Remote Island Homestead: Season Finale — Too Tired to Quit (Part 2) My Wild Holm S3 Ep36

After an unforgettable year on our remote island homestead, we’re racing against time — and the snow — to finish last-minute tasks before leaving. From planting hardy fruit trees to dealing with barge troubles, mechanical breakdowns, and even a badly injured hand… this one pushed us to the edge. But we’re too tired to quit!

Table of Contents

• Final Push Begins – Missed Planting Deadline
• Grapes, Blueberries & Raspberry Patch Expansion
• Barge Loading Drama Begins
• Did I Just Break the Ramp Chain?
• Did I Just Break My HAND??!!!?
• We Had to Sleep in the Truck
• Animal Visitor at the Hotel
• Checking Out a Hovercraft
• What’s Next for Our Remote Island Homestead

Final Push Begins – Missed Planting Deadline

We woke up to a damp, gray morning determined to finish what we started. We skipped our planned departure the previous day because the orchard still needed planting — apples, plums, and the final few trees waited in pots. Opal got her breakfast, the generator warmed things up, and we pressed on despite mud underfoot and the promise of snow in the air.

Planting at this time felt like embracing the experiment: the trees were dormant, and we knew they would need mulch removed from the trunks later to avoid inviting rodents. We kept our expectations realistic and focused on getting them into the ground before the lake iced over.

Grapes, Blueberries & Raspberry Patch Expansion

We carved out a new patch for grapes, blueberries, and raspberries. Ryan removed stumps and brought in native soil to pack around the roots. We planted hardy varieties — the Goodland and Norkent apples, a Brookgold plum — and placed young grapevines (Beta and Valiant) alongside Patriot and North Blue blueberries.

We mulched the new plantings and planned to extend the fenced area and add bird netting in spring. The goal is simple: build a reliable source of fresh fruit next season and continue our path toward SelfSufficientLiving and OffGridLife.

Barge Loading Drama Begins

With frost nipping and rain turning to sleet, it was time to load the barge. What started as routine packing quickly turned into a long night of maneuvering heavy loads up steep, bumpy hills. We had Pepper (our truck) and the Kubota to move; pallets, fuel tanks, and winter gear filled every spare inch.

Long hours and a slippery shoreline tested our patience. Still, we made good decisions about what had to come with us and what could be left—this is part of living on a remote property and mastering the logistics of OffGridLiving and DIYOffGrid transport.

Did I Just Break the Ramp Chain?

Halfway up the staging hill, the winch chain that secures the ramps let go. We heard it spin and watched the chain whip free — a tense moment that required a pry bar, improvised repairs, and a healthy dose of patience. Small equipment failures like this can snowball when you’re racing daylight and weather.

We re-strapped the load, double-checked tie-downs, and kept going. By then we knew this exit was going to be long and unpredictable, but giving up wasn’t in our vocabulary — we’re committed to making this remote homestead work no matter what it takes.

Did I Just Break My HAND??!!!?

During a winch mishap, the handle spun and struck Ryan’s hand. Blood, swelling, and vivid fear followed. It was the same hand that had suffered injuries a month prior, so we were especially cautious. Ice packs and some rest brought down much of the swelling, but it was another reminder that working in remote places demands both respect for tools and contingency planning.

Despite the pain and worry, we pressed on; a stable plan, extra patience, and the knowledge that we could adapt kept us moving. We are grateful every time we make it through a difficult day with the important things intact — our health, our home, and our optimism.

We Had to Sleep in the Truck

It was late. The ice on the docks made finishing impossible, so we parked, bundled up, and slept in the truck for a few hours. We had been working until 3:00 AM and needed every minute of rest we could get. When we woke, we faced a new problem — we’d misplaced the truck keys during the chaos.

Luckily we had a spare set. That little preparation saved us from a potential stranding. This is exactly why redundancy, planning, and a few reliable backups are essential to remote living and the broader goal of SelfSufficientLiving.

Animal Visitor at the Hotel

After leaving the island and settling into a hotel, we discovered someone — likely a bear — had torn into our storage bins, scattering rice and flour. It was a disappointing, messy reminder that wildlife is always part of the equation when you live near the wilderness.

We’re solving this with better storage: logistics crates with lids and straps to secure gear during seasonal absences. It’s another small upgrade that strengthens our off-grid setup and protects the food we rely on.

Checking Out a Hovercraft

To cap off the season, we looked at a 1975 Tiger Shark hovercraft built in Alaska. It was a romantic idea — a craft that could traverse mud, ice, and shallow water — but the project required more work than we were ready to commit. The aluminum subframe needed reinforcement and the fuel pump required improvisation for a start.

We left without the hovercraft, but the visit gave us inspiration for future transport solutions and reinforced our approach: weigh the labor required against practical needs and seasonal timelines.

What’s Next for Our Remote Island Homestead

Season three is wrapped up. We’re exhausted but energized by the progress: new fruit trees in the ground, a bigger berry patch sketched out, and lessons learned about hauling, winter prep, and equipment redundancy. We’ll fertilize and fence the berry area in spring, add bird netting, and look forward to a better harvest next year.

We’ll take a few days to rest, repair, and plan. In the meantime, you can follow our gear picks and tools at and browse our Amazon store. Join our community on Facebook and Instagram for updates and pop-up live chats.

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