Note:

This is a Work in Progress. I'm playing this in my own game and thought others might enjoy it too. I have only started (the heir is currently an infant) so rules will continue to be added as I go.

I love the idea of Legacy Challenges but get bored after two or three generations.
I love the idea of Decades Challenge but don't want to use all the cc required to make it look historically accurate.
I love the idea of Rags to Riches but find it too easy after Sims get gardens, painting skill, etc. This challenge uses these concepts but has some twists to keep things interesting.
Disclaimer: I play with Mods and have most packs so I'm not sure if Mods are enabling some actions or if it is standard. Adjust the rules if any aren't feasible. The challenge focuses on Horse Ranch and Cottage Living but uses other packs (City Living, Eco Living, etc.).

Just have fun with it! If nothing else, I hope it gives you some ideas on how to make things more interesting for your gameplay. Please let me know what you think.

Homestead Challenge

Goal: Build and improve the homestead for ten generations. Your choice whether the heir is the first-born or the first male born.

Start with one Young Adult Sim.

Your choice on traits:
a. Rancher, Loves Outdoors, Animal Enthusiast to make it easier
b. Above but change one of the traits to something negative
c. Randomize
d. Whatever you want

Initial Lot Setup:

Seasons are Two weeks long. Keep Harvestfest, Winterfest and New Year's Eve. You can delete or keep other holidays. Set up one holiday per season (not per week) for Spring and Summer, your choice on the traditions but opening presents is always fun.

Aging On for Played and Unplayed Households.

To play on my lots (EA ID: Katira07) download and place in Chestnut Ridge:
Homesteader Micro Starter. Place on 64x64 lot. Change Lot Type to Generic and add Landfill challenge trait.
Rags Ranch Starter. Place on 20x20 lot.
Optional: Chestnut Savings & Loan. Download but do not place.

If you want to make your own lots, start with vacant lots. You will probably want to build a pond on your Homestead lot since there are not many places to fish in Chestnut Ridge.

You may play on any Time Span as you choose. In my game, I used MCCC to adjust Time Span as follows:
Newborn: 1
Infant: 5
Toddler: 5
Child: 7
Teen: 7-14 TBD
YA: 28
Adult: 28
Elder: 14

Rules for all Homesteaders

Must maintain the original cabin on the lot. Generation 1 can make minor changes when they first move in, e.g. change the roof, move the ladder, windows and doors. Future generations can repurpose it, but it must remain intact through all generations.

Each Homesteader must have one heir and at least one other child. (Most other children will be moving out to other worlds. They will have their own rules.)
The Heir's Last name should be family name (e.g. Adams). All other children should have last name be hyphenated Family and Spouse's name (e.g. Adams-Holiday).
(I like to name alphabetically for each generation, for instance Gen 1: Ambrose, Gen 2: Beckett, etc. but that's your choice)

Heir and spouse may not have a Career (too busy working on the homestead). Others in household can have part-time jobs or careers but must abide by travel rules (e.g. no Odd Jobs that require going to other worlds, Active Careers, etc.). Children can attend school. You can follow the heir to High School but other children should be sent on their own.

Spouses cannot bring any money with them. (Move them in with another family before marriage if they are living alone). They can bring a horse or pet if they have one.

You can play all Sims in the household but should focus on the primary homesteader.

You can switch aspirations and spend reward points as you choose.

You should try to play without cheats, but it's your game and it should be fun. (If I'm in the middle of something and the Sim gets sleepy, I have no problem cheating the need and keeping going.)

Travel:

Can only leave Chestnut Ridge once per week. Exception: In Generation 1, before moving to your homestead, you may travel to other Worlds as often as you want to collect wild plants, fish, etc.

San Myshuno: Can attend Spice Festival, Romance Festival, Humor and Hijinks festival OR Flea Market. Each counts as one trip per week. Cannot attend GeekCon until level 5 programming and video games, which can't occur until Off-the-Grid is removed and a computer is purchased.

Henford-on-Bagley: Can attend Finchwick Fair (this counts as your one trip per week, but can go from here to Romance festival if it occurs on same day). Can enter competitions.

Granite Falls: Can go for the day or camping for one night. If staying overnight, a young adult or teen must stay home to care for the animals (this counts as your one trip per week).

Special Items:
Can use Present Pile and rummage for decorations in Attic box once per season on the Holiday.
Can use or sell items from presents and rummaging but if you get an appliance that doesn't work off the grid before you have unlocked it you should sell it. You can use the proceeds to buy something usable.

Can use or sell items found from dumpster diving. Must place item in world before selling to prevent cheat from getting money for zero value items.

Generation 1 – Homesteader

Setup:
House 1: Start with zero dollars on 20x20 vacant lot or Rags Ranch Starter.
Lot challenges: Simple Living, Reduce & Recycle, and Prairie Grass. Optional: Off-the-Grid

House 2: Homesteader Micro Starter
Set to Generic so you can visit it to fish and dream about your future.
Lot challenges: Landfill, Filthy, Off-the-Grid, Simple Living, Reduce & Recycle, and Prairie Grass.

Furniture:
You will need to "build" your own furniture.

For items that can be built on the Woodworking Table, build and use those, e.g. Dining Table, Dining Chair, End Table, Mirror, Bathtub, etc..
For items that you cannot make on the Woodworking table, (beds, kitchen counters, rocking chairs, showers, etc.) , build an end table on the woodworking table. You can then sell to inventory and buy the actual item. Note the amount you earn. You can spend that much to purchase items. Use Horse Ranch or other rustic looking items when possible.

Any furniture and appliances that can be upgraded should be.


Horses

You should keep your first horse and raise at least one foal.

You can purchase an Age Up Treat and then age up Foals when they are at least three days old, have Temperament level 5 and are Good Friends with the Homesteader/Heir.

You can sell horses that you raise, rescue or purchase when they are level 5 in Temperament, at least level 2 in Agility, Jumping and Endurance and have won at least one competition.


Goals for House 1
1. Earn enough to buy or rescue and care for a horse. Begin training, entering competitions and doing community jobs.
There are no specific requirements on horse riding skills, but you probably want to focus on them and get your horse(s) well trained.
2. Work on leveling skills.
a. Priorities are Horse Riding, Gardening, Handiness.
b. Secondary priorities are Cooking, Fishing.
3. You can meet people and look for a spouse but you cannot get married or move anyone else in until later.
4. To Purchase a Nectar Maker, Reach level 10 Gardening (not required before you move, can be done later in House 2 if you prefer)
5. Earn 12,000 Simoleons to purchase Homestead.

Note: While on House 1 lot, you may build a small cabin (no larger than 34 squares, use Tiny Home Residential type, (32 squares for Micro perks makes it almost too easy. You might want to make it 34 to give a bit more challenge).

You should keep any furniture you make on the Woodworking table. You should "build" (see Furniture section) and purchase only Off-the-Grid appliances and lights (whether or not you use Off-the-Grid for House 1.

Before moving to your homestead, you may travel to other Worlds to collect wild plants and fish (will need to learn about fish to stock your Homestead pond).

Grow a garden, your choice if it is sheltered or not. Remember that trees will remain on the lot when you move.

If using Ranch Rags Starter, you may delete or move debug items at any time. It's just so it doesn't look so empty when starting out.

When you have enough to purchase the Homestead:

House 2: Change the lot type to Tiny Home Residential. Purchase the Lot. Keep your current furniture. Purchase Furnished.
Lot challenges: Filthy, Off-the-Grid, Simple Living, Reduce & Recycle, Prairie Grass.

If you already have more than 2,000 simoleons after purchasing the homestead, change your original 20x20 lot to Retail. Buy the retail lot and name it "Bank" Transfer all but 500 simoleons into it. You will not run it as a store. This is simply to make a reasonable starting amount for your homestead.

If you already have more 34,000 simoleons after moving into House 2, download Chestnut Savings & Loan, place on your original 20x20 lot and buy that.

In general, you should plan to save up for purchases you will need. Anytime you have over $500 simoleons, after purchasing what you want for current needs, put the extra in the bank. This should be thought of as paying back your parents for fronting you the money to start your homestead. Do not transfer any out until allowed in the rules. (Could make a penalty if you need to "take a loan" from the bank). You may visit your bank to order supplies on the computer.

You are allowed to "bend but not break" the rules to keep it within Tiny House Rules.
· You can build a second cabin, detached but connecting through a roofline portico to give you extra free space.
· You can put your bed in the loft (you may need to make roof adjustments when the spouse joins.
· You may make a greenhouse and/or horse barn made with roofing and dirt floor.
· You may build a root cellar on the original cabin with external entry.

Goals for House 2

1. Remove Filthy Lot Challenge: Reach level 10 Handiness to remove.
Filthy - For every 2 Handiness skill levels, remove one tree from the lot. (You need to chop down the trees to build the furniture and clear the land for farming)
When you reach level 10 Handiness, you may clear as many trees as you choose, but keep the old trucks, broken fence, dumpster, etc. for now.

2. Get married. In order to get married, you must:
a. Remove Filthy Lot Challenge
b. "Build" a double bed and fully upgrade it
c. Build a dining table and two chairs.
d. Buy a horse for your spouse if they don't bring one with them. (opposite sex from your first horse so you can breed them).
e. Buy a chicken coop, chicken, rooster, mini goat and mini sheep.

3. Before first baby arrives:
a. Add a washtub and clothesline. (Set baby to prefer cloth diapers when s/he arrives)
b. Acquire a rocking chair and Yarn basket

4. Before baby ages to Infant:
a. Build a bathtub.
b. "Build" an infant bed.

You will need to "build" (see Furniture section) a bed for each lifestage for your heir: Infant, Toddler, Child. as well as toy box, high chair, etc. You can use hand-me-downs for additional children unless you have two in the same lifestage at one time.

Miscellaneous

These can be done in any order and you may want to keep them throughout the generation to make it more interesting. Consider these as guidelines

6. Remove Simple Living:
a. Reach level 10 in Fishing and Cooking.
b. Prepare 5 meals with eggs and milk from your own animals.
c. Publish the Simple Living Cookbook after you make 15 meals. (Will need to go to the bank to use the computer.)

7. Remove Off-the-Grid
a. Upgrade Sink, Shower and Bathtub for Water Efficiency
b. Upgrade Stove and Refrigerator for Energy Efficiency
c. Purchase Wind Turbine and/or Solar
d. Purchase Frugal Reward Trait

8. Remove Reduce and Recycle and Dumpsters
a. Grow a Perfect Trash Plant

Feel free to make your own rules regarding division of labor but if you want historical accuracy:
a. The husband should do most of the building, fishing and caring for horses.
b. The wife should do most of the cooking, nectar making, laundry, knitting and caring for the kids.
c. They can share caring for small livestock and tending the garden
d. When children are old enough, they should take primary responsibility of caring for the animals.

During this generation, your Homestead should be no larger than 100 squares. However you should keep it as small as possible as long as possible, for instance don't add on until the second baby becomes an infant.

Some other ideas for Generation 1:

Mount and display one of each fish and one copy of each unique horse competition trophy,

Buy the best camera you can afford and level their photography skill. Have them take pictures of all family members and horses. Display them throughout the house. Upgrade the camera as you have money to do so.

Interview Roommates (alternative to Ranch Hand, could also be used to find spouse)

Create a Club, Invite Only. Make the homestead the Club Hangout
Include Trait Requirement of Horse Lover and Animal Enthusiast.
Activities are: Be Friendly with Club Members, Care for Animals, Clean, Fish.
Add members to Club (including spouse if they meet the requirements). Delete any that are married or bad compatibility or do things you don't like, (like smashing your kid's dollhouse).

OR: Find Single Sims in Manage Households and move in together. (I changed the Rental to Residential and added some beds).

The first one to be friends with both spouses, ask to move in. (Will need a bed for them).


Horse Riding Stable (alternative to selling horses)

Rather than selling horse, move someone (Sienna and Flapjack or another Sim) into Palomino Junction. Add more horse beds and "sell" to her after training the horses. Transfer them through households and have her "pay" for them that way.



To Be Continued….