Our First Week Off-Grid: Wind, Snow, Sand & Lessons Learned
Looking back at our very first week on the land feels like stepping into another lifetime. It was October 2020 when we first arrived, ready to begin our off-grid journey in the New Mexico desert. Within just seven days, we were faced with a learning curve like no other—**intense winds, sudden snow, endless sand, curious cattle, and even the destruction of our first outdoor kitchen setup**.
But through it all, we had unforgettable sunsets, wide-open views, and the determination to keep moving forward. Every challenge became a lesson, shaping Ka-Hoon Campground and Event Center into what it is today.
Now, five years later, we’re celebrating that journey with something special:
📅 **Saturday, October 18th – 5th Anniversary Open Mic Night**
Join us in person, stay a few hours, book a campsite, or tune in live from home on our **Colquhoun Entertainment TikTok profile**.
We’ve come a long way from those first windy, sandy days, and we’re excited to share where the journey has taken us.
For more information, visit our website:
**http://www.plateauhamedecolquhoun.com**
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#OffGridLiving #DesertLife #TinyLiving #KaHoonCampground #HomesteadJourney
Tag: off-grid journey
From Tiny House to Off-Grid Life 🌵 Our First Step Toward Ka-Hoon Campground!
From Tiny House to Off-Grid Desert Life | Our First Art of Tiny Living Video
This vault video takes us back to the very beginning of *Art of Tiny Living*. Long before Ka-Hoon Campground and Event Center came to life, we were documenting our journey in a small semi off-grid tiny house in Minnesota.
We had lived part-time in the tiny home for a couple of years before going full-time for three more. The house was unique—it started as a retired fish house purchased from a resort, then transformed into our cozy cabin. We hauled our water, used a porta potty, but had electricity. With repairs, painting, and some building, it became our first real step toward an off-grid lifestyle.
When it came time to move to New Mexico, hauling it wasn’t cost-effective, so we sold the home to the Environmental Center where we worked. Today, it serves as a guest house and staff quarters.
On October 18, 2020, we officially arrived in New Mexico to begin our new chapter. Ka-Hoon Campground and Event Center is now our home, our passion, and the heart of our story.
Sit back, enjoy this throwback video, and follow along as we share more vault videos of our journey from tiny home living to desert off-grid adventures.
👉 Learn more about us and our business here:
http://www.plateauhamedecolquhoun.com
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#tinyliving #offgrid #KaHoonCampground #campinglife #desertlife
Why We Left Minnesota for the Desert 🌵 | Building Our Off-Grid Campground & Event Center Dream
Why We Chose New Mexico Over Minnesota for Our Campground and Event Center
When most people think of camping, they picture short seasonal getaways. In Minnesota, that’s exactly what we faced—a very limited camping season thanks to the long, cold winters. After spending time in New Mexico for seasonal work, we realized this desert landscape could offer something completely different: **year-round camping, events, and off-grid living.**
We started searching for the right property. A few pieces of land didn’t quite fit, but then we found one that checked every box: close enough to a major city for convenience, yet far enough away to enjoy peace, privacy, and open skies. Even better, the cost of this New Mexico property allowed us to purchase land and still have enough left over to start setting up right away.
Had we chosen the Minnesota property, we would have only been able to put down a mortgage—leaving nothing left to build our dream. Instead, New Mexico gave us freedom: to build, to host events, and to welcome campers all year long.
That’s how **Ka-Hoon Campground and Event Center** was born—a place where community, creativity, and camping come together under the desert stars.
West Mesa Ancestral Magic
We’ve been told the mesa holds ancient magic — a power that predates us all. Where it came from, I don’t know. But I believe it’s real. There’s something about this place that feels alive, almost sentient.
When I was a child, I visited my favorite museum on Mille Lacs Lake in Minnesota. It was there I met an old Sioux woman. She told me something that stayed with me my entire life — that where two rivers meet is sacred. Protected. Watched over by unseen forces.
Here on the West Mesa, we are flanked by rivers on both sides. And not far to the south, they meet. That energy — sacred and powerful — is in the land.
A very wise local man, someone we deeply respect and who’s lived here longer than anyone else we know, once told us something even more curious. He said the mesa itself has a will. It can approve of you… or reject you. And even if it approves, it still makes you work for your place here. You must prove yourself worthy to stay.
If the mesa doesn’t approve? Well, we’ve seen what happens.
Some people go mad — slowly at first, hanging on for years before their grip slips. As I like to say, their cheese finally slides off their cracker. Others unravel much faster. This place doesn’t just test you — it chooses you.
There is magic here. Ancestral magic. Whether it comes from the land, the rivers, the spirits, or something older — I may never truly know. But I respect it. And I know better than to ignore it.
Ka-Hoon Campground and Event Center 