11 Things I’d Want On An Off Grid Property
Going off grid is becoming more and more popular now a days - and for good reason. Being able to care for yourself and your family without depending on outside variables has its advantages. If I were going to create the perfect off grid homestead, these are the things I’d have on my non-negotiable check list:
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Water is a basic need and if anything were to happen with any kind of natural or man made disaster, having access to a lot of water that you could use to hydrate your animals or filter for your own hydration or sanitation needs is a must! Running water is an added bonus. For friends in the city, consider where your closest water ways are.
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Most wells nowadays use a water pump that runs on electricity to keep water pressure flowing into homes. Having a manual water pump allows you to still access the water in your well without utilizing power. If you live in the city and don’t currently have a well - look into your guidelines and see if you can have one dug. You’d be surprised how easy it is to get one dug (assuming not many people on your street have one because too many houses on wells too close together will cause for the water table to decrease).
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Hot water is a luxury that I like to have around… for this reason we were able to cross this one off of our off grid wishlist. Jason rigged up a RV water heater to our water lines and has a solar panel charging a 12v battery which creates hot water, regardless of a functioning power grid. Win!
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Having somewhere to dispose of human waste in a way that won’t cause bacterial growth and sanitation issues is a big win! There are lots of ways to create a compostable toilet - there are tons of DIY tutorials on YouTube that you can look into to see which method suits your needs best. The one Jason and I are considering building uses leaves as a compostable material and is low maintenance.
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Using large water totes that are positioned off of the ground, you can create a gravity fed water source (with the help of your manual water pump) to provide large amounts of water for animals and people. Note, this water does need to be circulated and used as water isn’t meant to be stored long term in a stagnant from. Using the water and pumping new water into the system manually will help keep the system moving.
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Some source of power if there is no power is extremely valuable! By utilizing natural power, you’re able to tap into modern conveniences that won’t be obsolete without a grid. Focus on working smarter, not harder without modern conveniences. Just because you CAN do something that requires your strength to make it happen, doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Conserve your reserves and get creative with using your resources!
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A way to wash and hang your laundry is a must and the wringer system makes that so much easier!
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Having a place to store your canned food items, root vegetables, and cheeses are a luxury on a homestead! Not all areas are appropriate for a root cellar, but if you live in an area that is - it’s a must have for long term food preservation. In warmer climates you will have to get creative with your storage options and optimize shade/ coolness.
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I mentioned a water source and pump - but if you don’t have any way of filtering the water you have access to, you can be in some serious trouble with bacteria. I recommend the Berkey water system or a life straw to filter any water source in an off grid situation. Boiling water is another option for killing possible contaminants in water (which can be done over a fire). Securing your water is one of the most important preps you can make on your off grid oasis.
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Eating is essential to living - creating a large garden and orchard will provide a food source for the people and the animals on the homestead. We’ll take it a step further to add that adding a compost bin or vermicomposting with worms will help you become even more self sufficient (and successful) with your garden and orchards. I would also encourage you to look into hugelkultur gardening as well to maximize natural resources and composting.
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Having dried, pre-cut firewood is a must have for an off grid situation. It’s what you’ll use for cooking and heating your area. One thing worth noting is that a wood burning stove is worth its weight in gold when it’s cold inside of a house in the dead of winter with no electricity. Map out your plan for where you will source your wood. Do you have enough on your land that will serve you for your winter needs or will you need to source wood from somewhere? Planning ahead is going to set you up for success with most things off grid!