Okay this post is designed to give you all the details we have up to this point about TSP-25.  Dates, presenters, new rules due to the new venue, some menu items and more.

Sign Up Time and Date 

We will drop the link to sign up in the Telegram Group and our Telegram Channel at 9AM CDT on this Saturday the 13th of September.  We are selling 85 spots, 35 more than previous years but I still expect a rapid sell out.  If you are not ready to go on time likely you won’t get in.  This is not marketing hype we have not had a sale last over 10 minutes since 2018!  We have not had one make 5 minutes since 2020!  Get on the Channel and be ready.  Note time is CENTRAL please adjust to your time zone accordingly.

Cost

$600 total cost, $200 at sign up and $400 due when you arrive.  Full instructions will be given once your deposit is confirmed.

Event Dates 

We are about one week earlier than typical this year because of how Thanksgiving lands much closer to the weekend of Veteran’s Day week.  So the dates of the workshop this year are Nov. 5-9.  As typical the 5th is a Wednesday the 5th for set up and social time, the actual class dates are Thursday the 6th – Saturday the 8th.  Students can camp over until Sunday the 9th and must be off property by noon that day.

Event Location

This years event is located at Camp Carter YMCA Camp.  It is 300 acres and just North of Fort Worth and just south of our personal homestead.  Distance from DFW airport by rental or Uber is about the exact same as to my house so if you are flying in you can expect about the same cost and time of travel.  The camp is 300 acres, has a pond you can fish in along with river access where you can also fish if you want.

You Can Learn More About Camp Carter Here

And here is a video over view with a lot of footage of the location and facilities.

Camping and Accommodations at Camp Carter

The camping area is nicely treed and a couple acres of nice flat ground that is easy to put a stake into for your tents.  OG TSP workshop folks will find that a big upgraded alone.  We also will have real showers, a beautiful hall for meals and presentations, real bathrooms and a lot more space then we have had on my small property.

Students that want to will be able to rent a bunk in one of the bunk houses.  These are 30 dollars a night and you can make those arrangements with the YMCA directly after you get your tickets if you want one.  To be clear these are “bunk houses”, twin beds that are done up as bunk beds.  Think boy scout camp, because that is what it is.  As always you can also get a near by hotel or AirBnB.  But you do have far more options this time.

Car camping is fine but you’ll be in a parking lot if you do so, no cars driving into the field.  We will have a wheel barrow so you can use it to move gear from your drop off location to where you pitch your tent if you need it.

RVs and Trailers 

Due to the nature of my property my policy has been none, the policy at YMCA will be some.   We have a parking lot we can use for RVs but there is a catch.  They must be small 22′ or less and we are limiting it to 8 total.  YMCA is making an exception here because Nov. is a slow time for them.  We do not wish to abuse it.  We may have full on RV parking next year but this is what we can do for now.

Two of the 8 spots are already claimed by staff members this year.  So six remain, after you book your spot, you can email me and ask to reserve a spot.  Again they must be under 22 feet, the limit will be 8 and no exceptions will be made.  I am sorry but this is what I can do this year.  There are some 110 outlets on the outside of a building and a hose bib to top tanks but this will be boon dock camping, NO GRAY OR BLACK WATER DUMPING.   Bring your own extension cords and hoses.  Also you will most likely need to drop your RV and park your vehicle separately given the space limitations.

Rules Due to the Venue

Guns – The biggest one that goes opposite to the past is guns.  There are to be no guns at the event.  This is not due to YMCA being anti 2A they even have a 22 rifle range on the location and supervised shoots.  This is due to their insurance limitations.  So I don’t want to see any guns at the event guys.  Got it?  This could cost us the entire event space.  This means if you want to barter guns bring PICTURES or something for barter blanket.  I think I am clear on what no guns here means, okay?

Alcohol – At my place you could just walk around with a drink anywhere.  To have alcohol we have to have TABC certified people on site, and we will.  We also must keep all drinking confined to the Dining Hall which is also the Presentation Area.  No one is going to ask you what is in your red solo cup but be SMART about that please.

Dogs – My policy was no dogs due to my animals and other past issues at my place.  The policy of YMCA is the same almost.  Certified service dogs on a leash at ALL TIMES are acceptable.  No other dogs are permitted.  Again this is an insurance liability issue, YMCA is not anti dog.

Kids & Family – I don’t care who you bring this time with some caveats.  Anyone attending classes or meals must be a paid student or staff.  But if you want family to come and hang out, do other stuff, fish, etc. all of that is fine.  But minor children must be supervised.  If you plan to do this you should check with me for more details about it.

Schedule – Who is Speaking and About What

We may move some times around if needed but this is the planned timing right now.  We have some new amazing folks this year like Sonny Puzikas and Alan Booker and many names you know well.  This is perhaps the most awesome line up ever.  Meals are left off the speaking schedule for brevity to an very long post.

Day One

• You are the Primary Prep – Andy McCann – 10:00 – 11:00
• Build Abundance Not Burnout – Nicole Sauce – 11:15 – 12:15
• An Introduction to Homestead Design – Nick Ferguson – 13:45 – 14:45
• Economics and Exponential Growth – Alan Booker – 15:00 – 16:00
• Home Food Production Panel – Nick Ferguson, Jack Spirko & Alan Booker -16:15 – 17:30
• Open Time (work in presentations, anyone can present) – 17:30 – 19:00
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Day Two

• Stop Complaining and Keep Going – Joel Ryals – 10:00 – 11:00
• Growing Mushrooms with Your Garbage – Jack Spirko – 11:15 – 12:15
• Creating Buildings that Work with Nature – Alan Booker – 13:45 – 14:45
• Dependence vs. Ownership, You Can’t Buy Competence – Sonny Puzikas – 15:00 – 16:00
• Building Passive Housing Panel – Chris Campomanes & Alan Booker – 16:15 – 17:15
• Open Time – 17:30 – 19:00
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Day Three

• Farm to Forest – Roy Ramey – 10:00 – 11:00
• How to Set Up and Use Start9 – Jesse Markowitz – 11:15 – 12:15
• The Edge You Want Starts Today – Patrick Roehrman – 13:45 – 14:30
• How to Read the News – John Pugliano – 14:45 – 15:30
• Playing It Safe on Taxes is the Real Danger – Matt Sercely – 15:45 – 16:45
• Open Time – 16:45 – 19:00
• Dinner – 19:00 – 20:00
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Meals and Menu

We will follow a similar menu to prior events with some new add ons this year.  Every day we serve three meals per day but we start simple and get better as the event moves on.  Here is the basic plan this year, full menu with more details will come closer to the event.

Day One – Breakfast will be a bagel bar with fruit and breakfast bars.  Bagel bar run by our own Chef Ken Daniels.  Lunch will be sandwiches you will build your own with your choice of meat, bread, cheese and toppings.  Dinner will be 1 inch thick center cut pork chops, smoked and sous vide by Jack himself.  Rubbed with a special sage salt brine.  It will also include stuffing and gravy as an acknowledgement to the coming holiday.

Day Two – Breakfast will be breakfast tacos with bacon, eggs, cheese and a toppings assortment.  Lunch is a build your own burger bar with lots of toppings.  Diner will be catered by Lupe Tortillas (sponsored by John Pugliano and Investable Wealth).  It will be chicken and steak fajitas cooked on site over hardwood. We switched to Lupe’s from Uncle Julio’s last year and the feed back was unanimous that it is a huge upgrade.

Day Three – Breakfast is biscuits, gravy, sausage and eggs.  Lunch will be beef tenderloin tamales and chili with toppings.  Dinner will be a meat lover’s feast with Jack’s Smoked Beef Chuck, Chef Tim Love’s Rattlesnake and Rabbit Sausage, Jacks Thai Chili Beef Home Made Sausage, Jacks THICK custom chili bacon and a few more surprises.

That is it until Saturday AM, if you have questions ask in the comments below.    Again the link drops at 9AM CDT on a Saturday the 13th.  Get on the Telegram Channel or Group NOW if you want a shot at it.

P.S. – If you have something very personally specific it will be better to email me with TSPC Event in the subject line vs. commenting below.  Especially if we have had some sort of past agreement on something specific like from a barter deal or something like that.