Living "off the grid".....

2»

Comments

  • StillHere
    StillHere Posts: 7,795
    If not for the kids it would be an easy decision right?

    I did it...years ago, got fed up and picked up and moved to the middle of (what was then) nowhere land in NE PA. A mile back from any paved public road (and even calling that paved and public is a stretch). Dirt cheap acres and acres of woodland with no perc. GORGEOUS!!! Serene, back to nature, living off the land. Towed a trailer out there....lived in that while building a cabin in the woods from downed cedar..by hand. Heated with wood, plenty of that around. Farmed our own veggies, and raised chickens for protein, goats for milk. Eventually built a 3 BR house in the woods. It was GOOD!

    No longer there..and I MISS IT with every fiber of my being.
    peace,
    jo

    http://www.Etsy.com/Shop/SimpleEarthCreations
    "How I choose to feel is how I am." ~ EV/MMc
    "Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy, or they become legends." ~ One Stab ~
  • RKCNDY
    RKCNDY Posts: 31,013
    I have a friend that will be doing just that. Currently, planning and starting to build. He will be installing wind turbines and solar cells. This is where I camp for Memorial Day weekend. No cell service, you have to get in your car and drive 7 miles down the road to get reception.

    I don't mind the 'getaway' for a few days, but I'm a 'city girl' at heart, I like the social interaction.

    Have you seen this on PBS?
    http://www.aloneinthewilderness.com/

    it's pretty cool what he did, and I could appreciate living a few months like that, I don't think I could it for 30 years.
    The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.

    - Christopher McCandless
  • stargirl69
    stargirl69 Posts: 6,387
    In 2009 I moved from living in the centre of Edinburgh,Scotland to rural B.C Canada,I sold my house,packed up my life and got on that flight for love.We were two hours drive from anything that could be called civilisation.We were as 'off the grid' as could be,generators powered everything,we grew our own veg,kept bees and chickens went weeks without power if the generator packed in,had full survival kits,solar panels,a well and we were very much part of a rich rural community.It was the safest place I have ever lived.
    Sadly the relationship never lasted and I came back to Scotland but not to Edinburgh,after living so wonderfully rural I could not go back to living in a city.I moved back to the east coast of Scotland where I originally grew up.I now have a wee house at the beach which has become my garden.It's not rural as such but there is certainly air to breathe and an expanse of sky rather than concrete.
    It was the most joyous and the most heartbreaking experience of my life but I wouldn't change one day of that entire experience.Living so rural grounded me to myself and the earth more than any experience in my life.
    I'd say if you really want and feel you can do this go for it,the worst thing would be to look back on it as an opportunity that you didn't take than to do it and it never worked out,well damn at least you tried.Providence works things out.
    Just breathe ... these moments won't last forever.
    “There should be a place where only the things you want to happen, happen”
  • rmst09
    rmst09 Posts: 57
    Mamasan23 wrote:
    Every now and again I get a really strong urge to just get in my car and go...no destination in mind. The thought of completely starting over in a whole new life has always fascinated me. Whatever you choose to do, good luck!

    Thank you! Lots of work to do in order to make it happen. Exciting stuff though.
  • rmst09
    rmst09 Posts: 57
    Leezestarr313 wrote:
    I have been living in my hometown since I was born, with a little 4-month stay in Finland in between. Life isn't too bad here, but it can get a little boring ... The good thing about living in a not-too-big city is the bad thing about living in a not-too-big city. If you are feeling lonely, you will always bump into someone you know, friends and relatives are always within reach. But if you are in a bad mood and don't want to see anyone, you cannot escape all that as well.

    Like probably everyone does every once in a while, I have been "wondering about wandering" from time to time. But the urge was never really strong enough. But actually, with 34 years on my back now, I am going to do it. I will go through all the stuff I amassed in my life, dissolve my place, quit my job, and start a new life in a different country. I will move to Detroit, MI, because I want to be together with the one I love. I am already amazed about all the stuff that I have and don't need :shock: It is about time to re-evaluate and get rid of the material baggage that I have been carrying around with me all those years. Probably all I will take with me will be my records, books, and clothes. I am not exactly beginning to live off the grid in the general sense, but I think culturally you can apply this term to my situation as well. I didn't start with the move yet, but I am getting glimpses of a feeling of freedom every day now already :D


    Good Luck on your adventure!! Keep us updated.

    Of course, I am also a little nervous, I will be mising my friends and family, and German bread, I hope everything works out and I hope I can get adjusted to the life in the States. But I am open and I will be with my love, and meet and get to new new friends and a second family, so the outlook is good and very exciting :D

    Try it before it is too late if you have the urge, luck and opportunity to do so! Don't be afraid, in the best case you will be rewarded with a happy life, in the worst case you can go back ;) You only live once!
  • rmst09
    rmst09 Posts: 57
    lukin2006 wrote:
    Yes...I've been thinking about up and leaving for quite sometime. currently reside in the overpopulated, extremely congested Southern Ontario...here even a drive outside the city is getting congested...

    I have a meaningless jib that I despise...I would like to move west...Alberta close to the BC border to a nice small town if one exist.


    Just spent 45 minutes sitting in traffic due to a 5 car pile up on my way to work. I hope to find a place where I don't even need a car.
  • rmst09
    rmst09 Posts: 57
    polaris_x wrote:
    hallelujah ... someone has taken the blue pill ... or is the red one ... i forget ... :? :lol:

    in all seriousness - i hope you do something about this ... so many people are disgruntled but ultimately never do anything about it ... there are two options i say:

    1. do you both have jobs that are transferable? can you create a situation where you both do not have to spend hours commuting to work? even better being able to walk or ride a bike to work? that is a big downer right now from my perspective ... i would suggest moving to a city into a community that really is a community of diverse people ... i live in toronto and although everyone outside of toronto hates us - i have a pretty decent work/life balance ... i bike 9-10 months of the year to get to work and everywhere else i go ... independently owned stores and shops and restaurants are all within a short walk and my car basically stays parked unless i go on a camping trip ... most people in my neighbourhood are the same way ... lots of families ... most don't drive ... plant a garden ... grow some food ...

    2. you can try and disappear ... try and find work which would allow you to work remotely ... buy some cheap land/house in a small town ... try and form a community there ...

    as for living off the grid ... it's both a lot easier and harder than it appears ... the ease is in how little electricity one really needs when they simplify their lives and prioritize the value of energy ... the hard part is maintaining a lifestyle that some would say lacks the creature comforts that is part of the american dream ... you can't be buying a bunch of useless shit if you want to live off the grid ... your initial capital costs will be fairly high but your long term costs should be good especially if you learn to grow a lot of your food and raise some chickens and goats ...

    anyhoo - i see suburbia as a diseased society ... :lol::lol: i hope you do something about it ...


    You have good points....

    1. Ideally, as stated above I wouldn't need to rely on automotive transportation on a regular basis. I have grown to hate spending any amount of time in a car. Nowhere are peoples rudeness and self importance more on display than when they are driving. I can be guilty of it too.

    2. One of the things that most excites me about this endeavor is the idea of streamlining our possessions, power usage and general consumption. I mean I had a pretty damn happy childhood and half the stuff we use now didn't even exist back then.

    Thanks for taking the time to respond.
  • rmst09
    rmst09 Posts: 57
    StillHere wrote:
    If not for the kids it would be an easy decision right?

    I did it...years ago, got fed up and picked up and moved to the middle of (what was then) nowhere land in NE PA. A mile back from any paved public road (and even calling that paved and public is a stretch). Dirt cheap acres and acres of woodland with no perc. GORGEOUS!!! Serene, back to nature, living off the land. Towed a trailer out there....lived in that while building a cabin in the woods from downed cedar..by hand. Heated with wood, plenty of that around. Farmed our own veggies, and raised chickens for protein, goats for milk. Eventually built a 3 BR house in the woods. It was GOOD!

    No longer there..and I MISS IT with every fiber of my being.


    Absolutely would be a no brainer if not for the kids. Our plan has always been to take off when the kids graduate high school but I feel like we might be doing them a disservice by waiting.

    What led you guys back into the mainstream after building the house? It sounds amazing.
  • MayDay10
    MayDay10 Posts: 11,893
    I think you want to:

    220px-The_Village_movie.jpg
  • rmst09
    rmst09 Posts: 57
    stargirl69 wrote:
    In 2009 I moved from living in the centre of Edinburgh,Scotland to rural B.C Canada,I sold my house,packed up my life and got on that flight for love.We were two hours drive from anything that could be called civilisation.We were as 'off the grid' as could be,generators powered everything,we grew our own veg,kept bees and chickens went weeks without power if the generator packed in,had full survival kits,solar panels,a well and we were very much part of a rich rural community.It was the safest place I have ever lived.
    Sadly the relationship never lasted and I came back to Scotland but not to Edinburgh,after living so wonderfully rural I could not go back to living in a city.I moved back to the east coast of Scotland where I originally grew up.I now have a wee house at the beach which has become my garden.It's not rural as such but there is certainly air to breathe and an expanse of sky rather than concrete.
    It was the most joyous and the most heartbreaking experience of my life but I wouldn't change one day of that entire experience.Living so rural grounded me to myself and the earth more than any experience in my life.
    I'd say if you really want and feel you can do this go for it,the worst thing would be to look back on it as an opportunity that you didn't take than to do it and it never worked out,well damn at least you tried.Providence works things out.
    Just breathe ... these moments won't last forever.



    Your story is an inspiration. Thank you!

Categories