By the way...the picture in the thumbnail is my Great Grandfather cabin in Rock Lake Michigan where he was a Church of Christ Minister for decades. I was in that cabin many times as a little kid.
Awesome photo! Just last week, looking through old things, we found the flyer used in 1968 that auctioned my grandfathers place. Goes to show choices you make have lasting effects and not just on you. Your kids will thank you for the lessons they are learning!
Back in the 70s, I asked my grandmother, who was born in 1891, about the change she liked the most. She said "running water! The good old days? You can have 'em. I like my indoor bathroom!". She lived her whole life in Northern Wisconsin, helped run a dairy farm and raised 7 surviving children (out of 11) without electricity or running water until she was 56. Because of her, I say a little prayer of thanks every time I get into a hot shower or run the dishwasher, washing machine or cloths dryer.
My Mom said once, even the poorest people now have it better than we did. I didn't actually understand what she meant at the time. But after thinking about it, they didn't have electricity, running water, a refrigerator, heating and cooling, TV's computers, phones....they had nothing. They grew and canned their food they didn't go to the store with food stamps. So yes, they had it harder than most of us can fathom.
Pretty much holds true to anything in life. As long as you can find a stable, mature woman who is willing to work from the ground up and a foundation with you anything is really possible. Step 1 is what is nearly impossible for younger generations since they are so addicted to social media and don't have the same motivation. I'd absolutely love to find a woman who wants to build a foundation together and understands the importance of hard work. All I keep running into are teenagers trapped inside a woman's body, but I still have hope that one day the right one will appear if it is in God's will.
@@Arnuld15Governator It's also important to find a stable and mature man who doesn't play computer games all day. It's hard to find younger men who understand and are committed to the importance of being a family. So many these days are after women's bodies and not their souls.
@@skeptical_citizen to some degree you cant blame them. They were raised by a generation of "sexual liberty" so most women off the bat arent good candidates. Hard to get a good man when you dont care what a good man wants.
@@skeptical_citizen always were, it's genetic reality and let's not fool ourselves it's different for females maybe you didn't put effort in own looks as many men also don't while having unrealistic expectations
Thank you so much for making this video, lately it has been disheartening on UA-cam lately. They are trying to normalize 200k tiny homes. This is a real reminder of what off grid is.🥰
Every aspect of our modern media is being used to socially engineer us into modern serfdom without us ever realizing we've be duped into thinking its all good.
@@jurassicsmackdown6359 People need to DIY if they want stuff to be cheap. You're gonna pay....alot for someone to do it for you. like 80% of the cost is just their time
This book is a comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to build a second unit on their property. ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxzaRUJNcbypw-fRBDbqqz43ULIa-1EGP- It showcases various types of houses, such as garage apartments, with photos, videos, and floor plans. The book provides the square footage and the dimensions of each house, as well as the option to order the plans or customize them according to your preferences. You can choose from a range of styles, from ultra modern to cottages and A frame lake houses. The book also offers suggestions for sheds, pool houses, and office studio buildings. This book is an ideal resource for the aspiring home designer.
@@xhadebrinsbane5238 how does that sound weak? I’m running a one acre homestead with 44 chickens and 1/4th acre food and I’m dying doing it alone. It’s weak to need another human being? I’m going to reckon then, that you’ve never done anything this physical even with a group. You build a house alone. I’d love to see it.
"Poverty was the engine that taught me what I know" Like you and Brooke my husband and I made our own way by buying extreme fixer uppers and learning as we went remodeling them. He hangs drywall I mud, sand and paint No money to hire so I personally learned how to do electricity and now I have fully wired 3 houses and past every inspection first time. And I'm a woman! I do the trim work, psinting, he does the tile, roofing, gutters. I could go on and on We learned as we went, there is no better way The skills we learned, turned into careers and supported us financially, and still are I'm now 56 him 60 and we're still remodeling! We love both yours and Brooke's channel's, we can relate so much!
At 27 I bought my 1925 house. It had knob n tube, zero insulation, single payne windows. In 1987 sheetrock could be bought for 1.99, .99 on sale! I too pulled the brittle rock down, researched and rewired, insulated, hung sheetrock ( 2 ladders and a T from 2x4 for ceilings), taped and painted! All passed inspection so I could sleep at night. A wonderful learning experience and long ago. I had only the sliding doors installed professionally and it's the one that leaks!
@@heatherk8931 us to, our first house was all knob and tube. Built in late 1800s. 2 story, it took me 2 1/2 months to upgrade it Our house which we still have still has skeleton key door knobs
Off grid, simply means not connected to public utilities. You can have all the modern amenities you want, as long as you're not paying some city utility or company for your electricity or water.
100 %, thats all it is, being independent from the system. The guy in the vid is acting as if there is a special code of living to the off grid life, complete BS
I began my journey fourteen years ago when I moved to the mountains of NC, and bought an acre of sloped, forest land. I began building my first "shed plan", and I have lived in it ever since. Five years ago I began construction of my 20'x 20' cabin. I learned carpentry from my father. I'll eventually have plumbing and water, and power. I'm 78!
I'm curious about the financial aspects of all this. Do you still need to work at least part time somehow to pay for your supplies and health care? What if you have to go to the dentist? Just wondering how to make this possible with little income
@@busterscruggs3031 Funny isn't it, how most of these "off grid" people never truly explain their income, which is often the most important aspect people want to know. But, if they did that it would reveal too much truth and spoil the level of BS they have going on.
Probably the best Ryan’s ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxGZedDTcDfgD7fG_uU4esfx_EgxzlY2_1 Plans on building a shed is hardly ever found. And Ryan takes the mystery out of different types of foundation options, etc. He even shows how to build a shed with different designs. Very comprehensive, covering different roofing materials, siding, etc.
Lol, that's very much my thought... At my age, my father had done so much and had gathered so much practical knowledge (not to mention actual assets). I have nothing to show for myself. 😬
But his title has nothing to do with the video. He seems to think that if somebody owns a new truck, or hauls lumber to a remote location that this means that they are not "off grid." That is stupid. Off Grid has nothing to do with how new your truck is or how much money you have. It doesn't matter if you build it yourself or pay some fancy contractor to build it. Only thing that matters - Is it patched into the grid or not?
Glad to see the real side shared on UTube. I went off grid many years ago out of necessity. An accident left me permanently disabled and homeless. After three years of fighting the government for my disability I finally won but lost everything trying to simply survive. Eventually I was able to find some land that the owner would carry the note. Moved to the land in an old motorhome. Set up a composting toilet carried water up from the creek in 5 gallon buckets etc. Things have slowly improved and honestly I’d never go back to my old life. The whole experience has shown me who my true friends are and what really matters and is needed to survive.
I'm a retired combat vet and grew up pretty primitive but also grew up in the city. I pray you stay close to nature and heal up well the best you can brother. I'm tired of all my money going no where...I'm headed to the ozarks of NW Arkansas. Cheers
Probably because there are disabilities that allow people to still be physically strong and totally able to make their home off grid. Not all of us are in a wheelchair or using a cane, and I personally know one or two amputees who would indeed be able to physically haul a five gallon tank around. Also, some systems can be adapted for use by the less able bodied since humans invented the wheel and the pulley. It's not easy, you'd have to use your smarts, but is it ever easy for anyone? ;-)
@@BullshitMan4, You're clueless. There are a number of disabilities where you can carry a 5 gallon bucket with water in it. Notice he didn't say the bucket was full...only that it was used for transporting water. There are a number of disabilities where you can still carry objects. I have one of those disabilities.
My girlfriend and I recently moved into a small cabin that my great grandfather built in 1960, we live on a lake which my great grandfather also helped build in the 40s with the Army COE. We made this move mostly because it was cheaper, and also there's really no one left in my family to take of it anymore. The bones were solid but it absolutely needed some updating. I'm 36 and come from a culinary background so I never really had any construction experience, but we told ourselves that this would be an excellent opportunity for us to learn new skills. And a year later we have almost completely remodeled this 768 square foot cabin, everything from flooring, to new cedar panneling, to installing windows. There's a good sense of accomplishment. I do use a small solar setup to charge batteries for emergencies, just a 200w system, but I learned how to do that too. Until now this place has never even had a mailbox. We should have recorded our progress but all I have are a hell of alot of pictures. It feels good learning new skills.
I greatly admire stories like yours, I’m sure too, that your already achieved culinary skills greatly aided in this new lifestyle. I watched an interview lately with a 106 year old gentleman and his advice was to never stop acquiring new skills through hobbies or by taking on new projects such as what you have done.
I tell people that it’s harder than they think. I describe crying the first time I took a hot shower after getting back from off grid. The gratitude I felt to have power readily available for anything I may need and to run several things at once. How hard winter is and deciding if I would be clean that day, or warm because you can’t have both. Unless people live it, they have no idea
@@scottyoz2460 I don't pretend to be one of the 10%. I feel luck has just as much to do with survival in shtf. I feel I have what an experienced survivalist would need to survive, but I hope I'll never need to find out, or become an experience survivalist either.
@@ancarh537 when it’s below freezing and you get wet, it doesn’t matter how warm the water was, if you get wet you will be cold, and if you don’t have electricity to dry your hair, your hair stays wet if freezing temps. We did have minimal wood heat, but when it gets too cold, keeping it warm enough to be warm is not always an option. Staying dry is the best option to stay warm.
If you have the money, time, and are decently fit and have friends/family, it really isn’t as difficult as you’d think. I’ve been fixing up some houses and learning about how they’re made, along with other things, for a comparatively short while. It’s actually surprising to me how simple it is. They aren’t too complicated. Of course it’s easier said than done. But still. I’ll be building me a place for sure one day - when I have the funds/materials - and know for sure that it will be worth every bit of the process.
@@mechanomics2649 If you’re truly “off grid”, then money isn’t exactly a must. I’d say knowledge is more important then. And you can build on your knowledge and make things better and better. But I get your point. I was just saying that if you’re set up, that it isn’t as hard as people would think it could be sometimes. Like we’ve said, you’re able bodied, have time, and have the resources (by either buying it all or getting it from nature) then you can do it. It would all be more than worth it in the end for sure.
Off grid living is a blessing, doing it for 10 years straight, never looked back . When I have to go to the city I’m getting paranoid from the noise and so much people.
The Detox of society is a special thing, don't let the drama affect you, use it as a positive reminder of fact, you are a 1% that narrow path, and you will not change minds, focus on you and that path is what eventually changes the world... We are in a spiritual place...
About 6 years ago I decided to live off grid. The whole thing cost about $20,000. After several months, one day I was lying in bed and realized I had never thought about going back. I never thought, "Man, I wish I had running water," or "I miss having more square footage." I was living it like it was something I had done my whole life. I still live like that.
@bureaffari3694 That difference would be perception. One can look at life as a victim or one can look at life as opportunity. Living small can have the life of much smaller expenses, more freedom to move around, and having a much smaller negative impact on the environment. I'm not a climate alarmist, but I do enjoy being much less wasteful. People can embrace those values or they can live in the negative. Your choice is your choice even when bad things happen to you.
@notyourcrew Depends what you mean by off grid. Some people define that as living in a cave, growing/hunting your own food, making your own toothbrushes/clothes, harvest firewood for heating and cooking, etc., etc. Some, like myself, define it more as not being hooked up to city water and not being hooked up to the electrical grid. I get my power from solar and my water from a well.
When I told my dad we were going to live off grid for a simpler life he laughed at me and said have fun with that. He grew up on a farm. Just the farm work was intense, so when he heard we will be going off grid AND to homestead. He laughed his butt off. These UA-camrs glorify it and label it as easy going, care free and going back to "simpler" times. Within two months of off grid and two kids under 5. The reality of how hard this actually is set in. There is nothing simple about this. Everything takes more time. Everything. We did it to get out of debt. I don't regret it. But I do miss my "simpler" life back home where there was all the amenities. Bathing the kids every night, waking up to cartoons and an easy pancake breakfast, jumping in the shower before heading off to work. Yup. That's simple. But a mortgage, now that's the hidden price of simple living.
I don't even pretend to be self sufficient or off grid, living in the middle of nowhere and taking care of a small farm is more than enough grinding work
I have a feeling the 2 kids are what made it so much harder. Most people go way too hard into this, settijg up massive gardens, getting several livestock species, too many difficult projects at once, and worst of all, not ha ing enough money to get things going before you go broke. To me it seems like the more work you add on, the more money youll need, which means more work. Rather than actually working for yourself and keeping costs low
I just don't understand your aversity of (bank) loans. As long as the economic system of society is kinda sound, there is not much against it if a family buys a house with a loan, then pays it off during their productive years, ends up with quite a good bit of value that can be used for their pension years or passed down to children. it's a normal system this way, used by billions of people around the world because young people by definition don't have the wealth ready to buy a home when they are 20, but they have the energy and time to pay back a loan. So my question is, why are you afraid to be in debt as long as the conditions of the loan are fair? (no loan sharking obviously, that is just evil)
@@Oshun95 yes, I noticed not everybody is fine with that, that's why I asked the question why? As long as you make well considered decision and don't borrow too much there is not much risk. Problems occur only when parties get greedy, people spending too much or banks gambling on the stock market. But there are still safe options for things like mortgages. look I am obviously talking about the average person, a young couple, wIthout any special needs or disabilities, living an average life. there can be all kinds of individual circumstances why a house loan is not a good option
We’ve known Dave & Brooke for 15 years. There’s so many mini-chapters Dave could have added. Serious adversity, detours, helping others, being helped… they are genuine authentic people. We miss you both!
Thankyou for filling in the blanks & giving us the full picture of these AUTHENTIC PIONEERS! Their great people. Do they know Alaska Prepper? Do you ? He's also in Fairbanks Alaska & is a genuine person!♥️
Their story reminded me of my parents and I assumed that much. I remembered at one point my mother having serious surgery so that slowed down things. We were also taking care of my paternal grandmother and an aunt so that also slowed things down.
Not big into the off-grid lifestyle… it intrigues me, but my father-in-law is much more into it. I see the stuff he watches and I’m like “WTF did all this come from?!” Lol thanks for the transparency
Maybe they are most of what you say but their video titles are so far off base that they verge on lying to get people to watch. That's not exactly my idea of "genuine, authentic people".
You can tell these two are authentic, it shows, they also have a wealth of great knowledge which they give to us freely. I love that about them. Dave and Brooke are my absolute favorite.
My wife and I lived on our yacht for 20 years. The water was caught from the decks, the electricity came from 2 panels and would run a laptop all day, the lights, a TV and video player. The real beauty was raising the anchor and sailing wherever we wanted.
I watch those videos and with Patreon and UA-cam income that's a pretty good life to me. But that might come to a crashing end as the great reset that wants everyone stuck in a 15 Minute Prison...I mean City is in the making. No gas or diesel vehicles, no travel, no vacations, your food allotment texted to you and if you go over your allotted amount of anything your bank account is cut off. People need to wake up to what's being planned and stop it.
Thanks for this video. I grew up in the rural Midwest in a series of semi-offgrid houses. We lived in places that most other people would not consider human shelter. We converted garages and outbuildings into housing. We pumped water by hand in the yard and heated with wood. Standing water had ice on it when we got up some mornings. My dad still lives in a house that was an 1840's homestead. It was always hard work and dirty. Our family of 6 lived on only a few thousand dollars a year through the late 1980's. We raised most of our own food and bartered with other rural poor. I tried watching a couple off grid videos recently and figured that many of these people had off-camera work crews and hundreds of thousands in financing.
What you are talking about Dave is authenticity and integrity. You and Brooke have it in spades. You encourage ordinary people to achieve off-grid freedom through hard work, acquiring skills, careful planning and using money wisely.
Off-grid-ism seems to have developed into some kind of a goofy spiritual discipline or mythical practice. When I first lived without an electric meter back in the 70's, I'd never even heard the term: "off-grid." I did it because bringing in utility power was not practical, affordable or even a realistic choice. I've used generators and batteries, lanterns, propane refrigerators, solar panels and had stoves that burned almost any kind of fuel you could imagine. The problem with "Off-Grid-ism" is there seem to be too many foolish rules, untested ideas and too little practical reason. I like that Dave Whipple seems to approach the choices in living without basic utility services from a pragmatic and unsentimental perspective. Thanks for the video Dave!
I completely agree. Dave & Brooke are very honest and sincere, you see it in their eyes and in what they do. The encouragement and inspiration they give is through the roof!
Thanks for counter balancing all those romanticized videos about living off grid. The only people who really did it could never have free time, no vacancy, no travel, ever. It was a life of constant work.
Thank you for this video, its so hard and i regret jumping into living off grid so fast, im just trying to survive now. It gets to be so overwhelming with how much needs to get done that you become paralyzed in a sense
We've lived off grid for almost 8 years. It's hard work. Always something that needs to be fixed or a project to begin or finish. The up side is fresh eggs, home raised pork in the freezer, fruit n nut from the trees we planted and the beautiful quiet and sunsets to enjoy with loved ones ❤.
I once lived in a tent for several months(let go from a job and took time to get another)It was hot in the south with no AC in my tent and I thought I was sad. Now that things have been what we call good (with house and car)I realize I'm less happy than when I had nothing. Also I found out who my true friends were. I find myself feeling like I have less meaning than when I was in the woods in a tent.
@@elizabethrios7759 lol I said it was hot. I was in a mostly wooded area out of the city. Overall I was happier.It is hard to explain but it's like a feeling that you don't feel now but when you do it feels like your supposed to have always felt it. All I can say is go live in a wooded area and build fires to cook your food for a while and then you will feel it too. Also it made what I cooked seem a whole lot better and more exciting. . If I found a woman down with it, would go back to it. I haven't come across a woman willing to even build a tiny home much less build a home without electricity.
Love this channel, I'm an educated 63-year-old single mom, and I do all my work by myself, from remodeling to plumbing to gardening and building my own chicken coop, and making my own clothes. Those houses you made are fantastic. Beautiful journey!
I love to hear about women doing their thing. I never could find the right partner to pursue my dream with, so I did it on my own as well. I worked, raised my children, and then found my forever place in the hills where my dog and I ( 63 now) spend most of our time. 100% off grid in God's country. I'm truly blessed to have finally accomplished my dream. Stay strong 💪🙏❤
I find off-grid living fascinating. When watching other videos, I always said to myself, "Something is missing here." What was missing was the true off-grid living experience, or as my dad would call it "roughin' it". When you have to do everything yourself, you come to appreciate all of the things which are done for you. On the other hand, all that is done for you keeps you from learning how to do it yourself, which was sort of his point. I'm not sure if off-grid living is the life for me, but I wish there was some way I would try it out for at least 30-9 days and see what happens. Thanks so much for your inspiring video. It has allowed me to live vicariously through your family's experience. All the best!
Hmm, I wonder if a Kickstarter or GoFundMe or something could be done to create a place like that. Where people could come, experience off-grid living down 'n' dirty and if they're a good fit, then they get added to the community ...
You don't need and don't want to go off grid. It is much better to live in the suburb and start conserving electricity and water. Plant more trees, instead of killing the trees and burn them. Practice organic farming and conserve our nature. It is way better than going off grid and start destroying our beautiful nature.
@@3nertia You are not creating anything. You are destroying nature. There was one guy who actually lived off grid for 50 years. He learned his survival skills when he served the Peace Cops in Africa. He "built" a self sustainable environment in the Appalachian. It is not just about building a house, but about living with nature without destroying it. Search for the video. He welcomes people to go to his place.
@@trumplostlol3007 I don't know wtf you think "off-grid" means but to most of us, it means precisely that so I have no idea what you're on about and can only laugh ... "Destroying nature" - based on what? Never planted anything in your life? You can't build a home on top of the trees in a forest ffs or without moving a few stones ROFLMEYERWIENER
I live off grid here in the Yukon. You are so right! I came up here in 2011. Lived with friends in Whitehorse for the 1st year trying to find a place to rent. But at $1500 per month. was not an option. So, I ordered a tipi from Oregon, the toughest one they made. I lived in it for 5 1/2 years til it wore out. I rented the spot for the tipi. My landlord wanted me to build a cabin as it bothered him that I was in the tipi during the winter. I think that he was worried because when I came up, I was 59 years old and was just 6 months out of the hospital with heart disease. Anyway, I built my cabin myself and had never built anything like that in my life. I'm now 72 years old, single and work for my landlord during the summers. And odd jobs for locals when I can. How is it I can live off grid? It's much easier for me, as I was born and raised on a homestead, and lived and worked in the bush and nature all my life. I do have a college diploma in environmental science, was a master tech for Sthil Canada before I moved up here and am a red seal journeyman welder. The list goes on, but you are right, not to be afraid to learn. It's just basic survival. The more things you learn, the more rounded of a person you become. Being a "jack of all trades", makes life somewhat easier, and how much in demand you can be.
I have so much respect for you! Being independent and living by your own means is something the wife and I want. Unfortunately we live in a world where our government would rather have us dumb and dependent on them. Hopefully given time we'll be able to live more independently.
I was poor as a kid in the early 80s. We lived in the city but spent alot of time in the country. You just did everything yourself if something broke. And now with the internet its easier than ever. We make about 35K a year, house payment is 1K, no other debt. We get by just fine. I work about 30 hours a week, her about 25. We are happy after years of me thinking i had an income problem it was really a spending problem and being happy with what you have. And when you get there is amazing what falls in your lap.
so how do you get food? how do you get water? how do you get power? how do you get around? how did you build a cabin on your own, just out of hospital with heart disease? how did you get the lumber? how did you move the beams in to place by yourself?
@nobrainsnoheadache2434 I did have a job at the local tannery. I could buy groceries. Friends brought wild meat during hunting season. I did go fishing. I have 8 5gal water jugs. I haul water with my truck. I do have a generator or two. I scrounge most of my lumber. Only had to buy plywood and insulation. My neighbor has a sawmill, so he let me mill my own beams. With the beams, I maneuvered them any way I could. With bracing and sometimes with hydraulic Jack's. My siding was just the 1st cut on the sawmill. I'm not the type to lay brown and feel sorry for myself when the health goes south. I am a small engine mechanic and a journeyman welder. I do have to watch what I do and how I do it. My body tells me very quickly if I do something I shouldn't. You just work smart, that's all. Sometimes, it takes longer than I think. Before I moved up here, I had to take heart therapy 3× a week for 3 months. The heart specialist told me that there was no way I was going to the Yukon. After the therapy, he read my test results and couldn't believe it and told me that there was no reason why I couldn't go to the Yukon. I know my body better than anyone else. I know what I can do and can't. That's just the way it is....
@nobrainsnoheadache2434 I also gather my own firewood. I cook with propane. I do attempt to have a small garden. I have a small wood stove for heat in the winter. I do have a small solar system for lights in the winter. During the summers, we have close to 23 hrs of sunlight. Simply put, you do what you have to do to make it work. It's not always a bed of roses, and it's no for everyone. I have had young neighbors live not far from me, where I have shown and told how to do things. They last maybe a couple of years and move on. Lots try it just for the romance of it, and can't handle it. But at least they tried it. I was raised on a homestead and have lived the majority of my life in the bush, so I'm comfortable with it, and it's not a big deal. So, thanks for the questions and the interest. 😊
Reality is refreshing. All these "hipster" off-grid people are not giving people reality. It's not easy, and not pretty. Thanks for what you do and the lessons you teach. I hope lots of people see this and listen.
Same goes for those God-awful "cottagecore" people, mostly girls. Because aEsThEtiC and hashtag goals or whatever. Please. Probably don't even realize you don't get more chickens without a rooster. (Yes, those people do exist.) I'm all for people being as self-reliant as possible but I can't wait for the posers to go hop on some other bandwagon. I know I'm being kinda btchy about it but I'm just so sick of it.
I bought a cheap fixer upper 15 years ago in a flyover state while working on the coast. Each year I would travel there and work 24/7 then leave to go back to coast for regular job. Saved every penny for improvements, paid it off, drove the same beat up truck for 28 years and finally retired and moved. Hard work and sacrifice .....something very few Americans know how to do. But the main reason I wanted to comment is young people should realize after living the homestead life, if they don't have outside work, when they do reach retirement age they will not have a decent social security check coming or even qualify for medicare. When you are young you never think about those things. The body does give out and the chopping firewood and hauling water will be impossible and that social security check is vital in you old age.
@@afriendtoo6971 this happened to me at 38 years old. I had it all , i thought. I had many more years to get serious about rrtirement. I was making grrat money , in the late 80's and got hurt. Things dont work out the way you imagine sometimes
It's great to hear someone give the real story of living off grid. I built my place mostly by myself and it is hard work, lots of determination and a true love of nature. If you're not prepared to give up all the amenities of city or town living, don't waste your time and money. I lived for 2 years with no power I couldn't generate myself and only the food I could hunt, trap or grow myself. I wouldn't trade the experience for the world nor my way of life.
@@BaawBee Unless you're rich, solar, wind or hydroelectric don't happen over night. And where I call home , there are no roads . You fly it in, bring it in by boat, snowmobile , 4 Wheeler or horse. By 4 Wheeler, it's 17 .3 miles from the nearest dirt road 33 from gravel and 46 from "town". Hollywood and videos skipping all the actual work that goes into living out here doesn't show what it really takes financially or knowledge wise. That's why you're seeing such an uptick in reports of people dieing trying it themselves. If you don't know how to survive , how to build shelter with hand tools, stay warm, hunt, fish, trap, grow your own vegetables, what you can and can't eat, basic medicinal uses for local vegetation or even how not to get lost in the woods, you don't belong out here. It's a beautiful life, yes.... but it's a hard life as well.
@@BaawBeeThis is the response of someone naïve enough to believe the hipster off-grid folks. In a remote location, you will probably have your well. You may have solar, wind OR hydro... Maybe a combination of two. But, even with those energy resources, how are you paying for the equipment those amenities require? That's (usually) very expensive equipment. If you are that wealthy and living that remote, you are living off-grid for sport... not as a lifestyle. And that's the difference.
Thank you for being an honest UA-camr, this "off grid" living isn't as "easy" as many "blessed" people make it out to be. We definitely work our butts off every day to get one step closer to the dream on our homestead. All good things come with time and are worth waiting for. Good luck in your adventures and happy off gridding. Thank you for being a helpful teacher in my process.✌️💚
Oh my GOSH!!! Thank you SO VERY MUCH for making THIS video. The hipster, hollywood version of off grid living has sickened/disappointed me to the point of completely giving up my dream of living as close to off grid as my family is able. Most off grid scenarios seen on UA-cam involve a HUGE amount of cash, of which i have very little. Your video is MY realistic idea of what TRUE off grid living should be. Thank you!!! The dream is alive -- again!!
Dude, I'm 72 and I wish I knew about such things when I was 18. A little too late for me now but I tell everyone I know, young and old, about your channel - in particular, my grandkids. Thanks for posting, as well as your obvious honesty and integrity.
@@SkylarGraham Bro, guys our age have been saying those phrases since they were invented, lol, they're not new. And we've been online since it started, probably seen a lot of us without knowing it and age wasn't mentioned.
Started homesteading in Appalachia back in 2020. It’s been a hard fought battle that’s slowly becoming our little slice of heaven. We’ve done everything except erect the shell of the cabin which was already constructed when we purchased the land. We’ll never run a UA-cam channel or post our progress online, it’s too sacred for us personally; however, with that being said, I appreciate what you and your wife do here on UA-cam. Never once have I questioned your authenticity, and the world needs more people like the two of you!
@Southern Bella Wow, what have I done to you? I simply replied to a channel I enjoy watching, yet you take the time to berate me?! I never said I’m a pioneer, or claimed to be anything rather than an individual who enjoys remote living. This is exactly why I do not have a UA-cam channel dedicated to homesteading… I’m not going to let humanity discredit my accomplishments and/or dreams! I wish you the best!
My husband and I renovated a shore front property back in 1992. He was a civil engineer, I learned so much him. He passed away in 2019. Watching your videos reminds me of our building adventures, makes me miss him more but does bring back great memories! Thank you
Im at that point in life where im ready get off the grid. Dumping $2500 month in rent is flipping me off! Glad I stumbled into this content & the channel. Watching people livung in $200k camper van or house in wheels isnt what i had in mind. Appreciate everything you folks are putting out-its convincingly doable. More i watch-little less pissed off i am over state of our economy & more i want to “get off grid”.
Yea, the older folks don't understand how frustrating and heartbreaking it is to give entire paychecks to greedy landlords. These feelings are compounded by people calling younger generations lazy so that doesn't make me want participate in their society very much. Yeah, the amenities are nice but the freedom of not being stuck at a job all day or being weighed down by debt is also very attractive.
@@thelostcosmonaut5555 But older generations weren't as frustrated with being stuck at the work place during their day and purchased way less instead of going into debt. Younger generations complain about high prices, but at the same time want to make money without having to work or earning more as their work is worth. They are very greedy, but don't like it, when they also see the downsides of what they're doing.
@@elale8016 idk what you're talking about. Myself and all of my friends have full time jobs, sometimes two jobs. A lot of us are in school as well. I hardly buy anything but was getting charged 1500 for a garbage studio apartment. "Younger people don't want to work" yet who are the nurses and doctors keeping the older generations alive? Who are the sanitation workers keeping the city clean? Screw you.
@@elale8016 Families during the baby boom could make ends meet on 1 salary. Nowadays, you need at least 3 incomes to live somewhat comfortably. IT isn't laziness, it's astronomical inflation.
Thanks for sharing your story with us. I never believe those shows. It's too perfect. You just show us what it's really like. You guys are not Fake. That's why i watch your channel and Brook's channel. It's all real. No Fake, No drama. I hate that crap in shows. You guys are awesome and Blessed what you have.
What a life you have led. You’ve worked hard and kept things simple. You’ve set such a good example. Both you and Brooke have set the bar for so many. Keep it real Dave
This is so true. My wife and I jump into the off grid wagon 2 years ago; let me tell you it has not been easy. There’s been days in which we just wanted to give up. Our tent living try ended up in a completely failure. Then we found this channel and got motivated to build a small cabin house as we go. Only God knows were this journey will take us, but it can’t be a bad ending. Thank you for your videos.
I had a friend when I was younger whose parents built an off grid cabin they lived in. Her parents liked to show off to everyone about how environmentally friendly they were, etc. The reality of it was my friend would come to my house everyday to do basic things like shower and homework because she couldn't do them (or do them comfortably) at home. She would stay at my house when we'd have snow storms because her parents couldn't dig out their road early enough for her to get to school. This is much of the reason our friendship ended - I felt smothered and used by her. I say this with no ill will towards my old friend; I say it instead to show that it is not just online people are using this superficially, but in real life too.
We are doing something similar in Portugal for the past 4 years and you’re so right that there is lots of fakery out there. It really annoys me when viewers refer us to other ‘off gridders’, because they apparently do it so much better than us, completely ignoring the fact that some of these youtubers have tonnes of money to spend, have no kids (we have 2) or are actually selling BS. Love what you said about willingness to learn, which was for me The reason to want to do this. Cheers, Maarten (Our Portuguese Homestead)
Yeah l did it accidentally in Morocco, ended up taking a house with no running water or electricity because l went through a phase of bringing home too many street animals and l need the space for the donkeys and dogs etc. If you want a home away from other people in the somewhat peaceful woods here it's probably not going to have electricity etc and if you pay to have power put in then other folks will start constructing new homes to take advantage of the already existing lines. So yeah, living like this wasn't really something l wanted. Soon I'm going to give up and move closer to town, and it's been also only about four years. The amount of chores is unbelievable and the cold winter nights and summer heat are getting to me and I'm not getting any younger. Oh well l guess l better get out there and do some more chores like hauling water up the hill while the donkeys watch. Good grief.
In my 3rd year off grid central portugal. Hard work but wouldn't change a thing. Makes you realise the important things on life. My only regret is I didn't do it before I reached 60!
I understand such things before even phantasizing that it could work. I have devoted to seeing through bullshit for so long, it is a really unhappy life. Truth isn't pretty. Especially when you see how many don't care about it.
I don’t understand the need to gatekeep and dictate what is considered off grid or not. Not everybody is a purist. Some just want to enjoy some elements of the lifestyle while not giving up modern conveniences, and to that I say who cares?! There’s room for everyone in this community
I've been totally off-grid in Alaska for five years. I snow in every winter. You and Brooke are a true inspiration. I have always said, you need two things to be successful off-grid. 1. Ambition and drive, lots of it. This is no place for the lazy. 2. A solid foundational knowledge of construction. Don't guess at it. Mother Nature will kick your ass. The big bonus for you is Brooke. She is just as committed as you are. I left a wife because she kept sabotaging my efforts to go off-grid. I've had to do it alone. That TOTALLY sucked. Anyone going off-grid needs to find a partner before making the jump. Build it together. If you do it alone, that's how you will live, alone. After five years, I'm good alone. Not sure if I want a woman to come in now and turn my heaven into hell on earth.
My wife , 2 kids and me have been completely off grid for 12 years now . Very happy , healthy and comfortable . It is a wonderful way to live . My one best tip would be to keep it simple . Do not over complicate your systems . Go for the simplest solutions . Other tips would be to Make sure the whole family know how the set up works , ie , electricity , water systems , toilets , heating etc . Embrace it as a lifestyle , adopt habits which support that lifestyle . Keep on top of maintenance . It is hard work to start with but gets easier in time . Very easy , sustainable and rewarding for us now . Good luck .
I think if I went it alone, my aim would be to keep working on my living quality until I knew it would be good enough for a high-maintenance city woman. Maybe impossible, but it would stop me from settling and keep me pushing.
I enjoyed watching how your family evolved over the last many years. I respect how you and Brooke grew together and yet both of you are very independent as well. 💜
One thing not mentioned, there's a lot of trial and error. For instance, our rainwater collection, the pump looked powerful enough when I bought it (660 GPH) to put a high enough water pressure for a toilet or sink, which also allowed for siphoning of the rain barrel. There are many times a product you believe will be ok, to find out it's not nearly powerful enough.
Try a manual pump toilet from jabsco. Uses minimal water to flush. I run 2 bathrooms with showers and a kitchen sink on a 12v 3.5 gpm pump. That's a jabsco as well. All the plumbing is done in reinforced vinyl tubing with a 1.1 gal accumulator tank. Don't hook the toilet to the pressure side of the water.
I feel like this is the embodiment of the American Dream. The freedom of choice and lifestyle, at the cost of your own hard work and effort. Also the reason why its so appealing. While not for everyone, I feel like a lot of people in modern society could take some elements of this to heart and improve their own lives with it. Wonderful video.
The whole world has enough of the American dream. Which is apparently get really fat, dumb, steal from other countries, killing as much people as possible, waving shitty american flag and scream about the freedom... Yup
@@benjaminmeusburger4254 I saw an ad for plots of 200 acres in Idaho for 2000$ just a couple years back. You can buy massive stretches of wilderness land in any state, which you can then homestead on. People underestimate just how much sparsely inhabited land there is available in the US. Though I'm sure some have more bureaucracy bullshit to deal with than others.
Even without the employ of slaves you'd still have to deal to some degree with the karmic problem of stolen land. 😉 Would you be a humble steward to it or wield a shotgun at 'invaders'?
Dave, your story may be typical for folks from Alaska. But for this city kid from Los Angeles, it's mind blowing. I had no idea growing up that anything like this was possible today, not just what people a hundred years ago had to do! Thank you so much for sharing the journey you & your wife have taken through your all your independent, simple but totally YOUR OWN housing. I love that through UA-cam I get to learn from you!
This was what I thought too. Where this kinda life is cheap, but labour intensive up in the untamed wilderness. Over here, in central europe? Not a chance to do it at all. Building here is always more expensive than renting or buying. Because you have to follow so many laws on what you can build. You have to get so many costly permits, and in the end, you just cant build a wood cabin to live in. So in the end, the people that get to live like this are the rich hipsters, that just do it for the heck of it. And not because its a worthwhile way of living. Even if I own land here. I don't really own it. I'd pay taxes en masse on it. Those taxes increase the more developed it is. No matter if its off grid or on grid. To be legally allowed to live in a place, it has so many rules on how it can be built. Requiring it to be thermically protected, Requiring a full concrete foundation, requiring professional roofing. A lot of things, you need to be officially licensed to do, even if you can teach it yourself. And to folk like me, this is as much of an unobtainable dream as it is to bring in resources with a helicopter. So many folk just dont bat an eye at that. It's just a spectacle to most, and helicopters of course increase that spectacle.
@@TarDeisa The unrecognized privilege of living in a place with massive amounts of land relative to the number of people. And exactly how 'off-grid' this example is is debatable as well. He gets the harvested, refined, processed, and shaped metals and other materials from industrial processes that are part of that grid. Solar panels are made through massive industrial processes that cause major environmental damage (in other countries). Not everyone has access to the skills or education that he mentioned (tradesman skills like carpentry are increasingly difficult to get into in the USA) and not all public schools offer much for it. With the economy in in the gutter and going lower, that lump-sum payment is a big ask that is getting bigger for younger people. And this is before considering the challenges of social isolation.
@@incorectulpolitic Gatekeeping, a shortage of tutors, and a crap economy. It is difficult to find anyone to learn from without personal contacts and lots of existing ones outright gatekeep anyone they do not have a personal (often familial) connection to. Some trades have unions that act as a barrier to entry. Some want experience for 'entry level' positions. The pay for the apprentice years is often garbage and during times of stagnant wages and rising prices-when the apprentice is not _paying their tutor_ for the education. There is already a shortage, between skilled laborers moving to the cities and getting different jobs, generations of anti-trades academic propaganda, and outsourcing jobs to other countries or migrant labor that is cheap and in a weak negotiating position. The number of people who can learn from their parents is small and dwindling further because most parents never learned themselves. And now some of the paid jobs demand things like COVID vaccination and... there is a high correlation between the sort of people liable to be interested in trades and skepticism or more of the vaccine compared to the general population. There are a LOT of barriers to entry unless you happen to have a relative already established in the field. And then there is all of the legal red tape involved, although that varies by area, given how drastically the law varies by state, country, city, and so on. Some of them are a major barrier to entry, often to maintain some sort of monopoly or cartel.
@@NevisYsbryd Missed the point about being willing to learn... The guy started with nothing but a 6$/hr job pouring concrete as his experience, rest was learned as he went.
Whoever's reading this, i pray that whatever you're going through gets better and whatever you're struggling with or worrying about is going to be fine and that everyone has a fantastic day! Amen
So I started watching a lot of these homesteading videos and recently I found one of a young man who decided fresh out of high school to build a cabin in Alaska. Totally respecting his ambition, the algorithm blessed me with other homesteading videos, and one UA-camr who recommended your channel. So I watched a few of your videos and I meandered over to this one, and then it got to you raising a family and baby pics, and I was like "that boy looks awful familiar" and it dropped on my head like a ton of bricks that Y'ALL ARE REALLY GOOD AT BUILDING HOUSES and it runs in the family! Very cool! Cheers!
If only more people were so modest, considerate and easy going like you two. The world would be a far nicer place...full of lovely cabins :) Greetings from the Czech republic. Thank you for your beautiful videos!
@@SuperSpecies Well, not good at all. Fist - Czech Rep. is a small country. There aren´t any huge, distant properties to be bought in the first place. If you ever succeed in buying a piece of forest, you have to be a millionaire. Vast majority of land is already owned by profiteers, speculators, politicians etc. Only the bad "leftovers" are for sale from time to time. Usually without any access roads. Next comes the red tape. The only thing you can legally build is theoretically a garden shed, not exceeding the floor area of 25 square meters. You can´t just "start building". There has been a long tradition of peaching and snitching and if you started building a cabin, someone would report you to the authorities and they would let you tear the building down and fine you. Of course, this doesn´t apply to huge concrete hotels and projects of developers. They can build pretty much anything in the middle of a national park and get away with it. Our country isn´t suited for cabin building but there is a big and long tradition of "weekend house ownership", so many families own a second, smaller house somewhere and they spend their free time there. Whoever was able to inherit theirs or buy it in the 90s is a lucky person now. Nowadays it is of course impossible for a normal working person to save enough money to buy a weekend house (or cottage or whatever). I´d like to have one but there is just no hope. You need millions. An average weekend house here is (converted to USD) about 100k - 150k+ - if the location is good. The average (monthly) wage here is 1800 USD (before taxes) and most ordinary people can´t save much.
@@lukasgayer5393 I'm not sure about the rules for building a log cabin in Alaska, like they did in this video, but most of the time, here in the USA, you would have to have a building permit from the city in order to build anything. Much like your garden shed analogy. I've heard that we can even get in trouble for putting up a fence without a building permit. Crazy stuff!!
I went full time off grid in 1997. I was and still am on my own. It sure wasn't easy getting up at 5 am for a cold shower and a long day at work followed by 4 hours working on the house until dark. Weekends were spent working on the house as well. I have 1250 watts of solar... a 400 windy genny and a 13000 gallon rainwater harvesting system.
@@humansustainability up until 3 years ago it was hacked wifi links with modified gear and 30 dB gain dishes (now you can buy Ubiquitii gear) and a 2 way cell booster booster with 9 element yagi (Wilson).
All lessons I wish I had learned and known about 20 years ago. These days, I am far too broken to be able to set off on an adventure of such a nature. I have a lot of respect for you all, and the life you have truly literally built for yourselves.
Great video. My best friend is a contractor who builds and remodels homes. He once pointed out something that I think is also pointed out in your vids. You were able to build and use those homes because you DID THE LABOR YOURSELF. The materials were not free, and they cost some money, but you SAVED yourself the cost of labor;-- the cost of having someone else build the stuff FOR you. My friend is always talking about just how much he spends on labor-- the price of getting it built is hugely influenced by how much you gotta spend on labor. That human toil. It is also hard work. These folks making youtube vids sometimes make it look like a fantasy, but in reality it is a ton of very hard work. Most lazy Americans are just 'not built' to work that hard. So you made some great points. But the one thing I would tell your viewers is that these people worked very hard to get where they are, and don't even try to copy them unless you are willing to work just as hard as they did.
Agreed. In the very beginning, I watched pick up that log like it was nothing. That's strength and endurance from a physical life. Most Americans aren't exposed to that, so they wouldn't know. Luck of the draw where your environment dictates your life. Also him and his wife's relationship. Solid
"Most lazy Americans are just 'not built' to work that hard." Literally just said that about myself in my comment LOL (ofc, I'm 53 now, and have not done any real work for some time. I've gotten soft... NOT lazy, though... just haven't had the opportunity to 'get to work" like that. Very soon, though...)
Agreed. Most people are exceptionally lazy. Most people who can’t afford to hire a lawn service don’t take very good care of their yards. And that’s just the suburbs where you’re almost not even allowed to do your own building. But some buildings are easier than others to erect. The best way to simplify construction is by minimizing the size of the individual components, keeping it just one storey, building on a concrete pad, and so forth.
I love your story. That’s truly the way to go. Not spending thousands on a mortgage each month or rent. Build your own stuff little by little as you can afford. Your kids are blessed to grow up like this. I bet it wasn’t easy at times but so worth it in the long run!
I've had a very different path in life (spent my 20's & most of my 30's in cities) but still to this day, the carpentry skills I learned in my teens working for my uncle's contracting company have been among the most useful skills I've learned in life. And you're 100% right, a willingness to learn is key. Thanks for the great content!
My husband and I cannot do what you and Brooke have done as we are much older and struggle with big health issues. But we appreciate all the hard work you both have done and continue to do. We grow as much of our own food as possible. And we buy from local farmers for our protein too. We have a well and septic as our state and town requires. Everything is not ideal. But we each do the best we can coming from where we are. My husband is very handy and never shies away from fixing just about anything, cars, trucks, household issues of an older home, etc. We are both busy constantly doing things ourselves where neighbors and friends hire people to do these things. We don't think of living off grid completely ever at this point in our lives. We use to go into the woods and cut lumber for our wood stove and we loved it, but health emergencies have ended that for now. So I don't look at things as all or nothing. We don't have to prove to anyone if we live partially off grid or totally off grid, and neither does anyone else. Those dilatants who you were speaking about seemed a bit ridiculous to me when I saw that channel, but.... To each his/her own. I would like to live further in the woods, but it's not possible for my husband. Thanks for all your content. And really liked your videos on traveling up to Alaska each year. I never get tired of them. Have watched them a few times with my husband on Saturday nights!😂 We don't watch regular TV, and haven't for years now. And we are not much for night life. We like to get up early and get going on the tasks ahead for the day. God bless you🙏
Most of my and my husband's family were rural farmers in North Carolina a couple of generations back. My husband's granndma lived on a subsistence farm and they only bought materials like salt and needles, that they couldn't make themselves. I still remember she used to say so often, she thanked God everyday that as an adult she was able to get off that damned farm and move to town.
@@newagain9964I think Belle was showing the contrast of previous generations of “off grid” and how they longed for the municipalities and comfort in bigger cities. Comparatively, here we are trying to get back to our roots off griding trying to figure out how to break the chains of societal norms and expectations. Its ironic and fascinating. We truly are never satisfied as a species.
Thanks for this video I was living off grid for 10 years but I’m older now and can’t do a lot of the things I was doing to keep up that style of life Then there was the person who messed up my “things “ like chopping the wires to the solar panels And other things just became more complicated My wife is disabled so that adds a new wrinkle to life
I remember Brooke telling her story on her channel and I thought it was so interesting; so it is definitely a bonus to hear your version as well. You guys are an awesome hardworking team; very authentic, informative and what I appreciate most is your interaction with us the viewer, where you both take the time, in your busy lives, to read/reply to comments as well as answering emails...that, in and of itself, distinguishes both of you from the rest. It's honest interaction and a willingness to help those who have questions: like we did about a water well-pump, finding out that we needed a ball valve. Can't thank you and Brooke enough for caring about supporting others on the same path.
Mark Twain wrote a funny story, "Eve's Diary" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve%27s_Diary), which includes excerpts from Adam's diary. I read it long ago, but one funny tidbit was when Adam commented that he didn't know where Eve was "finding" babies. He just come home one day and she'd be holding a new baby. In hindsight, I wish Dave and Brooke had planned a similar storytelling. Maybe they still will, but on a new topic. 😀
Dave, started watching you Last Year. And your way of living and life is an inspiration to me. And my family. I’m 21, Heavy Diesel Mechanic in Southern New Jersey. My Wife and I are currently saving for a Homestead of our own, away from the typical neighborhood we reside in. For our 1yr Old Son And our little Collie Puppy that joined us recently. Watching this gives us faith to follow our dream like you did. The time you put into these videos never ceases to amaze me. Thank you!
We moved to north Idaho last year and there is a saying "the fastest way to go through a million dollars is to move to Idaho with a million dollars". It's hard not to spend everthing you have on snowplows, snowblowers, snow machines, trucks, tractors, boats etc. Then, of course, you need a big shop or barn to keep all that stuff.
It looks like you are one of the legit families in the off grid game. I am pretty sure that the over the top things you see on TV is probably paid for by the show. I just started building a cabin with my son that is off grid. It is the little things that are hard like the 2 hour drive to the land, packing and unpacking tools every trip, bathroom considerations, etc. What is of irreplaceable value is working side by side with my son, teaching him skills, and figuring out how to overcome obstacles together. Keep up the good work.
“Most things are easier then they think you are” favorite quote. People think they aren’t capable because they aren’t a “pro”. If someone else figured it out you surely can on most building projects. Great video.
nowdays more than ever, there's tons of content on the internet about how to do things, you don't have to just take your best guess anymore, you can find actually decent information on most things, and of course, often you can just ask the pros, how would they do the thing you're trying to do, even if you're not gonna hire them (and can say that upfront, of course)
@@jan_harald heck it’s hard to even get a pro to give you a quote around where I live. They have more work then they can handle. Easier and quicker to just do it yourself
Me and my husband have been watching Homestead rescue and it definitely give’s you a major reality check. The amount of people who sell everything, move out to the middle of no where with NO research about what it really takes, is mind boggling. It dose take humility to ask for help and listen and to know when it’s time to quit or just reevaluate and try again.
My mom and I love that show. The couple that tried to raise “free range pigs” was entertaining to say the least lol. They went about that in entirely the wrong way. They thought “free range chickens are a good idea” and applied it to pigs without any research at all. It can sort of be done, but you can’t just let pigs go out into the wilderness without proper fencing or a barn to return to. Chickens will go back into the coop at night because they are stupid and feel safer in there, a pig will just dig a hole and make do if they don’t want to go back for any number of reasons, destroying your property in the meanwhile lol.
Interesting in that we went totally off-grid for our own homestead project and haven't looked back. Almost all of the wood we used to build came off of our own property or our neighbor's, was rough-cut by local Amish, and just the wife and I did all of the building. We have a septic system, a 140 foot well into bedrock, and our power is supplied by our own solar system (not grid-tied, it's off grid). There are no electrical lines on the property, no public utilities, and we heat our home with just a small wood stove. We've built most of our own furniture (the wife mostly) and are trying to live sustainably as much as possible. We trade for some fresh vegetables, baked goods, etc. when we can, and are raising our own as much as possible. And we're both in our mid 60's. We started this journey a little over 2 years ago and haven't looked back. We've got a small channel with just a bunch of shorter videos of what we started with and how we've progressed. If we can do it, anyone can!
This was a story about what a family truly is - it just so happens to be an off-grid life. It is about building - and family is the greatest thing you can build. You’ve earn your authentic life!
Thank you Dave. You and Brooke have been a source of inspiration for me, and I have transferred that inspiration on to my husband. You both seem to be authentic and transparent in every video you do. (I have said similar things on her videos). This video just proves to me that you have been authentic and sincere through all of it and I value honesty most of all. Hubby and I have started our off grid journey. This year it is a 29' 3-season trailer that we are living in full time, with 400w of solar panels and a generator for those dull/dreary short days, a bucket toilet and hauling water. This spring we will be purchasing 2 20' shipping containers and converting them into our home. We will continue to live off grid, with solar and wind for power, a composting toilet, and hauling our water. I just wanted you to know you are appreciated, both you and Brooke ... and I keep you both in my thoughts and prayers ... God bless you both.
One of my neighbours was actually living off-grid when I was living out in the country on a farm. Importantly, he traded with pretty much everyone in the local area. And he had a really advanced solar panel setup... As well as a generator. He's a retired mechanical engineer.
Love this video showing the truth, the struggles and the successes. That and this is all 10-20 years ago! The journey NOW is MUCH more different, depending on your financial standing or where you got started in life, family and the partner you choose to take on this journey as well. It's NEVER as simple as some YT channels put it and a lotta times...it's rich folks, nepo babies or bored trust fundies cosplaying as poor people with a healthy financial cushion under them. Same as the dude says at the end: don't. believe. everything. you see. Grain of salt. Common sense. Take sensible advice, learning always and be cautious but give it your all whatever direction you choose. :)
I needed this video so bad. Since my husband died I have had to take care of a lot of things around the house that he would've handled. I'm facing two daunting task and this video has given me the confidence that I can do it, I just need to take my time, learn as much as I can and get my hands dirty! Thank you Dave!!
Whatever task it is somebody on YT has done it. Look into the comments and you will see a list of professionals saying how they did it wrong. Watch several on each subject. Then figure out how you can do it. I am a smaller person. I physically can not do some of the things I see on YT. I have to figure out the easiest way for me. Make a step by step plan for your tasks to maximize your efficiency and skills.
I'm excited for you Vanessa as you find out just what you're capable of. You'll mess up a lot, and feel really stupid sometimes. If that's happening, then you're learning and gaining wisdom. There's just no other way to get it. You either choose to do it or you choose not to, but there's no such thing as "you can't" do it.
You're amazing... 100% spot on. I stumbled on your channel cause I wanna build a small garden house and as a recent widow, everyone is telling me "oh just buy or hire someone" to do it. No way - limited funds & not givin' it away freely. You've empowered me even more... I know I can do it... and watching a lot your content... I know I will! Thnx for BOTH of your time & talent! =)
I think a lot of people would like to live the off grid life but don't understand the hard work and sacrifice it takes to make it happen. Thanks for sharing your and Brooks's story. I enjoy your channels very much.
I just want to be prepared if the grid goes down. I already live in an unpopulated enough area for my liking more like at the edge of grid than off it but it's just that I dont take for granted that absolutely all technology and supply chains will be working properly forever without interruption.
Like Brooke says, a lot of off-grid property you find was someone else's dream that didn't work out. I think people start out with good intentions, but give up because it's so hard. I had a friend who was married, they started a cabin and almost finished it when she said she'd had enough and left him. He managed to finish the cabin, but his dream was dead, so he just sold it and left, went back to living in the country where he had all the amenities, but still wasn't in town.
@@OldLadyInFL I live in a remote area of the Appalachians and we’ve always gotten our share of people trying to live off grid. I’ve never seen any of them last more than a few years. It’s usually the woman who loses it first probably because she’s the one who has to do most of the drudgery tasks like cooking and washing clothes without modern conveniences. We’re totally prepared to live off grid but why not take advantage of the grid while you can? Where our place is electricity is cheap, 10 cents a KW.
Thank you for doing this! I'm disabled and have very low income, under $900 a month so I have been looking for alternatives because just to rent a bedroom in someone else's house they want a minimum of $900 a month not including utilities etc. Obviously my physical disabilities prevent me from doing the work myself. But I live in Maine so I have quite a few things to ponder here. My Grandparents used to live on a lake here and I always dreamed of having a piece of land and a little cabin in the woods close to the water lol I still keep trying to find a way. Never give up! Much appreciated info ty again!
$900 for a bedroom Plus more $$?????? MOVE out of that stupid area We re in Fla, not far from the Gulf shore even n our 2 bdrm townhouse is $1200 with a small yard!
Dave... What a GREAT story!! Thank you! At over 60 years of age I know I could not do the physical labor (Even though I like to 'think' I could. LOL). But watching your dream become a reality is inspiring on a man to man level. I really appreciate your work. I wish you and your family ALL THE BEST! God Bless and God Speed. You're a real hero as far as I'm concerned. Thank you again!
I really appreciate your content. My wife and I are city dwellers in Metro Detroit, but we have dreams of creating a family retreat Up North. We have no property, no money, or anything, but we are developing these dreams as we head into our golden years. We love watching your videos for your pragmatic and down-to-earth approach. It makes us feel that we, too, could carve out our own space in the Michigan woods.
That’s what my wife and I have planned as well, we cannot wait to be out of the Metro Detroit area. Two more years and the sixth of our children will have graduated high school. Our oldest is living in Colorado on 75 acres. Dave, you and Brooke are definitely an inspiration, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
It's always nice to see how people actually started out. I always wondered how your wife got all of her skills. It was teamwork. Thanks for sharing the journey.
Thank you for sharing your story together. While you might’ve only meant it to dispel lies I found it heartwarming. I’m glad you, Brooke and your family lived the way you did. That kind of life makes strong ties stronger.
After searching UA-cam for inspiration for our off-grid home you made it easy to understand and obtainable. The wife and I bought our slide in truck camper and have lived in it full-time for 5 months now, saving every penny for some land to build. I'm a firm believer for working for what you want because it won't come easy and you seem to appreciate it more. Thank you for sharing your life's work.
I wanted to dislike this video but guy nailed the truth of it in the first minute. Trailer, water source, and a little help from friends! Off grid is mostly just never giving up on the dream and having shelter, food, and water enough to keep building.
Hey I've had to that as well, was living in Cheyenne Wyoming in a trailer park next to the truck stop. It's rough man, but it's worth every second of it once you get passed it. Best of luck!
I'm off grid in my van now days but growing up in California my mom and dad and I took 10 years to build our off grid cabin in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Miss it so much! The rewards of building your own homestead are indescribable. I'd love to do it again. Thanks so much for sharing this!!
Not as much fun as it is to claim property, which some fools may refer to as "adverse possession", but in reality you can easily challenge any so-called "deed" and usually win because a deed does not replace an allodial title.
Hey dude. You and your wife did pretty good for yourselves. Now I'm not a homesteader myself, but I can appreciate the desire to get out there and make something for yourself. Seeing you guys achieve so much was inspiring. I hope you both take time to sit back and just appreciate how interesting of a life you've lived and the memories you've made for you and your kids.
Everyone does things differently. We happily took out a $250k loan at a low rate, that should be paid off in 33 months (17 yrs ahead of time) and bought a 15 acre homestead 1/2 mile off the freeway. It has many improvements, new HVAC, new water heater, waterlines, multiple garden spigots, RV hookups, orchard, huge garden, it's a 5 bed, 3 bath 70s ranch, with a basement apartment, has an 1850s 17 horse stable barn, big chicken coop, wood shed, garden shed, tool shed, goose grotto and they're all Amish made and brand new. We ran almost 1 mile of 5ft tall non-climb horse fence. We're in our 40s and I say work your tail off making great money doing what you do making the most money you can and pay someone to do it for you. Stay in 1 spot! Moving and starting over as you age is silly! No one is going to give you a life skills test! Improving the land each year and aging in place is key!
I just wanted to say that this video has been such an inspiration. Almost had me crying at one point. We have recently made a lifestyle change-going off grid. Although we do have water. We do not have any other ties to the grid. It wasn't something we had planned to do. But when life happened and we had 3 children to take care of- it was a priority to put a roof over their little heads. We do both still work jobs though so it has come with many challenges. Trying to keep up with everything. Learning so many new things and all the time changing something or fixing something. But weve been doing this for 6 months now. And i honestly wish we had been living this way the entire time. Im always looking for new inspiration or skills that i can use to better the homestead. Or how to make it more self sustainable. Id like to move away from needing a generator. I worry about access to propane or gas. And the prices! We have a small solar set up currently. We are still learning a lot about solar. We would love to do more solar. But there really isnt a whole lot of content on basic survival. I want to learn how it was really done a hundred years or 300 years ago. Not so much of how people are doing it now days-still relying so heavily on whats available these days. It was so nice to see you using the trees to build the cabins. And using things from the dump to repurpose. I too am always trying to repurpose something or make it work. Especially if it saves us from having to go buy something. Anyways, i look forward to seeing your upcoming videos. I cant wait to see what all i can learn from you.
Husband and I put in our own solar.. Husband especially studied this system beforehand ( I was working FT then) on how to do it. Calibrating batteries. Hooking it up properly. Making sure we had the right parts. Once we knew the layout of our cabins and what electricity we would need, we set out buying efficient lighting. and energy saving small refrigerator and kitchen cook top. We don’t have an oven so we can make outdoor oven this spring. Learning how to live like they did in the 1700’s is helpful indeed
Dave , I've been watching you on and off for several years now. I have to say that you've always came across as a genuine honest guy. As a viewer I totally appreciate that. I am retired and probably too old to set out on an adventure such as you and your wife did some years ago but I do enjoy watching you guys. Your wife is a hoot , I watch her channel also ,she is a wild woman. Thanks for the great content and take care.
I stumbled upon this channel more or less by accident, its now one of my favorites, and one of the main reasons is because you're honest, realistic, and resourceful which as a viewer I greatly appreciate. I think people like the idea of off-grid living but don't realize what it would actually take if its even plausible to do so in certain situations. Thank you for taking the time to do these videos, and being transparent and honest with your videos and content.
I just love the honesty and genuine nature of your personality and it just shines through so naturally. It's obvious you've worked on the entertainment factor, but an honest and genuine person is easy to watch and listen to. I do enjoy the ideas as I am about to start a couple of small cabin builds the spring. Getting started a little late in life however it took me a minute to wake up to the reality of things and I'm really looking forward to it. Going to be jamming out in the Ozarks until I can afford the compound. 😅 Bless you all and would love to share a cup of coffee with you sometime..
An interesting story! My parents applied for homestead acreage in a land lottery in the 50s. As one condition for ownership, they built a 'prove-up' shack, and my mother moved her trailer that she'd owned after graduate school in Fairbanks. Pa built the house room by room, and learned as he went along. The year that the foundation for the main part of the house was poured, his brother came up to help. By the end of that summer, he was skin and bones, my mother said. Pouring concrete is pretty hard work I came to realize when my husband experienced two hernias after pouring a platform for a shed near the ravine where we live.
Hernia is no joke!! I hope he was able to get surgery. If he did, do you mind if I ask if he opted for mesh or just stitches? I have 3 inguinal hernias and I need surgery but I'm too scared to mess with mesh. The pain is unbearable and I can't do anything that involves bending, squatting, kneeling, crawling, or sitting upright.
@@jrambo7495 The surgeon recommended mesh, with lift restrictions for three months after that. The surgery was uneventful, but my husband was antsy to get going on his other projects. But, my husband really takes the doctor's advice seriously, and after that, he was diagnosed with pre-diabetes, and he was able to make his blood sugars decrease to that of any normal person without diabetes by strict dietary intake of proteins, nuts, and broccoli, and bicycles twice a day at least if the weather is good for a 5 mile circuit up up three steep hills. Two years later he was climbing up in the shagbark hickory to trim the rotted large limbs off it before they blew off in the wind onto someone. He learned how to use ropes and the lines (from TV shows because when he went to arborist supply store they told him they'd be liable if they taught him how to climb at 70 yrs old), and so he was up in the tree from from dawn to dusk for three days --the last day the fire department had to come by and pick him off the lower branch where he got stuck as he was too tired to climb up to loosen himself off the protruding branch, and he was too high for anyone at home to help him with a boost from a ladder. The EMT checked him out and his blood sugar was just fine, although he didn't eat or drink anything all that time, so he wouldn't have to come down to use the facilities. Anyway, correcting the hernias, helped with being able to sleep at night without pain, as well as getting back to climbing trees! -- but, he's 5'5" and used to run marathon fifty years before so he knows how to pace himself. Take care, and good health to you!
@@jrambo7495 I had two hernias above my groins on both sides. The surgeon that did my surgery didn't like the mesh so it was all stitches. That was about 15 years ago, and I haven't had any problems since the repairs.
Can't do sugars or alcohol while doing that kind of work. Raw cheese helps build muscle; bone broth helps repair joints; raw eggs do this and help strength and metabolism, and probably muscle too; raw or quickly seared liver boosts strength and stamina significantly for about 24 hours while packing the best vitamin and mineral profile and bioavailability you can get. I did perform concrete work for just a couple of weeks once. Raw cheese helped me get my abs strong enough for the constant raking after only 3 days. They wanted to hire me from temp after that, although I was going after other things. Raw eggs are best before bed, with all of the bioavailable magnesium you get that way.
@@FancyNoises Interesting insights! I don't think that I could have prepared liver--although it usually is recommended for its iron content, for my husband (I couldn't get within 5 foot of the stuff and he's not really into animal proteins). But he did consent to yogurt as he doesn't eat cheeses, and he was okay with beef soup, and raw eggs. I was too little when my father and uncle were pouring the foundation, but I knew my father liked to eat steak and potatoes and almost anything that was cooked well and appetizing so I'm sure that my mother served that to them --although my father lost a lot of weight that summer.
Omg, from where you started..to where you are now is absolutely fantastic! You got married a yr after I did. I've been with my hubby for 32 yrs total and counting (just celebrated our 25th in Nov). You both were meant for each other!! Loved the vid because you're fantastic at story telling. It keeps you drawn in. Also the fact you play the music we hear is phenomenal!!
I'm 56 years old and every time I watch videos like this I'm as much embarrassed as I am amazed. I grew up in the city and didn't have my father in my life much at all. I never learned how to do this type of thing or be able to live self sufficiently in nature. I love this and truly respect not only the skill and know-how but the sheer drive and wherewithal to get a project like this done. Just when I thought I considered myself a real man seeing this kind of thing just knocks me upside the head and makes me rethink everything lol😂. Gotta tip my cap and hand it to you and all those like you.....I truly envy your abilities in this regard.
Your channel has helped give me hope that I can do this and be okay, for myself and my child. The way you help it become accessible to the 'rest of us' is a tremendous blessing to me in ways you cannot imagine. Thank you.
I've been watching your channel for a few years now, and i really appreciate the detailed story you shared! If i had the physical ability to build and do the work myself, you can bet i'd be doing the same thing. In a world where everything is "Hire it done", and nobody knows how to do anything, building something yourself is so sought after, i think. I have the mental knowledge and passion, but physically, there's no way I could do that! Thank you for all that you do! Prayers for you and your family!
I've had much the same journey, separating truth from fiction. About 7 years ago, beforecovid, I decided to try to return to living like I used to as a kid, in the 1950s and 60s; doing things like having a garden, chickens and a well stocked pantry for example. On youtube I started looking for cooking and food preservation channels, and gardening channels. It didn't take long for me to get hooked watching "homestead" channels. They're great entertainment, but like you said, those people have lots of money to burn, have tractors and all kinds of expensive equipment. I wasted almost 2 years pulled away from my basic desire; simple, sustainable living. I recently started unsubscribing to a lot of channels because they don't really serve me and where I want to go. Seperating the wheat from the chaff is a long process.
Thank you for your authenticity! I grew up in a builder’s home, and gradually learned all the trades (subcontractors’ work). Even though my dad told me to go to college and get a professional job (‘white collar’) - which I did in working as a respiratory care practitioner, I still love to do what I did as a kid, taught by my dad - how to fix stuff and how to build stuff. That’s why I love watching what you do, and I always learn at least one or two new things with each video. Thanks so much for the videos!
I'm 21, I work in excavation, and your story sounds like heaven to me. You and your wife building your home/s, starting a family, with a life of independence. Working hard and living the dream.Thanks for sharing! 🙏
This video is so inspirational! Here in Ukraine I've been thinking about moving off the grid for obvious reasons, I want to be self-reliant and safe in my own house. You could buy a nice plot of land quite cheaply because many people want to sell their property and leave, but building a house from a scratch would be very expensive. I've been thinking about building a garage and living there while building the house with my friends, and hearing your story of doing exactly that is very relieving
Good luck with it. It seems very doable to me. I’ve still not been to Ukraine, so it could be very different than here in the states, but it seems like it can be done.
What's happening to the housing market there now if you don't mind me asking. I would think all the people leaving because of the war would lower the prices. but than the number of houses that get destroyed would raise the prices of the non destroyed houses . Sorry about the war. Hope it ends soon
@@Bee-tj8gc The prices for selling property got lower exactly because of the risk that you can buy a property that will be destroyed, rent got sky high though.
Thanks for an honest, upfront view. Takes a serious effort to do it like this, as you've demonstrated here. My hat is off to you and your family. Self-sufficient life is slipping away, most probably couldn't feed themselves today. I don't live on a homestead, but do practice being as self-providing as possible and teaching those things when I can to those that want to learn. When asking a neighbor to trade for something or to work on something often brings a blank stare. Any videos of hunting, or food gathering-type things would be awesome!
I’ve never really been tempted to go off grid but I’m glad this video exists. Me? I like living in my small town where a short drive will take me deep into the woods or to the local coffee shop. Even the people in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories had to work together, and in the third volume it almost ended in disaster for everyone
Great video! As we have started our cabin build, this is definitely something that has been confusing for us. What is off grid and what's not. We put a video out to try and address it, but this definitely helps.
My parents basically were off grid in Oregon building everything as I grew up. It taught me to tackle lots of home, farm, and building projects. This is a great video because you really break it down and most ppl don't realize how much work it takes to homestead. Thanks!
I love that you guys fell in love and started your life with such humble beginnings.... not many people nowadays would do that bc so many people have such entitled mindsets..whereas you two grew together. that's really beautiful.. that's a whole other story we'd like to hear! God bless you..and thank you for sharing
you judging others you dont know, is entitlement and ungodly. you can compliment people without resorting to anger, this basically just reads as a "oh you guys are so cool!!! but i wanna complain anyway about the youth of today, so entitled!!!!!". seek guidance, this anger is bad for your health.
Hi I discovered your channel and Brookes recently. I was homeless for a period of time and used the knowledge from youtube videos. I had less than $100 a week and made a lot of mistakes. I regret nothing because ill always have that knowledge. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
By the way...the picture in the thumbnail is my Great Grandfather cabin in Rock Lake Michigan where he was a Church of Christ Minister for decades. I was in that cabin many times as a little kid.
Hey Dave, What year did you and brook build your black cabin and how long did it take to finish?
Awesome photo! Just last week, looking through old things, we found the flyer used in 1968 that auctioned my grandfathers place. Goes to show choices you make have lasting effects and not just on you. Your kids will thank you for the lessons they are learning!
@@arielcotter2656 2020....about 2 weeks
@@watsonrk1 true
@@GlockPeace Thanks
Back in the 70s, I asked my grandmother, who was born in 1891, about the change she liked the most. She said "running water! The good old days? You can have 'em. I like my indoor bathroom!". She lived her whole life in Northern Wisconsin, helped run a dairy farm and raised 7 surviving children (out of 11) without electricity or running water until she was 56. Because of her, I say a little prayer of thanks every time I get into a hot shower or run the dishwasher, washing machine or cloths dryer.
Sometimes we forget just how much we've progressed in so little time
My Mom said once, even the poorest people now have it better than we did. I didn't actually understand what she meant at the time. But after thinking about it, they didn't have electricity, running water, a refrigerator, heating and cooling, TV's computers, phones....they had nothing. They grew and canned their food they didn't go to the store with food stamps. So yes, they had it harder than most of us can fathom.
@Lynn Smith they still had massive cities, farm jobs, events, people.
So true.I enjoy the outdoors but get me back to my home or Five Star Hotel at night 😄
@@lynnsmith4you dont need over half of that stuff for good living.
A supportive partner is the key to raising a family in off grid living.
Pretty much holds true to anything in life. As long as you can find a stable, mature woman who is willing to work from the ground up and a foundation with you anything is really possible. Step 1 is what is nearly impossible for younger generations since they are so addicted to social media and don't have the same motivation. I'd absolutely love to find a woman who wants to build a foundation together and understands the importance of hard work. All I keep running into are teenagers trapped inside a woman's body, but I still have hope that one day the right one will appear if it is in God's will.
@@Arnuld15Governator It's also important to find a stable and mature man who doesn't play computer games all day. It's hard to find younger men who understand and are committed to the importance of being a family. So many these days are after women's bodies and not their souls.
@@skeptical_citizen to some degree you cant blame them. They were raised by a generation of "sexual liberty" so most women off the bat arent good candidates. Hard to get a good man when you dont care what a good man wants.
@@skeptical_citizen always were, it's genetic reality
and let's not fool ourselves it's different for females
maybe you didn't put effort in own looks as many men also don't while having unrealistic expectations
But off grid living is a lie. The microwave along with TV dinners were discovered in ancient Rome
Thank you so much for making this video, lately it has been disheartening on UA-cam lately. They are trying to normalize 200k tiny homes. This is a real reminder of what off grid is.🥰
$200,000 for those tiny homes is freakin outrageous
Frog in a boiling pot
Every aspect of our modern media is being used to socially engineer us into modern serfdom without us ever realizing we've be duped into thinking its all good.
Off grid living purity spiral
Yes! A tiny home in what amounted to a cramped space trailer park, 300,000 on a yootoob realtor type vid. 🤦♀️
@@jurassicsmackdown6359 People need to DIY if they want stuff to be cheap. You're gonna pay....alot for someone to do it for you. like 80% of the cost is just their time
This book is a comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to build a second unit on their property. ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxzaRUJNcbypw-fRBDbqqz43ULIa-1EGP- It showcases various types of houses, such as garage apartments, with photos, videos, and floor plans. The book provides the square footage and the dimensions of each house, as well as the option to order the plans or customize them according to your preferences. You can choose from a range of styles, from ultra modern to cottages and A frame lake houses. The book also offers suggestions for sheds, pool houses, and office studio buildings. This book is an ideal resource for the aspiring home designer.
Charlatan selling bullshit and gets upvoted like he helped someone lol
The underlying story of this video is to find yourself a life partner that be there with you throughout your life.
Amen. Wish I could find someone who wants to do this.
@@creekbird_homestead same
@@wind2536 🥲❤️
@@xhadebrinsbane5238 how does that sound weak? I’m running a one acre homestead with 44 chickens and 1/4th acre food and I’m dying doing it alone. It’s weak to need another human being? I’m going to reckon then, that you’ve never done anything this physical even with a group. You build a house alone. I’d love to see it.
@@creekbird_homestead save your energy...it's not weak at all. I hope you find someone who will walk through life with you.
"Poverty was the engine that taught me what I know" Like you and Brooke my husband and I made our own way by buying extreme fixer uppers and learning as we went remodeling them. He hangs drywall I mud, sand and paint
No money to hire so I personally learned how to do electricity and now I have fully wired 3 houses and past every inspection first time. And I'm a woman!
I do the trim work, psinting, he does the tile, roofing, gutters.
I could go on and on
We learned as we went, there is no better way
The skills we learned, turned into careers and supported us financially, and still are
I'm now 56 him 60 and we're still remodeling!
We love both yours and Brooke's channel's, we can relate so much!
I LOVE this comment
Flipping houses, before it was "cool".
Wow. That's awesome!
At 27 I bought my 1925 house. It had knob n tube, zero insulation, single payne windows. In 1987 sheetrock could be bought for 1.99, .99 on sale! I too pulled the brittle rock down, researched and rewired, insulated, hung sheetrock ( 2 ladders and a T from 2x4 for ceilings), taped and painted! All passed inspection so I could sleep at night. A wonderful learning experience and long ago. I had only the sliding doors installed professionally and it's the one that leaks!
@@heatherk8931 us to, our first house was all knob and tube. Built in late 1800s. 2 story, it took me 2 1/2 months to upgrade it
Our house which we still have still has skeleton key door knobs
Off grid, simply means not connected to public utilities. You can have all the modern amenities you want, as long as you're not paying some city utility or company for your electricity or water.
Keep telling yourself that.
@@Doomzdayxx ... What?
100 %, thats all it is, being independent from the system. The guy in the vid is acting as if there is a special code of living to the off grid life, complete BS
that's right. it doesn't mean that you have to melt snow for water and use candles for lightening. off grid, just means off grid.
This video is literally a No True Scotsman.
I began my journey fourteen years ago when I moved to the mountains of NC, and bought an acre of sloped, forest land. I began building my first "shed plan", and I have lived in it ever since. Five years ago I began construction of my 20'x 20' cabin. I learned carpentry from my father. I'll eventually have plumbing and water, and power. I'm 78!
If you need a skilled cook, I’m ready to move ASAP
@@Day2Night_but your last comment said you couldn't get a woman to live offgrid?
@@australien6611 you couldn’t
I'm curious about the financial aspects of all this. Do you still need to work at least part time somehow to pay for your supplies and health care? What if you have to go to the dentist? Just wondering how to make this possible with little income
@@busterscruggs3031 Funny isn't it, how most of these "off grid" people never truly explain their income, which is often the most important aspect people want to know. But, if they did that it would reveal too much truth and spoil the level of BS they have going on.
Probably the best Ryan’s ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxGZedDTcDfgD7fG_uU4esfx_EgxzlY2_1 Plans on building a shed is hardly ever found. And Ryan takes the mystery out of different types of foundation options, etc. He even shows how to build a shed with different designs. Very comprehensive, covering different roofing materials, siding, etc.
This guy has built several homes for his family to live in and I've never built so much as a birdhouse. These people are amazing.
Go build something them. Doesn't matter how it comes out, granted there are tutorials for everything these days.
Lol, that's very much my thought...
At my age, my father had done so much and had gathered so much practical knowledge (not to mention actual assets).
I have nothing to show for myself. 😬
You DO have something Giovanna. You have what's in your heart.
❤
But his title has nothing to do with the video. He seems to think that if somebody owns a new truck, or hauls lumber to a remote location that this means that they are not "off grid." That is stupid. Off Grid has nothing to do with how new your truck is or how much money you have. It doesn't matter if you build it yourself or pay some fancy contractor to build it. Only thing that matters - Is it patched into the grid or not?
we don't all get the same posibilities
Glad to see the real side shared on UTube. I went off grid many years ago out of necessity. An accident left me permanently disabled and homeless. After three years of fighting the government for my disability I finally won but lost everything trying to simply survive. Eventually I was able to find some land that the owner would carry the note. Moved to the land in an old motorhome. Set up a composting toilet carried water up from the creek in 5 gallon buckets etc. Things have slowly improved and honestly I’d never go back to my old life. The whole experience has shown me who my true friends are and what really matters and is needed to survive.
I'm a retired combat vet and grew up pretty primitive but also grew up in the city. I pray you stay close to nature and heal up well the best you can brother. I'm tired of all my money going no where...I'm headed to the ozarks of NW Arkansas. Cheers
So you were claiming disability when you were capable of carrying 5 gallon buckets? BS
@@BullshitMan4 yeah some people are just lazy freeloaders. bet he was a liberal too.
Probably because there are disabilities that allow people to still be physically strong and totally able to make their home off grid. Not all of us are in a wheelchair or using a cane, and I personally know one or two amputees who would indeed be able to physically haul a five gallon tank around. Also, some systems can be adapted for use by the less able bodied since humans invented the wheel and the pulley. It's not easy, you'd have to use your smarts, but is it ever easy for anyone? ;-)
@@BullshitMan4,
You're clueless.
There are a number of disabilities where you can carry a 5 gallon bucket with water in it. Notice he didn't say the bucket was full...only that it was used for transporting water.
There are a number of disabilities where you can still carry objects.
I have one of those disabilities.
My girlfriend and I recently moved into a small cabin that my great grandfather built in 1960, we live on a lake which my great grandfather also helped build in the 40s with the Army COE. We made this move mostly because it was cheaper, and also there's really no one left in my family to take of it anymore. The bones were solid but it absolutely needed some updating. I'm 36 and come from a culinary background so I never really had any construction experience, but we told ourselves that this would be an excellent opportunity for us to learn new skills. And a year later we have almost completely remodeled this 768 square foot cabin, everything from flooring, to new cedar panneling, to installing windows. There's a good sense of accomplishment. I do use a small solar setup to charge batteries for emergencies, just a 200w system, but I learned how to do that too. Until now this place has never even had a mailbox. We should have recorded our progress but all I have are a hell of alot of pictures. It feels good learning new skills.
Great work! You deserve all the happiness that success brings you!
Sounds like you had a level.head and gumption. Very happy for you!!!!
Solutions!!!
Girlfriend or wife?
I greatly admire stories like yours, I’m sure too, that your already achieved culinary skills greatly aided in this new lifestyle. I watched an interview lately with a 106 year old gentleman and his advice was to never stop acquiring new skills through hobbies or by taking on new projects such as what you have done.
I tell people that it’s harder than they think. I describe crying the first time I took a hot shower after getting back from off grid. The gratitude I felt to have power readily available for anything I may need and to run several things at once. How hard winter is and deciding if I would be clean that day, or warm because you can’t have both. Unless people live it, they have no idea
Imagine if the shtf scenario eventuates. 90+% if the population will lose their minds, and lives
@@scottyoz2460 I don't pretend to be one of the 10%. I feel luck has just as much to do with survival in shtf.
I feel I have what an experienced survivalist would need to survive, but I hope I'll never need to find out, or become an experience survivalist either.
Why not just warm the water?? Thats what we did when i was young, if its sunny, leave it outside to heat, if not, warm it with fire
@@ancarh537 when it’s below freezing and you get wet, it doesn’t matter how warm the water was, if you get wet you will be cold, and if you don’t have electricity to dry your hair, your hair stays wet if freezing temps. We did have minimal wood heat, but when it gets too cold, keeping it warm enough to be warm is not always an option. Staying dry is the best option to stay warm.
@@mandilyncartwright5697 well it’s easy to setup up solar power and diesel gens
I’ll always admire people dedicated enough to build their own homes , it’s wild
Starting a barn now and the house next. This will be the 1st 'new' home. We have always fixed older homes before
If you have the money, time, and are decently fit and have friends/family, it really isn’t as difficult as you’d think.
I’ve been fixing up some houses and learning about how they’re made, along with other things, for a comparatively short while. It’s actually surprising to me how simple it is. They aren’t too complicated. Of course it’s easier said than done. But still.
I’ll be building me a place for sure one day - when I have the funds/materials - and know for sure that it will be worth every bit of the process.
Use to be traditional.
@@JP_Patriot But those are the big hurdles though, money, time, and being able bodied. All three are a _must_ .
@@mechanomics2649
If you’re truly “off grid”, then money isn’t exactly a must. I’d say knowledge is more important then. And you can build on your knowledge and make things better and better. But I get your point.
I was just saying that if you’re set up, that it isn’t as hard as people would think it could be sometimes.
Like we’ve said, you’re able bodied, have time, and have the resources (by either buying it all or getting it from nature) then you can do it.
It would all be more than worth it in the end for sure.
Off grid living is a blessing, doing it for 10 years straight, never looked back .
When I have to go to the city I’m getting paranoid from the noise and so much people.
The Detox of society is a special thing, don't let the drama affect you, use it as a positive reminder of fact, you are a 1% that narrow path, and you will not change minds, focus on you and that path is what eventually changes the world...
We are in a spiritual place...
About 6 years ago I decided to live off grid. The whole thing cost about $20,000. After several months, one day I was lying in bed and realized I had never thought about going back. I never thought, "Man, I wish I had running water," or "I miss having more square footage." I was living it like it was something I had done my whole life. I still live like that.
I guess the difference is you chose to be in this situation but her grandma didn't.
@bureaffari3694 That difference would be perception. One can look at life as a victim or one can look at life as opportunity. Living small can have the life of much smaller expenses, more freedom to move around, and having a much smaller negative impact on the environment. I'm not a climate alarmist, but I do enjoy being much less wasteful. People can embrace those values or they can live in the negative. Your choice is your choice even when bad things happen to you.
@@K9River totally agree, thatz what I wanted to say, you said it much clearly.
How off grid are you if you have power to watch UA-cam and comment?
@notyourcrew Depends what you mean by off grid. Some people define that as living in a cave, growing/hunting your own food, making your own toothbrushes/clothes, harvest firewood for heating and cooking, etc., etc. Some, like myself, define it more as not being hooked up to city water and not being hooked up to the electrical grid. I get my power from solar and my water from a well.
When I told my dad we were going to live off grid for a simpler life he laughed at me and said have fun with that. He grew up on a farm. Just the farm work was intense, so when he heard we will be going off grid AND to homestead. He laughed his butt off. These UA-camrs glorify it and label it as easy going, care free and going back to "simpler" times. Within two months of off grid and two kids under 5. The reality of how hard this actually is set in. There is nothing simple about this. Everything takes more time. Everything. We did it to get out of debt. I don't regret it. But I do miss my "simpler" life back home where there was all the amenities. Bathing the kids every night, waking up to cartoons and an easy pancake breakfast, jumping in the shower before heading off to work. Yup. That's simple. But a mortgage, now that's the hidden price of simple living.
I don't even pretend to be self sufficient or off grid, living in the middle of nowhere and taking care of a small farm is more than enough grinding work
I have a feeling the 2 kids are what made it so much harder. Most people go way too hard into this, settijg up massive gardens, getting several livestock species, too many difficult projects at once, and worst of all, not ha ing enough money to get things going before you go broke. To me it seems like the more work you add on, the more money youll need, which means more work. Rather than actually working for yourself and keeping costs low
Now if those kids were older it mightve been easier. They'd be able to work
I just don't understand your aversity of (bank) loans. As long as the economic system of society is kinda sound, there is not much against it if a family buys a house with a loan, then pays it off during their productive years, ends up with quite a good bit of value that can be used for their pension years or passed down to children. it's a normal system this way, used by billions of people around the world because young people by definition don't have the wealth ready to buy a home when they are 20, but they have the energy and time to pay back a loan. So my question is, why are you afraid to be in debt as long as the conditions of the loan are fair? (no loan sharking obviously, that is just evil)
@@Oshun95 yes, I noticed not everybody is fine with that, that's why I asked the question why? As long as you make well considered decision and don't borrow too much there is not much risk. Problems occur only when parties get greedy, people spending too much or banks gambling on the stock market. But there are still safe options for things like mortgages.
look I am obviously talking about the average person, a young couple, wIthout any special needs or disabilities, living an average life. there can be all kinds of individual circumstances why a house loan is not a good option
We’ve known Dave & Brooke for 15 years. There’s so many mini-chapters Dave could have added. Serious adversity, detours, helping others, being helped… they are genuine authentic people.
We miss you both!
Thankyou for filling in the blanks & giving us the full picture of these AUTHENTIC PIONEERS! Their great people.
Do they know Alaska Prepper? Do you ? He's also in Fairbanks Alaska & is a genuine person!♥️
Their story reminded me of my parents and I assumed that much. I remembered at one point my mother having serious surgery so that slowed down things. We were also taking care of my paternal grandmother and an aunt so that also slowed things down.
Not big into the off-grid lifestyle… it intrigues me, but my father-in-law is much more into it. I see the stuff he watches and I’m like “WTF did all this come from?!” Lol thanks for the transparency
Maybe they are most of what you say but their video titles are so far off base that they verge on lying to get people to watch. That's not exactly my idea of "genuine, authentic people".
You can tell these two are authentic, it shows, they also have a wealth of great knowledge which they give to us freely. I love that about them.
Dave and Brooke are my absolute favorite.
My wife and I lived on our yacht for 20 years. The water was caught from the decks, the electricity came from 2 panels and would run a laptop all day, the lights, a TV and video player. The real beauty was raising the anchor and sailing wherever we wanted.
I watch those videos and with Patreon and UA-cam income that's a pretty good life to me.
But that might come to a crashing end as the great reset that wants everyone stuck in a 15 Minute Prison...I mean City is in the making.
No gas or diesel vehicles, no travel, no vacations, your food allotment texted to you and if you go over your allotted amount of anything your bank account is cut off.
People need to wake up to what's being planned and stop it.
Thanks for this video. I grew up in the rural Midwest in a series of semi-offgrid houses. We lived in places that most other people would not consider human shelter. We converted garages and outbuildings into housing. We pumped water by hand in the yard and heated with wood. Standing water had ice on it when we got up some mornings. My dad still lives in a house that was an 1840's homestead. It was always hard work and dirty. Our family of 6 lived on only a few thousand dollars a year through the late 1980's. We raised most of our own food and bartered with other rural poor. I tried watching a couple off grid videos recently and figured that many of these people had off-camera work crews and hundreds of thousands in financing.
What you are talking about Dave is authenticity and integrity. You and Brooke have it in spades. You encourage ordinary people to achieve off-grid freedom through hard work, acquiring skills, careful planning and using money wisely.
Off-grid-ism seems to have developed into some kind of a goofy spiritual discipline or mythical practice. When I first lived without an electric meter back in the 70's, I'd never even heard the term: "off-grid." I did it because bringing in utility power was not practical, affordable or even a realistic choice. I've used generators and batteries, lanterns, propane refrigerators, solar panels and had stoves that burned almost any kind of fuel you could imagine. The problem with "Off-Grid-ism" is there seem to be too many foolish rules, untested ideas and too little practical reason. I like that Dave Whipple seems to approach the choices in living without basic utility services from a pragmatic and unsentimental perspective. Thanks for the video Dave!
I was about to say the same thing. That's why I subscribed to both Dave and Brooke's channels
I completely agree. Dave & Brooke are very honest and sincere, you see it in their eyes and in what they do. The encouragement and inspiration they give is through the roof!
This i absolutely agree with
Just adding my 'Amen' to the authenticity and integrity!
Thanks for counter balancing all those romanticized videos about living off grid. The only people who really did it could never have free time, no vacancy, no travel, ever. It was a life of constant work.
Hmmmm..." crick " " ruff " ....is that a crick in your neck and the sound a dog makes ?? 🤔🤔🤣🤣🤣😉😉
Some of us know those ppl are lying & really living in apartments 😂
The only people who really did it could never have free time, no vacancy, no travel, ever. Same goes for people that are living in a society.
Some people enjoy the work and find gratification in it, I guess everyone’s different..
Thank you for this video, its so hard and i regret jumping into living off grid so fast, im just trying to survive now. It gets to be so overwhelming with how much needs to get done that you become paralyzed in a sense
What amenities do you need so it wouldn’t be a struggle
@@ClassicRoyal we needed insulation, we froze, it was - 7 when we would wake up in our home. We left, still have the land but we were drowning
We've lived off grid for almost 8 years. It's hard work. Always something that needs to be fixed or a project to begin or finish. The up side is fresh eggs, home raised pork in the freezer, fruit n nut from the trees we planted and the beautiful quiet and sunsets to enjoy with loved ones ❤.
I once lived in a tent for several months(let go from a job and took time to get another)It was hot in the south with no AC in my tent and I thought I was sad. Now that things have been what we call good (with house and car)I realize I'm less happy than when I had nothing. Also I found out who my true friends were. I find myself feeling like I have less meaning than when I was in the woods in a tent.
U know ur full of it!!!! Don't act like u don't like ur danm AC and door u can lock!!!!!!!!!!!
@@elizabethrios7759 lol I said it was hot. I was in a mostly wooded area out of the city. Overall I was happier.It is hard to explain but it's like a feeling that you don't feel now but when you do it feels like your supposed to have always felt it. All I can say is go live in a wooded area and build fires to cook your food for a while and then you will feel it too. Also it made what I cooked seem a whole lot better and more exciting. . If I found a woman down with it, would go back to it. I haven't come across a woman willing to even build a tiny home much less build a home without electricity.
Having little makes you appreciate it more. We have to much choice and we're always chasing more and better! 👍
What's keeping you from going back to your happy tent in the woods?
Glad to hear that you're back on your feet.
Love this channel, I'm an educated 63-year-old single mom, and I do all my work by myself, from remodeling to plumbing to gardening and building my own chicken coop, and making my own clothes. Those houses you made are fantastic. Beautiful journey!
Other mothers would love your assistance on home stuff! Perhaps you have an Instagram and we can connect there to put faces to each other 😄💜
You're my hero!
You're awesome.
I love to hear about women doing their thing. I never could find the right partner to pursue my dream with, so I did it on my own as well. I worked, raised my children, and then found my forever place in the hills where my dog and I ( 63 now) spend most of our time. 100% off grid in God's country. I'm truly blessed to have finally accomplished my dream. Stay strong 💪🙏❤
I find off-grid living fascinating. When watching other videos, I always said to myself, "Something is missing here." What was missing was the true off-grid living experience, or as my dad would call it "roughin' it". When you have to do everything yourself, you come to appreciate all of the things which are done for you. On the other hand, all that is done for you keeps you from learning how to do it yourself, which was sort of his point. I'm not sure if off-grid living is the life for me, but I wish there was some way I would try it out for at least 30-9 days and see what happens. Thanks so much for your inspiring video. It has allowed me to live vicariously through your family's experience. All the best!
Hmm, I wonder if a Kickstarter or GoFundMe or something could be done to create a place like that. Where people could come, experience off-grid living down 'n' dirty and if they're a good fit, then they get added to the community ...
You don't need and don't want to go off grid. It is much better to live in the suburb and start conserving electricity and water. Plant more trees, instead of killing the trees and burn them. Practice organic farming and conserve our nature. It is way better than going off grid and start destroying our beautiful nature.
@@trumplostlol3007 Lol
@@3nertia You are not creating anything. You are destroying nature. There was one guy who actually lived off grid for 50 years. He learned his survival skills when he served the Peace Cops in Africa. He "built" a self sustainable environment in the Appalachian. It is not just about building a house, but about living with nature without destroying it. Search for the video. He welcomes people to go to his place.
@@trumplostlol3007 I don't know wtf you think "off-grid" means but to most of us, it means precisely that so I have no idea what you're on about and can only laugh ...
"Destroying nature" - based on what? Never planted anything in your life? You can't build a home on top of the trees in a forest ffs or without moving a few stones ROFLMEYERWIENER
I live off grid here in the Yukon. You are so right! I came up here in 2011. Lived with friends in Whitehorse for the 1st year trying to find a place to rent. But at $1500 per month. was not an option. So, I ordered a tipi from Oregon, the toughest one they made. I lived in it for 5 1/2 years til it wore out. I rented the spot for the tipi. My landlord wanted me to build a cabin as it bothered him that I was in the tipi during the winter. I think that he was worried because when I came up, I was 59 years old and was just 6 months out of the hospital with heart disease. Anyway, I built my cabin myself and had never built anything like that in my life. I'm now 72 years old, single and work for my landlord during the summers. And odd jobs for locals when I can. How is it I can live off grid? It's much easier for me, as I was born and raised on a homestead, and lived and worked in the bush and nature all my life. I do have a college diploma in environmental science, was a master tech for Sthil Canada before I moved up here and am a red seal journeyman welder. The list goes on, but you are right, not to be afraid to learn. It's just basic survival. The more things you learn, the more rounded of a person you become. Being a "jack of all trades", makes life somewhat easier, and how much in demand you can be.
I have so much respect for you! Being independent and living by your own means is something the wife and I want. Unfortunately we live in a world where our government would rather have us dumb and dependent on them. Hopefully given time we'll be able to live more independently.
I was poor as a kid in the early 80s. We lived in the city but spent alot of time in the country. You just did everything yourself if something broke. And now with the internet its easier than ever. We make about 35K a year, house payment is 1K, no other debt. We get by just fine. I work about 30 hours a week, her about 25. We are happy after years of me thinking i had an income problem it was really a spending problem and being happy with what you have.
And when you get there is amazing what falls in your lap.
so how do you get food? how do you get water? how do you get power? how do you get around? how did you build a cabin on your own, just out of hospital with heart disease? how did you get the lumber? how did you move the beams in to place by yourself?
@nobrainsnoheadache2434 I did have a job at the local tannery. I could buy groceries. Friends brought wild meat during hunting season. I did go fishing. I have 8 5gal water jugs. I haul water with my truck. I do have a generator or two. I scrounge most of my lumber. Only had to buy plywood and insulation. My neighbor has a sawmill, so he let me mill my own beams. With the beams, I maneuvered them any way I could. With bracing and sometimes with hydraulic Jack's. My siding was just the 1st cut on the sawmill. I'm not the type to lay brown and feel sorry for myself when the health goes south. I am a small engine mechanic and a journeyman welder. I do have to watch what I do and how I do it. My body tells me very quickly if I do something I shouldn't. You just work smart, that's all. Sometimes, it takes longer than I think. Before I moved up here, I had to take heart therapy 3× a week for 3 months. The heart specialist told me that there was no way I was going to the Yukon. After the therapy, he read my test results and couldn't believe it and told me that there was no reason why I couldn't go to the Yukon. I know my body better than anyone else. I know what I can do and can't. That's just the way it is....
@nobrainsnoheadache2434 I also gather my own firewood. I cook with propane. I do attempt to have a small garden. I have a small wood stove for heat in the winter. I do have a small solar system for lights in the winter. During the summers, we have close to 23 hrs of sunlight. Simply put, you do what you have to do to make it work. It's not always a bed of roses, and it's no for everyone. I have had young neighbors live not far from me, where I have shown and told how to do things. They last maybe a couple of years and move on. Lots try it just for the romance of it, and can't handle it. But at least they tried it. I was raised on a homestead and have lived the majority of my life in the bush, so I'm comfortable with it, and it's not a big deal. So, thanks for the questions and the interest. 😊
Reality is refreshing. All these "hipster" off-grid people are not giving people reality. It's not easy, and not pretty. Thanks for what you do and the lessons you teach. I hope lots of people see this and listen.
“Hipsters” everywhere 😂. Thanks for keeping it real and showing the hard work involved to truly live off grid (or even off grid-ish).
Same goes for those God-awful "cottagecore" people, mostly girls. Because aEsThEtiC and hashtag goals or whatever. Please. Probably don't even realize you don't get more chickens without a rooster. (Yes, those people do exist.) I'm all for people being as self-reliant as possible but I can't wait for the posers to go hop on some other bandwagon. I know I'm being kinda btchy about it but I'm just so sick of it.
Sadly they are running up land prices and generally making messes.
I bought a cheap fixer upper 15 years ago in a flyover state while working on the coast. Each year I would travel there and work 24/7 then leave to go back to coast for regular job. Saved every penny for improvements, paid it off, drove the same beat up truck for 28 years and finally retired and moved. Hard work and sacrifice .....something very few Americans know how to do.
But the main reason I wanted to comment is young people should realize after living the homestead life, if they don't have outside work, when they do reach retirement age they will not have a decent social security check coming or even qualify for medicare. When you are young you never think about those things. The body does give out and the chopping firewood and hauling water will be impossible and that social security check is vital in you old age.
@@afriendtoo6971 this happened to me at 38 years old. I had it all , i thought. I had many more years to get serious about rrtirement. I was making grrat money , in the late 80's and got hurt. Things dont work out the way you imagine sometimes
It's great to hear someone give the real story of living off grid. I built my place mostly by myself and it is hard work, lots of determination and a true love of nature. If you're not prepared to give up all the amenities of city or town living, don't waste your time and money. I lived for 2 years with no power I couldn't generate myself and only the food I could hunt, trap or grow myself. I wouldn't trade the experience for the world nor my way of life.
Why give up all amenities? There's wells, solar, wind & hydro.
@@BaawBee Unless you're rich, solar, wind or hydroelectric don't happen over night. And where I call home , there are no roads . You fly it in, bring it in by boat, snowmobile , 4 Wheeler or horse. By 4 Wheeler, it's 17 .3 miles from the nearest dirt road 33 from gravel and 46 from "town". Hollywood and videos skipping all the actual work that goes into living out here doesn't show what it really takes financially or knowledge wise. That's why you're seeing such an uptick in reports of people dieing trying it themselves. If you don't know how to survive , how to build shelter with hand tools, stay warm, hunt, fish, trap, grow your own vegetables, what you can and can't eat, basic medicinal uses for local vegetation or even how not to get lost in the woods, you don't belong out here. It's a beautiful life, yes.... but it's a hard life as well.
@@BaawBeeThis is the response of someone naïve enough to believe the hipster off-grid folks. In a remote location, you will probably have your well. You may have solar, wind OR hydro... Maybe a combination of two. But, even with those energy resources, how are you paying for the equipment those amenities require? That's (usually) very expensive equipment. If you are that wealthy and living that remote, you are living off-grid for sport... not as a lifestyle. And that's the difference.
@@earlten you save money & you build as you grow. No need to do it all at once. Piece by piece over time it adds up.
and you can't have asthma
Thank you for being an honest UA-camr, this "off grid" living isn't as "easy" as many "blessed" people make it out to be. We definitely work our butts off every day to get one step closer to the dream on our homestead. All good things come with time and are worth waiting for. Good luck in your adventures and happy off gridding. Thank you for being a helpful teacher in my process.✌️💚
Oh my GOSH!!! Thank you SO VERY MUCH for making THIS video. The hipster, hollywood version of off grid living has sickened/disappointed me to the point of completely giving up my dream of living as close to off grid as my family is able. Most off grid scenarios seen on UA-cam involve a HUGE amount of cash, of which i have very little. Your video is MY realistic idea of what TRUE off grid living should be. Thank you!!! The dream is alive -- again!!
Dude, I'm 72 and I wish I knew about such things when I was 18. A little too late for me now but I tell everyone I know, young and old, about your channel - in particular, my grandkids. Thanks for posting, as well as your obvious honesty and integrity.
I've never seen a 72 year old man enunciate 'dude' at the start of his diction.🧐
@@SkylarGraham Bro, guys our age have been saying those phrases since they were invented, lol, they're not new. And we've been online since it started, probably seen a lot of us without knowing it and age wasn't mentioned.
@@rodneystanger1651 Didn’t know they had AOL at the Smithsonian!
@@SkylarGraham Ha ha, now GET OFF MY LAWN!
Young people don't own language rights to dude.
Started homesteading in Appalachia back in 2020. It’s been a hard fought battle that’s slowly becoming our little slice of heaven. We’ve done everything except erect the shell of the cabin which was already constructed when we purchased the land. We’ll never run a UA-cam channel or post our progress online, it’s too sacred for us personally; however, with that being said, I appreciate what you and your wife do here on UA-cam. Never once have I questioned your authenticity, and the world needs more people like the two of you!
Good luck :)
@Southern Bella Wow, what have I done to you? I simply replied to a channel I enjoy watching, yet you take the time to berate me?! I never said I’m a pioneer, or claimed to be anything rather than an individual who enjoys remote living. This is exactly why I do not have a UA-cam channel dedicated to homesteading… I’m not going to let humanity discredit my accomplishments and/or dreams! I wish you the best!
How old was the structure when you bought it?
@@resistthesystem6145 ignore the idiots with no lives. Me and my wife are in the process of doing homesteading.... eventually.
Yes, it's too sacred for that. We can all live without criticism.
My husband and I renovated a shore front property back in 1992. He was a civil engineer, I learned so much him. He passed away in 2019. Watching your videos reminds me of our building adventures, makes me miss him more but does bring back great memories! Thank you
sorry to hear about your husbands passing
Im at that point in life where im ready get off the grid. Dumping $2500 month in rent is flipping me off! Glad I stumbled into this content & the channel. Watching people livung in $200k camper van or house in wheels isnt what i had in mind. Appreciate everything you folks are putting out-its convincingly doable. More i watch-little less pissed off i am over state of our economy & more i want to “get off grid”.
Yea, the older folks don't understand how frustrating and heartbreaking it is to give entire paychecks to greedy landlords. These feelings are compounded by people calling younger generations lazy so that doesn't make me want participate in their society very much. Yeah, the amenities are nice but the freedom of not being stuck at a job all day or being weighed down by debt is also very attractive.
@@thelostcosmonaut5555 But older generations weren't as frustrated with being stuck at the work place during their day and purchased way less instead of going into debt. Younger generations complain about high prices, but at the same time want to make money without having to work or earning more as their work is worth. They are very greedy, but don't like it, when they also see the downsides of what they're doing.
@@elale8016 idk what you're talking about. Myself and all of my friends have full time jobs, sometimes two jobs. A lot of us are in school as well. I hardly buy anything but was getting charged 1500 for a garbage studio apartment. "Younger people don't want to work" yet who are the nurses and doctors keeping the older generations alive? Who are the sanitation workers keeping the city clean? Screw you.
@@elale8016 Families during the baby boom could make ends meet on 1 salary. Nowadays, you need at least 3 incomes to live somewhat comfortably. IT isn't laziness, it's astronomical inflation.
FJB. Vote for Trump. MAGA!
Thanks for sharing your story with us. I never believe those shows. It's too perfect. You just show us what it's really like. You guys are not Fake. That's why i watch your channel and Brook's channel. It's all real. No Fake, No drama. I hate that crap in shows. You guys are awesome and Blessed what you have.
What a life you have led. You’ve worked hard and kept things simple. You’ve set such a good example. Both you and Brooke have set the bar for so many. Keep it real Dave
Thank you much!
This is so true. My wife and I jump into the off grid wagon 2 years ago; let me tell you it has not been easy. There’s been days in which we just wanted to give up. Our tent living try ended up in a completely failure. Then we found this channel and got motivated to build a small cabin house as we go. Only God knows were this journey will take us, but it can’t be a bad ending. Thank you for your videos.
I had a friend when I was younger whose parents built an off grid cabin they lived in. Her parents liked to show off to everyone about how environmentally friendly they were, etc. The reality of it was my friend would come to my house everyday to do basic things like shower and homework because she couldn't do them (or do them comfortably) at home. She would stay at my house when we'd have snow storms because her parents couldn't dig out their road early enough for her to get to school. This is much of the reason our friendship ended - I felt smothered and used by her. I say this with no ill will towards my old friend; I say it instead to show that it is not just online people are using this superficially, but in real life too.
Ur not a good person
You ended your friendship because your friend needed your help?
@@dawoodchatha4553 I felt like I was being used, rather than her wanting to be my friend for the sake of our friendship.
@@dawoodchatha4553the answer is yes, seems she did.
@@dawoodchatha4553effectively living part time at a ‘friends’ house is a bit much.
We are doing something similar in Portugal for the past 4 years and you’re so right that there is lots of fakery out there. It really annoys me when viewers refer us to other ‘off gridders’, because they apparently do it so much better than us, completely ignoring the fact that some of these youtubers have tonnes of money to spend, have no kids (we have 2) or are actually selling BS. Love what you said about willingness to learn, which was for me The reason to want to do this. Cheers, Maarten (Our Portuguese Homestead)
Yeah l did it accidentally in Morocco, ended up taking a house with no running water or electricity because l went through a phase of bringing home too many street animals and l need the space for the donkeys and dogs etc. If you want a home away from other people in the somewhat peaceful woods here it's probably not going to have electricity etc and if you pay to have power put in then other folks will start constructing new homes to take advantage of the already existing lines. So yeah, living like this wasn't really something l wanted. Soon I'm going to give up and move closer to town, and it's been also only about four years. The amount of chores is unbelievable and the cold winter nights and summer heat are getting to me and I'm not getting any younger. Oh well l guess l better get out there and do some more chores like hauling water up the hill while the donkeys watch. Good grief.
In my 3rd year off grid central portugal. Hard work but wouldn't change a thing. Makes you realise the important things on life. My only regret is I didn't do it before I reached 60!
I understand such things before even phantasizing that it could work. I have devoted to seeing through bullshit for so long, it is a really unhappy life. Truth isn't pretty. Especially when you see how many don't care about it.
@@100millioneuros Canary Islands are hotter than central Portugal ?
U are a liar on UA-cam
I don’t understand the need to gatekeep and dictate what is considered off grid or not. Not everybody is a purist. Some just want to enjoy some elements of the lifestyle while not giving up modern conveniences, and to that I say who cares?! There’s room for everyone in this community
I've been totally off-grid in Alaska for five years. I snow in every winter. You and Brooke are a true inspiration. I have always said, you need two things to be successful off-grid.
1. Ambition and drive, lots of it. This is no place for the lazy.
2. A solid foundational knowledge of construction. Don't guess at it. Mother Nature will kick your ass.
The big bonus for you is Brooke. She is just as committed as you are. I left a wife because she kept sabotaging my efforts to go off-grid. I've had to do it alone. That TOTALLY sucked. Anyone going off-grid needs to find a partner before making the jump. Build it together. If you do it alone, that's how you will live, alone. After five years, I'm good alone. Not sure if I want a woman to come in now and turn my heaven into hell on earth.
My wife , 2 kids and me have been completely off grid for 12 years now . Very happy , healthy and comfortable . It is a wonderful way to live . My one best tip would be to keep it simple . Do not over complicate your systems . Go for the simplest solutions . Other tips would be to Make sure the whole family know how the set up works , ie , electricity , water systems , toilets , heating etc . Embrace it as a lifestyle , adopt habits which support that lifestyle . Keep on top of maintenance . It is hard work to start with but gets easier in time . Very easy , sustainable and rewarding for us now . Good luck .
I think if I went it alone, my aim would be to keep working on my living quality until I knew it would be good enough for a high-maintenance city woman. Maybe impossible, but it would stop me from settling and keep me pushing.
@@greenwoodorganics4681 nothing would be good enough for a “high maintainance city woman “ . Lol 😂 . This type would not suit off grid . IMO .
@@sobeit1927 yeah, watch 'Green Acres' for reference material!!!
@@sobeit1927 likewise would be a lazy man.
I enjoyed watching how your family evolved over the last many years. I respect how you and Brooke grew together and yet both of you are very independent as well. 💜
Thanks
One thing not mentioned, there's a lot of trial and error. For instance, our rainwater collection, the pump looked powerful enough when I bought it (660 GPH) to put a high enough water pressure for a toilet or sink, which also allowed for siphoning of the rain barrel.
There are many times a product you believe will be ok, to find out it's not nearly powerful enough.
Try a manual pump toilet from jabsco. Uses minimal water to flush. I run 2 bathrooms with showers and a kitchen sink on a 12v 3.5 gpm pump. That's a jabsco as well. All the plumbing is done in reinforced vinyl tubing with a 1.1 gal accumulator tank. Don't hook the toilet to the pressure side of the water.
I feel like this is the embodiment of the American Dream. The freedom of choice and lifestyle, at the cost of your own hard work and effort. Also the reason why its so appealing. While not for everyone, I feel like a lot of people in modern society could take some elements of this to heart and improve their own lives with it. Wonderful video.
American dream is dead
Everything has been licensed out, no competition anymore
Sounds more like the canadien/alasken dream.
Those huge stretches of uninhabitant land is either a thing of the past or of the far north.
The whole world has enough of the American dream. Which is apparently get really fat, dumb, steal from other countries, killing as much people as possible, waving shitty american flag and scream about the freedom... Yup
@@benjaminmeusburger4254 I saw an ad for plots of 200 acres in Idaho for 2000$ just a couple years back. You can buy massive stretches of wilderness land in any state, which you can then homestead on. People underestimate just how much sparsely inhabited land there is available in the US.
Though I'm sure some have more bureaucracy bullshit to deal with than others.
Even without the employ of slaves you'd still have to deal to some degree with the karmic problem of stolen land. 😉
Would you be a humble steward to it or wield a shotgun at 'invaders'?
Dave, your story may be typical for folks from Alaska. But for this city kid from Los Angeles, it's mind blowing. I had no idea growing up that anything like this was possible today, not just what people a hundred years ago had to do! Thank you so much for sharing the journey you & your wife have taken through your all your independent, simple but totally YOUR OWN housing. I love that through UA-cam I get to learn from you!
This was what I thought too.
Where this kinda life is cheap, but labour intensive up in the untamed wilderness. Over here, in central europe?
Not a chance to do it at all. Building here is always more expensive than renting or buying. Because you have to follow so many laws on what you can build. You have to get so many costly permits, and in the end, you just cant build a wood cabin to live in.
So in the end, the people that get to live like this are the rich hipsters, that just do it for the heck of it. And not because its a worthwhile way of living.
Even if I own land here. I don't really own it. I'd pay taxes en masse on it. Those taxes increase the more developed it is. No matter if its off grid or on grid. To be legally allowed to live in a place, it has so many rules on how it can be built. Requiring it to be thermically protected, Requiring a full concrete foundation, requiring professional roofing.
A lot of things, you need to be officially licensed to do, even if you can teach it yourself.
And to folk like me, this is as much of an unobtainable dream as it is to bring in resources with a helicopter. So many folk just dont bat an eye at that. It's just a spectacle to most, and helicopters of course increase that spectacle.
@@TarDeisa The unrecognized privilege of living in a place with massive amounts of land relative to the number of people.
And exactly how 'off-grid' this example is is debatable as well. He gets the harvested, refined, processed, and shaped metals and other materials from industrial processes that are part of that grid. Solar panels are made through massive industrial processes that cause major environmental damage (in other countries). Not everyone has access to the skills or education that he mentioned (tradesman skills like carpentry are increasingly difficult to get into in the USA) and not all public schools offer much for it. With the economy in in the gutter and going lower, that lump-sum payment is a big ask that is getting bigger for younger people. And this is before considering the challenges of social isolation.
@@NevisYsbryd why tradesman skills like carpentry are increasingly difficult to get into in the USA ?
@@incorectulpolitic Gatekeeping, a shortage of tutors, and a crap economy. It is difficult to find anyone to learn from without personal contacts and lots of existing ones outright gatekeep anyone they do not have a personal (often familial) connection to. Some trades have unions that act as a barrier to entry. Some want experience for 'entry level' positions. The pay for the apprentice years is often garbage and during times of stagnant wages and rising prices-when the apprentice is not _paying their tutor_ for the education. There is already a shortage, between skilled laborers moving to the cities and getting different jobs, generations of anti-trades academic propaganda, and outsourcing jobs to other countries or migrant labor that is cheap and in a weak negotiating position. The number of people who can learn from their parents is small and dwindling further because most parents never learned themselves. And now some of the paid jobs demand things like COVID vaccination and... there is a high correlation between the sort of people liable to be interested in trades and skepticism or more of the vaccine compared to the general population. There are a LOT of barriers to entry unless you happen to have a relative already established in the field.
And then there is all of the legal red tape involved, although that varies by area, given how drastically the law varies by state, country, city, and so on. Some of them are a major barrier to entry, often to maintain some sort of monopoly or cartel.
@@NevisYsbryd Missed the point about being willing to learn... The guy started with nothing but a 6$/hr job pouring concrete as his experience, rest was learned as he went.
Whoever's reading this, i pray that whatever you're going through gets better and whatever you're struggling with or worrying about is going to be fine and that everyone has a fantastic day! Amen
God bless you
@King Jojo Thank you❣️ You as well💯
if you only knew, but then again, maybe you do, hence what you said. With tears falling, Thank you😔
Amen
Bless you
So I started watching a lot of these homesteading videos and recently I found one of a young man who decided fresh out of high school to build a cabin in Alaska. Totally respecting his ambition, the algorithm blessed me with other homesteading videos, and one UA-camr who recommended your channel. So I watched a few of your videos and I meandered over to this one, and then it got to you raising a family and baby pics, and I was like "that boy looks awful familiar" and it dropped on my head like a ton of bricks that Y'ALL ARE REALLY GOOD AT BUILDING HOUSES and it runs in the family! Very cool!
Cheers!
If only more people were so modest, considerate and easy going like you two. The world would be a far nicer place...full of lovely cabins :) Greetings from the Czech republic. Thank you for your beautiful videos!
They wouldn't last one month without a large efficient society to subsidize them!
What's it like there in the Czech Republic for building cabins etc? Are there a lot of regulations? Nosy neighbours?
@@SuperSpecies Well, not good at all. Fist - Czech Rep. is a small country. There aren´t any huge, distant properties to be bought in the first place. If you ever succeed in buying a piece of forest, you have to be a millionaire. Vast majority of land is already owned by profiteers, speculators, politicians etc. Only the bad "leftovers" are for sale from time to time. Usually without any access roads. Next comes the red tape. The only thing you can legally build is theoretically a garden shed, not exceeding the floor area of 25 square meters. You can´t just "start building". There has been a long tradition of peaching and snitching and if you started building a cabin, someone would report you to the authorities and they would let you tear the building down and fine you. Of course, this doesn´t apply to huge concrete hotels and projects of developers. They can build pretty much anything in the middle of a national park and get away with it. Our country isn´t suited for cabin building but there is a big and long tradition of "weekend house ownership", so many families own a second, smaller house somewhere and they spend their free time there. Whoever was able to inherit theirs or buy it in the 90s is a lucky person now. Nowadays it is of course impossible for a normal working person to save enough money to buy a weekend house (or cottage or whatever). I´d like to have one but there is just no hope. You need millions. An average weekend house here is (converted to USD) about 100k - 150k+ - if the location is good. The average (monthly) wage here is 1800 USD (before taxes) and most ordinary people can´t save much.
@@lukasgayer5393 oh wow, that's crazy. Why can't people build things other than garden sheds on land?
@@lukasgayer5393 I'm not sure about the rules for building a log cabin in Alaska, like they did in this video, but most of the time, here in the USA, you would have to have a building permit from the city in order to build anything. Much like your garden shed analogy. I've heard that we can even get in trouble for putting up a fence without a building permit. Crazy stuff!!
I went full time off grid in 1997. I was and still am on my own. It sure wasn't easy getting up at 5 am for a cold shower and a long day at work followed by 4 hours working on the house until dark. Weekends were spent working on the house as well. I have 1250 watts of solar... a 400 windy genny and a 13000 gallon rainwater harvesting system.
how do you have internet? satellite?
@@pandaking6247 wireless through T mobile
@@chrisniner8772 count yourself lucky that you have a signal where you are! I'm gonna have to be clever to get internet where my property is 🙂
@@humansustainability up until 3 years ago it was hacked wifi links with modified gear and 30 dB gain dishes (now you can buy Ubiquitii gear) and a 2 way cell booster booster with 9 element yagi (Wilson).
How do you get food and do you still go to the dentist or medical treatment?
All lessons I wish I had learned and known about 20 years ago. These days, I am far too broken to be able to set off on an adventure of such a nature. I have a lot of respect for you all, and the life you have truly literally built for yourselves.
Thanks
Yeah.. when it hurts to bend over for more than 5 minutes, and every job requires being tilted at least a bit, it's hard to build things solo.
Aint that life. I learned. I m 62. Dont think i will do any crazy projects anymore, but glad i have.
Great video. My best friend is a contractor who builds and remodels homes. He once pointed out something that I think is also pointed out in your vids. You were able to build and use those homes because you DID THE LABOR YOURSELF. The materials were not free, and they cost some money, but you SAVED yourself the cost of labor;-- the cost of having someone else build the stuff FOR you. My friend is always talking about just how much he spends on labor-- the price of getting it built is hugely influenced by how much you gotta spend on labor. That human toil. It is also hard work. These folks making youtube vids sometimes make it look like a fantasy, but in reality it is a ton of very hard work. Most lazy Americans are just 'not built' to work that hard. So you made some great points. But the one thing I would tell your viewers is that these people worked very hard to get where they are, and don't even try to copy them unless you are willing to work just as hard as they did.
Agreed. In the very beginning, I watched pick up that log like it was nothing. That's strength and endurance from a physical life. Most Americans aren't exposed to that, so they wouldn't know. Luck of the draw where your environment dictates your life. Also him and his wife's relationship. Solid
Most ppl are too spoiled by modcons and don't appreciate the simple ones like hot running water.
*modern day conveniences
"Most lazy Americans are just 'not built' to work that hard." Literally just said that about myself in my comment LOL (ofc, I'm 53 now, and have not done any real work for some time. I've gotten soft... NOT lazy, though... just haven't had the opportunity to 'get to work" like that. Very soon, though...)
Agreed. Most people are exceptionally lazy. Most people who can’t afford to hire a lawn service don’t take very good care of their yards. And that’s just the suburbs where you’re almost not even allowed to do your own building. But some buildings are easier than others to erect. The best way to simplify construction is by minimizing the size of the individual components, keeping it just one storey, building on a concrete pad, and so forth.
I love your story. That’s truly the way to go. Not spending thousands on a mortgage each month or rent. Build your own stuff little by little as you can afford. Your kids are blessed to grow up like this. I bet it wasn’t easy at times but so worth it in the long run!
I've had a very different path in life (spent my 20's & most of my 30's in cities) but still to this day, the carpentry skills I learned in my teens working for my uncle's contracting company have been among the most useful skills I've learned in life. And you're 100% right, a willingness to learn is key. Thanks for the great content!
My husband and I cannot do what you and Brooke have done as we are much older and struggle with big health issues. But we appreciate all the hard work you both have done and continue to do. We grow as much of our own food as possible. And we buy from local farmers for our protein too. We have a well and septic as our state and town requires. Everything is not ideal. But we each do the best we can coming from where we are. My husband is very handy and never shies away from fixing just about anything, cars, trucks, household issues of an older home, etc. We are both busy constantly doing things ourselves where neighbors and friends hire people to do these things.
We don't think of living off grid completely ever at this point in our lives. We use to go into the woods and cut lumber for our wood stove and we loved it, but health emergencies have ended that for now.
So I don't look at things as all or nothing. We don't have to prove to anyone if we live partially off grid or totally off grid, and neither does anyone else. Those dilatants who you were speaking about seemed a bit ridiculous to me when I saw that channel, but.... To each his/her own. I would like to live further in the woods, but it's not possible for my husband.
Thanks for all your content. And really liked your videos on traveling up to Alaska each year. I never get tired of them. Have watched them a few times with my husband on Saturday nights!😂
We don't watch regular TV, and haven't for years now. And we are not much for night life. We like to get up early and get going on the tasks ahead for the day. God bless you🙏
Most of my and my husband's family were rural farmers in North Carolina a couple of generations back. My husband's granndma lived on a subsistence farm and they only bought materials like salt and needles, that they couldn't make themselves. I still remember she used to say so often, she thanked God everyday that as an adult she was able to get off that damned farm and move to town.
It’s like u didn’t watch the video.
If she saw what our society is like today, she'd be begging God to let her go back to that farm.
Now children don't know that fruit grows on trees. It's over
@@newagain9964I think Belle was showing the contrast of previous generations of “off grid” and how they longed for the municipalities and comfort in bigger cities. Comparatively, here we are trying to get back to our roots off griding trying to figure out how to break the chains of societal norms and expectations. Its ironic and fascinating. We truly are never satisfied as a species.
Thanks for this video
I was living off grid for 10 years but I’m older now and can’t do a lot of the things I was doing to keep up that style of life
Then there was the person who messed up my “things “ like chopping the wires to the solar panels
And other things just became more complicated
My wife is disabled so that adds a new wrinkle to life
sorry to hear
I remember Brooke telling her story on her channel and I thought it was so interesting; so it is definitely a bonus to hear your version as well. You guys are an awesome hardworking team; very authentic, informative and what I appreciate most is your interaction with us the viewer, where you both take the time, in your busy lives, to read/reply to comments as well as answering emails...that, in and of itself, distinguishes both of you from the rest. It's honest interaction and a willingness to help those who have questions: like we did about a water well-pump, finding out that we needed a ball valve. Can't thank you and Brooke enough for caring about supporting others on the same path.
Mark Twain wrote a funny story, "Eve's Diary" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eve%27s_Diary), which includes excerpts from Adam's diary. I read it long ago, but one funny tidbit was when Adam commented that he didn't know where Eve was "finding" babies. He just come home one day and she'd be holding a new baby. In hindsight, I wish Dave and Brooke had planned a similar storytelling. Maybe they still will, but on a new topic. 😀
Dave, started watching you Last Year. And your way of living and life is an inspiration to me. And my family.
I’m 21, Heavy Diesel Mechanic in Southern New Jersey. My Wife and I are currently saving for a Homestead of our own, away from the typical neighborhood we reside in. For our 1yr Old Son And our little Collie Puppy that joined us recently. Watching this gives us faith to follow our dream like you did. The time you put into these videos never ceases to amaze me. Thank you!
We moved to north Idaho last year and there is a saying "the fastest way to go through a million dollars is to move to Idaho with a million dollars". It's hard not to spend everthing you have on snowplows, snowblowers, snow machines, trucks, tractors, boats etc. Then, of course, you need a big shop or barn to keep all that stuff.
It looks like you are one of the legit families in the off grid game. I am pretty sure that the over the top things you see on TV is probably paid for by the show. I just started building a cabin with my son that is off grid. It is the little things that are hard like the 2 hour drive to the land, packing and unpacking tools every trip, bathroom considerations, etc. What is of irreplaceable value is working side by side with my son, teaching him skills, and figuring out how to overcome obstacles together.
Keep up the good work.
“Most things are easier then they think you are” favorite quote. People think they aren’t capable because they aren’t a “pro”. If someone else figured it out you surely can on most building projects. Great video.
nowdays more than ever, there's tons of content on the internet about how to do things, you don't have to just take your best guess anymore, you can find actually decent information on most things, and of course, often you can just ask the pros, how would they do the thing you're trying to do, even if you're not gonna hire them (and can say that upfront, of course)
@@jan_harald heck it’s hard to even get a pro to give you a quote around where I live. They have more work then they can handle. Easier and quicker to just do it yourself
Me and my husband have been watching Homestead rescue and it definitely give’s you a major reality check. The amount of people who sell everything, move out to the middle of no where with NO research about what it really takes, is mind boggling. It dose take humility to ask for help and listen and to know when it’s time to quit or just reevaluate and try again.
My mom and I love that show. The couple that tried to raise “free range pigs” was entertaining to say the least lol. They went about that in entirely the wrong way. They thought “free range chickens are a good idea” and applied it to pigs without any research at all. It can sort of be done, but you can’t just let pigs go out into the wilderness without proper fencing or a barn to return to. Chickens will go back into the coop at night because they are stupid and feel safer in there, a pig will just dig a hole and make do if they don’t want to go back for any number of reasons, destroying your property in the meanwhile lol.
@@freeloading_toad😂 I remmeber when that show was first being advertised. I never watched it.
Interesting in that we went totally off-grid for our own homestead project and haven't looked back. Almost all of the wood we used to build came off of our own property or our neighbor's, was rough-cut by local Amish, and just the wife and I did all of the building. We have a septic system, a 140 foot well into bedrock, and our power is supplied by our own solar system (not grid-tied, it's off grid). There are no electrical lines on the property, no public utilities, and we heat our home with just a small wood stove. We've built most of our own furniture (the wife mostly) and are trying to live sustainably as much as possible. We trade for some fresh vegetables, baked goods, etc. when we can, and are raising our own as much as possible. And we're both in our mid 60's. We started this journey a little over 2 years ago and haven't looked back. We've got a small channel with just a bunch of shorter videos of what we started with and how we've progressed. If we can do it, anyone can!
This was a story about what a family truly is - it just so happens to be an off-grid life. It is about building - and family is the greatest thing you can build. You’ve earn your authentic life!
That and raising a family doesn't need to be expensive as long as you're thoughtful about it.
Thank you Dave. You and Brooke have been a source of inspiration for me, and I have transferred that inspiration on to my husband. You both seem to be authentic and transparent in every video you do. (I have said similar things on her videos). This video just proves to me that you have been authentic and sincere through all of it and I value honesty most of all.
Hubby and I have started our off grid journey. This year it is a 29' 3-season trailer that we are living in full time, with 400w of solar panels and a generator for those dull/dreary short days, a bucket toilet and hauling water. This spring we will be purchasing 2 20' shipping containers and converting them into our home. We will continue to live off grid, with solar and wind for power, a composting toilet, and hauling our water.
I just wanted you to know you are appreciated, both you and Brooke ... and I keep you both in my thoughts and prayers ... God bless you both.
One of my neighbours was actually living off-grid when I was living out in the country on a farm. Importantly, he traded with pretty much everyone in the local area. And he had a really advanced solar panel setup... As well as a generator. He's a retired mechanical engineer.
Love this video showing the truth, the struggles and the successes. That and this is all 10-20 years ago! The journey NOW is MUCH more different, depending on your financial standing or where you got started in life, family and the partner you choose to take on this journey as well. It's NEVER as simple as some YT channels put it and a lotta times...it's rich folks, nepo babies or bored trust fundies cosplaying as poor people with a healthy financial cushion under them.
Same as the dude says at the end: don't. believe. everything. you see. Grain of salt. Common sense. Take sensible advice, learning always and be cautious but give it your all whatever direction you choose. :)
I needed this video so bad. Since my husband died I have had to take care of a lot of things around the house that he would've handled. I'm facing two daunting task and this video has given me the confidence that I can do it, I just need to take my time, learn as much as I can and get my hands dirty! Thank you Dave!!
Whatever task it is somebody on YT has done it.
Look into the comments and you will see a list of professionals saying how they did it wrong.
Watch several on each subject.
Then figure out how you can do it.
I am a smaller person. I physically can not do some of the things I see on YT.
I have to figure out the easiest way for me.
Make a step by step plan for your tasks to maximize your efficiency and skills.
Well said Shawn R !!!
@@shawnr771 thank you so much, I will follow this advice for sure.
I'm excited for you Vanessa as you find out just what you're capable of. You'll mess up a lot, and feel really stupid sometimes. If that's happening, then you're learning and gaining wisdom. There's just no other way to get it. You either choose to do it or you choose not to, but there's no such thing as "you can't" do it.
I hate to hear you are alone now but you can and will make it and do great things.
You're amazing... 100% spot on. I stumbled on your channel cause I wanna build a small garden house and as a recent widow, everyone is telling me "oh just buy or hire someone" to do it. No way - limited funds & not givin' it away freely. You've empowered me even more... I know I can do it... and watching a lot your content... I know I will! Thnx for BOTH of your time & talent! =)
I think a lot of people would like to live the off grid life but don't understand the hard work and sacrifice it takes to make it happen. Thanks for sharing your and Brooks's story. I enjoy your channels very much.
I just want to be prepared if the grid goes down. I already live in an unpopulated enough area for my liking more like at the edge of grid than off it but it's just that I dont take for granted that absolutely all technology and supply chains will be working properly forever without interruption.
Like Brooke says, a lot of off-grid property you find was someone else's dream that didn't work out. I think people start out with good intentions, but give up because it's so hard. I had a friend who was married, they started a cabin and almost finished it when she said she'd had enough and left him. He managed to finish the cabin, but his dream was dead, so he just sold it and left, went back to living in the country where he had all the amenities, but still wasn't in town.
@@OldLadyInFL I live in a remote area of the Appalachians and we’ve always gotten our share of people trying to live off grid. I’ve never seen any of them last more than a few years. It’s usually the woman who loses it first probably because she’s the one who has to do most of the drudgery tasks like cooking and washing clothes without modern conveniences.
We’re totally prepared to live off grid but why not take advantage of the grid while you can? Where our place is electricity is cheap, 10 cents a KW.
I've been off grid for 4 yrs now. My biggest challenge is dealing with the summer heat.
Thank you for doing this! I'm disabled and have very low income, under $900 a month so I have been looking for alternatives because just to rent a bedroom in someone else's house they want a minimum of $900 a month not including utilities etc. Obviously my physical disabilities prevent me from doing the work myself. But I live in Maine so I have quite a few things to ponder here. My Grandparents used to live on a lake here and I always dreamed of having a piece of land and a little cabin in the woods close to the water lol I still keep trying to find a way. Never give up! Much appreciated info ty again!
$900 for a bedroom
Plus more $$??????
MOVE out of that stupid area
We re in Fla, not far from the Gulf shore even n our 2 bdrm townhouse is $1200 with a small yard!
You should consider moving to Mexico. They have decent healthcare and some places can be very affordable.
Dave... What a GREAT story!! Thank you! At over 60 years of age I know I could not do the physical labor (Even though I like to 'think' I could. LOL). But watching your dream become a reality is inspiring on a man to man level. I really appreciate your work. I wish you and your family ALL THE BEST! God Bless and God Speed. You're a real hero as far as I'm concerned. Thank you again!
I really appreciate your content. My wife and I are city dwellers in Metro Detroit, but we have dreams of creating a family retreat Up North. We have no property, no money, or anything, but we are developing these dreams as we head into our golden years. We love watching your videos for your pragmatic and down-to-earth approach. It makes us feel that we, too, could carve out our own space in the Michigan woods.
You can do it! I moved out of metro Detroit two years ago. Loved every second of it.
We did as well. It’s so much cheaper to live in Northern Michigan than it was downstate.
That’s what my wife and I have planned as well, we cannot wait to be out of the Metro Detroit area.
Two more years and the sixth of our children will have graduated high school.
Our oldest is living in Colorado on 75 acres.
Dave, you and Brooke are definitely an inspiration, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
It's always nice to see how people actually started out. I always wondered how your wife got all of her skills. It was teamwork. Thanks for sharing the journey.
Thank you for sharing your story together. While you might’ve only meant it to dispel lies I found it heartwarming. I’m glad you, Brooke and your family lived the way you did. That kind of life makes strong ties stronger.
After searching UA-cam for inspiration for our off-grid home you made it easy to understand and obtainable. The wife and I bought our slide in truck camper and have lived in it full-time for 5 months now, saving every penny for some land to build. I'm a firm believer for working for what you want because it won't come easy and you seem to appreciate it more. Thank you for sharing your life's work.
Good luck
I wanted to dislike this video but guy nailed the truth of it in the first minute. Trailer, water source, and a little help from friends! Off grid is mostly just never giving up on the dream and having shelter, food, and water enough to keep building.
Hey I've had to that as well, was living in Cheyenne Wyoming in a trailer park next to the truck stop. It's rough man, but it's worth every second of it once you get passed it. Best of luck!
I'm off grid in my van now days but growing up in California my mom and dad and I took 10 years to build our off grid cabin in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Miss it so much! The rewards of building your own homestead are indescribable. I'd love to do it again. Thanks so much for sharing this!!
Not as much fun as it is to claim property, which some fools may refer to as "adverse possession", but in reality you can easily challenge any so-called "deed" and usually win because a deed does not replace an allodial title.
Hey dude. You and your wife did pretty good for yourselves. Now I'm not a homesteader myself, but I can appreciate the desire to get out there and make something for yourself. Seeing you guys achieve so much was inspiring.
I hope you both take time to sit back and just appreciate how interesting of a life you've lived and the memories you've made for you and your kids.
Why the f were they keep moving??? Why??
Everyone does things differently. We happily took out a $250k loan at a low rate, that should be paid off in 33 months (17 yrs ahead of time) and bought a 15 acre homestead 1/2 mile off the freeway. It has many improvements, new HVAC, new water heater, waterlines, multiple garden spigots, RV hookups, orchard, huge garden, it's a 5 bed, 3 bath 70s ranch, with a basement apartment, has an 1850s 17 horse stable barn, big chicken coop, wood shed, garden shed, tool shed, goose grotto and they're all Amish made and brand new. We ran almost 1 mile of 5ft tall non-climb horse fence. We're in our 40s and I say work your tail off making great money doing what you do making the most money you can and pay someone to do it for you. Stay in 1 spot! Moving and starting over as you age is silly! No one is going to give you a life skills test! Improving the land each year and aging in place is key!
I just wanted to say that this video has been such an inspiration. Almost had me crying at one point. We have recently made a lifestyle change-going off grid. Although we do have water. We do not have any other ties to the grid. It wasn't something we had planned to do. But when life happened and we had 3 children to take care of- it was a priority to put a roof over their little heads. We do both still work jobs though so it has come with many challenges. Trying to keep up with everything. Learning so many new things and all the time changing something or fixing something. But weve been doing this for 6 months now. And i honestly wish we had been living this way the entire time. Im always looking for new inspiration or skills that i can use to better the homestead. Or how to make it more self sustainable. Id like to move away from needing a generator. I worry about access to propane or gas. And the prices! We have a small solar set up currently. We are still learning a lot about solar. We would love to do more solar. But there really isnt a whole lot of content on basic survival. I want to learn how it was really done a hundred years or 300 years ago. Not so much of how people are doing it now days-still relying so heavily on whats available these days. It was so nice to see you using the trees to build the cabins. And using things from the dump to repurpose. I too am always trying to repurpose something or make it work. Especially if it saves us from having to go buy something. Anyways, i look forward to seeing your upcoming videos. I cant wait to see what all i can learn from you.
Husband and I put in our own solar.. Husband especially studied this system beforehand ( I was working FT then) on how to do it. Calibrating batteries. Hooking it up properly. Making sure we had the right parts. Once we knew the layout of our cabins and what electricity we would need, we set out buying efficient lighting. and energy saving small refrigerator and kitchen cook top. We don’t have an oven so we can make outdoor oven this spring. Learning how to live like they did in the 1700’s is helpful indeed
The channel GodRules advertises a book about how things were done way back then. It's in his older videos.
@@shawnmendrek3544 what a sweet comment
Dave , I've been watching you on and off for several years now. I have to say that you've always came across as a genuine honest guy. As a viewer I totally appreciate that. I am retired and probably too old to set out on an adventure such as you and your wife did some years ago but I do enjoy watching you guys. Your wife is a hoot , I watch her channel also ,she is a wild woman. Thanks for the great content and take care.
I stumbled upon this channel more or less by accident, its now one of my favorites, and one of the main reasons is because you're honest, realistic, and resourceful which as a viewer I greatly appreciate. I think people like the idea of off-grid living but don't realize what it would actually take if its even plausible to do so in certain situations. Thank you for taking the time to do these videos, and being transparent and honest with your videos and content.
I just love the honesty and genuine nature of your personality and it just shines through so naturally. It's obvious you've worked on the entertainment factor, but an honest and genuine person is easy to watch and listen to. I do enjoy the ideas as I am about to start a couple of small cabin builds the spring. Getting started a little late in life however it took me a minute to wake up to the reality of things and I'm really looking forward to it. Going to be jamming out in the Ozarks until I can afford the compound. 😅 Bless you all and would love to share a cup of coffee with you sometime..
An interesting story! My parents applied for homestead acreage in a land lottery in the 50s. As one condition for ownership, they built a 'prove-up' shack, and my mother moved her trailer that she'd owned after graduate school in Fairbanks. Pa built the house room by room, and learned as he went along. The year that the foundation for the main part of the house was poured, his brother came up to help. By the end of that summer, he was skin and bones, my mother said. Pouring concrete is pretty hard work I came to realize when my husband experienced two hernias after pouring a platform for a shed near the ravine where we live.
Hernia is no joke!! I hope he was able to get surgery. If he did, do you mind if I ask if he opted for mesh or just stitches? I have 3 inguinal hernias and I need surgery but I'm too scared to mess with mesh. The pain is unbearable and I can't do anything that involves bending, squatting, kneeling, crawling, or sitting upright.
@@jrambo7495 The surgeon recommended mesh, with lift restrictions for three months after that. The surgery was uneventful, but my husband was antsy to get going on his other projects.
But, my husband really takes the doctor's advice seriously, and after that, he was diagnosed with pre-diabetes, and he was able to make his blood sugars decrease to that of any normal person without diabetes by strict dietary intake of proteins, nuts, and broccoli, and bicycles twice a day at least if the weather is good for a 5 mile circuit up up three steep hills.
Two years later he was climbing up in the shagbark hickory to trim the rotted large limbs off it before they blew off in the wind onto someone. He learned how to use ropes and the lines (from TV shows because when he went to arborist supply store they told him they'd be liable if they taught him how to climb at 70 yrs old), and so he was up in the tree from from dawn to dusk for three days --the last day the fire department had to come by and pick him off the lower branch where he got stuck as he was too tired to climb up to loosen himself off the protruding branch, and he was too high for anyone at home to help him with a boost from a ladder. The EMT checked him out and his blood sugar was just fine, although he didn't eat or drink anything all that time, so he wouldn't have to come down to use the facilities.
Anyway, correcting the hernias, helped with being able to sleep at night without pain, as well as getting back to climbing trees! -- but, he's 5'5" and used to run marathon fifty years before so he knows how to pace himself.
Take care, and good health to you!
@@jrambo7495 I had two hernias above my groins on both sides. The surgeon that did my surgery didn't like the mesh so it was all stitches. That was about 15 years ago, and I haven't had any problems since the repairs.
Can't do sugars or alcohol while doing that kind of work. Raw cheese helps build muscle; bone broth helps repair joints; raw eggs do this and help strength and metabolism, and probably muscle too; raw or quickly seared liver boosts strength and stamina significantly for about 24 hours while packing the best vitamin and mineral profile and bioavailability you can get.
I did perform concrete work for just a couple of weeks once. Raw cheese helped me get my abs strong enough for the constant raking after only 3 days. They wanted to hire me from temp after that, although I was going after other things.
Raw eggs are best before bed, with all of the bioavailable magnesium you get that way.
@@FancyNoises Interesting insights! I don't think that I could have prepared liver--although it usually is recommended for its iron content, for my husband (I couldn't get within 5 foot of the stuff and he's not really into animal proteins). But he did consent to yogurt as he doesn't eat cheeses, and he was okay with beef soup, and raw eggs. I was too little when my father and uncle were pouring the foundation, but I knew my father liked to eat steak and potatoes and almost anything that was cooked well and appetizing so I'm sure that my mother served that to them --although my father lost a lot of weight that summer.
Super honest, authentic, truthful. You and Brooke are inspiring. This is what makes America so great. Hardworking, smart, committed. Thank you!
Omg, from where you started..to where you are now is absolutely fantastic! You got married a yr after I did. I've been with my hubby for 32 yrs total and counting (just celebrated our 25th in Nov). You both were meant for each other!! Loved the vid because you're fantastic at story telling. It keeps you drawn in. Also the fact you play the music we hear is phenomenal!!
I'm 56 years old and every time I watch videos like this I'm as much embarrassed as I am amazed. I grew up in the city and didn't have my father in my life much at all. I never learned how to do this type of thing or be able to live self sufficiently in nature. I love this and truly respect not only the skill and know-how but the sheer drive and wherewithal to get a project like this done. Just when I thought I considered myself a real man seeing this kind of thing just knocks me upside the head and makes me rethink everything lol😂. Gotta tip my cap and hand it to you and all those like you.....I truly envy your abilities in this regard.
Your channel has helped give me hope that I can do this and be okay, for myself and my child. The way you help it become accessible to the 'rest of us' is a tremendous blessing to me in ways you cannot imagine. Thank you.
I've been watching your channel for a few years now, and i really appreciate the detailed story you shared! If i had the physical ability to build and do the work myself, you can bet i'd be doing the same thing. In a world where everything is "Hire it done", and nobody knows how to do anything, building something yourself is so sought after, i think. I have the mental knowledge and passion, but physically, there's no way I could do that!
Thank you for all that you do! Prayers for you and your family!
I've had much the same journey, separating truth from fiction. About 7 years ago, beforecovid, I decided to try to return to living like I used to as a kid, in the 1950s and 60s; doing things like having a garden, chickens and a well stocked pantry for example. On youtube I started looking for cooking and food preservation channels, and gardening channels. It didn't take long for me to get hooked watching "homestead" channels. They're great entertainment, but like you said, those people have lots of money to burn, have tractors and all kinds of expensive equipment. I wasted almost 2 years pulled away from my basic desire; simple, sustainable living. I recently started unsubscribing to a lot of channels because they don't really serve me and where I want to go. Seperating the wheat from the chaff is a long process.
Thank you for your authenticity!
I grew up in a builder’s home, and gradually learned all the trades (subcontractors’ work). Even though my dad told me to go to college and get a professional job (‘white collar’) - which I did in working as a respiratory care practitioner, I still love to do what I did as a kid, taught by my dad - how to fix stuff and how to build stuff. That’s why I love watching what you do, and I always learn at least one or two new things with each video.
Thanks so much for the videos!
I'm 21, I work in excavation, and your story sounds like heaven to me. You and your wife building your home/s, starting a family, with a life of independence. Working hard and living the dream.Thanks for sharing! 🙏
Come and get a job in Alaska! Plenty of excavation work here and the pay isn’t bad. Live in the city and play in the woods
@KD sounds like the life!
This video is so inspirational! Here in Ukraine I've been thinking about moving off the grid for obvious reasons, I want to be self-reliant and safe in my own house. You could buy a nice plot of land quite cheaply because many people want to sell their property and leave, but building a house from a scratch would be very expensive. I've been thinking about building a garage and living there while building the house with my friends, and hearing your story of doing exactly that is very relieving
Good luck with it. It seems very doable to me. I’ve still not been to Ukraine, so it could be very different than here in the states, but it seems like it can be done.
What's happening to the housing market there now if you don't mind me asking.
I would think all the people leaving because of the war would lower the prices.
but than the number of houses that get destroyed would raise the prices of the non destroyed houses .
Sorry about the war. Hope it ends soon
@@Bee-tj8gc The prices for selling property got lower exactly because of the risk that you can buy a property that will be destroyed, rent got sky high though.
@@viatka1966 wow. What region is that? Or did that happen throughout the whole country?
@@rob-toolsandtech2521 not that I know anything but I assume further east cheaper it is and further west more expensive it is
Thanks for an honest, upfront view. Takes a serious effort to do it like this, as you've demonstrated here. My hat is off to you and your family.
Self-sufficient life is slipping away, most probably couldn't feed themselves today. I don't live on a homestead, but do practice being as self-providing as possible and teaching those things when I can to those that want to learn. When asking a neighbor to trade for something or to work on something often brings a blank stare.
Any videos of hunting, or food gathering-type things would be awesome!
I’ve never really been tempted to go off grid but I’m glad this video exists. Me? I like living in my small town where a short drive will take me deep into the woods or to the local coffee shop. Even the people in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories had to work together, and in the third volume it almost ended in disaster for everyone
Great video! As we have started our cabin build, this is definitely something that has been confusing for us. What is off grid and what's not. We put a video out to try and address it, but this definitely helps.
My parents basically were off grid in Oregon building everything as I grew up. It taught me to tackle lots of home, farm, and building projects. This is a great video because you really break it down and most ppl don't realize how much work it takes to homestead. Thanks!
I love that you guys fell in love and started your life with such humble beginnings.... not many people nowadays would do that bc so many people have such entitled mindsets..whereas you two grew together. that's really beautiful.. that's a whole other story we'd like to hear! God bless you..and thank you for sharing
Vv0men today are trash narcisist and family courts side with them. Avood western vv0men
Shit you have so many silky people, usually women, who want to start out in debt over the extravagant wedding they "must " have.
you judging others you dont know, is entitlement and ungodly.
you can compliment people without resorting to anger, this basically just reads as a "oh you guys are so cool!!! but i wanna complain anyway about the youth of today, so entitled!!!!!".
seek guidance, this anger is bad for your health.
Hi I discovered your channel and Brookes recently.
I was homeless for a period of time and used the knowledge from youtube videos. I had less than $100 a week and made a lot of mistakes. I regret nothing because ill always have that knowledge.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge.