COOK— If you have an old bicycle or two taking up space in the garage, there’s an alternative to dumping them at a canister site the next time the cleaning mood strikes. Consider contacting TJ Smith, creator of Bikes In Need, Bikes Indeed (BIBI), who also owns and runs Valhalla Ridge Farm with his wife Kate in the countryside of Angora. For over a year, TJ has been taking old, broken, and decrepit bikes to fix and donate to anyone who needs or wants one.
TJ was inspired to start his self-run organization by his love for cycling and dislike of seeing things go to waste. He already has dozens of bicycles on his property, in all states of disrepair. Depending on what the bikes need, he may replace a few items like the pedal and chain, replace the seat, give the bike a new paint job, or do a complete overhaul. After refurbishing, TJ reaches out through word of mouth or his Facebook page to donate the bikes. He’ll also bring them to local events, like Orr’s July 3rd celebration, to give them away. The bicycle donations are for anyone, regardless of age or income. For TJ, it’s about the love of exercise, getting people out in nature to have fun and take care of themselves.
“I don’t care if they’re a millionaire. If ‘free’ is what it takes to get them on a bike, then great. I don’t care. As long as people are taking care of themselves and having fun on a bike. You can enjoy things on a bike.”
Growing up in Ramsey, TJ was a free-style cyclist, meaning he was a skilled rider who did tricks and went on tours. Even then, he noticed how many bicycles went to waste.
“Every year, there was a spring cleanup, and back then, all the neighbors just took their junk and threw it in the ditch. And from there, the garbage man came around and threw it in the garbage can,” TJ said. “I came around and started picking out a bicycle part, a frame, whatever. That was my passion and what got me into this.”
Now, years later, he’s doing something about it.
“Then I’m at the (Cook) transfer station one day, and all these Schwinn bikes are sitting atop the metal pile. I couldn’t get there because they had so much other metal, twisted metal, and you can’t climb on the piles. And it just made me sick. So, I started BIBI.”
When bikes are brought to the Cook transfer station, the employees set them aside for TJ, who now makes weekly pickups. Whenever a bike is unrepairable, he uses the parts from those bikes to fix others. He asks that those who bring bike donations to the Cook transfer station leave them across from the guard station rather than at the metal bin.
“I try to work on a bike a day,” said TJ. With the winter downtime, TJ plans to inventory the parts he has for the bikes and do some projects to make the conversions more efficient, like turning an old sauna into a spray paint booth.
TJ often gets special orders, like motorized bikes or someone wishing to change out their bike for a different type.
“As I’m doing these bikes, I think about the kid or the kids that are going to be riding and get a little background on the family, the kid’s favorite color, and see if I can incorporate the colors into the bike. This family of five, they brought over their own seats and wanted to trade up (the bikes), and I’m okay with that. Whatever keeps them on the road.” TJ said.
“I had so much fun riding bikes with my friends as a kid, and when I was giving away bikes at the Orr 3rd of July event, it brought me back, seeing those kids ride all over the place with the bikes. It gave me that feeling of ‘This is what it’s all about, giving back,’” TJ said.
Farm life and more
Enjoying things in nature is a passion TJ and his wife, Kate, share. The two bought a 100-acre piece of the woods outside Cook five years ago and have been homesteading and making it their own ever since.
The Smiths own several animals, including five dogs, two horses, chickens, and rabbits. Many of the animals that live on their farm have come to them by donation, as people downsized their own farms or were looking for a new home for a pet they could no longer care for. Animals are a big part of the Smiths’ lives, from training their dogs to interacting with the wildlife around their farm.
For the Smiths, daily life involves animal care, tending to their large garden, where they grow potatoes, squash, tomatoes, raspberries and much more, and foraging for plants and herbs. TJ built a greenhouse that houses Kate’s starter plants.
They have other jobs as well. Kate homeschools their 8-year-old son Sam while TJ works at Homestead Mills in Cook.
They’ve got bigger plans as well. They are currently clearing spots in the wooded areas of their property and setting them up to be future “hip camps.” Hip camping is a rustic accommodation similar to Airbnb in which a landowner rents out part or all of their property as private campsites. The Smiths plan to have these campsites ready to rent by next summer, with about a dozen spots available.
They’re also interested in using the farm as a site for foraging and gardening classes, inspirational retreats, and festivals.
Kate also makes more than 70 tinctures and teas from the plants and herbs she forages on her property and in various other places. Kate’s apothecary creations come in many varieties, from salves to loose-leaf teas, to tinctures that can be added to water. All are homemade by Kate and meant to be used as homeopathic remedies. These items can be purchased directly on the farm’s website or Facebook page and from the Smiths when they travel to area festivals that allow vendors.
Kate says she developed a love for living off the land from watching her uncle do the same.
“My uncle lived off the land, and that was the spark to my fire,” said Kate. “I would stay at his home as a child and help any way I could.”
“My favorite tinctures are Chaga and Ghost flower. I suffer from PTSD, anxiety, and pain from trauma after having 17 surgeries for many things…I use Ghost Flower to maintain and regulate stress and anxiety.” Kate said.
The couple runs two Facebook pages: the main Valhalla Ridge Farms page and a lifestyle page, Valhalla Ridge Farm learning and sharing homesteading skills, mainly run by Kate, where she shares posts, recipes, memes, and other information dedicated to homesteading, repurposing items, holistic healthcare, and life skills. They also recently launched their website, valhallaridgefarm.com, where people can contact them, read Kate’s blog, shop online for products, and learn more about the farm.
A passion shared by TJ and Kate is recycling: from the parts used on TJ’s bikes to the materials used in the greenhouse, almost everything on the Smith’s farm is made from recycled and repurposed materials. The only new materials used in their greenhouse were the nails and screws. They use repurposed materials in every project, from the raised beds in their garden to the truck they use to sell tinctures and teas at festivals.
In addition to all their future endeavors, the Smiths are looking for interns to help around the farm and learn homesteading skills. To take advantage of this opportunity, contact either Kate or TJ on their Facebook page. They also plan to build cabins in addition to the hip camps to accommodate visiting family members, guests camping for a few days, or interns staying to help around the property. Donations for BIBI can be made through Facebook Pay or on the online payment portals Venmo.com/u/Kate-Smith-456 or PayPal @paypal.me/Valhallaridgefarm01. Receipts can be sent as these are charitable donations.