Living off the grid

[Rosyrain]

If you were to wake up one day and decide that you were going to live your life off the grid, where would you go to do it? There are some places in this world that are better than others for such things. What types of vegetables and fruit would you grow to sustain yourself?

 

[Owdboggy]

What do you mean 'living off the grid'? It is not a phrase I know, sorry.

 

[Cereus]

I've thought about it a ton and I'd prefer to be living back in WA or in close proximity to the NW region. It's the area I know best like the back of my hand, I've dealt with the wildlife out there and I've done a lot of camping/hiking/psuedo survival stuff there too. The climate is temperate meaning it's fairly constant year round, not a lot of snow if any during winter. There's tons of wildlife and seafood around and the soil's extremely fertile thanks to volcanic ash and organic matter.

I'd grow a mix of veggies I typically eat and can store in a root cellar. I'd also raise chickens and a couple of goats. Low impact, low maintenance and easy source for food via eggs and milk.

 

[elenamarie]

Definitely vegetables and fruits. Perhaps coconuts, bananas, mangoes, cacao (they are my favorites). Mostly tropical fruits and for the vegetables I'll plant eggplants, carrots, potatoes, cabbage. I'll raise some poultry as well.. chickens, ducks, cows, goats. they are all essential plus healthier than commercialized ones.

 

[LIcenter]

I've thought about it a ton and I'd prefer to be living back in WA or in close proximity to the NW region. It's the area I know best like the back of my hand, I've dealt with the wildlife out there and I've done a lot of camping/hiking/psuedo survival stuff there too. The climate is temperate meaning it's fairly constant year round, not a lot of snow if any during winter. There's tons of wildlife and seafood around and the soil's extremely fertile thanks to volcanic ash and organic matter.

I'd grow a mix of veggies I typically eat and can store in a root cellar. I'd also raise chickens and a couple of goats. Low impact, low maintenance and easy source for food via eggs and milk.

I agree, the PNW would be a perfect place to live off the grid.
And the shear beauty of the place is astounding also.

 

[Ian]

California . If I'm going to off grid, it had better be somewhere nice and warm .

What do you mean 'living off the grid'? It is not a phrase I know, sorry.

As in not connected to the electrical grid, and all of the things that go along with it - no phone, no internet, etc... Self sufficient primarily .

Don't know if I could do it for more than a week, unless I could give up work!

 

[CanadianLori]

Self sustaining. No hydro, no sewer, no Freshco. ..

 

[zigs]

I live there

Doesn't mean you have to drop off the web though, I got a mobile wifi box that connects me to the internet, £19 a month.

3 Solar panels charging 4 batteries (just got another one)

Also just got a new 40 watt panel but can't make it work yet

Wind charger gives a back up when there's no sun, but in the depths of winter I have to use the car to charge the computer.

Rainwater to do the washing and bottled water for drinking.

Chemical toilet that goes to fertilise the veg patch, as all cottage gardens did before mains systems.

 

[Owdboggy]

We did it, sort of, 20 years ago when they gave me a year to live. Water from the farm up the lane, no mains sewer, no gas and no fibre optic cables. Electricity yes and telephone (when they have not managed to sever the wire that is) miles from a main road, surrounded by fields. Ok until one can no longer drive, then we will have to move.

 

[zigs]

Doctors got it a bit wrong then.

 

[Pat]

Don't know what part of the country I would go to but it would have to be warm during the winter. I would not be able to live in a cold area without heat. I would not make it very long without water and heat, I am not a camper.

 

[tomsrosebud]

We are halfway there now. We have woodheat and will be looking into solar panels soon. We plan to build our own cabin in a few years and will be totally selfsufficient. We have a big farm now and everything we eat comes from it. We have cattle, pork, chickens, ducks, goats, and guineas. We have a well in the backyard to get water from. We grow huge gardens every year and I can, freeze, and dehydrate most of it. Also, we grow all heirloom fruit and veggies. So, we save a lot of seed each year for the next year. So, when we do finally get completely off the grid, it will be right here on our farm. We wouldn't move.

 

[Trellum]

Not sure what place I'd pick, but it'd need to be a place with a mild winter and a nicer summer! I'd plant tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, chillies! I'd get a few fruit trees as well. Would love to live very close to a river where I could fish. Not sure I'd give up the internet tho Haven't made actual plans for it, not yet

 

[Trellum]

We did it, sort of, 20 years ago when they gave me a year to live. Water from the farm up the lane, no mains sewer, no gas and no fibre optic cables. Electricity yes and telephone (when they have not managed to sever the wire that is) miles from a main road, surrounded by fields. Ok until one can no longer drive, then we will have to move.

Woah, 20 years ago!? You remind me to my dad, they had given him 6 months to live when he was 40, that was 34 years ago. This goes to show doctors can screw up really bad, they did with me as well, worse year of my life (they told me something that wasn't true!). My mom has always said docs don't know the absolute truth.

 

[Owdboggy]

Actually it was not so bad. I retired, very early and we moved here to make a garden. Found out what was the problem and sort of cured it for myself. Been just what the Doctor ordered really.