Living off grid, in nature

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Permalink Reply by Uti on February 13, 2009 at 12:56pm

4 wheel drive is a fact of life around here where there are lots of dirt roads and steep terrain. Last summer I gave up my 3/4 ton 4wd Dodge diesel p/u for a Ford Escape 4wd hybrid with a small utility trailer to get me and my tools around. Rarely needed the heavy hauling capacity of a full-sized p/u anymore. Not exactly the best geography here for maximum hybrid efficiency, but if I drive consciously I can average 26 to 28 mpg in the hills which is not bad for the size and weight of the suv. I drove it to Raw Spirit last September and got a solid 30mpg for the trip traveling at the freeway speed limit with the a/c on.

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Permalink Reply by Uti on February 13, 2009 at 2:42pm

It's snowing today at this elevation, so the cabin looks pretty much like this. I have to go out and keep the snow off the satellite dish to use the internet. As you can see the insulation has not been put in the ceiling. Wood heat.

I make my living doing building and repairs, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, solar and micro hydro power, developing water systems -- lots of hats is an advantage around this rural area. I'm still trying to figure out how to make some income indoors in the winter or go someplace warm where I can vacation and do some work in exchange. Right now I'm idle until the weather breaks, when I'll have a few projects to start.

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Permalink Reply by David Hestrin on February 13, 2009 at 2:39am

Hey Uti
do you have na idea on how much it wuold cost to setup a similar system (well and pump) in alturas the well drilling would be through rock ibelkieve and we're up on a hill
thanks,
Davd

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Permalink Reply by Uti on February 13, 2009 at 2:23pm

The major component and materials are fairly expensive on the front end. Low voltage solar powered pumps cost more than grid powered pumps. Standard pumps with gas generator power are a lower cost option if you already have a generator, but not very cost efficient in the long run nor as environmentally friendly. On solar powered systems the maintenance is pretty low: change the pump filter (if used), periodically exercise the valves and clean the panels. Stainless steel submersible pumps last around 10-15 years depending on water conditions.

Here are some cost examples:
2500 gallon plastic tank = $1,000 - $1,200
Low voltage pump = depends on how high it needs to lift the water from the well to the tank. Anywhere from $1,100 to $2,700
It might be just as cost effective to use a high voltage pump running off of an inverter, which converts DC power from the panels to 120 volts AC.
solar panels = run around $4-5 per rated watt, e.g. a 175 watt Suntech panel is selling today for $700

Does not include wiring, pipe, valves, filters, solar panel rack, which could add another $1,500 or more to the cost depending on distances and specifications. If you're fairly skilled or a quick learner your labor costs will go down by doing as much of the work as you can, otherwise you can expect to pay 25-35 bucks an hour for skilled installers.

The well drilling cost is based on depth. You'll have to get a local driller with experience to give you a quote. You can rent trenching machines and dig the pipe trenches yourself unless it is very rocky. One well example I saw cost between 20-25 dollars a foot for the total project cost on a 280 foot deep 4" diameter casing well.

Unfortunately it gets very cold in winter in N.W. California where your place is, so you're faced with more expensive installations to incorporate freeze protections. I helped a friend set up his place out on the marsh at Lower Klamath Lake years ago and it gets into sub-zero temps there in the winter, so our trenches had to be deeper and nothing could be left exposed to the elements.

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Permalink Reply by MOTH on February 6, 2009 at 2:45am

I'm currently giving away all my possessions and intend on moving to southeast Asia to live nomadically for awhile, in June. I plan to forage and be in nature all I can.

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Permalink Reply by Manuel Lugo on February 6, 2009 at 9:17am

Cool.

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Permalink Reply by Joe Hatoum on February 6, 2009 at 5:24am

dude just gotta get your gear for one

I have my 3L bag and stuff I consider standard, from nightgear, bugnet, water, minerals/nutrients (seasalt & other electrolytes, nuts, hempseed, flax oil, nutritional yeast, etc), antibacterial neem oil & lugols iodine, h2o2, gel wheels on a sk8 deck, paper/pocket computer (wifi&gps)
.. I don't know your experience, but I know that once your out there in the world and in sync, a girl will appear from no where.. off the grid in nature the women are out there


being clean inside is important so you don't get BO and need a shower / laundry as often, because off the grid is a bit diff.. so eating in the day and proper elimination is a major factor in freedom; (i think cinnamon powder or other spices are good for pitstick instead of chemical laced mainstream deodorants)
so is traveling light (essential gear)

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Permalink Reply by Marnie on February 6, 2009 at 8:01am

I'm kind of doing it vicariously here in rural China. I'm in a small village of 140 people and all the villagers are farmers. The last few days we were planting peanuts - and rice will be really soon. It's my husband's village - the villagers collectively grow lettuce, cauliflour, snow peas, ginger, green peppers, water chestnuts, sweetcorn, celery, other green leafy veggies, cabbage, carrots - wow, loads of things really. And in the market just cycling distance away is all kinds of delicious fruit. Some fertilizers seem to be chemicals and others are most definitely organic (i.e. human waste is taken from all the village house pits, I've done it myself too, poooh!). Water is pumped by hand - each house has it's own well. Some houses have a propane tank and an electric pump for indoor warm showers - otherwise the water from the pumped well is actually quite warm in 'winter' - winter can sometimes feel quite cool even though it doesn't get below 10C, because there's no indoor heating, not even a fire. It's a wonderful raw foodist life in many ways - I've been here since August last year - and it took me a long time to get use to all the food animals and how obvious all the meat industry is here (although the chickens sure get a better life than N. American chickens!!).

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Permalink Reply by Lindsey on February 6, 2009 at 9:42am

It would be incredibly liberating.

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Permalink Reply by Denise Thomas on February 6, 2009 at 9:46am

Definitely!
We're in London at the moment, but we hope to sell our flat in a couple of years, buy a plot of land somewhere warm all year around, but close enough to a city, and start our little "space of love"

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Permalink Reply by Allis☀n on February 6, 2009 at 11:32am

Yes, that's something I've dreamed of doing for some years now. It is a big step. Eco-communities make it a bit easier if starting alone is daunting.

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Permalink Reply by FarmSchooler on February 6, 2009 at 1:15pm

You should read this online book. I have heard it said the girl who wrote it (and her dad) were so successful that they sort of melted into the wilderness.......

http://www.f4.ca/text/possumliving.htm

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