..also I'm sorry but if you're going to have a gun and children around you should really know how to use it and probably teach them too that "having a gun and being scared of it" is not a good mix, it's nothing more then send prop that could potentially save her life and she can't even load it..
Exactly! what is the point of having a tool that you are afraid to use? you will be to panicked to use it against the bear next time he shows.... either become proficient and teach your kids about it, or get rid of the damned thing!!!
usernamesbyte I mean what is she gonna do, throw the damn gun at the bear.. for living off grid I feel they're very unprepared for many real life situations.
JWitt30 It's the new hipster movement it seems. They don't seem to understand the nature of things, how things actually work and the like... i totally agree with you, they are totally unprepared. I started hunting when i was their children's ages (around 5 years old) and knew how to use firearms safely. If you are not willing to learn that skill you are not fit for "living off the grid" in my opinion. BTW I found it funny that they are using propane to heat their water, what makes that "off the grid"? They are going to town and buying their energy instead of having a pipe bring it to them, that makes little sense to me. If they made a wood gasifier (very simple and they have trees around) and attached it to a generator i would have respect for their energy creation, also they should invest in a thermal mass rocket heater for their living space during winter months to make the most of their fuel consumption... i could go on for days about things that would make their lives easier and better but it seems to me that they just jumped in expecting things to be simple and put no real thought into it... or they were simply not capable of thinking what life is really like outside of the suburbs...
That's the problem man these f'n hipster survivalist wannabes think they can just go in the woods and live and be free from the chains of society and its all hip and cool until your family gets mauled by a f'n bear.. and you're totally right using propane hauled in from the city is not living off grid.. they need to check themselves
What if the bear had been after one of your kids? Are you gonna beat some pans together and hope it works, or learn the rifle and how to use it? Which are you more afraid of, a gun, or watching a bear maul and eat one of your kids while your unloaded rifle hangs on the wall? I think if I lived out there, I would know that rifle like the back of my hand. Keep it loaded and handy, and teach your kids not to touch it. An unloaded rifle is no better than a ball bat in my opinion. Raising your kids out in the wilderness is awesome and will teach them many things about real life. Don't pussify them to be like most American kids. What they learn now will stay with them and help them to be much stronger than average kids that only knows the latest and greatest new electronic gadget, which will be obsolete by the weekend anyway. Please learn how to use the rifle and know that you will be much better prepared and able to protect yourself and your family.
Guns are more dangerous to have around if you DON’T know how to use them. You can see in this video her finger is on the trigger while she’s posing with it. Accidents happen, but knowledge of gun safety make accidents largely preventable.
They are making it A LOT HARDER on themselves than really needed. I inherited a cabin in Minnesota, a little over 1100sq feet. Since I'm still in university, and live in Georgia 11 months out of the year I decided to make it 100% off the grid. It already has three fireplaces in it, one in the living room, one in the master, and one in the basement. I mounted solar panels on it, then brought the wires down to the basement where the batteries are kept. I hooked up the solar batteries and got an electrician to come out and disconnect the house from the grid and then connect it through solar. Th water heater and central heating through propane, which cost very very little. I do not have air because the cool air comes up to the ground level floor from the basement during the summer and I open the windows to let a breeze though. When all was said and done, after I installed the solar panels (house already had propane), and using the electrician, I only spent around $5,000, and that gives me enough off the grid power to run a TV, refrigerator, LED lights (thought the house), stove and oven. For a house of much smaller square feet it would be much cheaper...
Being of native blood I hunt and fish and grow food My home is on a solar grid which provides 90% of my electrics given fact of cloudy days and winter gloom My 3 bedroom home was paid off with in 6 years ..still i dont get people that throw everything away to be "one" with the wilderness because the wilderness will slap you down and you will need the help of the city to get back up
+freakyflow You have no idea how important your perspective is here. Or maybe you do. Either way, thank you!! Some of the disconnect can be traced to this simple "grass-is-greener" type idea. But most of it is not. There are real things which can sometimes only be perceived once you have lived in a certain territory long enuf. When you live deep in the territory of 21st Century Capitalism long enuf, you are able to perceive that it's only a matter of time before you will be stranded on Disney Island without the ability to pay for the next meal and no idea how to generate one from the land. Your extremely intelligent ancestors perceived it. I'm sure you know the quotes better than I do. You can't eat money or cars or other people. At some point, while there is still time, we have to take what is left of our "wealth" and buy the education about how to do this. Thank God YT is still free and that these people are able to do this much for the rest of us. I dropped below the poverty line several years ago and lost my ability to make this shift. I'm stranded now. Please see the irony of all this at this time of year. Whitey is gonna need help once again. And how sad will it be if you don't know how to live either?
+Jennifer Grove (Dark Moon) Well said I have to say i'm not a nature nut of some guy against the government Left wing right wing etc etc I live in the best of both worlds Friday night at the movies or fine dining I can Change a tire, Spark plugs, Brakes, Pulled pork, Mash potato and gravy This idea of "remote" living might be good for some. I'm more about being able to adjust to whats needed to be happy And having to make soap out of fat etc fire wood for hot water so i can have a bath isn't worth my time Every man makes a footprint on the Earth as does a Tiger or monkey or Deer But as humans we over use the right by greed and want not need Everything i need i have Would i want a $100,000 sports car? nope there nice to look at but how does it change my life for the better? people see me as rich ? and then what? Really when many people get a education and learn with social means It's to learn how to live in someone else's idea on Work eat sleep repeat to be happy When really you should learn how you want to live
van Gink I'm not advocating for anyone I'm saying Live life in the way that makes you happy But open your eyes to how you want to live not someone elses idea You want to live in the city, Love your job, own 2 cars, have kids, pay a hydro bill morgage etc..great if that makes you happy all the power to you. Been there done that I simply changed my idea of having to pay for items i don't need to or worry if that item doesnt get paid what happens? Why pay for hydro? Why support a American economy by having to buy American potatos at a American store (Walmart) if i live in Canada? It was that Company that pushed out a Canadian market I can simply grow my own in my backyard or buy local I live outside of a Town (35mins) But have the size to grow food I fish and hunt Not many can say there grilling Rainbow trout in the back yard with herbs from the backyard But ya the beer is Molson Canadian ( owned by coors American) I just dont have the time or bother to brew my own lol
You can still have electricity in the form of Solar panels and battery banks. Wind power generators or if there Is a near by stream even hydro electricity.
Self sufficiency , Off Grid , is every human's fundamental right. As promising and wonderful it may sound, it also takes much effort and adjustments along the way. So for the family in this video to generously share their experience with me i feel grateful. I never criticize their shortcomings as its theirs only. What i see here is one beautiful family, well card fore children, and a long term plan. I wish you only the best.
+Hannah Brower yeah, any time you are gonna choose to live in a bear's natural habitat a gun is probably a good idea to begin with. Unless you're an idiot of course.
+Hannah Brower I saw her with a fiskers ax and that explained a lot..... But they are living my dream so I cant down them...... But I see so many things that they could do to really bring their quality up much faster, Like having a compost heap to actually provide hot water for them constantly naturally
+Frederic Lebel no actually. But I don't see how it would change the validity of my original statement. I don't think it's wise to live where they are with out being comfortable using a gun.
Doing this with just one family seems like it is the crazy part. You'd need some more people for simply social reasons. Plus, big tasks would be so much easier.
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+George Christiansen I agree, but you've got to start off somewhere is what we say in Magyar.
+George Christiansen - Exactly, and eventually you'll have a community, and then a society, and then you'll need laws, and people who enforce laws, and then you'll need a courthouse, judges, jurys and lawyers, and then you'll need a prison.. Eventually, one way or another, you'll be right back on the grid.
Shower once a week is crazy , when i was living at my mothers village, we shower atleast once in 2 days maximum... with all those dirts, U want to shower at night before bed, atleast.. Using a shower wastes water, try using a bucket of water, use a small plastic to pour the water on ur body, its very economic that way
gemoon1 but then how would you pay? They must have no job or something I'm surprised they can afford milk or gas. And they have no address unleas they use a P.O. box for mail
Jose munoz living off the grid does NOT mean they don't have an address... sorry... they live in the US... they probably own the land so they DO in fact have an address. It says he was out of town so he probably has a job doing something... besides they buy propane and such so they are getting money somehow.
This is great and I wish them lots of success, but going so far off grid without a weapon or a way to contact the outside world is just fucking stupid. Guns have no place in cities but if you live in the wild you definitely will need one.
Why not pump up the running water to a storage tank at least? The hygiene factor alone seems.. lacking. You could easily have a holding tank powered by a 12v solar pump.
They should build a "donkey". It's a fire driven water heater. Quite a few people in rural Australia had them when I was growing up. If you add a shelter to it you can have your shower then sit by the fire and warm up, boil some tea. You can even cook off the same fire to kill two birds with one stone. I loved em. Google it.
1. "Being off the grid is something many americans couldn't do" more like many just wouldn't like to. 2. I dont think having a constant supply of fuel and gas can be considered off the grid. 3. being off the grid is more than having a shack, a rifle, stocking supplies and making a fire, for instance having medicine and a doctor is more important.
+Luis Fernando - "more like many just wouldn't like to." No really, you can't do it, you're too fucking fat, slow and stupid. And you lack life experience, and propper education. I'd give you 3 weeks.
Generic Scout most of the replies are from idiots... but yours is different you have a point "property laws" however as I said being of the grid is harsh just consider why people I the past lived such short lives I think the average was 30 years since anything could kill you like an infection from eating something you were not supposed to.
More "Homeless family with no skills" than "Off-Grid Homesteaders". Up there with buying a sailboat to live on without knowing zip about sailing, boats, or even how to swim.
It never ceases to amaze me that you show people trying to live in nature and within meaningful passions and a good proportion of the public looks for fault. These comments are full of criticism. How much criticism do you think we would come under fire for if we were truthful about our lives? Is living in our decadent, over consumptive consumer driven society so perfect or right? If so why is it destroying us on every level? I wonder how many people would manage to do this? Ester has a youtube channel where she is brutally honest about her failings and shortcomings as well as successes and experiences. Personally I think they are wonderful, talented, and tenacious people living the real American dream. This sort of lifestyle is becoming a huge hit at the minute. I admire this couple and all those that try to live in harmony with mother earth very much.
I see the most asked question is what about the kids education. The best thing that could happen to them is not going to public school. As the schools don't educate you anymore. The last time I was in college they had to start classes. Just so the new students could fill out the form! As Mark Twain said. Never let school stop you from getting an education. He was so right. I might add, being self reliant trumps sending every dime you earn to someone else for life!
I'm really not sire if this is well thought out. Off the grid doesn't mean no electricity and internet would keep you in touch with education ad entertainment. Insulation and renewable heating methods and other luxuries can all be very environmentally friendly. This to me if the bottom end of, off the grid.
***** you can produce your own electricity without being connected to the grid though.... solar? wind? (though those are somewhat costly) even hooking up that bicycle to generate some electricity for a small computer would probably work.
wiki: "The term off-grid refers to not being connected to a grid, mainly used in terms of not being connected to the main or national electrical grid." "A true off-grid house is able to operate completely independently of all traditional public utility services." the key terms in there being 'national grid', 'public utility services'. that doesn't mean no electricity, no gas, no water. just none coming from a municipal source.
Ryad Arlan i agree this is basically just one step above being homeless. i mean we have solar panels and wood gasifiers and so many cool things, its easier and more comfortable than ever to live not connected to utilities away from civilization and in touch with nature, just because you can watch youtube or netflix doesnt mean you arent living off the grid, what it means if you are living like the freaking amish who dont use the techonology to their advantage to live simple but comfortable lives. showers everyday is not only a pleasantry but hygienic and helps curtail diseases.
"It gets really dark without electricity"... Then how about you learn how to wire your house and use batteries, and/or solar panels. You figured out a way to make a washing machine work with a bike, but couldn't figure out lights? You people have your priorities mixed up.
Well, I understand why they would want to live the way they do but it's just weird that they haven't tried to get the basics done first... It's like being stranded on an island and thinking "the first thing I should do is make clothes out of these leaves" No, first you get water, food, shelter, and fire (maybe not in that order). The clothes would probably be nice to protect from bugs and stuff but come on now...
Axel Nine Aaaah I see where you're coming from. Yeah it'd made sense to know how to do things before just jumping into it. But maybe they think that's kinda part of the challenge that they're doing. I'm not sure. I do know some people who live on my road went to try homesteading and they didn't even know how to split firewood or start a fire. They took their house off the market and moved back in like 3 weeks later lol.
Its so sad that we are losing important self-sustaining skills in modern society. Not so long ago if you wanted a home you built it yourself, perhaps with family and friends to help. My dad did this with our childhood home. Him and my grandfather built an amazing place for us all to live. I wish I had learnt these all skills from him, but I was too young. At least now (recently started) my mom is teaching me to crochet which is a skill her mom taught her so that will be kept in the family. I proudly can say I come for a long line of resourceful and innovative people I just hope that keeps on going. So much respect to the husband for building their (soon to be) new home. I would love to live more sustainably, but I worry how safe it it in my country to live completely off grid and away from most people. So I would likely still live close to or in an urban area still.
This is incredible. I've been so socialized into modern society and tech that I couldn't ever do this. It's not fully "off the grid," but I think they're being damn good. You can't truly escape the system of this world anymore.
This kind of living forces your children into servitude. Eventually you become too old/weak/infirmed to carry everything and you have to rely on your kids to care for you for years or even decades, forcing them to live off grid with you whether they want to or not. That is a hell of a burden to place on your children and grand children. If you were part of a settlement of people that you could rely on to care for you in your old age, that would be one thing, but as a single family on your own, you're forcing your progeny into that role, into lives they cannot choose to leave, which is extremely selfish.
I'm quite sure they will be alright. True, Humans have evolved from the Hunting/Gathering and Scavenger lifestyle but you also have to take into consideration we have technology now in abundance with the contention of more "New, Better and Adaptable Tech" on the horizon. And to add another argument to this debate, what would you do if you barely made ends-meat of anything in this economy? How far would you go to Survive? Think about it.
Lightning xVx What technology? They have abandoned even simple tech, like electricity and indoor plumbing. There is no new tech here. And what do you mean struggling to make ends meet? The amount of money they spent on infrastructure to live "off grid" is ridiculously stupid. An underground reservoir water tank with rain water collection system is over ten grand alone. And you still haven't faced the reality that eventually these parents will be seniors and have to rely on their kids to care for them, which forces their children into a lifestyle they may not want.
Wow, what a horrible example of "off grid living". Shows what happens when modern media gets involved. I can see, oh, about a thousand examples of how they are doing things wrong.
This family has come a long way. They are now in the house and seem to be doing great. I watch their YT channel "Fouch a Matic" all the time - they are very inspirational.
Living off grid does not mean you have to go through all this shit. learn how to make pipes to get water and make a water tower for water pressure. Electricity ect...
It blows my mind all the "think of the children" comments. How utterly clueless of them. A hundred years ago most kids lived a similar lifestyle, and yes if you actually bothered to listen to the video their kids are going to school! Are they better off with drug dealers in the park and gunshots nightly in their neighborhood? Modern life as you assume it is supposed to be has only been around a few generations. How they are living IS how life is supposed to be. Off grid people raising their own food can eat well no matter what happens. Sadly vegetables are already selling for $4 a pound and meat is selling for $5 to $10 a pound with expensive cuts much more. Food has doubled in the last 5 to 10 years while wages have been flat. Are you going to feel sorry for off grid kids when your kids are living on processed food because you can't afford $10 a pound for vegetables and $20 a pound for hamburger? We may get there in the next ten years and if our leaders get their way your wages will be the same as they are now. These people and those like them will live without mortgages and raise their own food while you have to decide whether to pay the mortgage or buy food for the kids. In 10 or 20 years the off grid people will feel sorry for your kids!
these people don't realize that their society is filled with filth and that is why some go off the grid. to get away from the fake American " dream" that no longer exists.
I'm not trying to start an argument, I am genuinely interested in your opinion on how the American dream isn't real. We all, as Americans have the right to do as we please. Start businesses, organizations, relationships, and move wherever. do we not?
Grayhand you must realize there's a whole lot between living off grid and living in the ghetto, right? We don't have drug dealers in parks or gunshots ringing out nightly. I live in a quiet neighborhood with no crime or violence. So do most of the people I know. Life is supposed to be whatever we make of it, not limited to what technology mankind has at the time.
"We all, as Americans have the right to do as we please. Start businesses, organizations, relationships, and move wherever. do we not?" - -- We sort of do have the right. But the bureaucracy, the taxes and fees, make it untenable for some people. Starting small businesses in USA is highly risky. Laws and taxation are geared towards favoring large corporations.
very easily, living off grid, means u must and need to use less resources, u must prioritize. she said it herself, they have to carry the water..then heat it up...u think u would have the time or willing to put the effort showering everyday or 3 times or 2 times per week? its not happening. its impractical. cities are plastic and delusional worlds and people have developed a way of thiunking that distancing ourselves from our natural state is considered primitive.
How Americans never wash their jeans? :D I don't know :D But I definitely know you can easily wash once per week if you eat healthy. It's always a matter of genetics, some people just smell no matter what they do. But food and a lot of water can do a lot.
thevil ....genetics play only a small part in the process......sweat doesnt have an odor...it is only water and some minerals...the byproducts of the bacterias's metabolism is what makes us stinky. diet also determines how stinky we are going to be. the more processed a food is the more acid our body becomes, the more we smell. and of course like u said...lots of drinking water cleans (partialy) our body.............and when u say americans, u r talking about the people of the whole continent?
PsychosGamers Sure not, about US :D I very often participate in fashion discussions and this opinion is wide-spread among US citizens - not to wash their jeans :D
If you want to live like this, go ahead. Don't do it if you have kids. Don't do this to them, they deserve better. EDIT: I want to add, this is living off the land, not off the grid. I think off the grid would be more like having solar panels on your house and an independent water system, not. Just mi opinion.
Living off grid is legal almost everywhere, though apparently Florida just made it illegal to live without paying for utilities, even if you provide your own through solar and the like. But they will still be subject to taxes and all the other laws of the land.
depends on the state as to where the taxes come from, but living off grid doesn't mean you don't pay property taxes or sales tax, or even income tax. It gets paid somehow. There are many places that don't have utility access so they wouldn't have to pay or be hooked up to any of them (well other than FL apparently!)
I am quite sure they pay for property tax, unless they're living illegally or asked permission from the land owner. I also assume they still work in order to pay for supplies.
Bruce Dobson The large sums generated by the sale of oil leases and by oil and gas royalties make Alaska's tax structure highly atypical, and its revenues dependent upon the market price of fuels. To smooth out fluctuations due to oil price changes, the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund was set up. There is no state sales tax or personal income tax in Alaska, but some localities impose a sales tax, as well as a property tax. The corporate tax rate in 2000 ranged from 1% on the first $10,000 of taxable income to 9.4% on amounts over $90,000. Selective sales taxes (excises) are imposed on tobacco products, motor fuels, insurance premiums, alcoholic beverages, public utilities and amusements. The state property tax excludes the first $150, 000 for owners over 65. Only 25 of Alaska's 161 municipalities collect local property taxes. There is no death tax, and Alaska's estate tax is tied to the federal tax exemption for state estate taxes, and is therefore scheduled to be phase out in tandem with the exemption by 2007. Other taxes include various license and franchise fees, but there is no fee for vehicle operating licenses. There are also no documentary and stock transfer taxes. The most unique feature about Alaska's state taxes is that over half ($552 million in 2002 amounting to 50.6% of total state tax collections) come from severance taxes, a very minor source of revenue in most states. Alaska is the only state that has neither a state sales tax nor a state personal income tax.
Well I think society evolved in a way that we don't have to waste time doing everything by ourselves, but instead focus on several things that we are really good at, or learn to be good at. That way everyone is more productive, and you have everything that you need at palm of your hand. I know it's more complicated than that, but isn't it easier, for instance, to go buy bread, chicken and salad, then making bread, feeding chicken and growing salad.. No one makes you to be on your computer whole day. You can have house with backyard if that space is important for you. Several days camping is ok, but I don't think I'd ever be able to live like that..
On paper you're entirely right.. Civilizations have risen because of this.. The problem is money... Capitalism has ruined everything and the cost of living is increasing, not dropping.. Most people in the world will never be able to own a home because of this for example.. These people here want a real home they can call their own and pass down the generations.. That simply cannot be done in today's economy unless you make substantial sacrifices.. This family has chosen their sacrifice, and are living with it.. I only hope that once they have everything settled, that no one comes along with en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain
Alexandre Anderson Well that i can't argue with, but in the beginning of the video it's said that they had financial stability and that is what's troubling me..
Financial stability doesn't mean people are happy with their living conditions.. I can almost consider myself financially stable from time to time.. Right now it's mainly due to the help I have from my own mother.. I'm 27 years old and unable to live on my own not for the lack of several previous attempts.. And even then, still technically not living on my own as I've always needed house mates of the sorts.. For these people, I'm sure where they live now is no different than where they lived before save for the lack of "grid".. The big difference is cost and free time to do your thing.. If you need to pay all that you have to keep what little you're allowed to, you're no better than a slave.. Least this way they have majority say in how they live their lives.. If you watch the first episode, the family expresses their main reasons for doing this as one where they barely had time to live and breath together as a family.. Especially for the father, who was always working to make ends meet...
***** No fool, the formerly undeveloped world is developing their industries. The rest of the world is no longer unskilled labour and raw mineral wealth. The industries in the West are now starting to compete with the rest, which means poverty increases in the West, as worldwide, total inequality decreases (due to some of the poor outside the West becoming a middle class). Don't pretend the relative wealth we enjoyed while exploiting undeveloped nations is just "thanks to capitalism".
I'm all for getting off the grids but to me personally, I have a limit. I pay nothing for my house, I have cut my bills down and I have a garden that hopefully will be able to get it bigger, I also hope to put solar panels then I can get out of the electric company but all of this takes time. Each person needs to know how far they are willing to go.Great video. Loved and Subbed
Right? Like fuck man, you can pump water uphill without electricity or a bicycle. Build a hydraulic ram pump and make your life 10 times easier. Physics is here to help.
Perfect example of someone from the city trying to live this way. It’s admorable but you lack a lot of the basic skills that the most average person in rural America know. You do make a very good point about the winter, stuck with kids, and the labor.
I like their energy. They are being honest about the hardships and I totally respect people with the bravery to reinvent their surroundings. A single worry popped in my head while watching this - what if somebody gets sick or injured ? Those old west settlers had a vicious child mortality rate. Do they have a medevac plan?
Hi, everybody. We're the family featured in these videos. More is at our channel, our (new) Facebook page, facebook.com/fouchomaticoffgrid, or my personal website, www.estheremery.com. Thanks for watching!
+Kathryn Blodgett Speak for your own ancestors. Bathing regularly was common in MOST of the world, except for Europe up to the industrial age. Early African, Asian, and what you know as Middle Eastern people had elaborate bathing rituals when Europeans lived in caves with their animals.
+Bear Y. lol, yes my own ancestors. dirt poor Irish farmers. as with most people I can only speak from the culture I was raised in. but I have read extensively about history. Chinese and Japanese cultures come to mind with elaborate rituals. I know very little about the middle east and will apologize for misspeaking, if you will allow my ethnocentrism.
If anybody is interested, someone from Seattle has been living off the grid in a place called the Bosque Village for more than a decade and it's quite cool what he has accomplished. He posts videos and writes about it. Also the weather there is nicer and so is the food.
The wife looks and sounds as if she's on the verge of a break down. She does not seem happy about it at all. I've seen far more functional off grid families. Their life looks very difficult.
There is a learning curve to living off grid and there are different levels to it as well. For example I saw no solar panels , wind or water turbines which means no internet, satellite TV or radio either which are all tremendous tools for curing boredom during long cold winters. Second a stay at home mother will go crazy without any adult interaction regardless of her grid status. Socialization and a sense of community are crucial too.When 3 or 4 families are all off grid it makes the experience easier.
Going into the American wilderness without even a rifle? That was a bit of a silly move since bears and shit. Otherwise everything about their lifestyle and home I love but I like my internet XD
yeah that is what i thought too. and she says she doesnt know how to use the gun. that old bolt action rifle...good luck getting a fast 2nd shot off with that. that little yurt is no problems for a determined, hungry bear. I wish them all the success, but they need to look at Timothy Treadwell's story and re-evaluate their stance on guns. With Timothy, it was his and his girlfriend's decision to go out with the bears and they paid for that with their lives. In this situation, there are children. Family safety should be #1 priority and ALL the children should know how to safely operate and handle the gun (obviously the eldest boy is the only one even approaching the right age).
Michael Sheridan I think you're right there, I'm often against guns but if you're in the wild like that then you need one and need to know how to use it.
Oh man! I never thought about making my own underware-thanks- seriously. Its to bad the quarker community is so closed-they have a huge community and resources that help- what a huge difference it would be if this guy had ten or twenty of his family and friends to help him with that house and the woman with tricks to make life easier. Its also very difficult knowing you can simply walk away(not that simple) and toilets and light bulbs are everywhere. I would love to see residential communities go up with this in mind- wouldn't that be amazing.
Alex Craig. WHEN we arrive at gender equality THEN you can complain about such things. What IF she had said ... 'my husband's a great craftswomen'... are you ok when the Shoe is on the other foot? My guess is No.
Haters gonna hate. This family is still out there today years later and they're thriving. They have their own youtube channel, Fouch-o-matic off grid. It's hilarious to see all these experts in the comments section that don't know anything about the diarrhea spewing from their fingertips.
They have kids though and the house is way too small to be able to hide a gun. They probably figured that the dangers of a gun accident outweighed the possibility of a bear breaking in and mauling them.
dont need guns at all. but it is a very useful tool to have. though that woman is weird, she "hopes" to one day be able to know how to use it? wtf.. if you got one you first need to know how to, then practise.. those people are weird. they got no idea what the deffinition of "priority" is.
guns definitely i started shooting at 7 years old, was taught very well by father and mother about safety its all about education. being off grid like that you really need them for hunting and protection from bears. as long as they educate their kids then should be no problems
Just for the record, Esther's mom was Carla Emery who wrote The Encyclopedia of Country Living. Though Esther didn't take to that lifestyle at the time and so is lacking first-hand experience, you can't exactly call her clueless.
i hope you look up living off the grid cause a lot of ppl do that and have lots of tips, dont act like its just you and that u have to figure it all out, u doing a bad job at it
i have 2 Questions : 1) is this Land for him/her or then can live anywhere for free ? 2) What about the Education of Children, will study at home or School ?
That guy's got some good skills I'd like to have. I bet it is not at all easy, but it looks like a great family. The school-run must be utterly on-grid though - he's gonna need to take them every single day in a car, a piece of machinery that can only exist alongside "the grid" (petrol infrastructure). Still, there's no need to be nay-sayer.... they're doing it for real as far as people can while;e existing in the modern world I guess. Good for them.
Have you ever run a petro-chemical plant without the grid? Your silly TH-cam Youngster Angst is misplaced. A car? A bus? A (diesel) train? It makes no difference. None of these is possible without grid infrastructure? I will not invoke the supernatural / superstition in order to ask why so many people do not know this. If the principal of the grid is unacceptable, then so is the machinery dependent upon it, unless we all play the little hypocrite game of course.
Buying gas for a car is no different than buying fuel for a generator. They're not running a chemical plant. They're living in a house. A house that just happens to be off the grid. That's what off griders and others in the community mean when they say "off grid." It's literally the utility grids that are run to a house. Electric, gas, sewer, water. You shouldn't give lectures about this if you don't understand what off grid means to the majority of the people using the term. There's nothing hypocritical about it. You're nit picking and being a naysayer just to be ornery. Or maybe you're making assumptions about peoples "principals." Off grid is nothing more than what it is. Doing one thing does not require someone to do another thing just to meet someone elses strange standards on what they think anothers lifestyle should be like. Do you think they shouldn't go to a store and buy a bottle of water either? Or use public restrooms? Just because they choose to live off grid? You're grossly misunderstanding the concept and pushing a social and political stance that doesn't exist onto people who are just trying to live their preferred lifestyle that actually has nothing to do with what you're spewing.
Here's another way to look at it. Just because someone has a garden that provides 95% of their food doesn't mean it's hypocritical to go to the grocery store and pick up some rice every now and then. Having a food garden isn't a political protest against the commercial production of food. Similarly, off griders are just trying to live more independently and frugally by not connecting to the grid. Many of them also "homestead" and have gardens and sometimes raise animals to accomplish this lifestyle goal. It's not a protest against the production and usage of gasoline, electricity, or anything else.
I love living off grid, I would say it must be harder with kids, but definitely much more difficult having to live in a yurt. I vacationed in one in Colorado for two weeks and it was so difficult to manage the temperature; I was either sweating or freezing my butt off.
+Dan Walsh which is a bad thing seriously coloring books over devices that play games music tv and movies and browse the internet compared to just coloring shit
They are homesteading which is a bit different then living off grid. Living off grid, you can still have the convenience of modern living, but use things like solar power, wind generators, solar pumps, etc. Homesteading is trying to live without modern convenience like the homesteaders did in the past. They have not properly set up their homestead for winter living either. They have everything set up outdoors without covering, and it seems like they are trying to learn as they go without having proper knowledge of basic things before trying it. I can see quite a few things I would do differently. I'm a city girl myself, but I'm very interested in urban homesteading and off grid living and have been studying up on it.
Don't be to sure of yourself when speaking of what others can and can not do. Living in an urban environment is not peachy keen and perfect if you've had a poor background. I grew up in poverty in one of the roughest cities in the U.S. I also spent my summers in the south on a farm. Growing up in poverty you learn to live without a lot of comforts, make your own clothes, conserve food and energy, and be creative in how to get things done because you can't afford the easy way. Spending the summers in the south afforded me the opportunity to kill and grow my own food, work the land, get dirty and build things with my own two hands. Both lifestyles afforded me the ability to be aware of my surroundings, and work hard for the little you have and be appreciative of it. Also studying different topics allows for proper preparation, because only a fool would jump into something head first without proper knowledge first. Not to mention I said I was interested in URBAN homesteading, and off grid living, which is much different than taking up in residence in the woods. So comprehend before you give your opinion next time.
if u r anything like pic in ur avatar, you would be dead in five days... or less! homesteading is rough way to live! it's not a picnic trip for urban ****! take care!
deeplykem dear "foxy cleopatra" i read ur drivel from the beginning to the end, but that didn't change the fact that.... u couldn't survive even five days in real homestead.
he is a handy man who loves nature haha this has nothing to do with hipsters. She even said they were part of a new movement, no hipsters would say that.
So everything rejecting mainstream society is labeled hipster? Does me taking a shit in a convenince store isle make me a hipster? Since I'm not conforming to the mainstrem rules about where to take shits.. man.
Seems very selfish for these parents to raise these kids away from normal civilization, in alot of ways their children could be very unequipped to handle life outside of a homestead if one day they realize they dont wana live there anymore.
yes? how often did you bath/ abth your kids? the worst classroom you can get is the class room after 12 yera olds. they start smelling, but don't shower regulary. before that, an everyday shower is useless and only a waste of water.
..also I'm sorry but if you're going to have a gun and children around you should really know how to use it and probably teach them too that "having a gun and being scared of it" is not a good mix, it's nothing more then send prop that could potentially save her life and she can't even load it..
Exactly! what is the point of having a tool that you are afraid to use? you will be to panicked to use it against the bear next time he shows.... either become proficient and teach your kids about it, or get rid of the damned thing!!!
YES!
usernamesbyte I mean what is she gonna do, throw the damn gun at the bear.. for living off grid I feel they're very unprepared for many real life situations.
JWitt30 It's the new hipster movement it seems. They don't seem to understand the nature of things, how things actually work and the like... i totally agree with you, they are totally unprepared. I started hunting when i was their children's ages (around 5 years old) and knew how to use firearms safely. If you are not willing to learn that skill you are not fit for "living off the grid" in my opinion. BTW I found it funny that they are using propane to heat their water, what makes that "off the grid"? They are going to town and buying their energy instead of having a pipe bring it to them, that makes little sense to me. If they made a wood gasifier (very simple and they have trees around) and attached it to a generator i would have respect for their energy creation, also they should invest in a thermal mass rocket heater for their living space during winter months to make the most of their fuel consumption... i could go on for days about things that would make their lives easier and better but it seems to me that they just jumped in expecting things to be simple and put no real thought into it... or they were simply not capable of thinking what life is really like outside of the suburbs...
That's the problem man these f'n hipster survivalist wannabes think they can just go in the woods and live and be free from the chains of society and its all hip and cool until your family gets mauled by a f'n bear.. and you're totally right using propane hauled in from the city is not living off grid.. they need to check themselves
Lasting an entire winter without electricity is not an easy task!
What if the bear had been after one of your kids? Are you gonna beat some pans together and hope it works, or learn the rifle and how to use it? Which are you more afraid of, a gun, or watching a bear maul and eat one of your kids while your unloaded rifle hangs on the wall? I think if I lived out there, I would know that rifle like the back of my hand. Keep it loaded and handy, and teach your kids not to touch it. An unloaded rifle is no better than a ball bat in my opinion. Raising your kids out in the wilderness is awesome and will teach them many things about real life. Don't pussify them to be like most American kids. What they learn now will stay with them and help them to be much stronger than average kids that only knows the latest and greatest new electronic gadget, which will be obsolete by the weekend anyway. Please learn how to use the rifle and know that you will be much better prepared and able to protect yourself and your family.
Amen! It's the biggest mistake liberal city people make do to unneeded fear.
Guns are more dangerous to have around if you DON’T know how to use them. You can see in this video her finger is on the trigger while she’s posing with it. Accidents happen, but knowledge of gun safety make accidents largely preventable.
They are making it A LOT HARDER on themselves than really needed. I inherited a cabin in Minnesota, a little over 1100sq feet. Since I'm still in university, and live in Georgia 11 months out of the year I decided to make it 100% off the grid. It already has three fireplaces in it, one in the living room, one in the master, and one in the basement. I mounted solar panels on it, then brought the wires down to the basement where the batteries are kept. I hooked up the solar batteries and got an electrician to come out and disconnect the house from the grid and then connect it through solar. Th water heater and central heating through propane, which cost very very little. I do not have air because the cool air comes up to the ground level floor from the basement during the summer and I open the windows to let a breeze though. When all was said and done, after I installed the solar panels (house already had propane), and using the electrician, I only spent around $5,000, and that gives me enough off the grid power to run a TV, refrigerator, LED lights (thought the house), stove and oven. For a house of much smaller square feet it would be much cheaper...
Being of native blood I hunt and fish and grow food My home is on a solar grid which provides 90% of my electrics given fact of cloudy days and winter gloom My 3 bedroom home was paid off with in 6 years ..still i dont get people that throw everything away to be "one" with the wilderness because the wilderness will slap you down and you will need the help of the city to get back up
+Joe Smith ya it's alittle bit of everything Saving money, nature, learning the skills and not having to depend on a normal lifestyle
+freakyflow
You have no idea how important your perspective is here. Or maybe you do. Either way, thank you!!
Some of the disconnect can be traced to this simple "grass-is-greener" type idea.
But most of it is not. There are real things which can sometimes only be perceived once you have lived in a certain territory long enuf. When you live deep in the territory of 21st Century Capitalism long enuf, you are able to perceive that it's only a matter of time before you will be stranded on Disney Island without the ability to pay for the next meal and no idea how to generate one from the land. Your extremely intelligent ancestors perceived it. I'm sure you know the quotes better than I do. You can't eat money or cars or other people.
At some point, while there is still time, we have to take what is left of our "wealth" and buy the education about how to do this. Thank God YT is still free and that these people are able to do this much for the rest of us. I dropped below the poverty line several years ago and lost my ability to make this shift. I'm stranded now.
Please see the irony of all this at this time of year.
Whitey is gonna need help once again.
And how sad will it be if you don't know how to live either?
+Jennifer Grove (Dark Moon) Well said I have to say i'm not a nature nut of some guy against the government Left wing right wing etc etc I live in the best of both worlds Friday night at the movies or fine dining I can Change a tire, Spark plugs, Brakes, Pulled pork, Mash potato and gravy This idea of "remote" living might be good for some. I'm more about being able to adjust to whats needed to be happy And having to make soap out of fat etc fire wood for hot water so i can have a bath isn't worth my time Every man makes a footprint on the Earth as does a Tiger or monkey or Deer But as humans we over use the right by greed and want not need Everything i need i have Would i want a $100,000 sports car? nope there nice to look at but how does it change my life for the better? people see me as rich ? and then what? Really when many people get a education and learn with social means It's to learn how to live in someone else's idea on Work eat sleep repeat to be happy When really you should learn how you want to live
+freakyflow I don't understand what you're implying. Are you living off the grid? Or in a city? And which are you advocating for.
van Gink I'm not advocating for anyone I'm saying Live life in the way that makes you happy But open your eyes to how you want to live not someone elses idea You want to live in the city, Love your job, own 2 cars, have kids, pay a hydro bill morgage etc..great if that makes you happy all the power to you. Been there done that I simply changed my idea of having to pay for items i don't need to or worry if that item doesnt get paid what happens? Why pay for hydro? Why support a American economy by having to buy American potatos at a American store (Walmart) if i live in Canada? It was that Company that pushed out a Canadian market I can simply grow my own in my backyard or buy local I live outside of a Town (35mins) But have the size to grow food I fish and hunt Not many can say there grilling Rainbow trout in the back yard with herbs from the backyard But ya the beer is Molson Canadian ( owned by coors American) I just dont have the time or bother to brew my own lol
You can still have electricity in the form of Solar panels and battery banks. Wind power generators or if there Is a near by stream even hydro electricity.
Cool to see Laura Ling reporting.. always been a big fan of her and her sister. Good stuff you guys are doing.
Self sufficiency , Off Grid , is every human's fundamental right. As promising and wonderful it may sound, it also takes much effort and adjustments along the way. So for the family in this video to generously share their experience with me i feel grateful. I never criticize their shortcomings as its theirs only. What i see here is one beautiful family, well card fore children, and a long term plan. I wish you only the best.
What about the kids' education??
Nick does mention towards the end of this episode that the children go to school.
no one need education
TheAbd1233 needs*
***** No need, they are Republicans.
Mr. Johnson best replay
How can you live off grid and not be comfortable with a gun... :( that's just stupid especially with having children living off grid with you!
I'm sure she's comfortable enough to use it if she ever has to
+Tusenbensen I agree but it's the fact that they JUST got one and didn't have one in the first place. To me that was stupid.
+Hannah Brower yeah, any time you are gonna choose to live in a bear's natural habitat a gun is probably a good idea to begin with. Unless you're an idiot of course.
+Hannah Brower I saw her with a fiskers ax and that explained a lot..... But they are living my dream so I cant down them...... But I see so many things that they could do to really bring their quality up much faster, Like having a compost heap to actually provide hot water for them constantly naturally
+Frederic Lebel no actually. But I don't see how it would change the validity of my original statement. I don't think it's wise to live where they are with out being comfortable using a gun.
Doing this with just one family seems like it is the crazy part.
You'd need some more people for simply social reasons. Plus, big tasks would be so much easier.
+George Christiansen I agree, but you've got to start off somewhere is what we say in Magyar.
VáTÉsz Mag No reason why you couldn't start off with more families.
You'll go?
+George Christiansen Yep as my hungarian bro say'd you got to start off somewhere.
+George Christiansen - Exactly, and eventually you'll have a community, and then a society, and then you'll need laws, and people who enforce laws, and then you'll need a courthouse, judges, jurys and lawyers, and then you'll need a prison.. Eventually, one way or another, you'll be right back on the grid.
Shower once a week is crazy , when i was living at my mothers village, we shower atleast once in 2 days maximum...
with all those dirts, U want to shower at night before bed, atleast..
Using a shower wastes water, try using a bucket of water, use a small plastic to pour the water on ur body, its very economic that way
yea try using a bucket when your shower is outdoors!
Doesn't have to be outdoors. Honestly, they way they built their shelter is pretty damn stupid.
The rifle they had was a mosin nagant just in case anyone was wondering
They make it a little hard on themselves. They can still have electricity with Solar and Wind power. That would definitely solve a few problems.
right? they seem a little insane, he bought a freaking mill before a power setup? wtf
you can have power off the grid easy and internet,
***** do you even satellite internet?
you can use you phone 3G/4G wifi hotspot
cheapest way
gemoon1 but then how would you pay? They must have no job or something I'm surprised they can afford milk or gas. And they have no address unleas they use a P.O. box for mail
look in off the grid living on TH-cam there alot ways to make money off gird
Jose munoz living off the grid does NOT mean they don't have an address... sorry... they live in the US... they probably own the land so they DO in fact have an address. It says he was out of town so he probably has a job doing something... besides they buy propane and such so they are getting money somehow.
This is great and I wish them lots of success, but going so far off grid without a weapon or a way to contact the outside world is just fucking stupid. Guns have no place in cities but if you live in the wild you definitely will need one.
Then cops should only carry bananas.
Guns have places in the city also
Guns have as much place in a city as then do in the wilderness. More people are killed by humans each year than by bears and cougars combined.
dolebiscuit
And those humans usually use guns to kill each other.
Smoke
Which means a gun is the best defense against it.
Why not pump up the running water to a storage tank at least? The hygiene factor alone seems.. lacking. You could easily have a holding tank powered by a 12v solar pump.
I love how honest this couple are. It's helpful and real.
They should build a "donkey". It's a fire driven water heater.
Quite a few people in rural Australia had them when I was growing up.
If you add a shelter to it you can have your shower then sit by the fire and warm up, boil some tea. You can even cook off the same fire to kill two birds with one stone.
I loved em. Google it.
1. "Being off the grid is something many americans couldn't do" more like many just wouldn't like to.
2. I dont think having a constant supply of fuel and gas can be considered off the grid.
3. being off the grid is more than having a shack, a rifle, stocking supplies and making a fire, for instance having medicine and a doctor is more important.
+Luis Fernando - "more like many just wouldn't like to."
No really, you can't do it, you're too fucking fat, slow and stupid.
And you lack life experience, and propper education.
I'd give you 3 weeks.
***** I´m fucking fit bro, but being off the grid is more than playing the boy scout.
Luis Fernando Do you even lift bro?
So you're that kind of guy huh, all beef, no brain.
You wouldnt survive a minute off the grid.
+Luis Fernando Property laws stop most people from living off the grid. And the lack of survival skills. And yes many people wouldn't want to do this.
Generic Scout most of the replies are from idiots... but yours is different you have a point "property laws" however as I said being of the grid is harsh just consider why people I the past lived such short lives I think the average was 30 years since anything could kill you like an infection from eating something you were not supposed to.
More "Homeless family with no skills" than "Off-Grid Homesteaders".
Up there with buying a sailboat to live on without knowing zip about sailing, boats, or even how to swim.
It never ceases to amaze me that you show people trying to live in nature and within meaningful passions and a good proportion of the public looks for fault. These comments are full of criticism. How much criticism do you think we would come under fire for if we were truthful about our lives?
Is living in our decadent, over consumptive consumer driven society so perfect or right? If so why is it destroying us on every level?
I wonder how many people would manage to do this? Ester has a youtube channel where she is brutally honest about her failings and shortcomings as well as successes and experiences. Personally I think they are wonderful, talented, and tenacious people living the real American dream. This sort of lifestyle is becoming a huge hit at the minute. I admire this couple and all those that try to live in harmony with mother earth very much.
I see the most asked question is what about the kids education.
The best thing that could happen to them is not going to public school. As the schools don't educate you anymore. The last time I was in college they had to start classes. Just so the new students could fill out the form!
As Mark Twain said. Never let school stop you from getting an education. He was so right.
I might add, being self reliant trumps sending every dime you earn to someone else for life!
Claude Rains public fool system.
I'm really not sire if this is well thought out. Off the grid doesn't mean no electricity and internet would keep you in touch with education ad entertainment. Insulation and renewable heating methods and other luxuries can all be very environmentally friendly. This to me if the bottom end of, off the grid.
***** you can produce your own electricity without being connected to the grid though.... solar? wind? (though those are somewhat costly) even hooking up that bicycle to generate some electricity for a small computer would probably work.
What is the since of it; electricity only nakes noise, a high pitched screaming noise endlessly in my brain.Solitude is my only solice. :)
Off the grid means, no gas, no electric, no water
wiki: "The term off-grid refers to not being connected to a grid, mainly used in terms of not being connected to the main or national electrical grid." "A true off-grid house is able to operate completely independently of all traditional public utility services." the key terms in there being 'national grid', 'public utility services'. that doesn't mean no electricity, no gas, no water. just none coming from a municipal source.
Ryad Arlan i agree this is basically just one step above being homeless. i mean we have solar panels and wood gasifiers and so many cool things, its easier and more comfortable than ever to live not connected to utilities away from civilization and in touch with nature, just because you can watch youtube or netflix doesnt mean you arent living off the grid, what it means if you are living like the freaking amish who dont use the techonology to their advantage to live simple but comfortable lives. showers everyday is not only a pleasantry but hygienic and helps curtail diseases.
wow so they choose the hardest dumbest way to live off grid
"It gets really dark without electricity"... Then how about you learn how to wire your house and use batteries, and/or solar panels. You figured out a way to make a washing machine work with a bike, but couldn't figure out lights? You people have your priorities mixed up.
Axel Nine Or how about you take advantage of modern living and technology instead? Lol
Well, I understand why they would want to live the way they do but it's just weird that they haven't tried to get the basics done first... It's like being stranded on an island and thinking "the first thing I should do is make clothes out of these leaves" No, first you get water, food, shelter, and fire (maybe not in that order). The clothes would probably be nice to protect from bugs and stuff but come on now...
Axel Nine Aaaah I see where you're coming from. Yeah it'd made sense to know how to do things before just jumping into it. But maybe they think that's kinda part of the challenge that they're doing. I'm not sure. I do know some people who live on my road went to try homesteading and they didn't even know how to split firewood or start a fire. They took their house off the market and moved back in like 3 weeks later lol.
John Doe wwqaa
p0pppp
Its so sad that we are losing important self-sustaining skills in modern society. Not so long ago if you wanted a home you built it yourself, perhaps with family and friends to help. My dad did this with our childhood home. Him and my grandfather built an amazing place for us all to live. I wish I had learnt these all skills from him, but I was too young. At least now (recently started) my mom is teaching me to crochet which is a skill her mom taught her so that will be kept in the family. I proudly can say I come for a long line of resourceful and innovative people I just hope that keeps on going.
So much respect to the husband for building their (soon to be) new home.
I would love to live more sustainably, but I worry how safe it it in my country to live completely off grid and away from most people. So I would likely still live close to or in an urban area still.
Odd... No electricity, but yet she posts to her blog and social media every day.
lol
she can do that in the public library right?
Did you notice the lights in their ceiling
Jeremiah Lowe solar power? but i thought they use candles and gas lamps.
mlsi Too white to be a lamp or candle it was a cool white led that looked to be about 20 watt
This is incredible. I've been so socialized into modern society and tech that I couldn't ever do this. It's not fully "off the grid," but I think they're being damn good. You can't truly escape the system of this world anymore.
This kind of living forces your children into servitude. Eventually you become too old/weak/infirmed to carry everything and you have to rely on your kids to care for you for years or even decades, forcing them to live off grid with you whether they want to or not. That is a hell of a burden to place on your children and grand children.
If you were part of a settlement of people that you could rely on to care for you in your old age, that would be one thing, but as a single family on your own, you're forcing your progeny into that role, into lives they cannot choose to leave, which is extremely selfish.
They will be living in a house in 5 years. In 10 years you could have electricity from solar panels with enough saving/income from your hobbies.
tyfenrir What does that have to do with anything?
Ableist.
I'm quite sure they will be alright. True, Humans have evolved from the Hunting/Gathering and Scavenger lifestyle but you also have to take into consideration we have technology now in abundance with the contention of more "New, Better and Adaptable Tech" on the horizon. And to add another argument to this debate, what would you do if you barely made ends-meat of anything in this economy? How far would you go to Survive? Think about it.
Lightning xVx What technology? They have abandoned even simple tech, like electricity and indoor plumbing. There is no new tech here. And what do you mean struggling to make ends meet? The amount of money they spent on infrastructure to live "off grid" is ridiculously stupid. An underground reservoir water tank with rain water collection system is over ten grand alone. And you still haven't faced the reality that eventually these parents will be seniors and have to rely on their kids to care for them, which forces their children into a lifestyle they may not want.
Nice job on the underware for Esther. Now that is love!
Wow, what a horrible example of "off grid living". Shows what happens when modern media gets involved. I can see, oh, about a thousand examples of how they are doing things wrong.
TinHatRanch like what?
Henrik högberg Like killing the bear.
This family has come a long way. They are now in the house and seem to be doing great. I watch their YT channel "Fouch a Matic" all the time - they are very inspirational.
Living off grid does not mean you have to go through all this shit. learn how to make pipes to get water and make a water tower for water pressure. Electricity ect...
This is a lovely father, husband and soul mate really admire them... well done and may the most high bring u blessings...
You don't have to live in a tent and crank things with a bicycle. Drill a well and buy some solar panels.
Jesus.
Nathan Dehnel for real that experience would be more enjoyable. then they dont have the common sense to have a basic cell phone. or two way raidio.
You also don’t have to live isolated in the middle of nowhere. You could join a eco village community or make your own community with others
why dont they at least have a water tank? that all looks pretty hopless to me.
It blows my mind all the "think of the children" comments. How utterly clueless of them. A hundred years ago most kids lived a similar lifestyle, and yes if you actually bothered to listen to the video their kids are going to school! Are they better off with drug dealers in the park and gunshots nightly in their neighborhood? Modern life as you assume it is supposed to be has only been around a few generations. How they are living IS how life is supposed to be. Off grid people raising their own food can eat well no matter what happens. Sadly vegetables are already selling for $4 a pound and meat is selling for $5 to $10 a pound with expensive cuts much more. Food has doubled in the last 5 to 10 years while wages have been flat. Are you going to feel sorry for off grid kids when your kids are living on processed food because you can't afford $10 a pound for vegetables and $20 a pound for hamburger? We may get there in the next ten years and if our leaders get their way your wages will be the same as they are now. These people and those like them will live without mortgages and raise their own food while you have to decide whether to pay the mortgage or buy food for the kids. In 10 or 20 years the off grid people will feel sorry for your kids!
these people don't realize that their society is filled with filth and that is why some go off the grid. to get away from the fake American " dream" that no longer exists.
I'm not trying to start an argument, I am genuinely interested in your opinion on how the American dream isn't real. We all, as Americans have the right to do as we please. Start businesses, organizations, relationships, and move wherever. do we not?
loosen the tinfoil hat, you could've lost circulation there
Grayhand you must realize there's a whole lot between living off grid and living in the ghetto, right? We don't have drug dealers in parks or gunshots ringing out nightly. I live in a quiet neighborhood with no crime or violence. So do most of the people I know. Life is supposed to be whatever we make of it, not limited to what technology mankind has at the time.
"We all, as Americans have the right to do as we please. Start businesses, organizations, relationships, and move wherever. do we not?" - -- We sort of do have the right. But the bureaucracy, the taxes and fees, make it untenable for some people. Starting small businesses in USA is highly risky. Laws and taxation are geared towards favoring large corporations.
so sorry for the kids
a trend? i used to live like this coz my family made 20 dollars a month... this defiantly is not "trendy"
how do you shower once a week?
not judging still.
very easily, living off grid, means u must and need to use less resources, u must prioritize. she said it herself, they have to carry the water..then heat it up...u think u would have the time or willing to put the effort showering everyday or 3 times or 2 times per week? its not happening. its impractical. cities are plastic and delusional worlds and people have developed a way of thiunking that distancing ourselves from our natural state is considered primitive.
How Americans never wash their jeans? :D I don't know :D But I definitely know you can easily wash once per week if you eat healthy. It's always a matter of genetics, some people just smell no matter what they do. But food and a lot of water can do a lot.
thevil ....genetics play only a small part in the process......sweat doesnt have an odor...it is only water and some minerals...the byproducts of the bacterias's metabolism is what makes us stinky. diet also determines how stinky we are going to be. the more processed a food is the more acid our body becomes, the more we smell. and of course like u said...lots of drinking water cleans (partialy) our body.............and when u say americans, u r talking about the people of the whole continent?
PsychosGamers
Sure not, about US :D I very often participate in fashion discussions and this opinion is wide-spread among US citizens - not to wash their jeans :D
thevil ......i dont think this represents the majority of the people or opinions...still it is weird, and i dont say that very often
If you want to live like this, go ahead. Don't do it if you have kids. Don't do this to them, they deserve better.
EDIT: I want to add, this is living off the land, not off the grid. I think off the grid would be more like having solar panels on your house and an independent water system, not. Just mi opinion.
***** Do you think this is good for children?
+Ivan Matz like school education and modern society is good or something...
+david hanita it is
+declan summond psht not really
They seem like such patient, good parents.
I have a question, is this legal?! Don't they still have to pay for, public schools, roads etc.
Living off grid is legal almost everywhere, though apparently Florida just made it illegal to live without paying for utilities, even if you provide your own through solar and the like. But they will still be subject to taxes and all the other laws of the land.
the utility companies where worried about losing money, and made sure they didn't lose their piece of the pie. Totally seems like a lobbyist move
depends on the state as to where the taxes come from, but living off grid doesn't mean you don't pay property taxes or sales tax, or even income tax. It gets paid somehow. There are many places that don't have utility access so they wouldn't have to pay or be hooked up to any of them (well other than FL apparently!)
I am quite sure they pay for property tax, unless they're living illegally or asked permission from the land owner. I also assume they still work in order to pay for supplies.
Bruce Dobson The large sums generated by the sale of oil leases and by oil and gas royalties make Alaska's tax structure highly atypical, and its revenues dependent upon the market price of fuels. To smooth out fluctuations due to oil price changes, the Constitutional Budget Reserve Fund was set up. There is no state sales tax or personal income tax in Alaska, but some localities impose a sales tax, as well as a property tax. The corporate tax rate in 2000 ranged from 1% on the first $10,000 of taxable income to 9.4% on amounts over $90,000. Selective sales taxes (excises) are imposed on tobacco products, motor fuels, insurance premiums, alcoholic beverages, public utilities and amusements. The state property tax excludes the first $150, 000 for owners over 65. Only 25 of Alaska's 161 municipalities collect local property taxes. There is no death tax, and Alaska's estate tax is tied to the federal tax exemption for state estate taxes, and is therefore scheduled to be phase out in tandem with the exemption by 2007. Other taxes include various license and franchise fees, but there is no fee for vehicle operating licenses. There are also no documentary and stock transfer taxes. The most unique feature about Alaska's state taxes is that over half ($552 million in 2002 amounting to 50.6% of total state tax collections) come from severance taxes, a very minor source of revenue in most states. Alaska is the only state that has neither a state sales tax nor a state personal income tax.
The husband is amazingly crafty! God bless and hope it works out in the long run
Well I think society evolved in a way that we don't have to waste time doing everything by ourselves, but instead focus on several things that we are really good at, or learn to be good at. That way everyone is more productive, and you have everything that you need at palm of your hand. I know it's more complicated than that, but isn't it easier, for instance, to go buy bread, chicken and salad, then making bread, feeding chicken and growing salad.. No one makes you to be on your computer whole day. You can have house with backyard if that space is important for you. Several days camping is ok, but I don't think I'd ever be able to live like that..
On paper you're entirely right.. Civilizations have risen because of this.. The problem is money... Capitalism has ruined everything and the cost of living is increasing, not dropping.. Most people in the world will never be able to own a home because of this for example.. These people here want a real home they can call their own and pass down the generations.. That simply cannot be done in today's economy unless you make substantial sacrifices.. This family has chosen their sacrifice, and are living with it.. I only hope that once they have everything settled, that no one comes along with en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain
Alexandre Anderson Well that i can't argue with, but in the beginning of the video it's said that they had financial stability and that is what's troubling me..
Financial stability doesn't mean people are happy with their living conditions.. I can almost consider myself financially stable from time to time.. Right now it's mainly due to the help I have from my own mother.. I'm 27 years old and unable to live on my own not for the lack of several previous attempts.. And even then, still technically not living on my own as I've always needed house mates of the sorts..
For these people, I'm sure where they live now is no different than where they lived before save for the lack of "grid".. The big difference is cost and free time to do your thing.. If you need to pay all that you have to keep what little you're allowed to, you're no better than a slave.. Least this way they have majority say in how they live their lives..
If you watch the first episode, the family expresses their main reasons for doing this as one where they barely had time to live and breath together as a family.. Especially for the father, who was always working to make ends meet...
***** TH-cam biglbllCKASSqES.
***** No fool, the formerly undeveloped world is developing their industries. The rest of the world is no longer unskilled labour and raw mineral wealth. The industries in the West are now starting to compete with the rest, which means poverty increases in the West, as worldwide, total inequality decreases (due to some of the poor outside the West becoming a middle class).
Don't pretend the relative wealth we enjoyed while exploiting undeveloped nations is just "thanks to capitalism".
I'm all for getting off the grids but to me personally, I have a limit. I pay nothing for my house, I have cut my bills down and I have a garden that hopefully will be able to get it bigger, I also hope to put solar panels then I can get out of the electric company but all of this takes time. Each person needs to know how far they are willing to go.Great video. Loved and Subbed
Did anyone just hear Ester refer to her husband as a "craftsperson"???
the sentence "my husband's an amazing craftsperson" sums up that lady perfectly.
these guys should look in to the natural water pumps and water stove heaters to make things easier
Right? Like fuck man, you can pump water uphill without electricity or a bicycle. Build a hydraulic ram pump and make your life 10 times easier. Physics is here to help.
Perfect example of someone from the city trying to live this way. It’s admorable but you lack a lot of the basic skills that the most average person in rural America know. You do make a very good point about the winter, stuck with kids, and the labor.
Mosin Nagant cheap but reliable. Good shit.
How the heck did you get that closing aerial shot?
*partially living off the grid
They have modern tools, they're e lying to themselves
So do you and you still spelled the wrong word for they're
Nick Cortez sorry, good grammar catch
How do you spell it? shouldn't it be "they are lying to themselves" which is they're?
Ahoy matie yes
I like their energy. They are being honest about the hardships and I totally respect people with the bravery to reinvent their surroundings. A single worry popped in my head while watching this - what if somebody gets sick or injured ? Those old west settlers had a vicious child mortality rate. Do they have a medevac plan?
If you're scared to even load your gun, yeah, living off the grid is going to be hard. Lol hippies need to stay in the city.
It's strange how they make all these things, and live that kind of a lifestyle, yet they're afraid to use a gun....
They live in the middle of the woods and she has mixed feelings about the gun? What. That could be such a huge source of food and protection..Jesus.
dudes acting like hes been out there for 10 years or somethin at the end
"What else could you do, besides torture each other?"
what else indeed.
Hi, everybody. We're the family featured in these videos. More is at our channel, our (new) Facebook page, facebook.com/fouchomaticoffgrid, or my personal website, www.estheremery.com. Thanks for watching!
Nick is an extremely admirable man. All of my respect to you, sir.
they bathe once a week? NOOOOO
yesssss
+Alex Jones Yes like in India
+Alex Jones They are the only one smelling themselves, right? The majority of the world for the majority of history bathed a lot less, if at all.
+Kathryn Blodgett Speak for your own ancestors. Bathing regularly was common in MOST of the world, except for Europe up to the industrial age. Early African, Asian, and what you know as Middle Eastern people had elaborate bathing rituals when Europeans lived in caves with their animals.
+Bear Y. lol, yes my own ancestors. dirt poor Irish farmers. as with most people I can only speak from the culture I was raised in. but I have read extensively about history. Chinese and Japanese cultures come to mind with elaborate rituals. I know very little about the middle east and will apologize for misspeaking, if you will allow my ethnocentrism.
If anybody is interested, someone from Seattle has been living off the grid in a place called the Bosque Village for more than a decade and it's quite cool what he has accomplished. He posts videos and writes about it. Also the weather there is nicer and so is the food.
The wife looks and sounds as if she's on the verge of a break down. She does not seem happy about it at all. I've seen far more functional off grid families. Their life looks very difficult.
4:31 so did they get that half gallon of milk from their cow out back. or are they just camping behind winco?
Is that Lisa Ling's sister?
honeyroasted07 Yes, we call her Laura Ling!
honeyroasted07 I thought she look familiar also
Seeker Stories She is one of the two journalists that was held in North Korea!! So scary!!!
+honeyroasted07 She looks like Lisa Ling, and sounds EXACTLY like her.
+Leggo My Ego well if she is or isnt, one thing is for sure.. she is stupid
No electricity? How do they power the sewing machine?
He seems more into it than she does. Living off grid is hard.
There is a learning curve to living off grid and there are different levels to it as well. For example I saw no solar panels , wind or water turbines which means no internet, satellite TV or radio either which are all tremendous tools for curing boredom during long cold winters. Second a stay at home mother will go crazy without any adult interaction regardless of her grid status. Socialization and a sense of community are crucial too.When 3 or 4 families are all off grid it makes the experience easier.
Going into the American wilderness without even a rifle? That was a bit of a silly move since bears and shit. Otherwise everything about their lifestyle and home I love but I like my internet XD
Before internet, and tv; we had real communities.
mad thumbs Your point being?
yeah that is what i thought too. and she says she doesnt know how to use the gun. that old bolt action rifle...good luck getting a fast 2nd shot off with that. that little yurt is no problems for a determined, hungry bear. I wish them all the success, but they need to look at Timothy Treadwell's story and re-evaluate their stance on guns. With Timothy, it was his and his girlfriend's decision to go out with the bears and they paid for that with their lives. In this situation, there are children. Family safety should be #1 priority and ALL the children should know how to safely operate and handle the gun (obviously the eldest boy is the only one even approaching the right age).
Michael Sheridan I think you're right there, I'm often against guns but if you're in the wild like that then you need one and need to know how to use it.
Wight Knight yeah there is a big difference between guns used for the wild and guns used for protection against people in urban areas.
Oh man! I never thought about making my own underware-thanks- seriously.
Its to bad the quarker community is so closed-they have a huge community and resources that help- what a huge difference it would be if this guy had ten or twenty of his family and friends to help him with that house and the woman with tricks to make life easier.
Its also very difficult knowing you can simply walk away(not that simple) and toilets and light bulbs are everywhere.
I would love to see residential communities go up with this in mind- wouldn't that be amazing.
"my husband is an amazing craftsperson" too liberal to even say craftsman. haha
Yankee politics. Hope it stays in America
Alex Craig. WHEN we arrive at gender equality THEN you can complain about such things.
What IF she had said ... 'my husband's a great craftswomen'... are you ok when the Shoe is on the other foot? My guess is No.
What?
Chris W You need to stop
Faith Rada yeah what are you talking about? He’s not a woman lol
Haters gonna hate. This family is still out there today years later and they're thriving. They have their own youtube channel, Fouch-o-matic off grid. It's hilarious to see all these experts in the comments section that don't know anything about the diarrhea spewing from their fingertips.
She really needs to relax and calm down...
So do most of the people in the comments section...
Could you say it is living of grid if you use Butane for heating water and fuel for running a saw for cutting wood?
They moved to the middle of the woods and didn't bring a gun? #liberals
I'm european( don't like guns) but even I would bring a gun!
They have kids though and the house is way too small to be able to hide a gun. They probably figured that the dangers of a gun accident outweighed the possibility of a bear breaking in and mauling them.
Aesop Nova Theory
Not if you teach your kids gun safety.
dont need guns at all. but it is a very useful tool to have. though that woman is weird, she "hopes" to one day be able to know how to use it? wtf.. if you got one you first need to know how to, then practise.. those people are weird. they got no idea what the deffinition of "priority" is.
guns definitely i started shooting at 7 years old, was taught very well by father and mother about safety its all about education. being off grid like that you really need them for hunting and protection from bears. as long as they educate their kids then should be no problems
Not sure if this is an episode of Portlandia or....?
That was cute underwear.... 🐯
+Derek Dunckley +Joe Smith - Guys, relax.. It's a grill.
It's a trap!
LOL I have been talking about those underwear for about 2 years since I first seen this video.. I would TOTALLY wear these underwear 😅🤣🤣
Just for the record, Esther's mom was Carla Emery who wrote The Encyclopedia of Country Living. Though Esther didn't take to that lifestyle at the time and so is lacking first-hand experience, you can't exactly call her clueless.
i hope you look up living off the grid cause a lot of ppl do that and have lots of tips, dont act like its just you and that u have to figure it all out, u doing a bad job at it
That's a real man right there. May GOD Bless that family.
they went at it unprepared that is all
This is generally a great idea, but homesteaders need to make a village - nearly impossible and kinda pointless trying to do it ALL on your own
+BigKatz i agree
I'd be so pissed if my parents gave me that kind of life xD
that tiger underpants though
I loved it. hated it when we moved into a city.
Santiago Zeller I would love living like that.
Russell Oriely ye i dont like cities, countryside is best :)
Yah I’d literally freak out without WiFi
Great channel. Subscribed so fast!
So living of grid makes women look like men??
Would you wear makeup, if you knew you wouldn't be able to shower for a week...?
+Nordic Ger Always find a way to blame a Jew, right? Pitiful!
i have 2 Questions :
1) is this Land for him/her or then can live anywhere for free ?
2) What about the Education of Children, will study at home or School ?
Definitely not the voice I was expecting from that man..... Oh wait, I've been informed that is not a man.....
Exactly what I thought.
A Mosin Nagant, classic. Love it
That guy's got some good skills I'd like to have.
I bet it is not at all easy, but it looks like a great family.
The school-run must be utterly on-grid though - he's gonna need to take them every single day in a car, a piece of machinery that can only exist alongside "the grid" (petrol infrastructure).
Still, there's no need to be nay-sayer.... they're doing it for real as far as people can while;e existing in the modern world I guess.
Good for them.
+staninjapan07 not necessarily, there is most likely a bus.
They're not Amish. The grid is the utility grid. Jesus christ why do so many not know this? A car has nothing to do with the grid.
Have you ever run a petro-chemical plant without the grid?
Your silly TH-cam Youngster Angst is misplaced.
A car? A bus? A (diesel) train?
It makes no difference.
None of these is possible without grid infrastructure?
I will not invoke the supernatural / superstition in order to ask why so many people do not know this.
If the principal of the grid is unacceptable, then so is the machinery dependent upon it, unless we all play the little hypocrite game of course.
Buying gas for a car is no different than buying fuel for a generator. They're not running a chemical plant. They're living in a house. A house that just happens to be off the grid. That's what off griders and others in the community mean when they say "off grid." It's literally the utility grids that are run to a house. Electric, gas, sewer, water. You shouldn't give lectures about this if you don't understand what off grid means to the majority of the people using the term. There's nothing hypocritical about it. You're nit picking and being a naysayer just to be ornery. Or maybe you're making assumptions about peoples "principals." Off grid is nothing more than what it is. Doing one thing does not require someone to do another thing just to meet someone elses strange standards on what they think anothers lifestyle should be like. Do you think they shouldn't go to a store and buy a bottle of water either? Or use public restrooms? Just because they choose to live off grid? You're grossly misunderstanding the concept and pushing a social and political stance that doesn't exist onto people who are just trying to live their preferred lifestyle that actually has nothing to do with what you're spewing.
Here's another way to look at it. Just because someone has a garden that provides 95% of their food doesn't mean it's hypocritical to go to the grocery store and pick up some rice every now and then. Having a food garden isn't a political protest against the commercial production of food. Similarly, off griders are just trying to live more independently and frugally by not connecting to the grid. Many of them also "homestead" and have gardens and sometimes raise animals to accomplish this lifestyle goal. It's not a protest against the production and usage of gasoline, electricity, or anything else.
I love living off grid, I would say it must be harder with kids, but definitely much more difficult having to live in a yurt. I vacationed in one in Colorado for two weeks and it was so difficult to manage the temperature; I was either sweating or freezing my butt off.
these poor children...
+MsLemons12 why?
+LetoZeth they're lucky they actually get a childhood with coloring books and the outdoors not ipads and iPhones.
Dan Walsh - Indeed.
+Dan Walsh which is a bad thing seriously coloring books over devices that play games music tv and movies and browse the internet compared to just coloring shit
I think you should also make a video on "being a suicide bomber is harder than you think" . would be quite helpful.
forget about living in the wilderness, he should make an underwear business
I'd like to get involved with you into underwear business ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
They are homesteading which is a bit different then living off grid. Living off grid, you can still have the convenience of modern living, but use things like solar power, wind generators, solar pumps, etc. Homesteading is trying to live without modern convenience like the homesteaders did in the past. They have not properly set up their homestead for winter living either. They have everything set up outdoors without covering, and it seems like they are trying to learn as they go without having proper knowledge of basic things before trying it. I can see quite a few things I would do differently. I'm a city girl myself, but I'm very interested in urban homesteading and off grid living and have been studying up on it.
deeplykem dont waste ur time studying it, u couldnt survive even day there.
Don't be to sure of yourself when speaking of what others can and can not do. Living in an urban environment is not peachy keen and perfect if you've had a poor background. I grew up in poverty in one of the roughest cities in the U.S. I also spent my summers in the south on a farm. Growing up in poverty you learn to live without a lot of comforts, make your own clothes, conserve food and energy, and be creative in how to get things done because you can't afford the easy way. Spending the summers in the south afforded me the opportunity to kill and grow my own food, work the land, get dirty and build things with my own two hands. Both lifestyles afforded me the ability to be aware of my surroundings, and work hard for the little you have and be appreciative of it. Also studying different topics allows for proper preparation, because only a fool would jump into something head first without proper knowledge first. Not to mention I said I was interested in URBAN homesteading, and off grid living, which is much different than taking up in residence in the woods. So comprehend before you give your opinion next time.
if u r anything like pic in ur avatar, you would be dead in five days... or less!
homesteading is rough way to live! it's not a picnic trip for urban ****!
take care!
keimo2007 You obviously can't read and you're an ass to boot.
deeplykem dear "foxy cleopatra" i read ur drivel from the beginning to the end, but that didn't change the fact that.... u couldn't survive even five days in real homestead.
He's the definition of hipsters
he is a handy man who loves nature haha this has nothing to do with hipsters. She even said they were part of a new movement, no hipsters would say that.
Hipster is rejecting main stream society for the less conventional
+Vance Corsey - He's the definition of a MAN.
+Malte. A yes they ould that's exactly what hipsters do be different just because
So everything rejecting mainstream society is labeled hipster? Does me taking a shit in a convenince store isle make me a hipster? Since I'm not conforming to the mainstrem rules about where to take shits.. man.
Oh, This was very thought provoking...
Seems very selfish for these parents to raise these kids away from normal civilization, in alot of ways their children could be very unequipped to handle life outside of a homestead if one day they realize they dont wana live there anymore.
+Hunter Smith What skills?
Much respect to that guy. Seems like an good honest man. Hard to come by in America these days.
bathing your kids once a week? are You kidding!!!
yes? how often did you bath/ abth your kids?
the worst classroom you can get is the class room after 12 yera olds. they start smelling, but don't shower regulary. before that, an everyday shower is useless and only a waste of water.
I think its a great idea....
They will find it hard but they will adjust to suit their surrounding.
Its great to see you can just go and do this....