Choosing an Off-The-Grid Lifestyle
posted by Roarke | May 10, 2010
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IcerocketFive years ago my wife and I moved from a large metropolitan area to a small, remote western area, in the mountains and have developed an off the grid homestead. We are practicing self sufficiency, conservation, organic gardening, and learning to live more simply. We miss nothing of our previous urban lifestyle. We have unplugged from the television and most other mainstream medias. We do not own cell phones any longer, when like many others we considered them a "life line." We can our own vegetables and meat, harvest our own firewood for heating and cooking, and learn as many skills as possible each year to bring us closer to being 100% self-sufficient. It is a struggle in the twenty-first century, but even though we downsized our home, we increased our property, have clean air and clean water and a minimum of electronic noise surrounding us. Its not for everyone, but it can be done if you take the time to study your choices and get in touch with what you want out of life. We no longer have the stress of commuting, the stress of high density populations, the stress of an abundance of bills and expenses. I was amazed at how the practice of off the grid living could be so detoxifying. I can think more clearly, I have less headaches, I work more physically but have fewer back problems now. there are many positive differences living this way that suburban/urban dwellers discount or ridicule. We used to tell many people about where we live and how great it is, but now we don't. If we get a stop light in the middle of town, well, I guess we'll have to move. lol.
Comments
More info please
— May 10, 2010
Did you get started with any specific books or information outlets you could recommend?
What is the daily routine of an off-the-grid family? Do you still hold full time jobs?
How far out in the boonies are you and how could you deal with emergencies?
Thanks for the inspiring post.
I hope this helps
— May 11, 2010
I have mentioned once or twice that I would give a reference bibliography that I used while researching material to help us decide to live off the grid and what it might entail. Here is that list. For every book listed here, I have probably read 3-4 times as many books on the subjects.
Many "old timers" here don't put much stock in "book learnin'" and I have to admit even though I went to college and got a teaching degree, I have to agree with them from their point of view. So why list the reference books?
Its a place to start, a quick way to gain basic and accumulative knowledge in a short period of time as opposed to a lifetime's worth of experience. That comes after the decision making. So without further adieu, my suggested reading list for living off the grid self sufficiently.
"The Good Life" by Scott and Helen Nearing
"The joy of Simple Living" by Jeff Davidson
"Voluntary Simplicity" by Duyane Elgin
"Foxfire" series of books, edited by Elliot Wigginton and his students
"Freedom Encyclopedia" by Bill Kaysing
"The Owner Built Homestead" by Ken Kerns
"The Hand Sculpted House" by Evans-Smith-Smiley
"Home Work" by LLoyd Kahn
"Self Sufficient Life and How to Live it" by John Seymore
Storey's "Basic Country Skills" by John and Martha Storey
"The Road Back to Nature" by Masanobu Fukuoka
These are the core. I have listed them because I have found more contemporary volumes to be lacking in the basics and philosophy concerning living this way. Too much attention has been given to sensationalism and not enough to how to live differently. Life is not fiction.
As I read these books and others, I was struck by how a rudimentary lifestyle can be so full of creativity, philosophy, spirituality, and LIFE.
After reading these books and others suggested by them, I believe you will also.
Explore, don't be afraid, don't be paralytically cynical. There are alternatives, seek them out. Choose what's best for you.
My wife works part time now, I freelance but do most of the heavy outside chores.
We live seven miles out side of a remote rural mountain town.
As for emergencies, living this way demands you take more responsibility with your well being and how you go about doing things. There are always catastrophies that can happen any where, if a forest fire takes our home, we'll just rebuild.
I'll be posting more blogs here about our endeavors so stay tuned.
yes and no...
— May 11, 2010
Yes there are many here that practice off the grid, self sufficient living, but not as many as I expected given the natural resources. At one time everyone here lived this way due to the times and economy. Now I'd say its less than 10%.
I'll say this, we are one of a scant handful of transplants here that live off the grid, and even fewer our age. The others that do, have done so all their lives so its nothing special to them.
sounds great
— May 11, 2010
you didnt mention what the impetus or catalyst was for this move, if there was one
Its never just one thing.
— May 11, 2010
short answer, its never just one thing. I'll be posting more about it in later blogs so stay tuned.
Fantasy and Fiction
— May 11, 2010
Just see how "novel" an ordinary life of simple survival appears to have become ...
Thank you SO much for this!
— May 11, 2010
Thank you SO much for this! I find this very inspiring, as I have a dream of someday (hopefully soon) living off the grid as well. Unfortunately, a lot of people just don't get it. A lot of people just say things like, "Oh my god, you want to go live in a tree?" or something like that. And as this post shows, you can live off the grid and still be part of society as long as you at least have Internet access. Thank you.
hahahaha, I like you....LOL.
— May 11, 2010
Its not the technology, its how you use it. LOL.
I'd still choose my Luddite shovel over the computer if push came to shove.
...and you are right, so few understand what living this way entails or means. I had one person think it was like a witness protection program kind of thing....
ok, ok,
— May 11, 2010
It will be on the next blog, but remember, a successful lifestyle change takes lots of commitment and its never about just one thing. You have to be content in knowing who you are and what is important to you. If you can't say that, I don't recommend going off grid.
stay tuned and thanks for the interest all.
absolutely!!!
— May 12, 2010
That's excellent advice. It's a frame of mind about your lifestyle.
Great suggestion.
Great idea if that's the
— May 12, 2010
Great idea if that's the life style you like. As for me I love my computer and would suffer without it. However I do have a suggestion for many who would like to feel freer but feel trapped in their jobs. My suggestion is to decide who is the final authority in your life - your boss, society, your reference group, your supervisor, or yourself.
If you decide your final authority is yourself then you get to make up the rules for what is most valuable to you and reject that which is not. In other words your future is determined my the next choice you make.
Forty five years ago when I looked over the sea of depressed civil servants I worked with in the Labor department whose greatest value was figuring out how many years before they retired I figured I would have to figure out how to leave or I might as well throw in the towel.
What mainly motivated me to face my bleak reality was my feeling squeezed by the tie I was forced to wear and sitting in endless boring and unproductive meaningless meetings. Despite having a masters degree in Psychology I was feeling as if I was at a dead end.
One night going to bed feeling utterly depressed I called on myself to give me a way out. The next morning I woke up with a viable solution. People like me need to be my own boss.
Whereas as this strikes me as no great revelation I had to face the fact that there was a psychological distance of a billion miles between my dreams of glory and taking the necessary steps to realize my dream in a focused and disciplined way.
Once dedicating myself to struggling with struggle to free myself from my own self imposed entrapment the solution came to me in a flash. So I reapplied to graduate school, got a Ph.D. and am now experiencing the joy that comes with never having to wear a tie to work and never having to sit in a boring meaningless meeting.
P.S. I can use my computer whenever I choose to do so. What a pleasure.
don't get hung up on technology...
— May 12, 2010
I use a computer... its how we USE the technology, but you are correct, living my chosen lifestyle isn't for everyone, but its not a life of austerity, far from it. But that's a really LONG discussion.
I'd like to focus on how and why you decided to become self employed. I have been self imployed for over 30 years, sometimes self-UNemployed. lol. But the process of choosing to live off the grid and choosing to become self-employed are very similar. So you understand.
Being a city/suburban dweller for fifty years and deciding to live off grid is like a decision made on crack. BUT, where we lived and how we lived was not making sense anymore, things were changing in the area and the society VERY quickly. still is. It was no longer an environment I had grown up in. We didn't feel our efforts nor our surroundings were very "redeeming" if you will, and the rate of change was inhumanly fast.
Its very relatable to your decision motivations.
As for the computer, lol,
You mentioned another crucial point, "Once dedicating myself to struggling with struggle to free myself from my own self imposed entrapment the solution came to me in a flash. "
dedication is all important, that commitment, that intent. You can't succeed with any choice without it.
Gibbs, I think you could go off grid ANY time and ANY where you'd feel like it. And thanks for sharing your great comment on my blog.
awesome
— May 12, 2010
and inspiring!
i have a few questions:
do you own the land you live on?
were there existing buildings or did you build them?
and also, what do you use for power? (assuming you have some kind of power source to use a computer with)
so great! i also love reading backwoods magazine which is full of tips from people much like yourself.
thanks for reminding me this is totally achievable!
good questions...
— May 12, 2010
Yes, we are fortunate enough to own the land, but in paying taxes, do we really "own" anything? I would prefer the Native American concept of not being able to own nature.
Yes we purchased an owner built already existing home that needed work to make totally functional and my wife and I did the work mostly ourselves.
We use a 24 volt battery system charged by both solar panels and propane generator. Where we live its a 50/50 seasonal benefit. Its a huge change coming from a city suburb, but after being here six years, we are looking to go 90% without any power, I just have to build the new home to do it in.
Yes, Backwoods is a good periodical, there are others as well, look for ones on small farms and primitive ways, sorry I'm not currently up on the latest titles, but those periodicals give good anecdotal stories about alternative lifestyles.
Meg Energy Home Generator - Zero Energy Point - Off the Grid
— May 13, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgQXYBRYwbg
Hi Roarke, check this magnetic generator out, it was just passed onto me today, i have seen these before but never one that has got to being made public stage.
Independence, or detachment?
— May 12, 2010
if you'll allow me a critical angle, for discussion's sake: it seems like your stance is defined by negatives--no TV, no toxins, no 'grid', and your actions a process of pushing away from these things which are, as you indicated, encroaching relentlessly. So when do you get to say Yes, and who hears it when you do? I'd love to pick up on more of the genuine texture of life in 'retreat' here, or later notes...and how you find linkage with other lifeforms, communities, economies.
I've just done the unconscionable inverse, and migrated from 5 years of ultra-rural subsistence to the squirming coil of lost angeles...absolutely brutal, somehow correct. Will try and pack those reflections into my own missive soon :)
Commendations on going for it, and sharing.
interesting angle indeed
— May 13, 2010
bender, you make a good point. The "no" aspect you speak of is because of the encroachment of the negatives without provocation.
A small town community like this is very protective of their ways and they don't want anyone, especially outsiders to change them, so we accustom ourselves to this small town society.
Here in this state, there are still a few freedoms not available in other states. We didn't "retreat to here" we exercised our choices and took back control of our responsibilities. That's where the yes part comes in. Frankly we are not doing this for anyone to hear, its not an expression of a revolt, although I support one, its an expression of change,choice and hanging on to freedoms others find more convenient to give up to convenience.
good discussion points, and I look forward to hearing your journeys here. Thanks for your interest.
thanks for the post
— May 12, 2010
The first thing you have to get over when living off-grid, is the peanut gallery bantering that takes place when one wants to apply a mindful approach to ones daily living. As this bantering is a constant when more and more curiosities are stirred by the off-gridders. Myself included.
Hello to all, I'm doing my part to chime in on a topic so near and dear to me. I'm contacting you from my off-grid location of 6 1/2 years. Today I get to check up on one of my favorite websites. Yay! However, for the next three days I will be running around like a chicken with my head cut off attending to a community events parlor that I operate in town- 25 miles away.
Is it starting to make sense yet? I live what I think the term might be a hybrid lifestyle. Not to be mistaken for hypocritical- which is something none of us can escape. I have to admit though, it is sorta the best of both worlds- not necessarily easy.
Thanks for the post- my day off is that much better.
Free Energy Devices- might be useful to you !
— May 12, 2010
Practical Guide to Free-Energy Devices
The most amazing site I have yet come across on free energy with a down to earth and comprehensive analysis and well researched downloadable pdfs all for free!!! Thanks to the hard work of Patrick Kelly and Mosely whom passed it on to me to spread it further afield!
http://free-energy-info.co.uk/
"The material on this web site describes many different devices, with diagrams, photographs, explanations, pointers to web sites, etc. As some of the devices need an understanding of electronic circuitry, a simple, step-by-step instruction course in electronics is also provided in Chapter 12. This can take someone with no previous knowledge of electronics, to the level where they can read, understand, design and build the type of circuits used with these devices."
Roarke, My husband and I
— Apr 28, 2011
Roarke,
My husband and I feel exactly the way you do. The clarity that comes from this type of living is worth all the hardship (in fact, the hardship is a nessessary ingredient.) We're almost there. We have the land, the plan, the basic skills, and the desire. We are, literally, at the jumping off place. There's only one thing that worries me:
My family that I'm leaving behind in civilization. How do I tell my barely-grown children? My mother, for goodness sake? I'm very much aware that they'll disapprove... another hair-brained idea! I know I'll just have to tell them the truth and accept their censure, but what I want to know is, will I be able to live with it? Will the guilt I feel over their disappointment and worry be too much?
Did you have any experience with this in the beginning? It seems like you're very happy now, so any advice about how I can come to terms with this and enjoy my dream without feeling like a selfish pig would be appreciated!
Roadblock to Eden
— Aug 19, 2011
Off-the-grid living, specifically Veganic Homesteading, is definitely a comprehensive solution to our personal/economic/environmental/social problems, as I explain briefly in this post
http://www.evolver.net/user/satyagrahi/blog/refining_path_freedom_vegani...
... but many like myself that would like to live self/community-sufficiently can't of course with the monetary restraints stemming from the social system that we live in that controls/destroys the land and what is left requires a lot of $ for ownership and taxes. Saying "we need to get back to the Garden" while not confronting this elephant in the room is obviously not effective; logical reasoning leads to the necessity of personal sovereignty and land reform (i.e. land should be a human right), which as far as political/social philosophy, falls under Green Anarchism. The only groups I know of active on this front-line of real positive change our The Land is Ours of England and the MST of Brazil, perhaps there are others, I hope so. Americans for the most part don't even get that this is the root/problem solution, caught up in technocratic illusions, but hopefully that will change too.
Relevant links can be found under Recommended Sites on my wordpress site here: http://colindonoghue.wordpress.com/
If you are at all like-minded please say hi and share your thoughts, thanks.
Peace
Colin
