Living Without Electricity On Our 100 Year Old Farm. (stove, alternative energy, buying)

[Forest Breath]

Well, almost one year ago, my fiancé’ and I made the decision to live without electricity. The entire first year of ups, downs and the tragic ending can be found HERE. I am today making the choice to move this adventure to a new thread in a new forum. For a quick update, as I hope to move this forward into our life at the new home, as opposed to dwelling on the current legal situation. For those familiar with the thread and what has occurred this past year, we have not yet reached a settlement, I am hoping it ends soon and we continue the legal battle. BUT…this thread’s focus will be on the choices we have made for our future and what true life is like in a non electric home. I appreciate all of those who have sent thoughts and prayers my way during this ordeal and I look forward to sharing this new road with all of you. So….with that being said…

I close on the 100 year old farm today at 3pm. Yes….in about an hour an a half I will be signing the papers and the old farm will be ours (along with the payments LOL) The first 6 months will be a struggle but with this being said…I begin this new thread on life without electricity on a 100 year old farm.

Today we close and it is bittersweet. I am nervous, anxious and excited and a million other things all in one. We have talked it over and made the choice to continue living without electricity as we have done the past year. By saying “without electricity” I mean NONE…no solar, wind power, alternative energy, nothing…just no electricity. Up until now we have lived with no indoor plumbing as well. However, this old house we are buying has a bathroom, septic and a real bath tub and toilet. LOL We thought about stripping it out and turning the room into a large walk-in closet, but we decided to leave it for company and for times when we choose to use it. We will have to keep a bucket of water by the toilet for use when it needs flushing, and we plan to continue using our outhouse and the chamber pots as needed. The farm is about 14 1/2 acres, mostly flat land with the exception of the hill where the house is. It has a root cellar, old barn, old shed, Spring, several branches (streams) a few fruit trees and needs a lot of love.

The house is wired for electric, but before it can ever be used, it would have to be re-wired and inspected and all that. We don’t plan to get it turned on as long as we are physically able to live like we have chosen, so we are considering pulling out all the copper wiring and selling it for now. Just a thought to help with the down payment on the farm, we are not 100% sure on that yet.

The house is old and comes with those good old fashioned slanted floors and horrid colors. Most of the work is cosmetic. We took inventory and one window needs replaced completely and we need glass in only two other windows in the house. Not bad for an old house that has been abandoned for about a decade. There is one place in the kitchen, where the wood cook stove will be, that will need more support under the floor. The root cellar needs a roof and the Spring needs a good cleaning. But…today we begin, cleaning, prepping, painting, fixing, planting and bringing the old farm back to life. Totally non electric, as self sufficient as possible (which when I was younger meant just working hard and getting by) and I will have tons of questions for those who have gone through this or have the knowledge to fix things of the broken nature. I will post before an after pictures of everything (just don’t pass out when you see the kitchen as it is now). So we begin…a new home, a new farm, a new outlook and continuing the non electric life we have chosen, the life we love.

[PaulNKS]

FB,

I am glad to see you post again. I was wondering what was happening or how the last couple weeks had gone.

It's good to move on. I think you will be happy with this new place. I have been off-grid (solar) since 1998. I have been around cattle and livestock all my life having grown up on a ranch. I have been homesteading since about 1992. I build my own cabin, etc. and most of what I consume is raised here which includes, dairy, poultry, beef, pork, vegetables, etc. I can and dehydrate through the summer and spend $20 or less per month at the grocery store. I just don't want to live without coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, and toilet paper! LOL

Good luck, and I will continue to follow your story.

PaulNKS

[ATXIronHorse]

You might want to note that your post on city-data comes courtesy of our friend electricity.

Seriously, why intentionally deny yourself modern conveniences designed to improve life? Plenty of people in the 3rd world would give their first born to have some of those basic luxuries.

[harry chickpea]

FB, congratulations.

ATXIronhorse, FB went into that in some detail on an earlier thread. Her computer is at work. The debate over having electricity and not probably could use a different thread. One thing to consider - people today get about 7 hours of sleep, and a recent study shows that they spend an average of 8 hours a day in front of a computer screen, tv screen, or other screen. That leaves 9 hours to experience life. Deduct an hour for computing, and more hours for other mundane tasks, and suddenly that friend electricity can be the guard of a prison that keeps you away from first-hand experience.

FB has a unique vision, and is a lot braver than most folks. While I would not choose her path as a first choice, I have a lot of respect for what she is attempting.

[PaulNKS]

Originally Posted by harry chickpea

FB, congratulations.

ATXIronhorse, FB went into that in some detail on an earlier thread. Her computer is at work. The debate over having electricity and not probably could use a different thread. One thing to consider - people today get about 7 hours of sleep, and a recent study shows that they spend an average of 8 hours a day in front of a computer screen, tv screen, or other screen. That leaves 9 hours to experience life. Deduct an hour for computing, and more hours for other mundane tasks, and suddenly that friend electricity can be the guard of a prison that keeps you away from first-hand experience.

FB has a unique vision, and is a lot braver than most folks. While I would not choose her path as a first choice, I have a lot of respect for what she is attempting.

I agree with you chickpea. Not only that, but maybe FB doesn't feel like she's giving up anything but gaining everything. Being solar, I have given up nothing but I sure enjoy the independence and putting money in my pocket that ordinarily go to the utility companies. And.... my computer runs from electricity that I produce here at home. But the phone company pays the bill for the electric that runs their phones and DSL.

What would FB do if she had electricity and lived like everyone else? She might come home after working all day. Eat supper, sit in front of the TV till bedtime. Sleep. Go to work. Come home, sit in front of TV until bedtime. Sleep. Go to work..... What kind of life is that? I would much prefer FB's life of less stress and more work and more meaningful activities than a life enslaved to the utilities and evening TV.

PaulNKS

[Pam& Bill]

FB,
Congratulations! What wonderful news to hear you close on the farm today! I wish you well on this new venture and hope this next year heals the wounds from last year. I can't wait to see pics.
Harry Chickpea, you are right and wise as usual. I agree FB has a unique vision and one I wouldn't choose personally as a first choice. But I have much respect for her for staying true to her dream and sharing the ups and downs of this journey she is on.
Pam

[hiknapster]

I have two things to write or "say."

First of all, congratulations! It is wonderful!

Second of all, awhile back I had to walk away from this forum because I was badly hurt. Do you know what I would do? I would sneak back just to see how you were doing. I was that worried.

Glad to see your thread is over here and you are where you want to be. Yahoo!

[Ode]

Congrats on the "new" old house, and I hope your experiences there work out much better than they did at the other place. You put in so much work there that it made me tired just thinking of the amount of time and effort you spent there! I am looking forward to reading about y our new adventures here, good luck and many blessings on your new abode.

[joe moving]

That is the life I live and loathe. Eat sleep work, TV. At least the TV is free.

i wonder how much wiring is really worth when i hear about you talking aboutselling it and people stripping it from houses.

I could wire our entire house on a few hundred bucks, and that is new/retail Romex.

[marmac]

FB--------be sure to check with the owner for permission to pull all the wiring out of the house. ( I believe you stated the wiring would be used to come up with the --down payment.)