AS JOURNALISM THIS HAS LOTS OF POTENTIAL.

IT'S SO DIFFERENT IN WAYS THAT I WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT.

WHEN I OPEN THIS DOOR, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE STUFF -- BOXES THAT I PUT HERE.

THIS IS THE CAMPER TRAILER I BOUGHT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO LIVE OUT ON THE FLATS WHEN I WAS STARTING WORK FOR LA PUENTE.

LA PUENTE IS A SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATION BASED IN ALAMOSA, IT WAS FOUNDED BY NUNS AS A HOMELESS SHELTER IN THE 70S.

IT WAS ONE OF THE NATION'S FIRST HOMELESS SHELTERS IN A RURAL AREA.

AND IT IS, 25 FEET LONG AND I RENTED A LITTLE PLOT OF LAND AT THE GRUBER FAMILY HOMESTEAD.

ONE OF MY FIRST DAYS OUT HERE ON THE PRAIRIE MY JOB WAS TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AS A VOLUNTEER FOR LA PUENTE AND I WOULD JUST DRIVE UP TO PEOPLE'S PROPERTY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, REALLY DON'T WANT YOU ON THEIR PROPERTY.

AND, I HADN'T QUITE FIGURED IT OUT AND I DROVE RIGHT UP TO THIS GUY'S CIRCLE OF TRAILERS AND THIS GUY PEEKED OUT.

HE HAD HIS HAND IN THE POCKET OF HIS HOODED SWEATSHIRT AND I THOUGHT OH THIS ISN'T GOOD.

I SAID, HEY, I'M TED FROM LA PUENTE AND HE GOES, YEAH?

WE CHAT A LITTLE AND THEN HE SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE EITHER REALLY BRAVE OR REALLY DUMB TO BE DRIVING DOWN A DRIVEWAY LIKE THIS.

I SAID, YEAH, PROBABLY REALLY DUMB.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OUT CASTS OF VARIOUS KINDS.

PEOPLE WITH WARRANTS OUT FOR THEM AND CONVICTED CHILD MOLESTERS.

THEY'RE A FEW LOTS AWAY FROM THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY, HOME SCHOOLING THEIR KIDS.

AND THERE ARE SQUATTERS AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT HERE WHO EVERYBODY KNOWS ARE INVOLVED IN DRUGS AND OFTEN THEY ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THINGS GOING MISSING FROM OUTSIDE YOUR PLACE.

YOU'RE LIMITED BY THE COST OF GASOLINE, GETTING IN TO TOWN AND BACK IS A HUGE BURDEN FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE.

OCCASIONALLY SOMEONE WILL GET A JOB IN A TOWN LIKE ANTONITO OR LA JARA OR MAYBE SAN LUIS BUT IT'S ALWAYS TENUOUS BECAUSE IF YOUR CAR BREAKS DOWN, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SHOW UP FOR WORK AND YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE YOUR JOB.

I'VE HEARD THAT STORY SO MANY TIMES.

I WAS A CASHIER AND MY CAR BROKE DOWN AND THAT WAS THAT.

LOCALS WILL TELL YOU THAT WHERE IT REALLY LOSES ITS LUSTER IS IN THE WINTER WHEN IT'S JUST COLD AND GRAY AND THE WIND IS BLOWING AND IT TAKES EXTRA MONEY TO STAY WARM AND LA PUENTE WAS RESPONDING TO THAT WHEN THEY STARTED THE PROGRAM THAT I VOLUNTEERED FOR.

THEY WERE NOTICING ALL THESE PEOPLE SHOWING UP AT THE SHELTER WHO WERE LIVING OUT ON THE FLATS AND SUDDENLY GOT COLD.

AND THEY HAVE TO COME INTO TOWN AND SO THEY TRIED TO PREVENT THAT KIND OF HOMELESSNESS WHICH ISN'T WHAT I EVER THOUGHT OF AS HOMELESSNESS BEFORE.

SEVERAL OF MY NEIGHBORS BOUGHT THEIR FIVE ACRES SITE UNSEEN.

RAINS WASH OUT THE ROADS ALL THE TIME AND THEY GET IN REALLY TERRIBLE SHAPE.

YOU MIGHT WONDER IF THIS IS EVEN A ROAD.

SOME OF THEM GET GIANT ANT HILLS, SOME OF THEM GET PRAIRIE DOG COLONIES IN THE MIDDLE AND YOU'LL SEE LITTLE HEADS POPPING UP AS YOU DRIVE DOWN.

- THEY LEARN THAT IT'S REAL EASY TO GET LOST.

- IT LOOKS A LOT THE SAME.

- AND IT'S HARD TO FIND YOUR PROPERTY.

- BUT I THINK I KNOW WHERE WE ARE.

- WELL, THAT'S WHAT GOOGLE IS FOR.

WHAT IF GOOGLE DON'T WORK?

- WE FIND THEM MISCELLANEOUSLY DRIVING UP AND DOWN ROADS CAUSE THEY KNOW THE ROAD THEIR PROPERTY IS ON BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO FIND IT.

- YOU KNOW WHAT?

THERE IS THE GRUBERS.

I TURNED ONE TURN TOO SOON.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK FOR VERY SUBTLE SIGNS.

I MISSED IT.

AND THEN ON THE LEFT IS THE GRUBER'S FIRST HOMESTEAD.

OUT HERE AND TO THE RIGHT OF IT, IS THE RV THAT THEY LIVED IN BEFORE THEY BOUGHT THE MOBILE HOME.

AND BEFORE THEY LIVED IN THE RV THEY LIVED IN A TENT AND FRIENDS OF THEIRS LIVED IN THIS ABANDONED SCHOOL BUS UP HERE.

- SO WE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR GOING ON EIGHT, ALMOST NINE YEARS.

WE LIVED IN NEW MEXICO AND MY HUSBAND WAS WORKING A LOT IN COLORADO AND TRAVELING AND SO WE TRAVELED THROUGH HERE AND I SAID ONE DAY I WOULD LIKE TO OWN LAND HERE AND JUST SO HAPPENED THAT WE ENDED UP OWNING LAND HERE LATER ON.

I WAS LOOKING FOR PROPERTY AND THEY FOUND A PROPERTY FOR PRETTY CHEAP.

BEING SELF SUFFICIENT KIND OF COMES WITH OWNING LAND.

IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY DREAM TO OWN PROPERTY AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE OUT HERE.

I WOULDN'T GO BACK.

THE REASON THAT I BOUGHT THE LAND THAT I DID, I'M NOT GOING TO LIE, THE LAND IS CHEAP HERE.

MY STEPDAD PASSED AWAY AND LEFT ME AN INHERITANCE SO I PUT A TRAILER ON IT AND THEN OUR FRIEND WHO OWNED THIS PROPERTY ENDED UP HAVING DIAGNOSED WITH SOME SERIOUS MEDICAL STUFF SO WE HAVE BEEN BUYING IT FROM HIM AND NOW WE'RE ALMOST PAID OFF ON IT.

BEEN HERE EVER SINCE.

I LIKE OUR VIEW OVER HERE BETTER THAN AT THE OTHER PLACE.

I GET TO SEE UTE MOUNTAIN.

THAT'S WHY WE BUILT THE LIVING ROOM THE WAY WE DID WITH ALL THE WINDOWS.

THESE ARE ROCKS THAT WE'VE WENT AND FOUND.

I'M TAKING THEM AND CUTTING THEM AND POLISHING THEM.

THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT KINDS.

THERE'S FROM FLOURITE TO GRANITE TO QUARTZ.

IT'S A DAILY LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

EVEN IF YOU'VE BEEN HERE NINE YEARS THERE'S STILL THINGS THAT YOU'RE LEARNING EVERY DAY, SO.

THESE ARE THOSE GEODES THAT WE WENT -- - OH MY GOSH, INCREDIBLE.

- I HAVE FIVE DAUGHTERS.

MY OLDEST IS TRINITY AND SHE WILL BE 18 IN DECEMBER.

WE'VE ALWAYS LIVED LIKE OUTSIDE OF TOWN.

MY KIDS HAVE ALWAYS LIVED ON FARMS OR KIND OF OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND WHEN WE HAVE LIVED IN TOWN THEY HATE IT.

SO.

- IT WAS AN ADJUSTMENT PERIOD AT FIRST WHEN WE MOVED OUT HERE BUT MY KIDS LOVE TO GO CAMPING AND HIKING.

THEY LIKE TO BE OUTDOORS.

THEY ALWAYS HAVE SO WHEN WE FIRST MOVED OUT HERE IT WAS LIKE AN EXTENDED CAMPING TRIP.

IT GOT ROUGH THE FIRST WINTER WHEN YOU HAVE FIVE PEOPLE IN AN RV THAT HAS A LOFT UPSTAIRS THAT THREE KIDS ARE SLEEPING ON AND THEN YOU HAVE MOM AND DAD IN THE BACK ROOM AND CAUSE WE PUT THEM UP ON THE LOFT BECAUSE IT WAS CLOSER TO THE FIREPLACE.

IT'S BEEN A LITTLE HARD.

WE STARTED HOME SCHOOLING BEFORE WE EVEN EVER MOVED OUT HERE.

WE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE SCHOOL.

MOST OF THE GIRLS, ONCE THEY GET TO A CERTAIN AGE WHEN THEY'RE LIKE I WANT TO DO THIS WHEN I GET OLDER AND IF THEY ARE REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT IT, I'LL HELP THEM START LEARNING ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE DO HOME SCHOOL, YOU KNOW.

WE DO OUR REGULAR HOME SCHOOL THAT YOU'RE REQUIRED TO AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE EXTRA TIME TO OTHER THINGS LIKE ALL MY GIRLS KNOW HOW TO HELP BUILD.

ALL THE GIRLS KNOW HOW TO HELP WORK ON MACHINERY OR VEHICLES.

THEY ALL KNOW HOW TO COOK.

THEY ALL KNOW HOW TO CHOP FIREWOOD.

WE'RE NOT LIKE PREPPERS OR ANYTHING BUT I KNOW THAT IF ANYTHING BAD WERE TO HAPPEN MY KIDS WOULD BE ABLE TO SURVIVE WITHOUT ALL THE NECESSITIES THAT PEOPLE NEED IN TOWN.

IT IS NOT LIKE WE DON'T HAVE THAT.

I HAVE A TV I HAVE A REFRIGERATOR.

I HAVE A STOVE.

I HAVE A FIREPLACE.

I HAVE HOT WATER.

WE HAVE POWER.

YOU KNOW?

WE JUST GET IT A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

WE HAVE SOLAR AND IF OUR SOLAR POWER WON'T PUSH IT THEN WE RUN A GENERATOR LIKE WHEN I RUN THE WASHING MACHINE, I RUN THE GENERATOR AND RUN THE WASHER OFF OF IT.

DURING THE COLD MONTHS I DO HAVE TO GO TO THE LAUNDROMAT BECAUSE EVERYTHING OUT HERE FREEZES.

NOT EVERYBODY CAN MAKE IT OUT HERE.

I SEE SO MANY PEOPLE EVERY YEAR COME IN AND THROW THEIR LITTLE SHACKS UP OR RV'S UP AND THEN START ROLLING BACK OUT OR THE COUNTY COMES OUT AND RUNS THEM OUT AND THEN THE PRAIRIE DOGS COME AND START TEARING THEIR PLACES APART AND IT GOES BACK TO NORMAL FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND THEN THE CYCLE STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN.

AND EVERY YEAR THE WEATHER IS DIFFERENT SO IT'S NEVER A REPLICA OF LAST YEAR YOU CAN'T BE LIKE OH WELL IT'S GOING TO BE MONSOON SEASON THIS TIME OF YEAR IT IS DIFFERENT EVERY YEAR, LIKE IT'S SO GREEN THIS YEAR I'VE NEVER SEEN IT THIS GREEN THE WHOLE TIME THAT WE'VE BEEN HERE WE'VE NEVER SEEN IT THIS GREEN.

SO, WE'RE NESTLED IN BETWEEN MOUNTAINS.

IF WE GO OUT HERE AND WE STAND WE CAN SEE MOUNTAINS ALL THE WAY AROUND US.

YOU CAN SEE FOR MILES.

THERE'S WILDLIFE OUT HERE, LIKE, I HATE THE LACK OF TREES.

I WILL SAY THAT.

I WISH THERE WERE MORE TREES BUT IT IS BEAUTIFUL.

THERE ARE SOME STRANGE PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUT HERE BUT WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE.

WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY COOL NEIGHBORS THAT LIVE AROUND US AND WE KIND OF HAVE A LITTLE COMMUNITY AND I GET ALL THE KIDS TOGETHER THAT LIVE OUT HERE.

I THINK -- 17 AND MAYBE 18.

SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE ON DISABILITY AND THEY DON'T GET MUCH.

THEY BARELY MAKE THEIR LAND PAYMENT AND OTHER PEOPLE WORK THEIR BUTTS OFF AND STILL DON'T HAVE MUCH.

LIKE LIVING OUT HERE MAKES YOU A LITTLE MORE OPEN TO SOME THINGS LIKE WHEREAS YOU MIGHT SEE SOMEBODY WHO LIVES OUT HERE ISN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS THE CLEANEST AND I'M NOT TALKING EVERYBODY BUT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHOWER EVERY DAY.

AND INSTEAD OF BEING LIKE JUDGMENTAL OF THOSE PEOPLE YOU KIND OF LEARN TO ACCEPT THEM AND FOR WHO THEY ARE AND NOT THEIR APPEARANCE.

I DON'T TRY TO DRESS TO IMPRESS ANYMORE.

LIKE, I LIVE OUT HERE.

I GROW MY VEGGIES.

I TEACH MY KIDS, PLAY WITH OUR ANIMALS.

YOU KNOW?

THERE'S MORE TO LIFE THAN JUDGING PEOPLE AND TRYING TO IMPRESS PEOPLE.

LIKE EVERYBODY THAT I WANT TO IMPRESS IS PRETTY MUCH HERE IN MY HOUSEHOLD.

CAUSE I HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT JUDGE US FOR -- FAMILY JUDGES US FOR LIVING OFF GRID AND HOME SCHOOLING.

THEY'RE LIKE, YOUR KIDS AREN'T GETTING WHAT THEY NEED.

WELL NO, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT.

MY KIDS ARE GET WHAT THEY NEED.

THEY GET THEIR HANDS IN THE DIRT.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN TOWN LIKE THAT ARE JUDGMENTAL ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LIVE OUT HERE AND THEY WANT TO STEREOTYPE BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO DID GET IN TROUBLE FOR CERTAIN THINGS OUT HERE SO JUST BECAUSE THEY DID IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERYBODY ELSE WHO LIVES OUT HERE DID IT.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO COME OUT HERE AND JUST LITERALLY THROW UP A PLYWOOD SHACK, PARK AN RV IN IT AND CALL IT GOOD.

WHEN THE WEATHER SETS IN AND IT'S COLD AND YOU HAVE TO GET UP EVERY COUPLE HOURS AND STOKE YOUR STOVE AND PEOPLE DON'T STOP BY AND YOU CAN'T GO OUTSIDE AND WORK IN YOUR GARDEN, CABIN FEVER SETS IN.

- THE FIRST THING I THINK PEOPLE LEARN IS HOW COLD IT GETS IN THE WINTER.

- NO.

- IT'S A TRICK.

YOU ARE OUT HERE.

IT'S SUMMER.

- THEY LEARN TO TAKE ADVICE.

IT'S THE DESERT.

THERE'S CACTUS.

IT'S 90 DEGREES.

YOU'RE SWEATING ALL DAY, YOU'RE HOT AT NIGHT.

AND THEN ALL THE SUDDEN NOVEMBER COMES AND THEN IT GOES -- AND EVERYONE IS LIKE I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD GET THIS COLD AND IT'S LIKE WE'RE AT 8,000-FOOT.

WE'RE NOT IN THE MOUNTAINS BUT WE'RE IN THE MOUNTAINS, PEOPLE.

SOME PEOPLE DON'T DO A LOT OF HOMEWORK BEFORE THEY GET OUT HERE.

YOU KNOW, THEY LIVE IN DENVER.

THEY FIGURE THAT'S COLORADO WEATHER.

THEY'RE GOING TO COME HERE; IT IS GOING TO BE THE SAME.

IT NEVER IS.

SOME PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO TAKE YOUR ADVICE AND LISTEN AND THEN THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE THAT JUST-- THEY'RE LIKE YEP, WE GOT THIS AND THEY'RE THE ONES THAT ARE MOVING OUT IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, THEY'RE PACKING THEIR STUFF AND MOVING.

- MOST OF THE TIME YOU CAN TELL WHO IS GOING TO BE A -- WHO IS GOING TO STAY AND WHO IS NOT GOING TO NOT STAY.

I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THAT'S 100% RIGHT ALL THE TIME BUT MOST OF THE TIME YOU CAN TELL WHO IS NOT GOING TO MAKE IT.

- THE SIX PEOPLE THAT LIVE OVER THAT WAY WERE BETTING MONEY -- THEY HAD A POOL GOING ON HOW LONG WE WERE GOING TO LAST BEFORE WE MOVED OUT.

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE HAD THREE KIDS AND SHE WAS PREGNANT.

SO, THEY FIGURED IT WASN'T GOING TO LAST.

- I WAS SEVEN MONTHS PREGNANT.

SOME OF THEM ONLY GAVE US LIKE A COUPLE WEEKS.

LIKE, WHEN OUR CARS BROKE DOWN, WE WOULD GET A RIDE TO TOWN FROM THEM.

- OR IF WE WERE RUNNING LOW ON GROCERIES.

- BORROW GAS BUT NOT VERY OFTEN.

IT IS A WEIRD THING OUT HERE.

SOME PEOPLE WILL HELP YOU AND DO SOME THINGS AND OTHER PEOPLE JUST GIVE YOU ADVICE AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE, LET YOU GO AND SEE HOW YOU MAKE IT.

AND THAT'S -- I THINK IT IS PART OF THE PRAIRIE THING YOU DON'T WANT TO HELP SOMEONE THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE HERE FOREVER.

SO WHY INVEST ALL YOUR TIME INTO HELPING THEM FOR THE SUMMER AND THEN THEY JUST TURN AROUND AND TAKE OFF.

SOMEBODY DON'T HAVE FIREWOOD EVEN IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH OURSELVES WE'LL SHARE OUR FIRE WOOD.

- BECAUSE I DON'T WANT MY NEIGHBOR TO FREEZE TO DEATH.

- YEAH.

THERE'S BEEN PEOPLE THAT HAVE FROZE TO DEATH OUT HERE IN THEIR HOUSES.

THERE'S A FAMILY OUT HERE THAT HAD THEIR ROOF FALL IN ON THEM BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T BUILD THEIR HOUSE VERY GOOD.

THEY JUST BUILT A SHACK THERE'S A GUY THAT LIVED OVER BY OUR OTHER HOUSE, HE HAD FROST BITE ON HIS NOSE AND ON HIS LIPS.

HE LIVED IN THE SHACK THAT WAS DOWN OFF-- - THE ONE THAT BLEW DOWN.

- AND -- HIS WHOLE FACE WAS JUST -- HE-- - ANOTHER GUY'S HOUSE BURNED UP AND HE DIED INSIDE OF IT BECAUSE OF THE PROPANE EXPLOSION.

- THAT'S SARGE.

- YEAH.

SARGE.

THERE WAS A -- A GIRL COUPLE THAT HAD A TIRE HOME OUT HERE SOMEWHERE AND IT BURNED DOWN.

- IT WAS HALFWAY UNDERGROUND AND THEY OPEN HAD THE ONE ENTRANCE AND THE FIRE COLLAPSED THE ROOF IN FRONT OF THE ENTRANCE AND THEY DIED OF SMOKE INHALATION.

- WE REALLY DON'T WANT NEIGHBORS BUT IF YOU ARE ALL GOING TO BE HERE WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HELP YOU TO KEEP YOU BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

- THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE VALLEY.

IT EITHER SUCKS YOU IN OR IT SPITS YOU OUT.

I MEAN, IT IS WHY IT'S KNOWN AS THE LAND OF THE BROKEN DREAMS.

- SO THERE'S BEEN VARIOUS TIMES SINCE I'VE KNOWN YOU WHEN YOU'VE HAD PEOPLE STAYING HERE JUST BECAUSE THEY NEEDED A PLACE.

- THE HOME OF THE STRAYS.

I'M THE HOME OF THE STRAYS.

YES, YOU CAN SAY IT.

STRAY DOGS.

STRAY PEOPLE.

- YOU ALREADY HAVE A LOT OF MOUTHS TO FEED BUT YOU ALWAYS SEEM ABLE TO FEED ANOTHER AND THAT GOES FOR DOGS TOO.

- WE FIGURE IT OUT.

I FIGURE IT OUT.

I ALWAYS FIGURE IT OUT, SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER.

SO, WE HOSTED TED AND IT WAS AWESOME.

THE KIDS ENJOYED SEEING HIM EVERY TIME HE CAME UP.

SO WHEN HE TOLD US HE WAS GETTING HIS PLACE WE KIND OF KNEW THAT HE LIKED IT OUT HERE BUT WE WERE LIKE YEAH, WE KIND OF KNEW THAT HE LIKED IT BUT NOW -- NOW IT'S CONFIRMED, TED IS -- TED CAN'T LEAVE US.

- WE ARE EAST OF THE RIO GRANDE RIVER IN THE SUBDIVISION CALLED RIO GRANDE RANCHES.

WE'RE ON MY FIVE ACRES OF IT WHERE I TRY TO SPEND TIME EVERY COUPLE MONTHS, THIS IS THE MOUSE PROOFING THE METAL SKIRT AND THEN THIS VOLCANIC ROCK WHICH APPARENTLY MICE DON'T LIKE TO WALK ON.

I LIKE BOTH PARTS OF MY LIFE.

I LIKE BOTH OF MY LIVES.

THE VALLEY HAS SO MUCH GOING ON AND IT IS SO DIFFERENT FROM MY LIFE IN NEW YORK.

SO YEAH, THIS IS THE BUILDING OF DEADLY VARMINTS.

I LOVE COMING OUT HERE AND HOW RELAXING IT USUALLY IS AND ALL THE SPACE AND THE LOW EXPENSE AND THE DIFFERENT SOCIAL WORLD.

I REALLY LIKE A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS.

YOU FEEL THE WIND BLOW AND YOU FEEL THE SUNSHINE AND YOU -- YOU'RE EXPERIENCING A DIFFERENT KIND OF LIFE.

BUT THEN WHEN I'M IN NEW YORK I GET ENERGY OUT OF THAT AND I CAN MAKE A MUCH BETTER LIVING OUT THERE AND MY WIFE IS THERE.

IT IS TWO SIDES OF A COIN AND I LIKE THEM BOTH.

♪ [MUSIC PLAYING]