According to a recent study, it’s predicted that by 2035, 12% of U.S. households will be completely off-the-grid.
These off-the-grid households don’t depend on utility companies or other basic services.
And one incredible story about living off-the-grid is about a man named Dick P.
Dick was born in 1930 in a small town in Iowa and grew up spending a great deal of time outdoors camping, hiking, and fishing.
He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and after returning home he worked odd jobs, including as a carpenter.
In 1968, he decided to live a simpler life.
With his carpentry and outdoor skills, Dick moved to the wilderness of Lake Clark National Park in Alaska.
He settled in the Twin Lakes area in a remote part of the National Park where there was no running water and no electricity.
With simple tools like an ax, hammer, and nails, Dick started building a cabin.
After building his cabin, he made furniture and other basic items to ensure he could survive.
For food, he fished, hunted, and foraged for everything he needed. He ate things like wild berries, plants, trout, and salmon.
He also constructed a smokehouse to preserve fish and other meat. Plus, he created a root cellar to store food he would need during the winter.
When it was harder to find food in the winter, he would trap animals such as squirrels and rabbits.
His daily activities were dictated by the harsh weather and the needs of survival.
He kept a detailed journal of his activities and things such as weather patterns and animal activity.
During the winter, he mostly spent his time in his cabin crafting and writing.
Occasionally, he would accept visits from his brother and other family, but otherwise he was largely cut off from the outside world.
He was precise in his planning and always made sure that his cabin was ready for the harsh conditions of Alaska.
Dick lived alone in his cabin for over 30 years.
Sadly, he was eventually forced to leave his cabin due to poor health and aging.
He moved to Kodiak, Alaska where he lived until his death.
But his cabin still stands today in Lake Clark National Park.
Dick’s life stands as a testament that truly living off-the-grid and being self-reliant is possible with the right skills and land to survive.
But you and I likely don’t have the same amount of land to use as he did.
Which begs the question: How much land do you need to live off-the-grid and be self-reliant?
Truthfully, there is no set requirement for you to live off-the-grid, and homesteads come in all shapes and sizes.
So, here are a few things to help you prepare to live off-the-grid no matter what amount of land you have to work with.
Typical home/apartment:
In a typical home, you might not have room for chickens or other types of farm animals.
Since raising farm animals isn’t an option you should stock up meat from local farmers.
Another idea is to raise small animals such as rabbits, which can be raised indoors.
These animals could serve as a last resort during a survival situation.
In addition, I would find local resources for meat, milk, and eggs that will be easier to stock up on compared to going to the store.
Also, if you don’t have land, it’s difficult to have a garden. Instead, you can grow things like herbs in windowsills or on a patio.
Plus, it’s worth checking to see if there is a community garden near your house which could be used to build up a supply of food before disaster strikes.
3-5 acres:
A few acres of land can open up a lot of homesteading opportunities.
For example, you can raise animals such as chickens and goats.
Plus, you will have plenty of room for a garden.
One thing I would consider adding to a typical garden is a greenhouse.
This will extend your growing season considerably by protecting your crops from bugs and bad weather.
If you have a few acres, another source of food I would consider is fruit trees.
It doesn’t have to be huge but even a few trees of each variety can produce plenty of fruit for your family.
10+ acres:
When you think of someone who is completely off-the-grid you might think of people with hundreds of acres in the middle of nowhere.
But the truth is, 10 acres or more is plenty of room for most folks.
With at least 10 acres there is enough room for a water feature such as a pond.
A pond is a big deal when it comes to survival.
You have a water source that you can filter water from, and you can stock it with fish to use as a food source.
Another great thing about this amount of property is that it allows for more buildings.
For instance, you can have a barn, greenhouse, and cellar for food storage.
Now, the reality is that no matter how much or how little land you have there are ways to be off-the-grid.
The best thing to do is to figure out what fits your family.
If you live in a downtown apartment there are still ways to be less reliable on services, and if you have a bunch of acres the possibilities are endless.
