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Many folks here and around Fence Lake are "off grid".
Harvest rain and snow for water.
Great area for wind power also.
HW
It's funny that no one seems to recall today that MOST people like ranchers, farmers and homesteaders once lived by their wits. Even well into the 20th century, many ranches were totally self sufficient when it came to such things as providing power, well water etc. It wasn't until mid-century that "rural electrification" became available to remote locales.
Quote:
Rural Electrification Administration (REA), is one of the New Deal agencies created under PresidentFranklin Delano Roosevelt. The REA was created on May 11, 1935 with the primary goal of promoting rural electrification.[1] In the 1930s, the U.S. lagged significantly behind Europe in providing electricity to rural areas due to the unwillingness of power companies to serve farmsteads.
Today we talk about it as if we're not reinventing the wheel - which IMO we are!
Now that's a really interesting rig! I gather you "engineered" it yourself?
Yep, it's foam, 1x2s, 1/10th inch plywood, and fiberglass. Quite light, plus well insulated. Unfortunately I only got to use that one for 4 years before my now wife persuaded me to settle down... it was way more deluxe than the one I made before.
I am wondering if there is acreage there for sale or if there is some other catch. I personally would feel more comfortable living around mentally ill veterans than those considered stable Americans. Seem to me stable Americans who have never served their country lack in responsibility to their neighbors.
I visited the Mesa at Two peaks last summer. My daughter and husband just graduated from college and purchased 10 acres and a post and beam home on the mesa. There are a few young people beginning to move out there. The neightbors are very accepting and friendly. There is currently land for sale. The views are spectacular, the air is clean with the smell of sage. It is close to the Taos Ski Valley and snow boarding is popular.
Sounds like the community called Earthship? You should be able to google it.
I was there, you see them from the highway going across "that scary bridge" on our way to Chama, NM. Very colorful and they seemed like very large earth sheltered homes. I had google it once and there is actually one that is set up as a B & B. I kind of wanted to stay in it once to see what actually being off the grid was.
We are looking in Southwest Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and
similar areas which have comfortable climates year round. ...
We are looking for a riverfront property with 100 acres +
Yup.
If I was looking for such things, I'd post in the New Mexico forum.
Summertime in Mississippi. It just doesn't get any more comfortable than that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sagi139
So if you love nature, scenery and are interested in being a part
of this community with your help, please respond to this ad.
Also, if you have gobs of cash to throw away on such a venture,
this it the place to do it. Land isn't free.
Hi to Grace Rose and others reading this. Taos Mesa (usually referred to as "the Mesa" by everyone in the Northern NM area, and occasionally called "Two Peaks" or "Three Peaks"/"Tres Pietras"/"TP", depending upon which unit or part of it someone is referring to) is in fact located *northwest* of the town of Taos proper. I have a group of several friends who live out there, and I go up there myself and visit them at least three times a month during the early spring through late autumn months...almost never in the winter because I hate driving in snow, and the Mesa roads are not paved and that area frequently gets pummeled with ice and snow. You need a 4-wheel-drive vehicle or a Subaru or something like that if you want to be sure you're not going to tear off your muffler or some other part of your car.
I watched the film "Off the Grid" and was disappointed that it didn't address the type of people I associate with out there in the least: my friends are almost all younger (late 20s-mid or late 30s) artists who bought land out there and then all helped each other build houses on their property, similar to a Quaker barn-raising, except each house took about 2-3 months instead of just one day, as the Quakers insist on. These houses range from "sturdy'n'funky" to modest to being practically in shambles. Most have a large main room at the bottom and a sleeping loft on top. (One friend has a trapeze swing hanging from her high ceiling for her children -- and fun-loving friends -- to play on!) Everyone also builds an outhouse too. Whenever someone in my group who owns a house out on the Mesa is going away for a period of time, they almost always let a friend who is traveling through or is in between places to stay house-sit for them, which means there's usually a great variety of young artistic minds getting together and sharing ideas, having great parties, making music, creating paintings, sculpture, mosaics, and more, and just living life as it's supposed to be lived: peaceful and inspired, and without the threat of an ever-encroaching police state hanging over you. I treasure every moment I spend out there and am currently in negotiations to buy one friend's place and piece of land.
The road that leads to the main units of the Mesa is a turnoff (I'm not saying which side of the road it's on, or how far it is! from the highway after you cross over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. The Earthship community, while certainly unique enough in itself, is an EXTREMELY different place and should not be confused with the footloose, anything-goes, "naked yoga on your front porch at dawn is not unusual" vibe of Two Peaks...Earthship homes sell for at least $200k and up, and are definitely worth it, while the Mesa is more about "getting back to basics" and I can't fathom anyone paying more than an absolute maximum of $50k for a large piece of land with a very solid house on it (which kind of goes against the whole principle of the place...most of my friends didn't spend more than $7k for their homesteads, showing that you can have your own slice of land and a home for FAR less than what a mortgage would cost you in the "other" world.)
The town of Arroyo Seco, which is close by but located to the northeast of Taos proper, is becoming very popular with many younger people (the Seco Pearl is one fine establishment that not only sells artwork by up and coming young artists, but also teaches sewing lessons and hosts a lot of music nights with bands from all over the US playing.) Every year there is a 4th of July parade there with everyone in that area dressed up, and in the last few years there has been "The Mad Hatter's Tea Party", which is a lot of fun for kids and adults alike to get decked out in outlandish costumes for.
If you do decide to head out to Taos Mesa, please remember that there are some rules to be followed: bring your own food and water as well as WARM blankets and clothing; don't trespass on ANYONE'S property (or you might find yourself with a bullet lodged in some part of your body, and the police won't venture out there); be polite and don't ask people you don't know too many questions, and understand it's almost like going onto an Indian reservationbecause this is sacred land to a certain group of people, so you should respect it. The best thing to do if you're not sure how to get out there is to look for someone who dresses "differently" (and having dreadlocks is a very good indicator here) at either a coffee shop or a grocery store in the town of Taos, and politely approach them, introduce yourself telling them where you're from, and ask if they might be willing to take you out there and show you around. Almost all the people I've ever met out there are very kind and open-minded so they should be receptive to this. Alternatively, if you're a bit more of a daredevil, you can always pick up a hitchhiker who looks funky and has a unique style either south of Taos or in town, because most likely they're headed out to the Mesa and probably wouldn't mind letting you hang out with them for at least a few hours if you give them a ride out there.
most of my friends didn't spend more than $7k for their homesteads, showing that you can have your own slice of land and a home for FAR less than what a mortgage would cost you in the "other" world.)
That sounds great... wish I could interest the wife in such a place.
Do you know if these folks are buying legal title to the land or just squatting and staking out boundaries?
Dh and I watched this documentary last night, to get another perspective on NM before relocating. In teresting group of folks living out there......
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from the highway after you cross over the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge. The Earthship community, while certainly unique enough in itself, is an EXTREMELY different place and should not be confused with the footloose, anything-goes, "naked yoga on your front porch at dawn is not unusual" vibe of Two Peaks...Earthship homes sell for at least $200k and up, and are definitely worth it, while the Mesa is more about "getting back to basics" and I can't fathom anyone paying more than an absolute maximum of $50k for a large piece of land with a very solid house on it (which kind of goes against the whole principle of the place...most of my friends didn't spend more than $7k for their homesteads, showing that you can have your own slice of land and a home for FAR less than what a mortgage would cost you in the "other" world.) 
