Awhile back, I was ready to go all-in and be completely off-grid. At the time, my husband seemed ready, but his apprehensions got the best of him before we could make the leap towards off-grid.
So we didn’t go off-grid.
However, I am definitely convicted to move toward the off-grid homesteading life. Over the last few years I’ve been replacing my electronic appliances. I still have my vacuum cleaner, which I don’t use much but don’t know how to replace for certain jobs, and I still have my blender, which I know how to replace but am holding off on for now.
I have so many plans for a garden and orchard and pond for as soon as we can get our hands on a plot of land, but for now, I’ve been doing what I can. I got some rabbits at the beginning of 2020, and I’ve been working on gardening and fermenting for years. I don’t use my clothes’ dryer much (on a blue moon during winter), and I refuse to learn anything that requires the store.
For example, I plan to use the hides from my rabbits. There are tons of videos on the internet about using alum or salt or other store-bought goods to preserve hides, but I kept searching until I found how to traditionally brain-tan hides. If the stores are out of something, it doesn’t matter. I can tan hides without any disruption.
I’ve also been gathering grass so I can feed my rabbits without the store-bought food.
I’m definitely not as independent as I would like to be (nowhere near), but I’m moving towards it. This isn’t meant to be a “look at me, I’m doing the things,” but hopefully this’ll help you think of things that you might want to do.
Frugal Treehugger 