Lets talk about off grid simple living

One of the young men who works with my husband lives in a lovely cabin he built. He lives 40 miles out of town. He heats with wood and propane. He does have electricity from the grid but the long term plans include a wind generator and solar panels. It is not possible to drill a well so he is saving for a cistern and catchment system. But he will always have to pay to have the tanks filled. Right now he can go to the district fire station and fill his many bottles of water. He gets the water for free because he is a volunteer firefighter and also volunteers to drive the snow plow for his area. I think he qualifies as off grid.

I think it comes from having an overdeveloped political agenda, some hear "off grid" or "non-GMO" and jump in swinging.

grandma you just keep on keeping on . . . . . . .
Because it is folks with your kind of "attitude" that are going to survive when and if the fan hits the feces . . . . . . .
And long before that 'fan' makes a monster mess you will have a personal satisfaction--of the more simple living-- that is priceless...............

This is a very inspiring thread for me. Through several strokes of excellent luck, my husband and I have managed to buy some land, and have just gotten the shell of out little 16x20 house up on it. In two weeks, we're moving up there permanently. We have no electricity or plumbing, no fences, no stock, no nothing. It's going to be rough at first, but we're excited, and determined to make it work. It's good to see that others here have started just as small, and managed fine.

I do kind of get a major chuckle from those who, peering down their nose, proclaim themselves to be "off grid" because they have solar panels. Each solar panel, in it's manufacter, used more energy than it will produce in it's lifetime, as of the last time I checked, and storage batteries are products of mining, chemistry, manufacturing, etc. out there in the industrialised world. Solar panels and the like actually are net CONSUMERS of energy.

I'm certainly not looking down my nose at those who use them, and they are a great tool for getting one out of the clutches of the power comany and powering remote sites, but let's be real. It's not a "self sustaining" lifestyle, because neither the panels nor the batteries last forever, and few of them are purchased with "farm earned" dollars, either the first time, or the replacements. Neither do they arrive on wings of fire, but are carried to location by fossil fuel burning trucks.

Purist rants fall mostly on deaf ears, as well they should, because most homesteaders are doing exactly what they want to do and how they want to do it, and if that is one's goal, stone throwers are mostly slinging marshmellows....Joe

One story about the way we are doing things is this winter when the electricity went out for a time. I came to work the next day and was asked how long ours was out? It wasn't at all. Didn't even have a clue others were without power. Definately a PRO to our little system.

LOL . . . I can hear it now; . . . "The power was out and I couldn't use my hair dryer" "And the coffee maker and micro-wave didn't work so I couldn't have breakfast"

poor baby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Formerly true.......

http://www.popsci.com/science/articl...icity-they-use

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[QUOTE=joebill;6565332]I
I'm certainly not looking down my nose at those who use them, and they are a great tool for getting one out of the clutches of the power comany and powering remote sites, but let's be real. It's not a "self sustaining" lifestyle, because neither the panels nor the batteries last forever, and few of them are purchased with "farm earned" dollars, either the first time, or the replacements. Neither do they arrive on wings of fire, but are carried to location by fossil fuel burning trucks.

This is true but everyone who strives to be self sustaining or off grid will still be connected to the grid of humanity in some way. Even the pioneers who settled the west (and many homesteaders strive for this lifestyle) were not disconnected since they used kerosene or whale oil and bought the goods they could not make themselves. And today most people who have cisterns have them made out of fibre glass or plastic. Should they not try to have a cistern (self sufficient water supply) because it took energy to make one in the first place?

"This is true but everyone who strives to be self sustaining or off grid will still be connected to the grid of humanity in some way. Even the pioneers who settled the west (and many homesteaders strive for this lifestyle) were not disconnected since they used kerosene or whale oil and bought the goods they could not make themselves. And today most people who have cisterns have them made out of fibre glass or plastic. Should they not try to have a cistern (self sufficient water supply) because it took energy to make one in the first place?[/QUOTE]"

I think you missed my point. My post was in response to #17 post where he said;

"Perhaps a huge investment in solar panels and a chainsaw would allow you to cut the bond you have to propane."

As though propane use carried some sort of disgrace, while investing a "huge" amount" in a chainsaw and solar panels did not. Your point and mine are pretty much the same. While I would build a cistern from rock if I were doing it, I still can't make cement for the mortor. I have to buy it, and those who DO make it consume a LOT of energy.

My point is that the supposed "purists" who try to tear others down are no more self sufficient than anyone else, but usually ill-informed about that which they are speaking...Joe

Lurker de-cloches to make first time comment:

The only way to be truly off-grid and totally SELF sufficient or SELF reliant is to appear naked in a deserted location and make a go of it. Without any contact with anyone or anything made by man - ever. Make it own your own with NOTHING. Anything less is a compromise. Period.

We all make compromises to suit our needs and desires. We are social beings and are made to live in communities and family units. Only the truly self-sufficient person noted above has the right to say anything negative to anyone. The goal is to preserve some of our dwindling resources for future generations by living lightly on the land while still enjoying life.

We should applaud each other efforts, learning, sharing, and adapting examples given to our own situations.

DH and I live in a stick build house with a well, septic, and propane. We are connected to the grid by electricity, phone, and cable/internet. We have a generator to supplement when we are taken off the grid by the annual ice storms here in the PNW. We do the greenhouse, hoop house, big ass garden, and orchard (fruit & nut) thing. Goal list for the next year or two includes chickens, expanding the orchard crops, researching solar and wind turbines, and learning various skills.

Some of my compromises include: driving a hybrid car to work on my 50 mile round trip commute, watching TV, surfing the internet for homestead and gardening info, public utility electricity, factory made feminine hygiene products, and using commercially mail soaps to wash my factory made clothing in the second hand washing machine (I hate the whole scrubbing in a stream thing).

But, we compost everything, pee in the garden often, and eat home grown veggies. Sorry to say that we can them using factory made pressure canners and factory made canning jars.

But hey, we are living lighter on the land than we ever have and having fun to boot.

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You pee in the garden ?!

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“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Barry Goldwater.
III

Why not? the Jolly Green Giant peas in the valley!

If you pee in the garden, stay a safe distance from the plants, and away from the edible roots and edible greens.

now I know why my potato's taste funny

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Pee should be used at 50% dilution as a nitrogen boost early in the growing season when it is too cold for standard nitrogen fertilizer to be used. Never too close to harvest. Kind of like fish emulsion in concept. Other than that I have DH pee around the perimeter of the garden to discourage rabbits and rodents. Has something to do with testosterone.

But, we should hi-jack this thread with "bathroom" humor.

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Seize the Moment, for Today's Tomorrow Will Soon Be Yesterday.

It has been decried by her honor janet napoleon that all who pee in their gardens are terrorist.