9 Off-Grid Essentials
Starting with the Basics
It wasn’t that long ago that we were all ‘off grid’. Living without electricity or water plumbed to our homes was the norm. Many of our parents and grandparents remember using an outhouse, carrying water, and being without electricity. Moving off-grid is hardly some new, trendy and radical idea. To me it’s more like a step back.
Being off-grid is to be independent of public utilities; anything provided and regulated by governing bodies to our homes, usually for a fee. I mainly think of it as the power grid, but it could also mean water, gas or other utilities. I believe that a big part of why people choose to go off-grid is to learn to provide for themselves. Being disenfranchised with ‘the system’ and feeling the urge to be more self-sufficient in case if it fails.
My 9 Essentials for Off-Grid Life
Water Purification
Life is much more difficult when you have a source of water but no efficient way to purify it. After trying a few different systems, a gravity-fed ceramic filter wins. You can put collected rainwater or river water into it. It sits on the counter and has an 8L capacity. Water flows through the filters slowly, at a litre an hour - so some patience is required.
Saws and Axes
You could use a handsaw, but for me a gas chainsaw is best. The trees here are huge. They would take too long to cut into rounds with a hand saw. With a chainsaw come some tools for maintenance and sharpening. Also, a good axe for splitting, and a heavier maul for bigger rounds are musts off-grid.
Leave a comment below of essential things you’d add to your essential list!
Stove - Wood or Gas
The wood stove warms the house nicely but I can’t cook on it, without making my house way too hot. For cooking and baking I have a propane two-burner stove and oven. As much as I’d like to get away from fossil fuels - it’s been awesome. Cast iron cookery for a wood stove or cooking over a fire is a must. Non-stick coatings are to be avoided if you’re cooking over a fire. The coatings burn easily at higher temperatures.
Kettle, coffee-making stuffs
I love my morning coffee. When I wake up I’m excited to start the day with a cozy fire and a warm cup. I’ve used two different electricity-free methods. A pour over carafe is a great way to make a whole pot of coffee, though I found it to be challenging when half asleep. A french press is the simplest way to go - easy to clean and makes an excellent cup of coffee.
Blankets and Clothes
A good down blanket and a heavy wool blanket are my musts. Do you remember those Hudsons Bay blankets? I have the Eaton’s version (thank you, Rose) On nights that We’ve neglected to stoke the fire, we pull the wool blanket up to our ears and stay toasty warm all night long.
A few years ago I bought some merino wool base layers and now I’m hooked. They’re lightweight, stink-resistant, warm and moisture-wicking. Wool usually makes me itchy, but this stuff doesn’t. All of my base layers and socks are merino now. I highly recommend it!
New technology in clothing is awesome but I’ve been finding that traditional materials work better and last longer. I’ve recently found that my lambskin gloves are way warmer than anything else I’ve used.
Shower
I have an on-demand propane water heater that works well - when it works. I hope that I’ve encountered all of its quirks. In the future I hope to play with copper coils to heat water. So, I can tell you that a shower is essential, but I can’t say with sureness what works best… yet.
Lights
I tried kerosene lights. They were beautiful, dim, and STINKY. I do not recommend them. I now use solar string lights for most of the house and some low-wattage lights in specific areas. A rechargeable headlamp is a must for when you need to go out in the dark. Rechargeable lights over battery operated are crucial for two reasons;
1) The obvious environmental implications of throwing away batteries all of the time.
2) Batteries die in the cold. Keeping your stash of AAs warm all winter is a pain.
Generator, Solar, Power Storage
A small solar-powered system is a huge asset. We have a tiny 600-watt panel array that powers our day-to-day nicely. It runs the kitchen faucet, charges lights, runs wifi, charges devices, and a little more on a good day. The inverter can put out as much as 1000 watts, which is not enough to power a 16 cup coffee maker 😔
When we need more power, like when the sun hasn’t been out for days or we’re building something, the gas generator does the job. It’s a whisper-quiet efficient generator and runs the saws and higher draw equipment. On those days while running the generator, I make sure to put on a pot of coffee - just for good measure.
A Journal
There’s something about slightly mundane tasks in a beautiful place that just calms the mind. I do a lot of my thinking while making kindling. Calmly splitting pieces of wood smaller and smaller until I realize that I’ve made matchsticks. Stopping to watch birds fly by and listening to the breeze through the aspen. The many tasks or chores that need to be done affords time to be introspective. I like having a record of those thoughts, ideas and feelings to look back on later.
Honourable Mentions
This is a basic list of things that are a must in my opinion for my style of off grid living. Of course, there are lots of other things that can make off-grid life easier. For example, I’ve found buckets are handy for a multitude of things. For who-knows-what, a couple of different kinds of rope are good to have. I like to have firearms around, but bear spray would suffice. Also, there are other ways of living off grid.
For me, being off the grid is about more than being disenfranchised by ‘the system’. It’s about embracing an older and more self-reliant way of life, while still participating in today’s society. I’ve discovered that I supremely enjoy the old ways of doing things. Though more time consuming and somewhat tedious, learning to make as much as possible myself is what I find most fulfilling.
You have come a long ways, so interesting reading your blog Amy. We think of you often
living in the wild…wow🥰
As someone who heated a larger house with wood for almost fifty years I learned a few lessons. Of the many axes and mauls I used, Fiskars splitting axe came out on top by a wide margin. I gave up on using axes and mauls on large rounds because steel wedges work better. My favourite chainsaws were a Stihl 46 and 461 with 28 inch bar. The longer the bar the bigger the wood you can cut but, more importantly, the less bending over you need to do. Always have a back up saw handy. Learn how to wedge a tree over if it isn't leaning the right way or if your bar gets jammed. Skip tooth chains work good for firewood and are quicker to sharpen if you hit a rock or nail. Wear eye and ear protection, and if the wood is dusty dry even a mask. Eye protection is the big one, don't skimp on it. Splitting rounds is a lost art. It would take pages to give you even the basics for safety and efficiency. - but I will supply a few pointers. Always use a large chopping block and put the round you are splitting on the very back so if you have a "pass through" the axe won't keep coming and cut your leg. Find the largest distance between two knots on the round and put your first swing there. Hit the front edge of the round first not the middle. Bend at the waist as you are swinging down on a round. It's safer than standing fully upright. If you are trying to cut green wood and you bury your axe in the round don't try to pull it out by working the handle. Grab a wedge and a maul and just finish the split. Frozen wood splits easier. When I was a kid back east people would use 25 or 30 cords of hard wood a year between their furnace and wood stove and they didn't have the fancy splitting mauls, just worn down cutting axes, so they split there next years wood in winter after the wood froze.