In our pursuit of self reliance we often overlook many of the small details that turn that dream into a reality.  One of the things that most people overlook is the possibility of dealing with medical emergencies. Yet this is an extremely important detail that must be addressed before you run for the hills.  Having a proper first aid kit on hand is a very important first step.  

A little knowledge and experience can help you keep calm during an emergency.  It can also help you to manage others and keep them from panicking. Having the ability to treat minor injuries or render basic support until you can consult a medical professional can potentially make the difference between life and death. At the very least, it may prevent an expensive visit to an emergency room.  At an absolute minimum, you should take a basic first aid class or become a certified first responder.  These skills will serve you well especially if you plan on living in a rural or isolated area. 

But in order to addre...

Living on a homestead is a life centered around frugality and self reliance. Every person that chooses this lifestyle is typically a hardy do-it-yourselfer. Additionally, many homesteaders live in homes and cabins they’ve built themselves. If this sounds like a lot of work, you are right. However, the rewards are immeasurable. The other thing you must realize is that all of this work becomes a lot easier if you have the right tools for the job. There is enough work to do on a homestead already. Why not invest in quality homestead tools that will save you time, work, and money.

That said, acquiring those necessary homestead tools is something else all together. After looking at the following list it may seem as if you will have to invest a small fortune to acquire all the necessary tools. You may be right. In fact, I’ve accumulated all of my tools over years of working on the homestead. I have a combination woodshed/toolshed, as well as a storage shed for some of the more expensive ite...

Those that are homesteaders and/or living off the grid know that this type of lifestyle is about getting back to the basics.  Life is centered around frugality and self reliance.  Everything on the homestead must have a purpose, if not several different functions, or it is in the way.  The same is true for off grid cookware.  

When you think about it, off grid cookware has to stand up to high heat and a variety of cooking methods.  At any given time you may be cooking over an open fire, on a wood stove, a grill, propane stove, rocket or backpacking stove, a camp stove, or even in a hot box. Just like anything else, having the right equipment for the job makes all the difference in the world. The same is true for cooking.  During the time I’ve lived off the grid, I’ve experimented with cooking in numerous ways. The end result is that I’ve found several types of off grid cookware that have stood the test of time. 

Cast iron cookware

Cast iron is by far the best off grid cookware to ...

With modern technology, we have become accustomed to convenient, instant, on-demand communication. We have instant access to more knowledge and information than ever before. We use our smart phones to instantly communicate with someone on the other side of the planet.  But what would you do if the communications network went down? Furthermore, what would you do if the grid went down? Is it possible to communicate without the grid? The short answer is yes. Therefore, the purpose of this post is to introduce different forms of off grid communication.  

Why off grid communication is important

There is example after example of local weather events or disasters when the entire local grid went down. (I’ve had personal experience with this more than once. ) Thousands, if not millions of people were without basic services. Additionally, they had no ability to communicate with anyone. These situations is what has spurred the development of some of the off grid communication devices introduced...

When I started living off the grid in 1996, my technology options were limited.  However, since that time, there have been many advances that make an off grid life much easier.  This is especially true when it comes to off grid refrigeration. Not only have appliances become much more efficient but there are also many more options. Two of the most common options for off-grid refrigeration are propane and electric. But how do you choose?

The decision between these two appliances should begin with a comparison of efficiency and the long term cost of operation. For the sake of comparison, I will discuss the energy consumption of an 8 to 10 cubic foot refrigerator. Household refrigerators range in size from 8 to 30 cubic feet.  An 8 to 10 cubic foot unit is sufficient for two people. Add about one cubic foot for each additional family member. 

Now let’s get started with our choices for off grid refrigeration.

Propane refrigerator

Unlike the electric refrigerator which uses a coolant, th...

Living off grid is fun and challenging. If you are so motivated, you can find creative ways to take care of all of your basic necessities.  Of course, one of life’s basic necessities is cooking, food storage, and maintaining a safe and sanitary food supply.  How do you cook off grid? How do you keep fresh food easily available?  Fortunately, there are numerous high efficiency off grid appliances.  Consequently, this makes it easy to prepare meals and have reliable efficient refrigeration. 

In today’s world there are various choices for off grid appliances. This is great because it makes living off the grid that much easier.    

Off grid cook stove 

If you are living off grid, there are numerous options for cooking meals.  The most energy efficient means is using an off grid appliance that requires a solid fuel source. This is especially true if you are producing your own electricity.  

An electric stove draws a huge about of energy.  The estimated energy that a stove top element wi...