Off grid living in remote places

[nickndfl]

I am still leaning toward the mountains. Florida is getting too crazy after 55 years. It's too busy.

 

[Casey Jones]

I am still leaning toward the mountains. Florida is getting too crazy after 55 years. It's too busy.

Which mountains? And...given the high entry price in the Rockies, say...why would it be worth it when TSHTF?

What's the difference between the Front Range of Colorado, and Siberia? How about, the economic freedom to develop the infrastructure - energy; paved roads; public services such as snowplowing, water/sewerage, emergency personnel.

Siberia was a death sentence. Aspen, also, was hard living, until the Industrial Revolution finally scaled the hills. Round about 1946, when the ghost town was reborn as a winter-sports center.

If you plan for someplace less populated - and you'll almost have to - expect living to be proportionately hard. Out here, I'm not far from Garnet, Montana - a ghost town. It's only been 30 years or so since the last residents died off...of course, living in modern areas, in their old age. But the tales they told, were not pleasant, of the life, expecially winters. One story I remember, of a young father with a sick daughter...took off by sled, that he had to pull, the 60 miles to Missoula (mostly downgrade) and stayed there while the hospital did what they could.

And continued to stay. Never returning.

That was then...? Well, if we get to where mountains matter...yeah, it may keep some of the zombies at bay. Mother Nature has her own way.

 

[searcher]

Curmudge inn Alaska

Welcome to the Curmudge Inn. We are Sarah, Rob, Mishka and Zeus. We live remote and off grid on a small homestead and soon to be B&B/cabin rental Located 13 miles north of the frontier town of Talkeetna Alaska. Our goal is to share our daily life with you all. We will show you the different...

www.youtube.com

 

[nickndfl]

Which mountains? And...given the high entry price in the Rockies, say...why would it be worth it when TSHTF?

What's the difference between the Front Range of Colorado, and Siberia? How about, the economic freedom to develop the infrastructure - energy; paved roads; public services such as snowplowing, water/sewerage, emergency personnel.

Siberia was a death sentence. Aspen, also, was hard living, until the Industrial Revolution finally scaled the hills. Round about 1946, when the ghost town was reborn as a winter-sports center.

If you plan for someplace less populated - and you'll almost have to - expect living to be proportionately hard. Out here, I'm not far from Garnet, Montana - a ghost town. It's only been 30 years or so since the last residents died off...of course, living in modern areas, in their old age. But the tales they told, were not pleasant, of the life, expecially winters. One story I remember, of a young father with a sick daughter...took off by sled, that he had to pull, the 60 miles to Missoula (mostly downgrade) and stayed there while the hospital did what they could.

And continued to stay. Never returning.

That was then...? Well, if we get to where mountains matter...yeah, it may keep some of the zombies at bay. Mother Nature has her own way.

Southern Appalacians in NE TN population 1200.

 

[Someone_else]

Southern Appalacians in NE TN population 1200.

Buying is the first step. But it is important to move there and become part of the community. You can't just buy your way into a community. Just by buying the land. You can buy some acceptance by freely donating to high-profile causes. But I think the best approach is to just fit in and be good. That takes time.

 

[searcher]

Why James and Camille are living on a deserted island (right now) | Focus on Europe​

Sep 25, 2025
For Camille and James, a dream job has come true. In summer 2025 they become caretakers of Great Blasket, a remote island off Ireland's west coast. Not an easy task without electrical power, medical facilities or WIFI.


4:47

00:00 Kapitel 1: How did Camille and James on the island
01:01 Kapitel 2: This is Great Blasket
01:32 Kapitel 3: Daily life
02:31 Kapitel 4: what do Camille and James miss the most?
04:01 Kapitel 5: and what have they learned during their stay?

 

[MrLucky]

I am still leaning toward the mountains. Florida is getting too crazy after 55 years. It's too busy.

I lived there in the early 70's, went back for a visit last year. Florida is horrible now. Off to the open spaces.

 

[nickndfl]

Buying is the first step. But it is important to move there and become part of the community. You can't just buy your way into a community. Just by buying the land. You can buy some acceptance by freely donating to high-profile causes. But I think the best approach is to just fit in and be good. That takes time.

I am ready now.

 

[searcher]

18 Years Living Off-Grid on a Remote Island in a Solo-Built House & Homestead​

Oct 19, 2025 #selfsufficiency #offgrid #livingofftheland
Tim Coertze has been living off-grid on a remote island in the Straight of Georgia (in Canada) for 18 years. He is solo building his own retirement home using local materials from his own land, like rock, sand, and wood, as well as concrete for the foundation, rockwool for the insulation and tin for the roof. He generates electricity with solar panels, he collects rainwater from his roof, he heats his home with firewood that he cuts down himself, and burns it in three different wood stoves: a monolithic masonry stove, a cast iron wood stove, or a rocket stove under his bathtub. He also grows a lot of his own fruits and vegetables, sprouts seeds, bakes bread, and is raising a pair of Thai river water buffalo for milk.
The island where Tim lives is completely off-grid, and can only be accessed by a pedestrian ferry (there is no car ferry), which makes it difficult to bring materials onto the island unless you can do it by barge, which is very expensive. There is a community on the island so Tim finds that he can barter and trade with folks on the island for most of his needs, but he does go to town off island every couple of months to get groceries like coffee.
He does use propane to heat hot water and to cook when his wood stove is damped down, or when the wildfire risk is too high to burn a fire.
Tim is a thoughtful and talented creative builder who has done a ton of research into alternative building methods and systems from around the world, while focusing on using local materials, skills, and items for his projects.
One of his first jobs in the '80s was working at sea, where he saw floating garbage islands that forever changed the course of his life. This led him to resign from his job and to seek out a remote and clean place where he could have a family, and live closer to the land. He has been growing his own food and processing his own firewood for 40 years, and he now has grandchildren, so he managed to make his dreams a reality.
But the experience of seeing those garbage islands never left him, and he has made an effort to manage his own waste on his land. He keeps all of the garbage that he creates and sequesters it in the walls of his outbuildings, where they will be enclosed in concrete or plaster. This reduces the energy needed to transport the garbage off the island and to a dump or recycling plant where only a fraction of the items will be recycled. He has also repurposed the tires from his island truck as the chamber for his composting toilet. He has managed to sequester 7 years of garbage in the walls of his solar panel shed.
He is not yet retired, and still works as a roofer, although he is hoping to spend less time doing the heavy work and more time managing crews moving forward. He also plans to slowly complete his house with trim, paint, etc. and spend more time growing food once the house is complete.
This off-grid lifestyle can be challenging but Tim appreciates the silence, the satisfaction of being self sufficient, and the connection to the environment that allows him to appreciate the sun, the rain, and the plants around him.
A big thank you to Tim for sharing his story with us!


32:53

 

[searcher]

His Advice After 20 Years of Off-Grid Living Will Change You

 

[searcher]

13 Years Living Off Grid in Alaska - Veterans Self Sufficient Life​

Nov 7, 2025
On March 26, 2003, Bob parachuted into northern Iraq. Weeks later, he guarded lines of civilians waiting for water and fuel—an image that planted a lifelong goal: his future family would never depend on handouts for the basics. This tour follows the Starks—a family of six living mortgage-free in 835 sq ft on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula—as they show exactly how downsizing + off-grid systems can unlock time, health, and financial breathing room.

What this video covers (for downsizers & self-reliance seekers)

• How one veteran translated field readiness into redundant home systems (heat, water, power)
• The budget math behind buying rural/off-grid: 20 acres + unfinished 680-sq-ft cabin for $80,000 (owner-financed) → ~$540.17/mo → paid off → freedom
• Practical off-grid infrastructure sized for a growing family: well + filtration, rain catchment, wood + diesel heat, solar + generator, storage strategies
• Minimalist family routines that actually work (one plate/fork/spoon per person, Conex storage, room-by-room organization)
• The mindset shift from “flip a switch” to intentional living—how that supported sobriety, parenting, and purpose

25:41

Home specs & systems:

• Size & layout: 835 sq ft; living/dining “winter room,” hallway kitchen, bathroom + laundry, kids’ bedroom, nursery, compact primary bedroom
• Heat (redundant): primary wood stove for space heat + water pots; backup Toyo (diesel/J-1) for consistent winter performance
• Water: on-site well → Berkey drinking-water filtration; rain barrel catchment for gardens/animals; 65-gallon gravity tank upstairs for pressure
• Power: 5×100W solar panels (expanding soon) + Honda 2200W generator in a weather-protected shed; 8×6V battery bank with inverter/charge controller
• Kitchen: full-size fridge, propane range, baker’s table (weekly sourdough), drip-feed gravity water, slab counters; workflow for harvest → processing → meals
• Laundry & bath: small efficient washer; line-dry inside; tub filled with wood-heated water (simple, reliable, low-energy)
• Storage: minimalism inside; shipping container (Conex) for bulk dry goods, overflow plates, seasonal gear

The budget story (why this path fit retirement goals)

• Purchase: $80,000 (20 acres + unfinished 680-sq-ft structure) via owner financing after a 20% down payment
• Monthly target: kept the payment at $540.17, covered by disability benefits, to free time for writing, gardening, parenting
• Outcome: Mortgage-free; later added a yurt for flexible family use/income; daily costs centered on fuel, maintenance, and modest utilities

Secret Garden Alaska

Welcome to Secret Garden Alaska, We are an off-grid Alaskan farm family consisting of two parents, two daughters, and twins on the way. Our channel focuses on the pros and cons of country life, parenthood, pregnancy, self-publishing, sustainability, homesteading, marriage, and working for...

www.youtube.com

 

[searcher]

Some neat scenery in this one.

This is What Life Is Like In Small Town Alaska​

Nov 15, 2025
Take a tour of Willow Alaska with 2 of us! We explore the stores in our town and even go shopping for supplies! There are some very unique shops in this own. There is also rich history here with the historic Iditarod sled dog race...We will showcase some of that as well. If you ever come to Alaska this video will help you know a bit about our town before you visit! Thanks for joining us!


20:22