Portable homes with a light development footprint are gaining popularity, and Issa Wild is hoping to be at the forefront of the movement.

“Some of the most outstanding challenges in our communities today are affordable housing, availability of fresh food and isolation from nature’s ecosystems,” Wild said.

His new business, Cascadia Homesteads, offers tiny homes on wheels and accessories for homesteading, permaculture and bioremediation. The business offers structures that can plug into your existing water, power and septic systems or small-scale systems that are entirely off-grid.

Wild is combining his knowledge of farming and carpentry to fulfill his ultimate vision: portable homesteads that can be delivered anywhere in the Northwest. The moveable packages can include a tiny house on wheels, greenhouse, chicken coop, beehive kits, goat sheds, bat boxes, fruit trees and raised garden beds.

All of the accessories can be purchased separately. When ordering a packaged homestead, buyers can choose as many options as they want. The houses range from 80 to 400 square feet. Cascadia Homesteads will offer homeowners private financing from local investors.

“We want to provide affordable housing and keep as much money here locally as possible,” he said.

Wild grew up on his family’s 6,000-acre commercial farm in central California and moved to Orcas 10 years ago. He and wife Erin Quies are expecting their first child – a girl – in April.

Wild runs a small farm, and retreat center on 10 acres off Pinneo Road. Two of his mentors  are Gulliver Rankin of Natural Home Builders and George Orser of Orcas Farm. At his property, Wild and his employees offer workshops on planting and garden design, animal husbandry, permaculture and yoga.

In the future, he hopes for more alternative waste management options to be approved by the county. Wild says Portland, Ore. is currently leading the way in allowing low-cost alternative waste management such as greywater and “humanure” systems with bioremediation, a practice that uses plants and bacteria to process waste.

This spring and summer, Wild will have a booth at the farmers market to sell produce, display some of the homesteading accessories and educate potential buyers about his company’s offerings.

For more information, visit www.cascadiahomesteads.com, call 472-0022 or email info@cascadiahomesteads.com.