Living Off Grid may seem easy if you've watched Discovery Channel. It isn't. It never hurts to ask someone who lives off grid first if you lean toward the lifestyle.
The smallest things can have huge consequences. You can build a solar system, build a cabin, cut firewood, create a garden, and the other myriad things that typically happen and in an instant it can be gone. Floods and Fire have destroyed many off grid dreams. I chose the picture above because there has been a constant focus on the fires raging across the west. Floods are just as catastrophic. I grew up in flood country. I also watched many of my friends and neighbors lose everything they had from flood waters. Fire and water - keep that in your mind when you look at a prospective property.
You've all also heard me preach consistently about the things to avoid while living on a solar system. Microwaves top that list. Electric hot water tanks are also on the same list. You have to adapt to living off grid. If you are clinging to all the conveniences of modern civilization you are going to get frustrated. In my own case the transition was easier because I grew up without running water and power. That doesn't mean I myself haven't been frustrated. I have, and there will surely be moments you will feel the weight of the transition on your shoulders.
High elevation is another thing that draws off grid prospects like a magnet. Then the same family or person will rush through construction from spring until just before winter. Then comes the soul crushing cold and wind at high elevation in the winter along with impassable roads. The sun seems to be intentionally avoiding your solar panels for endless weeks and it becomes torment as you sit in the cold dark recesses of your high elevation cabin. There is an innate need for some folks to climb a mountain. Just remember: Even the elk and the wildlife go down into the valleys when the mountains fill with snow seeking shelter. There is a life lesson in that.
Which leads me to another point: Wildlife have adapted to living exposed to the elements and can trudge through the winter. Humans have devolved and aren't graced with coats of fur to protect us from the elements. In many cases we actually remove all our hair because it's fashionable. There is a reason those of us who've fought the cold let our hair grow out. That said it's a choice (and hopefully you will choose the option that keeps you warmer.) Clothing is a part of this topic in that we are blessed with the ability to think and plan for the elements. For now, we have the ability to go to a store and buy durable clothing for the hardest months. If you are careful you will have the right clothing to endure the colder months. Always ALWAYS remember the rule: layer during winter because it's easier to take off layers than to wish you had them and not.
Predators exist in the wilderness. It doesn't matter if you live off grid in the mountains, plains, desert, or coastal forest. Firearms are a tool. If you don't believe in firearms you will be on the defense most days if you have any livestock (chickens, goats, cattle, rabbits, etc.) When you live off grid long enough you will soon understand that there literally is no such thing as a fence that can't be breached. If they are hungry enough all wildlife will break through a fence. In some cases your very own animals (especially pigs and goats) will give you a first hand lesson in humility. The moral of this story is this: imagine a castle wall when you build. Imagine your frustration if you lose the fruits of your labor to a predator. Enough said on this for now.
Always build redundancy into your systems. Systems for food, power, heat, everything. It's great if your are strong now and can cut your own firewood with a splitting maul. What happens if you break a leg and there are 12 foot snow drifts blocking all access in and out of your area. Have a backup. Generally I recommend at least three for every system. Call it what you want. The rule of 3 will save your life. Let me give you an example: For my heat I have wood stoves, propane heat, and in some cases geothermal (building a structure into the ground just enough to keep a constant temp above freezing.) For power I have solar, generator, and utility if I want. I can flip a switch, power is production which is progress forward, and communication often relies on power.
Food also requires redundancy. What happens if you again break your leg. You can't just rely upon hunting game or fishing. Nutrient deficiency will kill you as fast as anything. What happens if you also get ill? Get an infection? You can feed yourself on the contents of your pantry for a while if you have one built. What happens if that runs out. Do you have an orchard? Is there a river nearby for fish? Do you have asparagus established to give you a jolt of vitamins each year? Off grid preparation is not a simple task. It requires deep thought and contemplation. Hopefully not after you face near defeat because you missed a detail.
On the subject of fruit trees: Can your fruit yield viable seeds to grow replacement trees. Do you know the difference? I bring this up because many of the trees the major orchards push are just a product to them and they are hybrids. They are hybrids because they don't necessarily want you to be able to take some apples and produce your own. That limits their sales forecasts. Trust me when I say you need to make sure you understand this if you plan to rely upon fruits trees. Getting a non-hybrid original stock fruit tree is not a simple task. That is by design. Do your research (or ask me).
Life Off Grid can give you moments of pure exhilaration and joy if you do not rush and you think things through carefully.
Good luck and let us know if we can help!
Rick