About 45 minutes from the nearest grocery store—and down roads that become impassable when it rains—Chris and Willy are living in a home that has to function entirely on its own.

When they bought this off-grid Earthship, it had been abandoned for years, which made it affordable—but also meant taking on a place that needed to be rebuilt, understood, and slowly brought back into operation.

Set directly into a wash (a desert floodplain), the home is designed to work with the landscape rather than against it. When heavy monsoon rains come, water rushes through like a river—captured by the house, stored in cisterns (up to 4,400 gallons), used for daily needs, and then cycled back through indoor gardens as greywater before returning to the land.

Powered entirely by solar panels and batteries, the house operates off-grid in every sense. There are no utilities out here—no water, no electricity, no services—so everything has to be handled on-site.

Inside, much of the home is buried underground, helping regulate temperature in a climate that can reach 120°F+. A massive indoor greenhouse anchors the space, growing bananas, grapes, guava, and seasonal vegetables, while also playing a role in heating, cooling, and water reuse.

Outside, the system extends into a full small-scale farm. They raise their own meat—goats, chickens, and rabbits—while also using goats for milk, chickens for eggs, and rabbits for fur. It’s a complete protein system, alongside the vegetables they grow and preserve themselves.

When they first moved in, none of this was working. They camped inside with headlamps, dealing with pests and an empty shell of a structure, and began learning everything from scratch—plumbing, solar, adobe construction, ventilation systems, and food production. Over time, they’ve turned it into a fully functioning home.

Like most Earthships, it’s still a work in progress. They’re currently working toward replacing an aging roof, improving cooling systems, and continuing to adapt the house year by year. They also open the space to others—offering tours and free campsites for travelers willing to help out—making the project collaborative and constantly evolving.

Out here, when the rain comes, you’re either stuck inside or cut off from the outside world. It’s a place that makes one thing very clear: if you live here, you have to be able to take care of everything yourself.