Off Grid Living is a LIE
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 พ.ค. 2024
- So much "off Grid" content you see is hard to believe.....while I cant tell you whats real and whats not on the internet, I can show you what it looked like for my wife Brooke and I to get started on this journey of off grid living.....the pretty stuff and the ugly.
Thanks to my wife Brooke for 95% of the photos that are in this video. Check out her channel "girl in the woods". / @therealgirlinthewoods - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
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.
Thank you so much for making this video, lately it has been disheartening on TH-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
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
This book is a comprehensive guide for anyone who wants to build a second unit on their property. th-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.
A supportive partner is the key to raising a family in off grid living.
For sure a supportive partner is such a blessing I haven't received yet but I keep hope alive. God blesss you and yours.
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
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.
Then the underlying story of this video is utter BULLSH*T!
@@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.
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
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!
"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
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. 😊
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...)
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 TH-cam and comment?
@@notyourcrew Being off grid doesnt mean being an hermit. Solar panels are a god damn blessing, and if they existed back in the 1800s, EVERYONE would have had some. Hell, they'd have bought land JUST to put solar panels on it.
You're fucking insane if you think that off grid is just living in a cave.
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.
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 TH-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!!
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.
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
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.
Probably the best Ryan’s th-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.
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??
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 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.
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.
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.
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 TH-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
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.
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.
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..
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.
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.
What an amazing journey for you and your family! We moved to our cabin several months ago and it's the best decision of our lives. We gained peace of mind and a renewed love for nature.
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 TH-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!
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.
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 💪🙏❤
Fantastic video! I did a small off grid cabin and I used some of the timber I cut down but I still need to get indoor plumbing. I can relate to doing things cheap with free stuff and used stuff. Thanks man.
Thanks for sharing this fantastic video! I loved listening to your walks of life with Brooke and kids. What hard work you put into your way of life to get where you wanted to be. And you and your family have arrived. Great advice! Love it.
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..
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.
Dave thanks so much for making this video! I've been trying to find the answers to all the things you covered here and I'm really into your approach to off-grid living, it's an approach that I haven't seen yet but one that most closely relates to my budget and common sense way of tackling life!
I’ve seen some of your newer videos but wasn’t aware of your entire story. Wow! What an inspiring journey, thanks for sharing.
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.
@@earlten lol living the same way and doing the same things is... THE SAME THING. there is no difference.
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?
Great vid. We homestead fully “on grid” but are considering going more off grid. I think you pointed out the key things people are prepared for, doing things yourself, learning how to do things you don’t know how to do, and being resourceful and wasting nothing. Even in homesteading on grid i spend a considerable amount of time just building or fixing things that break. I would have to spend thousands having someone do it for me. It’s hard work but its super rewarding to see the fruit of your labor in the end
thank you for this Dave. there is a lot of misunderstanding out there between "homestead" and "off-grid" living. I think you sharing your journey has explained this very well. Best of luck as you continue in your journey!
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!
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
Want a great lives you all have lived, and no better way to appreciate your home than to have built the entire thing yourself. You all are living the life I dreamed of living 44 years ago. I was wanting to more to Alaska from Florida but life changed when I was in a car accident that but me in a coma and lost a spleen and a severe head injury then my mom fell and broke both her ankles and I had to care for her a few years later. I never made it now I’m 62 and I want to thank you for the great videos and seeing what it would have been like. And all the beautiful remote areas of Alaska. You two are amazing. God bless.
Wanted to say thank you for making this video, I live in an off grid cabin on a farm that someone else owns, south of London in the Sussex countryside. I’m nearly fifty and I’ve seen dozens of dreams videos about off grid living, nearly always there was the complete omission of the person getting a massive payout like from a relative or something. Getting land ain’t cheap, nor is building or just living.
I work full time at a fishery and am saving best I can, to get land in Scandinavia for the future before I get too old. Life has its twists and I’m starting real late but I’ll work hard and build something better for my daughter. I just appreciate your honesty and found it inspiring. Well done.
Will the mushroom man.
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 TH-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
Thank you for being an honest TH-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.✌️💚
Refreshing! I have a small cabin shed on 3 acres that needs to be rehabbed. It only has electrical so it's not completely off grid. It's tempting to throw money at projects to expedite the process and to start generating vacation rental income. This would require less learning/sweat equity and our money wouldn't stretch as far. We also would be upside down if we sold it. The property is not leveraged with debt and there is limited funding to do everything needed so my goal is to stay within budget, do the work myself as much as possible, learn every step of the way, buy cheap and used if possible and to prioritize projects that add the most value. I feel that online videos have helped me plan and taught me a few things but I feel confused at times and worry about making too many costly mistakes. This video helped to see the realities and provided a sound perspective. I am grateful to you.
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.
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
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.
I do gotta say, we align so well in thought and plan. My execution up to this point is not so great, but your video is incredibly inspiring, so thank you.
Enjoyed this. I am glad you showed the real physical labor and the stuff one has to give up to live this life. I don't live it because i recognize how much work it is for one to make it feasible. Kudos to you both.
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 TH-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.
@@nevisysbryd7450 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.
@@nevisysbryd7450 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.
You guys have built a beautiful life together. I wish I could do what you've done!
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. :)
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 TH-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 TH-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 TH-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.
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.
❤ Tyfs! Great video and information makes smart sense!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾😁💯💯 I'm really enjoying both channels! And learning so much! Be Blessed Awesome Praise God!
I just watched your video for the second time. I appreciate your authenticity and the fact you shared your journey. I now have a better understanding of your values and reasons behind the decisions you make. One thing I would like to express an opinion on is solar. For many living off grid in the southern states they need AC or else they would be miserable for much of the year. In this situation solar is important unless you have some way of living underground. Thanks
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!
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!!
Loved the video. It was nice to hear the story of how you got here. With regards to modern-day "off grid living", I think that everything in life evolves. Nothing is the same as it was even 20 years ago. But I think the beauty of your lifestyle stands out because it's so authentic.
Thank you for sharing the background of y’all’s journey and the truth of the matter. I don’t really watch TV but got into YT during Covid lockdown and found Brook’s channel along that journey and then yours this summer along with your boys solo adventure & channel now out on his own.. This vid just popped up in que. I’m glad it did giving me some depth to y’all’s story. THX 👍💕✌️
I appreciate that
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!
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
Love your content. It's good to hear the honest truth about how people manage to get ahead, I think it's important to know the truth, that it's hard and you have to sacrifice to get there. I've struggled with the idea of a TH-cam channel and mostly because I'm not sure I have enough content, not sure I want to be out there on the platform, but probably mostly due to a lack of confidence. We live semi off grid just outside of Bangor Maine, we have solar and running water but no grid tie for a few miles down the road.
if you start a channel, break things into small chunks and cover them well. There are lots of things on a homestead worthy of video so get specific. Good luck
Great Vid, love seeing the whole transition from the beginning to current. and the reality of what living out in the sticks in permafrost with a bucket and a lot of sweat. Good job.
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'?
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.
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.
What a Great Video, it's Amazing the challenges you've embraced and what you've both learned and achieved together along lifes journey, the honesty and transparency on full display here is truly inspirational. 😃🙏💯
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
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.
Just found your page And you Sir are the real deal !!! Wow
Wealth of knowledge
Thank you 🙏🏼
Wow what a blessing you have lived so far.
Thank you for sharing. Life is but a journey.
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.
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. 😀
Way to keep it real love your work,and your attitude wonderful brother. I'm in Anchorage as I type this
Thank you both of you
Love the video! Its weird cause in finland most people have cabins that are off grid, its so normal to use out house here. Well im glad for your awesome craftmanship❤
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.
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!
I have the same big pot that you used to transfer water. I had to look a few times. Same little piece of wood on the handle and everything. My mom got it in a yard sale years ago. She used it for chicken and dumplings, bean soup etc. I got it after she passed away. I used it for the same. It now has some tiny holes in it I'll never ever get rid of it. It will be passed down to my daughter that knows how to also make my moms chicken and dumplings. Some things are just priceless even though they are not worth a dime. I love your videos and I love to watch Brooke's.
My husband and I started out small and kept getting bigger for eight houses. Although some of the best years was the simple and small houses. The journey is full of fond memories. 🥰
We live in Michigan also. My now ex-husband is in the UP and I am in wooded secluded mid Michigan. Life is good.
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 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
Wow this is such an inspirational video. I’m so proud of you and Brooke and what you’ve accomplished over these years.
Very heart warming story about your life off grid. Thank you for sharing. And I just love how you did build a shower cabin that ended up with a lot more luxury like a tub and a roof window. How come that is the case with shower cabins. I am stil working on mine and yes it has a roof window and a tub is going in there as well. ;)
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.
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!
literarily IMPOSSIBLE for this family to ever be homeless...i love it❤
people dnt have to be homeless. rich people desperately need trustworthy people to house sit. my folks own 6
@@stuart6478id love to house sit for you
@stuart6478 you can’t be serious
@@stuart6478 do you belive...
elvis is still alive??
Tupac is still alive ??
the earth is flat ??
Biden got 81 million votes ??
if you answer yes to ANY one of these we have some talking to do dear friend..
Hahah right?@@j_trnlnd1966
Thanks so much for this! I'm 56 and looking for a way to save money on housing. This gives me a really clear picture of what it takes to live off grid, and how to make it work financially.
It is great to see so many young folks returning to Mother Nature. When I was a kid in the 1950s and 60s, we lived deep in the Illinois woods; with no electricity, no gas: in fact, there were no amenities whatsoever; we didn't call it "living off the grid;" we just called it "living." We raised horses and chickens and hunted all year. We rarely got sick because our mother gave us all one teaspoon of raw honey every morning; gotta keep healthy to do those chores! Please take some advice from an oldtimer: Remember always to respect Mother Nature; she provides life for us all!
I bet you're glad your kids had actual medicine growing up though
Raw honey 🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@beng4647the unprocessed honey that crystalizes over time. Young Americans freak out when see harden honey in European shops, cuz 'it gone bad'😅
@@limonlabr Cool...but it isn't why he didn't get sick. That level of ignorance in 2023 is absolutely mind blowing! 🤣🤣🤣
@@beng4647 yeah this is exactly why we all here in Europe are barely alive. Speaking of ingorance
After searching TH-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 own a construction business but I started out only knowing how to paint and do some small stuff but now I do it all.I didn’t go to school or anything like that,when people asked I was honest and gave it a shot! I ended up being really good at most everything in construction,tile,roofing,drywall,plumbing etc and it’s all because I was willing to learn.
Wow I'm impressed. Your faith really shines through on your off grid journey. I moved to Southern Illinois as a teen and it was as off grid as it gets. We had a generator hooked up to a trailer. I hated it. But it taught me how to be grateful for a few things like electricity and running water. God had a plan.
This was an absolutely wonderful video. I don't ever watch "off grid content" on TH-cam or anything like that, but this was such a peaceful and easy video to watch, contrary to the fast paced and flashy stuff I normally see on TH-cam. It felt warm. I could just sit back for 20 minutes and relax, even if though didn't know a damned thing about construction or carpentry. It was completely down to Earth and honest, and I loved it. Thanks for this, it was honestly a work of art, and I am definitely subscribing.
Didn’t realise until i read your comment that I sat through the whole thing and gave it my full attention instead of having it on in the background while playing games, for the first time in months probably. That’s really saying something
been telling people forever. off grid is fantasy. Maybe if you live on a deserted island. But how you gonna get there? Use uncle sams notes to pay for a ship? 😏 that's grid