I live off-grid, AMA

[Toomanyparsnips]

If anyone is interested in what it's like to be living (or striving to live) a largely self-reliant life...

Elizabeth yes we both work part-time. My partner is self-employed and I work on a farm 3 days a week.

Yes it's definitely interesting and better for the environment! What difference has it made to your lifestyle? I'm trying to imagine what difference it would make for me, but then I live rurally and rely on a wood burner for heat. What is the biggest difference it's made to your lifestyle?

I’d too say self-sufficient, off/grid means off the internet/ other people not being able to locate you. Still, very interesting lifestyle!

Well that sounds fascinating to me! Fresh from an early morning Supermarket trip and yet more chances to buy buy buy! Not really the life for me though .What do your friends and family think? Are they a tiny bit jealous or not ?

Well we haven't got loads of electricity, especially at this time of year, so we have to prioritise how we use it. All our hot water comes from the back boiler on the stove so that has to be rationed too. The wood is the biggest job - this is the first winter we're only burning our own wood (trees first planted 12 years ago) so.last Jan/Feb was mostly spent coppicing and splitting wood. That'll all start again after Christmas, along with prep for the new growing season. Basically our days off work are mostly spent doing this sort of thing. We're very tied to the land so have to really plan ahead if we want a holiday or even a night away. Like farmers do too obviously.

Dottie I'm sure some people think it's a bit grim or pointless but are generally too polite to say. Others are envious for sure, it's such a privilege to have so much green space and nature to care for. This was never more true than during the spring lockdown, when our lives didn't really change all that much and we were outside all day gardening and building. We really felt for our friends who were cooped up at home. Also we do so little shopping/going to attractions etc that it didn't really affect us in that way.

It seems like off-grid for some means off National Grid for electricity, for other off internet too.

I think it’s interesting. When I was growing up we lived ‘off grid’, I loved it at the time and have fond memories but personally was excited to live in a ‘real’ house with mains electric

I think it's interesting too. We also have John Seymour's book and a few others in that vein on different aspects). And I really enjoy following a number of live aboard sailors who also live "off grid" with solar and wind power, some make water others ration what they get from shore taps and catch in buckets from rain, etc. I have a dream for retirement (which I know is unlikely) of being relatively off-grid and self sufficient, growing veggies, having hens for eggs and rearing some of our own meat etc, and harvesting our own timber.

If you have a very small house, would you be able to extend that or build more in the future as DCs grow, and allowing more storage of your labours? Or is the barn conversion the max allowed?

And are you using the older methods like bricks for thermal heat in enclosed growing space (plastic tunnel, glasshouse etc)?

Biddypop I think we've extended the barn as much as we can really; we could apply for further permission but we've spent the last of our savings, and are also really sick of living in a building site! The house is smaller than a lot of people would put up with, but at the same time it's bigger than plenty of city flats and we also have all the outside to be in. So I think it'll have to do.

Yes I have used bricks for heating in the polytunnel, I couldn't really say how effective they were though. I lost a big part of the tomato crop to a late frost this spring, despite the bricks and a lot of fleece. I've acquired a paraffin heater now so hopefully it won't happen again. We're in a difficult position for food crops, but every year teaches me something new.

The live aboard sailing boats sound interesting. We lived on a canal boat for a few years when we were younger, which was also "off-grid" (maybe more so by some people's definition) although more urban. It didn't really, suit me though, I was craving land.

@Toomanyparsnips

Clairey maybe have a look at Permaculture magazine, or The Land? I'm also a big fan of John Seymour, who lived wrote about self-sufficiency in the 70s. "The self-sufficient gardener" is my gardening Bible. For the alt-tech stuff there are various useful forums online, although it tends to be my partner who talks about stuff like that online. There's a Facebook off-grid group which has some useful pointers.

Also, have you heard of WWOOF? It's an international network of organic farms, crofts, smallholdings etc where you can go and stay for holidays in exchange for some work. I did a lot of that in my early 20s which is probably what first made me realise I wanted to live like this, and also taught me lots of practical things like food growing and woodland management. Another similar group is Diggers and Dreamers, although that's more for intentional communities.

These (John Seymour and WWoof ) were my influences 35 years ago! I'm delighted to hear them both referenced by you.I was also a member of the Soil Association and bought my seeds from HDRA - the Henry Doubleday Research Association.

I brought my family up in a very remote place - connected to electric but own water supply and solid fuel stoves for heating, cooking and hot water.

It's a very satisfying and resourceful way of life.

tormentil I love reading his books, not just the practical guides but the autobiographical stuff too. I imagine he was probably pretty hard work (and his wife sounds formidable too) but I really love their dedication to the land and their uncompromising attitude.

Yes it's the resourceful aspect of this life I really enjoy I think. It's very satisfying, feeling as though you're using your resources well and thoughtfully. I like the feeling of being busy in a purposeful way, and I love seeing my kids gaining practical skills and knowledge.

I think people assume off grid means off the internet and social media - which probably many people fantasize about being able to do.
I would love to do that - but not permanently - I want an off grid cabin hidden away somewhere.
People seem unimpressed but my neighbours are quite self sufficient. Sheep, chickens, lots of veg and fruit. But they have 2 huge freezers that they keep everything in. But it's lots of work. I garden and grow lots of veg but honestly, if I ate that alone it would probalby last me about 3 weeks. There is so much more work to existing without mod cons than people realise, we have a wood burning stove, if we had to keep it lit all day I can't imagine how big a wood store we'd need.
The Way HOme by Mark Boyle is a story about life without technology. No electricity - the nights are long in the winter. But all went well until his girlfriend left, it's one thing being stoical and adventurous together, but the days are long and quiet on your own.

How do your children's friends find your house with no tv etc?

I've not come across Mark Boyle, that sounds interesting. We're definitely not trying to be stoics or martyrs and some of it is driven by our finances, but we do also enjoy a certain amount of (what some would see as) hardship.

Our kids are still small so mainly their friends love being able to run around and climb trees, but they do often say "where's your telly" when they come in the house. I know this sort of thing is going to become more of an issue as they get older, and they might hate us for making them live like this - but I grew up feeling hard done by that I couldn't have my own flock of sheep swings and roundabouts.

Do you have to get your sheep dipped regularly?