Want partner for mineral bath business in south central NM

[duhneece]

I'm trying out an idea I've had for a long time. I have a couple of acres. It turns out that Native Americans used to mine salt near my home...no surprise our well water is salty. It also turns out that bathing in salt water clears up sinus passages...some say salt absorbs toxins as well.
I am an accountant, but am all thumbs when it comes to plumbing and maintenance. I'm not sure what it would cost to build a primitive starter bath...my property has electricity, but is pretty primitive otherwise.
I'd like to do retreats or workshops...see what happens organically. I want to sell the business in 5-10 years and use it as my retirement (instead of finding a job with pension).
I know this is too vague to be a business plan, but it's a start.
I have a romantic partner, but I'm looking for a business partner.
I'm part of a Peace and Justice group that is currently focused on addicts who should be getting treatment instead of incarceration.

[Fovea]

1. Not partner material

but questions you might ask yourself.

What is your well potential output per day?

What sort of sewer/septic systems are on site?
What sort of options for gray water and brown water
disposal.

This business will have a lot of water issues.
That will generate the core challenges for you business.

[duhneece]

2. Thanks!

Great questions.
There is a septic system on site.
I don't have the current well output figures as the well has not been used for 10 years or so. I had a whole-house Reverse Osmosis system once that 'wasted' 8 or 9 gallons of water to clean up one gallon. That's what made me think about a mineral bath business. I hated the waste of those8 or 9 gallons.
Because the water is salty, it can't be used on gardens, but it can be 'dumped' in the creek as the salt is 'natural' to the land (something like that, according to the State engineer)-

[Fovea]

3. Consider a few evap pans for bath salts.

with some plastic sheeting, you might get enough freshwater to water the plants you grow for aromatherapy.

This depends on output, but it sounds like you had spare capacity for that sort of system.

Your county extension office should be able to perform a chemical analysis of the water for you as well.

I have a friend whose parents have a sweat lodge on their Kansas farm. It gets a small steady stream of users throughout the year. Another who cash crops bees at a local winery. Multi product businesses are less fragile in rough times. There is a long rail trail in Missouri that has revitalized local river valley economies through tourism.

How is the general tourism environment where you live?

[duhneece]

4. Getting better

The general tourism is better (higher dollar) up north (Santa Fe, Taos), but I'm close to two ski and summer mountain resort areas, Ruidoso and Cloudcroft, and am surrounded by national forest. Rails to Trails is working to develop walking trails along old railroad lines and one rail line goes through the back of my property.
This morning I mentioned the concept to a woman who 'ran' the dance classes a grant used to offer our community and she's interested, so who knows?

[duhneece]

5. Your sharing of the Kansas sweat lodge success

Sometimes I feel too rural, too much of a hick to be a material, financial success in a small enterprise, but your success stories really boost my passion. Once I get that test done, maybe I can sell the bath 'salts' from the evaporated water.
I'd like to provide seminars, workshops in various healing modalities...
Thank you, realpolitic, for your insight and suggestions.