Living off the grid stands out with how rewarding it is. It attracts many preppers towards such a pursuit.
Even so, it also is a challenge, especially if this is something you haven’t tried before. It attracts many due to how it eliminates expenses and other sources of stress in urban life.
If you plan to live in the woods, this is a necessity if you need electricity. Today, we will look at how to live off the grid in the woods. We will look at the essentials that you need and how you can get started with that setup.
Picking the Right Location
In living off the grid in the woods, you need the right location to do so. Rural areas lend well to this setup as it provides you a good spot to isolate compared to the big city. Depending on the region you are in, you would have to take note of some considerations before doing this.
You have to take note of these pointers in picking a location. First, the spot you pick is at least a tank of gas from a highway.
Make sure to also research natural disasters that frequently befall the area. This also includes the less-common yet probable ones.
Other areas to consider include the laws in the area. Such as matters on hunting and firearm possession. There is also the matter of water and sunlight, which we can cover later on.
When you consider many of these details, it leaves you a good handful of states to start with. You can check out this list of recommended states to help you kickstart your search.
Transportation
We mentioned how you need transportation in living off the grid. This is a major necessity especially when you need to go on supply trips to the nearest town shops.
It also helps when going around your property. With this in mind, you need to pick a vehicle that you can maintain and repair with a basic set of hand tools.
For this, 4×4 trucks lend well to this purpose. Older trucks that you can service using a basic set of hand tools should work well for you. Brands you should look into are the American made brands like Ford and GM.
In snowy areas, you would need a snowmobile as your secondary vehicle. There are situations when the snow may pose problems for your truck.
For those circumstances, a snowmobile can help you traverse areas with ease. A cross-country sled also works well in such an environment, if you plan to save up on gas.
For transport when you plan to travel light, you can opt to go with motorcycles. They don’t use up much gas and are not a hassle to repair. Bicycles also work well as it can help you burn calories in the process.
Electricity
If you plan to include electricity into your homestead, finding a renewable source of energy is a priority. Solar power stands out as a system perfect for such situations. For this to work, however, you need to find an area where you have ample amounts of sunlight during the daytime.
For this, you can use the equipment at Powered Portable Solar to get you a viable source of electricity for your homestead. What this one has is a portable source of power, perfect for use with RVs if you plan to live off the grid on such a setup.
For something akin to a cabin in the woods, you will need a more stable and stationary set up to generate the power you need. This should let you set up the needed amount of power to use electrical appliances and have ample lighting in your home.
Water System
You also need to secure a water system for your homestead when you go off the grid. Make sure to take note of the water sources when scouting for a location to set up your homestead.
Among the systems you would encounter for this include well water, springs, and rainwater. You also need to consider how you should store up your water and how to secure sources of running water.
Food Sources
Securing food sources is a must in living off the grid. Among these, growing crops is a must. For this, you need to look into the ideal climates for producing a variety of foods essential for you to have enough to eat. This would need you to know which crops to grow in which season to have a renewable source of food.
Other sources include hunting, fishing, and domesticating animals. Shopping is also a fitting setup since there is nothing barring you from engaging in commerce. The only thing that keeps you off the grid is in terms of power and water sources.
Why Go Off the Grid In the First Place?
There are many reasons why you would live off the grid and any of these might be the ones that would push you to do so. It could be to escape the hustle and bustle of a conventional lifestyle.
You might even choose to go off-grid to help you cut down living expenses. Finding the safest spot when disasters strike is also a logical reason.
Preppers tend to take the last reason as their main motive for living off the grid. Taking this setup would have you separated from society, where you can do things on your own. This also means you need to take note of some aspects of preparing for an off-the-grid lifestyle.
You need to have your renewable resources handy, such as food and water. We will look at these aspects as we go on. It poses its own set of difficulties but it allows you to adapt to this way of living.
Learn How to Live Off the Grid in the Woods and More
Learning how to live off the grid in the woods entails a lot more elements to it. It poses a challenge to you as it can prove difficult, but it provides a reward that you can enjoy. With it, you can live closer to nature and be able to enjoy your reprieve from the stressful urban life.
Do you want to learn more about living off the grid? Check out more of our guides to better prepare yourself for your new lifestyle!
