Retired Couple Living Off-Grid Shares Their 8-Year Experience
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- Опубліковано 30 січ 2020
- Retired couple shares their valuable off-grid experience! Plus, get your first audiobook and two Audible Originals for free when you try Audible for 30 days, visit www.audible.com/exploringalte... or text "exploringalternatives" to 500 500!
Follow Art and Mary's Living Off Grid Blog:
a-minbancroft.blogspot.com/
In this video we’re meeting Art & Mary, a retired couple who set out to build an energy efficient and allergen-free home, and ended up living fully off the grid!
They have a massive solar power system for the majority of their electrical needs, they process all their own firewood, grow and forage a lot of their own food in the summer, and they collect rainwater for watering their garden!
Art and Mary are a really inspiring couple and it was interesting to sit down with them to find out why and how they’re thriving in their off-grid lifestyle.
The house is built with Durisol Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF), it's super well insulated and has triple glaze windows, which helps keep the heat in during the cold months, and keep the heat out during the warmer months.
They mainly heat with their wood stove, but they also have in-floor heating that is controlled by multiple thermostats throughout the house. The building code where they live requires an automatic heat source that can come on even if no one is home, and they also know that one day they may not want to cut as much firewood.
For now, they harvest and process all of their own firewood themselves, cutting down trees in winter, and cutting them in the spring.
Thanks for watching!
Mat & Danielle
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CREDITS
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Music & Song Credits:
All music in this video was composed, performed, and recorded by Mat of Exploring Alternatives.
Editing Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives
Filming Credits:
Mat of Exploring Alternatives
House Build Photos provided by Art and Mary
a-minbancroft.blogspot.com/ - Навчання та стиль
Thank you for watching! Follow Art and Mary's Living Off Grid blog:
a-minbancroft.blogspot.com/
Thanks for the great vids
Where city do they live in ?
Exploring Alternatives - I heart this, Very nice 🙏🏼💕
This is a very well thought out build.
Debs, their blog says near Bancroft, Ontario, CA.
Art here. Some were wondering why we need 2,500 sq. ft when there is just the two of us. When family and friends comes to visit they travel a distance and we need the extra space for them. Also Mary's quilting room takes up additional space a traditional home wouldn't need. Thanks for all the positive comments. Danielle and Mat were a delight to work with and always do a professional job on their videos.
May I ask what type and brand name of batteries are used?
One of the things my husband and I are dreaming of is having another couple or two living on the same property (in separate homes of course with space between us for a sense of privacy/seclusion) so that we can share spaces like the quilting room and the equipment that you have to manage the property like the fork lift, the wood splitter, etc. We would like to have those things AND a wood/welding shop, a tractor/mower, a guest house, etc. and we feel that by sharing those things among several households it will allow us to build a smaller home yet still be able to have those other things, room for guests, etc. Time will tell whether we manage to find couples who will be comfortable making such a commitment, but we think we've found at least one.
Thanks again for sharing your home and all the systems and help run it with us!
Art you have a wonderful place! Thank you for sharing with us!
2500 sqft is barely enough room for holding supplies or a studio space for making fabrics, spinning wool yarn for clothing etc.
I just moved offgrid, in VT. Having a hard time finding affordable solar energy installers and wondering if you guys are in VT, too. If so, I'd love to be able to communicate with you.
Congrats on a pretty awesome setup! 👍🤓💖
Art has a voice that would translate very well to radio or podcasts or voice over actor.
Or story teller
Thanks Maureen
they both do!
I agree
He has a great voice, to me he sounds like the deceased actor George Kennedy.
Hey Art & Mari! Turns out we did see your video years ago, we love what you created for yourselves. Was fantastic to run into you at Cottonwood campground the other day! Thanks for the chat and snacks, and enjoy the rest of your summer :) Cheers, Greg & Elena (the bikers ;)
It’s beautiful, peaceful, serene and isolated. In the current times in which we are living, this life is what I am striving for.
This couple is so charming exactely like their way of living. I love the respect and love they show for each other.
Laure Solange exactly what I recognised, their interactions are cute
Thanks for the kind words Laure.
I'm confused.
What if someone needs medical attention? Aren't they significantly disadvantaged know that regard?
Ryan Blanche I never really think about this, but I suppose that would be a decent drawback to living like this. I was curious as to how he’s gonna get wood after he can’t chop anymore. He mentioned it, but I didn’t see the explanation.
I loved seeing how well these two interact with each other as much as the offgrid lifestyle they have created.
I live off the grid in Alaska, have for 44 years. In my younger days we lived very crudely. All transportation in and out is only by air, so everything has to be flown in. At first on float planes which landings were not ideal, so I built a 1400 runway. We use our place as a fishing lodge but when we have no guests, no or hardly any fossil fuel is needed. We have 14 solar panels supply power to 16 six volt batteries and a 8KW inverter. If the batteries get low, the generator kicks on and charges them. In the colder months, we heat our house with wood, using a wood cook stove and heat stove. Not as fancy or as expensive as the above mansion, but it's home
Awesome!
This couple really put a lot of thought into designing their home. We wish them many happy years.
Thanks Cathy.
I admire this couple, they are the same type of people. They were made for each other. I wish them a very happy and heathy future.
Art has a beautiful voice. He would be perfectly suited to narrating audio books.
Thanks Karen.
A nice honest interview on off grid living. Good on'em 🙂👍
Thanks. Danielle and Mat did a great job putting this video together.
It's amazing who you bump into on the webs.....as soon as I saw "good on em" I knew it was left by an Aussie.
Brother you are a legend
An inspiring off grid living...
Self sufficient me!! I love when my favorite UA-camrs come together
Wow, so inspiring. Love to see that Art takes the time to respond to comments. Beautiful to see the respect and love they show for each other. Man I would love to be your neighbor and be off the grid.
WE'd love to have you. Thanks for the kind words.
What I loved the most about this episode is the look of peace and relaxation on the couple's faces. Stay blessed guys. Off to browse through your beautiful blog.
Thanks Saumya. Enjoy
Omg I love them! Watching you both speak makes me feel so loved. The respect and attention you both have for each other is a dream one only dreams to ever find.
Thanks Sonik for the kind words
Freedom can't be endless. But they are so close... Independent people are free people. Love it. 😍
What a LOVELY COUPLE! I usually skip over, get bored, stupid things like where they store their underwear and Tupperware (really, I've seen them); these people told us important, relevant info, and I loved watching them with their gardens, her quilting, the food, etc... Blessings to them!!!! I go they live and love happy and healthy for many decades!!
Thanks Cheryl for the kind words.
WOW! This video gets 10 out of 10
Sound
Videography
Story telling
Interview
Cute couple
Information
Awesome awesome awesome
Great job!!!
Totally agree. Mat and Danielle did a fantastic job and are great couple to work with. Thanks for being so accurate in your observations.
Agreed...the narrations very easy to understand,doesnt need a substitle to take the word..
This is my dream type of living after retirement.
I can live there now
Thinks get harder when you get older. But all your preparing should be done NOW. Build for it. Once you are all prepared you will be set. I'm almost there.
It’s beautiful to see people living off grid and thriving like this. 😘
Thanks
"the iron is staying " you go girl!!
I need a husband like him! Such a handyman and very knowledgeable about the whole setup. Smart way to chop wood especially when up in age.
They sell this item on Amazon etc.
Well I am a handyman just like him and I live totally Off the Grid with 3600 watts of solar and a wind generator and I'm looking for a good woman. Maybe we can make a deal? ;-)
@@Romin.777 Who do you want to marry you?
Elizabeth Patton Me too.
Me too Elizabeth! Hope u find him!
There is something awesome about being able to wear a housecoat. Hugely underrated.
That bathtub made my heart race! What a dream!! The whole home is amazing! Definitely something I hope to have in my future!
Thank you Art and Mary for inviting us into your off grid home, it was inspiring. I wish you the best.
Thanks Jesse for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the video. Stay well and safe.
Art and Mary are Awesome! I am very impressed at all they accomplished on their place and how they live their sustainable life, Mary your quilts look amazing.
Thanks Margie for your kind words. I agree, Mary's quilts are amazing.
It is so obvious that those couples love each other, this is a great video I enjoyed watched.
Marys quilts are stunning!
I found it very endearing how they said they look for dying trees to cut down. Although I know that they may not always find dying trees, I really appreciate the effort.
Thanks Jesse
Love Mary's quilting room !
She does too and spends a lot of time there.
I want a tour of just Mary's sewing and quilting area! Wow! I'm super impressed with her wall hangings and quilts throughout the house. Fantastic video and I love everything about this. So happy for this nice couple. :) Big smiles from the central California coast!
Thanks for the kind words Beth.
Her quilting is gorgeous. She’s so talented!!!
Thanks for the kind words. Mary loves to quilt as well as many other hobbies.
What a NICE couple. Thanks to Art and Mary for sharing their beautiful lifestyle with us. Many great ideas to be gleaned from this video. Greetings from Ontario, Canada.
Thanks Barry
You folks are an inspiration, you painted the picture of exactly what i've been blueprinting inside my head for years. I'll be following your blog
Thanks Pat
Just wow. Speechless. Still wondering whether to admire the two amazing souls living inside the house or the actual 🏠. Keep bringing more, you are changing and setting goals for millinials in this confusing times. Wow
Art and Mary you are a charming couple . Thankyou so much for sharing your lifestyle and all the technical info.
God bless.
Mary's quilts are beautiful.
This is my dream to live completely off the grid and be totally self reliant.
Go for it! 👍🤓💖
So nice to hea
Guys, just plant for it and go for it. I'm 52 and moved offgrid last year. It's a lot easier than we expect it to be. Just plan well, watch a lot of videos like this one. There are a lot of people doing this and posting about their experiences. You learn so much about what works and what doesn't. It was much harder to do this before the internet and Amazon, I'm sure. If you really want it, if it's your dream, make it happen! 🤞😉💖
@Dante Monte Thanks! I'll check it out.👍🤓💖
@@witchyhour only one problem , if many many choose off grid home,finally it will destroy the forest and natural habitat of the forest.
...haha-I'm with you "trees/rocks/water"...the essentials great solution for a great couple...
Art and Mary just got another big thumbs up. Well done on all counts. Thank you all for caring and sharing.!
Wonderful home! And Mary's quilts are exquisite!
This was nice to hear from someone who has been doing this lifestyle for almost a decade. Some very good and realistic information. Thanks for the video.
Wow, that’s awesome . Fresh vegetables and well water ! Long life and many blessings for sharing this video!
Thanks Janerose
Her quilts are so beautiful!
Thanks Alba
Super appreciate the honesty here. Not necessarily an easy life. A very inspiring couple.
Love this! My husband and I are retiring next year and building a small 1 level home on our 5 acre lot in Fanny Bay. You guys are so inspiring! We too look forward to chickens and plan to have a good sized garden! Well done!!
Thanks Jamie; All the best with your own adventure. You will be so happy you made the move.
Thanks Art for telling us exactly how long your batteries lasted. Super helpful. You’ve both done so much work and research to make an amazing home. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks James for taking the time to watch and reply. Glad you found it helpful.
love these guys. Good for them.
That's the life! And that sewing/craft room! My goodness I am jealous. I am guessing they have no issues with getting internet out there which is great. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for watching! Agreed, the sewing room is amazing! They do have internet and cell phone reception, although the cell phone doesn't work inside the house, possibly because of the way the house is built with extra thick walls?
There are a few satellite internet providers. I'm off grid, 12 miles to a utility pole, and am typing this as proof. Good luck to you.
I love their ideas which are so innovative. They seem to have an immense amount of money in the infrastructure-- so not really feasible for a lot of us.
Millions don't live in cities like this.. this is awesome, i wish both of them a healthy long loving life. Cheers
Thanks Muhammad for the kind words.
2,500 sq. Ft is just right for me. Having room for my sewing, knitting/crocheting and writing is important to me
I loved this. What an amazing way of life. Myself & my partner dream of off grid living in our future. He loves the idea of farming the land too. I shared this with him
Thanks. We have 30 acres, mostly trees and rocks. The bedrock here is very close to the surface so our raised garden beds work very well and give us more vegetables than we can use so we share with neighbours and friends. All the best.
Absolutely love this couple and their life. Definitely my dream
This is great. Definitely a goal in the future.
Good for them. Lots of hard work but so rewarding for them.
So true Susan. Spent this morning building another garden bed. Thanks for watching.
I so enjoyed their love of their land. I wish I had started a few years earlier wanting this but it’s good for the younger ones to follow their dreams. It’s so worthwhile in the end. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Barbara. We were 64 and 55 when we started building. Then we had the energy to roll up our sleves and get to work. Today I still work but usually for only a few hours at a time. Life does bring changes and one simply tries to adapt. Thanks for watching the video, glad you enjoyed it.
a really pragmatic conversation here - gives a balanced insight to off-grid living
I love this couple and wish them the best in the wonderful life they’ve created. I aspire to do the same.....
Liking these folks. Simple nd to the point.
Hats off to you. I live where AC is always on, and well, etc... I started making changes and got my use down to 12KW from 17 a day. That's for a 2400 sq ft ranch. Don't know how y'all do it on 2.5. That's impressive.
Our house stays cool in the summer because of all the concrete in the floor and walls. No need for AC. We also heavily insulated the whole house which certainly helps.
Freedom Off Grid Forever .
Turning our lives around .
Living Humbly , simple life .
Leaving the entitled cosmopolitan Lifestyle , being in harmony in nature .
Except for those darn property taxes...
Thanks Druidic. WE love seeing the deer and fox trot across the back 50. We've also had a black bear right up against the front window. All very special.
@@artkelly6713 Truly a privilege to be with the wild agreed !
Beautiful quilt work! Excellent job on the home! I only dream of doing something like this
Thanks
Wonderful people, wonderful lifestyle. The interview dispels many rose tinted ideas I had about off-grid lifestyle. Thank you for that.
You are welcome. Glad you found the video helpful.
Seems like such an interesting way to live! I hope to be sustainable like this one day 🙌🙌🙌
Another gem you've shown us, thank you!
Best off grid place and logical voice I have heard ever!!!!
Thanks for the kind words Jan.
@@artkelly6713 Truth 👊
I absolutely love your quilts and so glad to see you sewing off grid. Warmed my heart.
Thanks Wynola for the kind words. Mary was sewing another quilt this morning.
I love everything about this. So happy for them!
This video is amazing. Such sweet people, and such an inspiring lifestyle! (I also agree that Art would be a fantastic narrator for audio books.) Thabk you so much for sharing!
Our pleasure Zarah.
What a lovely couple.
Off grid with modern facilities is the way to go for me. With land for gardening, outdoor activities, trees and fresh air... so good!
Thanks 101 Off Grid simply means not connected to the electrical grid and you can make it as frugal or as expensive as you want. At our age we enjoy the comforts our modern society provides along with all the latest medical services.
what a voice!
This is an incredible build, thank you for showing us your home.
You are welcome. Thanks for stopping by.
Thank you so much for putting this video together and sharing it great work, kind regards Roy
What a lovely satisfying life stress free.May God give these two many more years to live and enjoy their home.I love how they respect each that's how people should live.😍🥰🙏
Thanks for the kind words, we love our place and lifestyle.
Dude. your video is first class. Love this lifestyle. Beautiful.Refreshing.
Only 18 and already planning my cabin 😂
Smart move. The sooner the better and technology today makes it all doable.
Same here, man.
Same here
I’m only 16 and planning
We are doing exactly this in likely the same area. Our off grid choices are based on costs and long term costs more than anything. We never setout to be off-grid. Our neighbours are another toronto transplant and absolutely love it here.
Hi John all the best Lovely area to move to.
Love this! Thanks for sharing your home with us!
What a great couple! I lived off grid in Arizona for a couple of years...what a beautiful experience.
Fabulous, here we call them passive houses cool in summer warm in winter, you can buy huge tanks you bury for rain water and also use it to flush the toilet
An absolutely lovely couple, who have achieved an amazing way of life.
One of my favorite videos! Wonderful Couple, Art and Mary!!!
Thanks John.
This is definitely retirement goals. Can't wait to read the blog!
this is the best retirement anyone could ever imagine
Agree 100%
Your quilts are beautiful!
Thanks for the kind words. Mary loves making quilts and taking classes. I love to travel so both are happy.
I like such a peaceful way of life.
Art and Mary: You are amazing and inspiring. Absolutely love to see all that you've put into this lifestyle you've built. Thank you, Exploring Alternatives, for your great work ;)
Thanks for the kind words Genevieve.
Thank you for watching, and for the kind words!!
TRUTH EXACTLY the only healty way to live THANK YOU so much for sharing this incredible story
Thanks Johnny.
happy this came up in my feed. great channel. couple living their best lives! i am at peace seeing that and wish them the very best. hello A & M, Happy 65th!
Great interview, great folks! Thank you all.
Thank you for introducing me to this very interesting couple. I thoroughly enjoyed this video.
Love it. Thank you for sharing this video. I think this is most people's living style.
Off grid doesn't mean low tech or cheap materials. Really interesting how much thought has to go into the mechanical systems to make this all work. Having a well on your property that allows you to be off grid for water is really key too.
Thanks Caroline. Good point.
Beautiful home
What an amazing couple these two are! I am jealous of their smarts and situation...but extremely blessed by their sharing. Bless you both!
Best off grid home i`ve seen yet. Its not tiny, just a nice regular spaced home, very nice#
Great setup and info, and very nice video production! Thanks everyone! 👍🏠
Thanks Tommy.
What a lovely couple❤️🙂❤️