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Unlocking Off-Grid Paradise: Mastering the Art of Location Selection

Embarking on an off-grid journey? Buckle up, because the location you choose might just be the pivot between thriving and barely surviving in your sustainable haven. Finding the right spot isn’t just a choice; it’s a masterstroke in the canvas of off-grid living.

Climate: Your Off-Grid Compass

Picture this: basking in the sun, harvesting energy from the abundant rays. Or, snug inside during chilly winters, relying on stored resources. Climate isn’t just small talk; it’s the cornerstone of your off-grid venture. The sun worshippers would revel in solar power in sun-drenched areas, while wind aficionados might thrive in breezier locales. Always assess how the climate aligns with your energy goals and lifestyle.

Resources: The Off-Grid Buffet

You’re the captain of your self-sufficient ship, and resources are your treasure trove. Water sources – abundant or scarce? Forests – foraging heaven or firewood woes? Land fertility – a potential garden paradise or a barren challenge? Unravel the resources your location offers, ensuring they align with your self-sustaining dreams.

Legal Considerations: Navigating the Off-Grid Maze

Ah, the legal tangle – a less romantic yet vital aspect. Zoning laws, building permits, and property regulations can either smoothen your off-grid sail or tangle it in red tape. Research local laws diligently; they could either support your vision or pose unexpected hurdles.

Accessibility: The Road Less Traveled

Off-grid living often means being off the beaten path. But how off is too off? Accessibility matters – for supplies, emergencies, and even the human need for connection. Balancing remoteness with access to essentials is a delicate art.

Community and Support: Lone Wolves vs. Tribe Seekers

Are you a lone wolf or a tribe seeker? The presence of like-minded individuals in the vicinity can make a world of difference. Sharing knowledge, resources, and occasional bonfires might be just what the off-grid doctor ordered.

In the symphony of off-grid living, the location holds the conductor’s baton, dictating the harmony or discord of your sustainable lifestyle. It’s not just about a spot on the map; it’s about aligning the environment with your off-grid aspirations.

So, aspiring off-gridders, heed this call: evaluate, scrutinize, and choose your off-grid Eden wisely. The right location isn’t just a pin on a map; it’s the cornerstone of your self-sustaining utopia.

Choose. Prepare. Thrive. Welcome to the symphony of off-grid living!…

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November 27, 2023 No Comments
Land

Autonomous village for sale in Colombia

What we are offering…

A unique opportunity to acquire a ready-made Eco-Village / Community farm established over 20 years ago and planted with a variety of fruit trees, medicinal plants of all types; bushes, vines, trees etc.

This farm has been built as a community/Eco-village making it ideal for an eco-community project or as an eco-tourism investment.

It is situated on the edge of the famed “Mazico Colombiano” a scenic highland area where the River Magdalena has its source. This area is home to the internationally recognized World Heritage site of the Statues of San Agustin; hundreds of stone sculptures remains of a pre-Colombian indigenous civilization, on a par with places like Machu Pichu, Peru or Tiwanako in Bolivia, in terms of archeological significance.

The scenery is spectacular in this area with canyons, fast flowing rivers, mountain cloud forests and many more sites of interest for nature lovers.

Despite Colombia’s history of conflict and social unrest, which officially ended in 2015 with the signing of a peace deal between the government and the left-wing guerrillas, the area of San Agustin, Pitalito is peaceful with a vibrant rural economy. It is a center for Sugar Cane and Coffee production, with the coffee beans produced in the area highly recognized for their flavor and aroma.

Furthermore, San Agustin has one of the best local markets for a huge variety of agricultural products of all types from exotic tropical fruits to all kinds of vegetables, beans and grains. There is also a large variety of locally made arts & crafts

Know the area…

San Agustin – Ancestral Center

Photo Gallery

Eco-Village Photos

FURTHER DETAILS…

Access and Transport

The farm itself is situated on a pleasant hillside overlooking abundant coffee plantations. Access is via a secondary road about 2km from the main Pitalito – San Agustin road. The access road is not fully paved but is in a good state of repair and is being constantly improved due to the gestation of the local community.

The main Pitalito – San Agustin road is well serviced by public transport. From Pitalito it is a 10 hour bus journey to Bogota and 4 hours to Neiva the departmental capital.

Climate

Our farm is located at 1400 meters above sea level, in the foothills leading up to the Macizo Colombiano.  The climate is warm and tropical usually with a refreshing breeze thanks to its height.  The dry season is December to February, the wet season is May to July but in reality most of the time there is a good mix or rain and sun. Temperatures are on average between 18 and 22 °C in the day except when there is more rain when it gets cooler. Night-time temperatures rarely drop below 10 °C and often can be pleasantly warm without it ever being uncomfortable.

Housing

The community houses have all been self-built in a variety of …

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July 25, 2023 No Comments
hydrogen powered winery CGI image
Land

Off-Grid farms flourishing in UK – here are two examples

From cucumbers to bees to wine to sheep, there are scores of off-grid farming start-ups in Britain today.

In Kent, permission has been granted for the UK’s first hydrogen-powered winery. The lot is now up for sale for £525,000. If built on the four-and-a-half acre site, to the west of the village of Egerton, the winery would be a UK-first, according to the listing on LoopNet.

In 2019, planning permission was granted to build a modern winery, complete with warehouse, wine shop, tasting room and accommodation. Planning documents from 2019 say that the building, once completed, would be run by an eight-person team, growing to 11, with visitors attending the site occasionally. In 2022, the green light was given to install a specialist hydrogen facility that would power the site all year round – said to be the first of its kind for a winery in the UK.

It would consist of solar panels, steel hydrogen storage tanks and other equipment that would, according to planning documents, allow the facility to be off-grid. However, the site remains empty and has now been put on the market for purchase alongside the granted planning permission. At £525,000 – a price of around £116,000 per acre, the listing describes it as “a freehold development opportunity for an ‘off grid’ viticultural warehouse with additional retail space, storage rooms and offices which could create the perfect self-sufficient package in an area of Kent that is well suited for wine production”.

At the other end of the scale, simplicity is at the heart of the system at Maes Yr Onn, an 81 hectare (200 acre) unit in South Wales.

Breeding mountain sheep is something Arthur Davies has been involved in from a young age. The farm is completely off grid, with power mostly coming from solar panels and a generator for backup, while water supply relies on rain. No forage is made on the farm and Mr Davies does not keep a tractor, with any machinery work needed carried out by contractors.

The  focus is the flock of 180 South Wales Mountain ewes, kept alongside 10 Blue Grey calves that are bought in annually to help manage grassland.  “The main aim is breeding rams, that is what it is all about for me,” Mr Davies says.  “About a dozen are sold in Nelson in the autumn, with excess lambs now sold direct to an abattoir in Caerphilly for Halal.”

The first draw of lambs is taken at the end of June and then weekly when they are fit.” Ewe lambs which meet the breed standard are retained, with others sold at sales or privately in September. “Most of the breed used to be white all over, more like a Talybont Welsh. However, today they are known for their red collars and beards. ”

“They are 50 per cent kemp and 50 per cent wool, then if …

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July 24, 2023 No Comments
Robert Breton in front of treehouse
Land

Hawaii treehouse to escape ‘The Matrix’

Robert Breton left his home in California and moved to Hawaii to ‘escape the Matrix’

He bought a plot of land for $29,850 (£24,215) and built his own two-storey home over a period of two years. He also built a greenhouse and an outhouse.

The self-proclaimed Tarzan has quit his job to live in a treehouse in the jungle in order to “escape the matrix and get in touch with nature”.

Breton, 35, originally from California, moved to Hawaii and built a treehouse with his bare hands, revealing how he “achieved his dream” on TikTok and YouTube.  It’s situated just 5.5ft off the ground, is 20ft tall, 14ft by 14ft and features a functioning sink, mini fridge, shelves, a futon, and a loft that holds the “sleeping quarters”.

Breton uses two solar panels attached outside the house to provide electricity for all his tech, including his phone, his laptop and his TV.

He is also growing his own food and living entirely from rainwater, which he collects off the roof into a large 300-gallon tank, where it gets filtered and sent to faucets inside the home.

The greenhouse is where he grows his own fruits and vegetables, including green beans, broccoli, beets, lettuce, and carrots.

It means he rarely has to take the hour-long walk down to the nearest town to pick up grains and other supplements.

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The outhouse is where he has the bathroom, with a functioning sink, washer, toilet and shower — all using collected rainwater.

Breton makes money from a supplement company he founded along with his social media accounts which have gathered a big following.

He urges others to follow in his footsteps of living off the grid and quit their 9-5 jobs.

Viewers were quick to flock to the comments and share their desire to do the same, with one writing: “One day, that is gonna be me.”

A second quipped: “Beautiful and so peaceful. I hope that one day I will be like you”, while a third added: “Omg dude for real how much would it be to get a similar home to this!”

Others however slammed Breton for his off the grid lifestyle which contradicts his use of a phone and social media.

One wrote: “Not really taking a break from the matrix if you’re posting online about it are ya.”

A second added: “‘Off grid’ means no cellphones, my dude.”

…
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July 2, 2023 No Comments
Land

Converted Underground Bunker Near Austin – $425k

Salado, Texas – 11th March – – A partially underground bunker house has gone up for sale in a small town near Austin, for sale in Texas.

Any Texan will be quick to tell you that the weather in the Lone Star state can be somewhat chaotic — from temperatures rapidly dropping 40 degrees within a two-minute span to terrifying tornadoes that touch down from time to time. So it’s always a good idea to have a home that’s safe, secure, and — well — partially underground.

The two-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom house is on the real estate market in Salado for $425,000.

“Here’s an amazing one-of-a-kind partially submerged earth-type concrete OFF-GRID capable home on .939 acre with two private gated entrances,” the listing on Har.com says. “The property is incredibly picturesque, heavily wooded and partially sloped with a seasonal stream far below the home and views of a pond.”

According to the listing, the home was custom-built with “a southwestern vibe” thanks to the first owners’ love of Santa Fe in New Mexico.

There is a Huge kitchen,Attached garage, Water well, Two storage tanks, Three buried propane tanks, Two rainwater tanks, and a Generator

“Nestled in the beautiful and best part of Salado, this home was thoughtfully and artfully designed by antique dealers who liked to entertain and show off their furnishings,” HomeSmart agent Shirley Kopecky told the New York Post. “This house has all the bells and whistles and was outfitted — at great expense — for uncertain weather.”…

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March 12, 2023 No Comments
Cover of HOW WE WENT OFF GRID by Matthew Watkinson
Homesteading

Off-Grid Authors Battle Neighbours

The authors of a book about how to live legally off the grid have been blocked from their home as revenge for writing the book. Charis and Matt Watkinson had used the book, HOW WE WENT OFF GRID, to blast the opponents of their planning application as selfish Nimbys.

Neighbours of the couple took control of a vital footpath leading to their Welsh smallholding, and now they fear they will be forced to sell up and move out.

“The impact could be devastating,” they said. “If we don’t have access to our home then we will have to leave and have to start from scratch.

“We will just have to start again. I don’t know what property prices are like at the moment but it will be hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“It will be emotionally and financially devastating. It would just be the worse case possible.’

“How We Went Off-Grid” is published by Vivum Media, which also publishes the off-grid.net web site. Matt and Charis, who quit jobs as vets to move to a zero-carbon eco-farm in Wales are facing financial ruin after neighbours ‘bought an unregistered right of way footpath just to cut off their access in personal vendetta’ according to their claims.

Their self-sufficient farm, described by Mr Watkinson as ‘a glorified recycling junk yard’, includes a person-powered washing machine and a gas cooker that functions on horse manure. They also have solar panel for electricity and a biodigester for gas, meaning they only have to pay for council tax.

Living on a zero carbon farm protected the family from soaring energy prices and the cost of living crisis, while its remoteness also provided a shield from the Covid pandemic.

A previously unregistered right of way, the access lane to their dwelling, has been purchased by a retired couple who are threatening to sue for trespassing and harassment.

The couple, who have two young children Elsa and Billy, were able to begin living their green dream thanks to the Welsh Government’s One Planet Development Policy.

The scheme allows families to build houses on green-belt land as long as they operate on zero carbon – a target they must hit within five years. HOW WE WENT OFF GRID provides the template that others can use to do the eact same thing.

Mr Watkinson said: ‘We have been here six years now. We are now living a very sustainable and low impact lifestyle. We have been shielded from energy price hikes, Covid, and the cost of living crisis.

‘We have been very glad to be up here. The house is a glorified recycling junk yard. We have a horse lorry, a camper van, but it is all perfectly functionable.’

‘There was opposition when we first moved, but once we received planning permission, we thought we would be left alone.

‘We were not being questioned just on …

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February 23, 2023 No Comments
Communities

looking for people to buy land in french pyrenees together

We are still looking for people….

for the mountains in french pyrennees .

I am Johnny Tidd a survival teacher running my own school in UK..

We need people to make a community in france, its amazing there – No the people there are not arrogant and loud, before you ask!

There 100s of communities..

Since the 60s, its the best kept secret of europe.. So much off-grid living, exchange culture and poeple Really trying to be self sufficient..

Working the land, not lazy people!

It still be a safe place in the future.. My intuition is strong on that..

The French are so lovely and there also loads of brits.

Is really solid community there.

There is land possibly to move onto already or if not land to buy between a group of us. Finances not a necessity.

Here are the guidlines and ethos of the community vision, if it gels with you then pm me and we will start some zoom calls etc …

Community Business Plan .

Ethos:

Earth comes first , healing of the earth , and so in reciprocity nature has the power to heal us .

Leave no trace – working with natural materials as much as possible.

To move towards off-grid living – as much as possible.

To go on a journey of self discovery with each other , to grow to learn to evolve together.

To move towards complete self sufficiency bridging the pathways from permaculture to paleolithic survival skills .

Guidelines/values/foundational vision of project

Living and building of eco housing. Building of round houses for workshops and ceremony spaces.

A democratic school for kids and a educational centre for indigenous arts and crafts. This will be a private school under the radar.. With after school activities etc

Shamanism and indigenous principals of living and learning.

Ancient wisdom and storytelling to inspire and create a solid , connective tribe.

Learning of bushcraft and survival skills, ancient arts and crafts .

Permaculture and forest gardens .

Wild food propagation and the building of eco systems for the future.

comment below …. or pm me …

Johnny Tidd x…

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January 31, 2023 No Comments
Land

Easy Off-Grid Living in Panama (Central America)

Live off-grid in a community of 24 homes with like-minded, friendly people in a very safe, fun, beautiful setting.
You don’t need to be a hardcore mountain man or mountain woman. These are fully set up off-grid homes complete
with solar, water, sewage, and your own farming plot, and it’s absolutely beautiful.
We have One, Two, and Three Bedroom homes available starting at only $100,000 fully set up and ready to go.
Visit our website at www.offgridpanama.com or call us at (904)236-4737…

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December 29, 2022 No Comments
Land

10 Acres in McNairy County TN

See the video for details about this property: https://vimeo.com/612685690
This 10-acre property is perfect for those who want maximum privacy without sacrificing convenience. The property is on a legal dirt road that is not used by any other property owners so you can live in freedom and isolation on a large property, but return to civilization by driving down a 1/3 mile road. Have you ever wanted a secret entrance onto your property? Well this is already set up with a gravel driveway at the highway that serves a neighbor down the hill. At the end of the driveway your dirt road continues but the terrain has it hidden by a small downslope. You can make this your own and really hide the entrance to your secret compound! See the video on this listing that shows how that secret entrance looks. No permit is required to build and the property has flat and sloped areas so you have infinite options for your off-grid paradise. The lowest spot on the property is a small creek on the North West corner. 10 acres is a huge amount of land allowing you unlimited options to build, hunt, and explore.More info:
https://cheaplandamerica.com/Frontend/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=-1&product_id=66…

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September 23, 2021 No Comments
Land

Houseboat and land in UK – £0.5m

The price of the off-grid dream just went up.

In the wake of Covid, climate change and the stream of urban dwellers moving to the country, a tubmbledown shed, a houseboat and the land that connects them, have gone on the market for £500,000 with a bidding war expected. Its hardly surprising when tech workers on six figure salaries are told they can work from anywhere in the world. They move to places with a good 4G signal (which this property does not have) and then a few years later will be surprised when their job is exported to India.

It has its own water supply and power system and is completely off-grid, the product of years of hard work by current owner Roland Mann. He has spent years fitting out the boat, in order to sell it and move to Norway with his family.

Design genius

The 90 years old barge with a two-bed shed, on the banks of the River Deben, was built between the wars.

“We’ve spent lots of time learning different skills, we’ve designed and built our own power system, our own water purification plant, so we’re totally off-grid for everything, except the telephone of course,” Mr Mann explained. He wants to get a smallholding in Norway where is wife is from originally

He credits his wife as the “genius behind the land”, adding: “She’s got a real flair for design, she’s absolutely packed the garden out with an incredible diversity of plants.”

“One of the things people say when they come onto the land is ‘wow, this feels great’. It has a really amazing feel to it, it’s hard to describe.

“One of the things we’ve continuously felt is that we were sort of caretakers, that this wasn’t truly our home.

The property is being advertised by Yopa, realtors.…

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June 15, 2021 No Comments
Land

Off-Grid Manufactured Home on 40 Acres in Ash Fork, AZ

Spacious 1620 sqft, 3 bedrooms, 2 bath manufactured home sits on 40 rural acres with beautiful panoramic views. The home is equipped for your rural and true off-grid living with two 2500-gallon water tanks, eight 200-watt solar panels, 6000 peak watt inverter charger, solar mate, twelve batteries for solar, wood burning stove, wall mounted propane heaters and propane tank on site. Enjoy country living with star filled skies, beautiful sunrises & sunsets, and wildlife viewing. Outside you have several areas equipped for your animals and storage. This home is ready for your creativity and handy work for instant living. Motivated seller. $165,000. All reasonable offers considered. Contact Agent Ana Fano 928.707.1560 or check out more photos at: https://homesmart.com/real-estate-for-sale/hs0066/homes/az/ash-fork/86320/noaz/185355/47600-n-falcon-flight-way,ash-fork,az-86320/index.html?referrer_aid=126918.…

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April 21, 2021 No Comments