The Big Picture
- Zach Roloff made a $1.6M offer for his family farm, which his father declined.
- Zach and Tori left Little People, Big World , citing rough family dynamics and a tough farm deal.
- Matt Roloff didn't sell the family farm to Zach or Jeremy, opting for a different path for his sons.
The Roloff family have shown their growth and changes in Little People, Big World since 2006. Zach Roloff and his wife, Tori, left the TLC reality show in season 25. Sadly, he left not on good terms with his father, Matt. Will the feud end in the future away from cameras? "I don't know. I mean, of course, he's the father and grandfather," Amy, Zach's mother and Matt's ex-wife, said in the finale.
"But I don't think they'll ever look at it as that father-son bonding relationship type of thing, no," she continued. However, Amy said she would help them reconnect in the future if needed. How did the tension between the father and son get this far? Let's break down their feud.
Matt Roloff of 'Little People, Big World' Didn't Give Zach the Farm
The family has a 100-acre farm in Oregon. The father acquired it in 1990 and had four kids with Amy. Amy sold 32 acres of it to Matt in 2020. Zach figured he'd inherit it as one of the eldest sons along with his twin,Jeremy. "We're all but decided that when I die we're giving whatever piece of the farm I still have to Amy," the 62-year-old father said in the season 16 premiere. He went on to say "It's too complicated" to give it to someone else.
Zach and Tori talked about buying part of the farm in season 22. They wanted to raise their three children there. His mother was shocked by this. "It was definitely a surprise," she said on the show. "I didn't know he was thinking about that. I know Jeremy has been thinking about it for quite some time. It suddenly changes how Matt and I look at this property."
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RelatedZach and Tori Roloff Bid Farewell to 'Little People, Big World' Amid Family Tensions
The couple exited the TLC series after 25 seasons.
The big house on the farm was rented to an employee, so the discussion was paused. However, Matt then put the 16-acre land and the 5,373-square-foot farmhouse on the market in May 2022, according to PEOPLE. The owner then turned the house into a short-term rental in partnership with ITrip Vacations in October of the same year.
The property is still available to rent as a vacation spot. Matt posted pictures of the rental this April on Instagram. "For any last minute spontaneous traveling types…- if you are looking for that once in a lifetime experience. … this coming weekend is still avail to book Roloff farms big house. Stay 3 nights in the exact same house that you’ve seen on tv the past 20+/ years…. After this weekend … it’s booked solid.. back to back Until June 9th. Best rates at www itrip dot net. @itrip_vacations," reads the caption of the post. Zach made an offer for the farm, and his father declined.
How Much Did Zach Roloff Offer For the Farm?
The father and son were in negotiations for a year. Matt put the portion of the farm on the market for $4 million and Zach offered $1.6 million. That difference was too much for the father to accept, even with a family discount. Jeremy also didn't move forward with buying the property. He instead bought a farm in 2022, complete with a trestle! This is a nod to his proposal to his wife.
"We’ve got a lot of work to do to bring our vision to life, but Jer and I are excited to finally have some space to get our feet dirty (literally) and bring our dreams of using land into reality," Jeremy's wife, Audrey wrote in an Instagram caption announcing their property. The couple have already left the show in 2019 and explained their decision to Access Hollywood. "Fourteen years is a long time to do anything, and I just reached a point where it was never something I really said ‘yes’ to, I just grew up doing it," he said. "And it's been amazing. If you asked me if I would do it all over again, I would say yes. And I think that says a lot about my experience. I wouldn't trade it for anything, but it’s a long time. Time to do something else."
The couple have a YouTube channel, a podcast, and have released books. Zach is now following in his brother's footsteps by leaving the show. But he and his wife gave a different reason for their departure, since they went through this family negotiation.
Why Did Zach and Tori Leave 'Little People, Big World?'
The married couple talked about leaving the hit reality TV show on the third episode of their YouTube Channel this February. "I think the chapter is closed regardless of us being asked back or not," Zach revealed. "We made it pretty clear we're done with that chapter for multiple reasons." He went on to say, "This last cycle was rough. Between the family, the farm deal, and we were done with it."
Tori revealed they no longer believed in Little People, Big World. That made it harder for them to film their last season. Zach was around 13 years old in season 1. The couple said they were hesitant to bring their relationship in front of the cameras. "I was your first girlfriend and I didn't want to be the one that's breaking Zach's heart on national television," Tori explained.
‘Little People, Big World’ Season 25 Cast Guide: Who’s Leaving the Show?
Zach and Tori Roloff officially say goodbye to the show.
They met through working on the Roloff farm, were friends, and started dating. They dated for four years before getting married in 2015. Tori claimed she changed her mind about filming when the family had a trip to Australia. The parents share three children named Jackson, Lilah, and Josiah. They said there were times the kids didn't want to film, which affected production and is another reason they decided not to return. They claimed production was receptive and let the children opt out of filming. "I, for me, though the pressure was still on," Zach said. "I knew what was happening. I knew a production day cost x amount of dollars."
He later addressed the tension with his family. "It's time to take a break, separate from my family, which is well documented," he said. "The farm deal went through and just other things in my opinion." Zach said, as the last remaining child of Matt and Amy on the show, the clock was "ticking." He didn't see things changing "the way they should have" and they were sticking to the "old way." Zach felt pressure to be the middle man between his divorced parents and was tired of talking about them. "No one does that at 30," he said.
Zach and Tori are happy with sharing their life in ways they can control, like on their social media and podcast. It's unknown whether Little People, Big World will be renewed for another season. Matt addressed this in a Facebook post and shared his theory. "Viewers want relationship drama and then resolutions," read part of the post. "The less relationship interactions are filmed together on camera the harder it is to produce the show - Chris and Caryn coming onboard a helped replace some family members." He believes the network is uncertain about the future and is probably waiting to see what happens with the family to see if there are any special opportunities or a format for another season.
The father also addressed why he didn't sell to either of his eldest sons. "As twins, they have always been super competitive but this was one situation that I couldn't let one win over the other," Matt wrote. "As a father it was extraordinarily complex and I can't say I handled it without some mistakes and missteps." He said that he loved all his children and grandchildren. The patriarch wrote that his heart is full seeing Zach and Jeremy find their way.
Little People, Big World can be streamed on Discovery Plus.
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