Living off the Grid

Would you try to live off the grid, in a self-sustaining lifestyle?

  • Yes

    Votes: 29 64.4%

  • No

    Votes: 13 28.9%

  • Other

    Votes: 3 6.7%
  • Total voters
    45
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.
Without knowing too much about the particular situation you're referring to, I'd say no. I'm sympathetic with the off-the-grid, self-sufficient folks, but I think that it would be hard to engage and be a light to your neighbours, when your only neighbours are black bears and racoons. :2cents:
 
ericfromcowtown said:
but I think that it would be hard to engage and be a light to your neighbours, when your only neighbours are black bears and racoons. :2cents:
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That is why I mentioned the ability to participate in the local church. Living way off in the wilderness would be hard to completely reconcile with the need to preach Christ. Living "off the grid" but close enough to be a member of the community (which maybe contradicts the whole idea), is what I had in mind.
 
sans nom said:
ericfromcowtown said:
but I think that it would be hard to engage and be a light to your neighbours, when your only neighbours are black bears and racoons. :2cents:
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That is why I mentioned the ability to participate in the local church. Living way off in the wilderness would be hard to completely reconcile with the need to preach Christ. Living "off the grid" but close enough to be a member of the community (which maybe contradicts the whole idea), is what I had in mind.
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Okay. What I had in mind was a number of families living off the grid and sharing a small church, but without much interaction with the wider community. When I think "off the grid" I visualize a farm way out in "the boonies" without daily interaction with the world, but I guess it could look different.
 
I can appreciate the novelty of living off the grid or for that matter living off the land. But I'm a city boy. I like being around people, I like convenience stores, and most of all I like running HOT WATER! Ha! Ha!
 
Sure. I lived off-grid in the past. I never thought it was a big deal. I still had friends and talked to neighbors at least once a week. But I lived in a wide valley and you could see your neighbors out and about, even if they were 4 or 5 miles away.

I know of some people who live off-grid in the suburbs. It's really more a matter of technology than anything else, these days.
 
It's like camping: all of the time.

Awesome. I'd totally be down for it.

When the government fails because of how bloated and liberal its getting (pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered), we should set up an off the grid community somewhere pleasant, near a river.
 
Zenas said:
It's like camping: all of the time.

Awesome. I'd totally be down for it.

When the government fails because of how bloated and liberal its getting (pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered), we should set up an off the grid community somewhere pleasant, near a river.
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Oh sure! Mr. I Wanna Be a Lawyer. You want to live off the grid??? The only reason for attorneys is to be the WD40 for lubricating the grid, the bubble wrap for packing books in packages mailed in the grid, the condiments on the table spread by the grid, the Bose noise reducing earphones that make life on the grid bearable. How can an aspiring young "shark," "slime ball," "puke sack," "ambulance chasing" "mouth piece" develop "black robe disease," become a "dump truck," get involved in a "wobbler," or plead a "SODDI defense" if you are off the grid??? I thought attorneys were the grid!

[No offense, Andrew. Just teasing you a little. One of sons is an attorney, my brother teaches in a law school, my brother-in-law is an attorney, as was my wife's only uncle.]
 
Everyone who's posted here except Vic would go crazy in one month.

I did it in Africa and PNG, when I was young an disciplined, and had lots of cheap labor. But now, one of the reasons I work so hard is so I don't have to live like a primitive serf.

Talking about crawling back into the slime......
 
I was born plugged into the Matrix. Morpheus offered me the red pill and I told him to go jump in a lake.
 
TimV said:
Everyone who's posted here except Vic would go crazy in one month.

I did it in Africa and PNG, when I was young an disciplined, and had lots of cheap labor. But now, one of the reasons I work so hard is so I don't have to live like a primitive serf.

Talking about crawling back into the slime......
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:lol: Tim, my idea of living off-grid these days includes investing about $200k in solar panels, wind and water generators, and having a hot spring on the property and a little 200hp 4WD tractor to do the garden work. It would be fine. ;)
 
Tim, my idea of living off-grid these days includes investing about $200k in solar panels, wind and water generators, and having a hot spring on the property and a little 200hp 4WD tractor to do the garden work. It would be fine.
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So it wasn't exactly Walden pond? :lol:
 
TimV said:
Everyone who's posted here except Vic would go crazy in one month.

I did it in Africa and PNG, when I was young an disciplined...
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Please don't assume you know all of us so well.

victorbravo said:
Tim, my idea of living off-grid these days includes investing about $200k in solar panels, wind and water generators, and having a hot spring on the property and a little 200hp 4WD tractor to do the garden work. It would be fine
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Not quite what I had in mind. The guy in the video didn't seem to have it that rough. Granted it was probably fairly pricey, but would be great to get away from the traffic again.
 
TimV said:
Tim, my idea of living off-grid these days includes investing about $200k in solar panels, wind and water generators, and having a hot spring on the property and a little 200hp 4WD tractor to do the garden work. It would be fine.
Click to expand...

So it wasn't exactly Walden pond? :lol:
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Well, my 25 year ago off-grid experience was sort of like Walden Pond (which actually is what inspired me). In winter I chipped ice for water, in summer I farmed rented ground. Slaughtered my own beef and ate deer, and grew beans.

I didn't even have a desire for electricity back then. Oil lamp, woodstove, and an old piano. Fairly pleasant days all in all.

sans nom said:
victorbravo said:
Tim, my idea of living off-grid these days includes investing about $200k in solar panels, wind and water generators, and having a hot spring on the property and a little 200hp 4WD tractor to do the garden work. It would be fine
Click to expand...

Not quite what I had in mind. The guy in the video didn't seem to have it that rough. Granted it was probably fairly pricey, but would be great to get away from the traffic again.
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Actually, for around $15,000-$25,000, you could have a pretty decent power system that would run about everything most people need. It takes a bit of power management, but not at all harsh. That's what I meant by it being a matter of technology these days.
 
If I have Cable TV and Internet, would I still be off the grid? Maybe phone? Powered by my off the grid electrical system, while drinking well water?
 
Grymir said:
If I have Cable TV and Internet, would I still be off the grid? Maybe phone? Powered by my off the grid electrical system, while drinking well water?
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Why not? The guy in the video had a cell phone, and a microwave...Not sure that it would be as enjoyable as getting rid of all of these leashes.
 
TimV said:
Everyone who's posted here except Vic would go crazy in one month.

I did it in Africa and PNG, when I was young an disciplined, and had lots of cheap labor. But now, one of the reasons I work so hard is so I don't have to live like a primitive serf.

Talking about crawling back into the slime......
Click to expand...

Amen,

I had enough "camping" in the army and enough lack of technology and fellowship right now...and I DO feel a bit LOONY :p:duh: at times (see this months posts......)


I make every effort to stay connected and even buy very expensive gadgets to keep me ON the grid! (researching satellite systems at present)


Mr Slimey
 
Last edited:
Grymir said:
victorbravo said:
Grymir said:
If I have Cable TV and Internet, would I still be off the grid? Maybe phone? Powered by my off the grid electrical system, while drinking well water?
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No, you'd be heterodox. But I'd let you in my neighborhood anyway. ;)
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:lol: heterodox :lol: Now that's funny!
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Heterodox? Hmmmmm. :think: I KNEW that Barth stuff would get to you eventually!

Actually, Tim would probably do the best of any of us with his ability to make tasty food.
 
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