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It depends on how you define "off-grid". I've lived 6 months as part of an isolated crew, with no TV, radio, phone, or news beyond weeks-old newspapers and occasional mail-drops. But we had our own water-makers, generators and power grid, along with regular supply ships for food. During a really bad storm, we managed for two weeks with no resupply, but we weren't really self-sufficient. I think one month was the outside limit of our supplies.
So answering the OP's question, I've lived more than 6 months off-grid from the outside world, but it was more like living in a big dorm with great cafeterias and no beer (as far as they knew).
Apparently living off grid is something most have never done. I personally thought we'd have 'more' individuals who actually have some real life experiences, struggles and stories. Hmmmm....
Well all I can say is if that time ever comes ... it'll be baptism by fire.
Yeah. When I was a kid we lived a a house with no electricity. Lived there a couple of years until a huge water oak dang near killed us when it fell on the house during a tornado.
We moved to town after that.
I wouldn't do it again unless I had the money to provide the full array of creature comforts. I don't require all that much, mind you, but it gets hot down where I live. And this week it's going down below 10 degrees.
Apparently living off grid is something most have never done. I personally thought we'd have 'more' individuals who actually have some real life experiences, struggles and stories. Hmmmm....
Well all I can say is if that time ever comes ... it'll be baptism by fire.
It always is.
It's too convenient to just flip a switch and never even think about where it comes from, until it doesn't.
Of course these days you have to consciously make the decision to be off grid because it's everywhere.
Apparently living off grid is something most have never done. I personally thought we'd have 'more' individuals who actually have some real life experiences, struggles and stories. Hmmmm....
Well all I can say is if that time ever comes ... it'll be baptism by fire.
I think it depends on how you define "living" off grid. I'm sure most people have at one point at least gone camping for a few nights "off grid". In some ways that can be more "off grid" than somebody in a cabin with solar power and a lot of modern conveniences. In my younger days I spent a lot of time backpacking in the wilderness. No phone, no radio, no electronics of any kind except a flashlight, maybe only running into other people a few times per day. Harvesting and boiling water along the way, rationing the food I packed.
I wouldn't consider short excursions like that as "living" off grid, but was a lot more off grid than my off-grid neighbors.
I think it depends on how you define "living" off grid. I'm sure most people have at one point at least gone camping for a few nights "off grid". In some ways that can be more "off grid" than somebody in a cabin with solar power and a lot of modern conveniences. In my younger days I spent a lot of time backpacking in the wilderness. No phone, no radio, no electronics of any kind except a flashlight, maybe only running into other people a few times per day. Harvesting and boiling water along the way, rationing the food I packed.
I wouldn't consider short excursions like that as "living" off grid, but was a lot more off grid than my off-grid neighbors.
Well I did say "who has lived off grid for over 6 months" so that would rule out most 'camping' trips. However it's probably also safe to say, most off grid experiences do not involve living in caves or mud huts.
Closest I’ve been I 3 month job with forest service in a tent camp 25 miles from pierce idaho bymdirtmroad. We were fed in. Tent with food cooked in. Tent on wood burning together. We spent ll day alone urceying and spraying white pines on forest service land. We had agenarator from dark to 9 each night. Pretty country for sure and hiking al over with 15 gales of spray got us in good shape. I enjoyed it.
I lived in my truck for 6 years but I lived in a trailer on an acre for about a year and a half while I was saving for electricity. I had a propane heater that I put on a couple hours a day in winter and used a battery-powered camping lamp for light. The stove and oven were propane.
It was OK, but once I got electricity, I never looked back.
Today I have electric heat, inside running water (only when it's above freezing outside and no hot water yet) and a septic system. But I still turn the heat off at night and there are enough times when the power goes out that I'm reminded of how I used to live. I have to say, electricity rocks and I would never voluntarily go back to living off grid unless I had solar power that did for me what electricity does.
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