Off The Grid Podcast

With this being Hurricane Season for the east coast of USA that means that my little off grid camper can be in the path anytime one is headed to Virginia. Hurricane Matthew just grazed our area out this way and it was a bit of a mini adventure for couple of days! If you have been a long time listener you have no doubt heard me preparing for tropical storms and hurricanes in the past. This area is about overdue for a good strong hurricane. Luckily this time the off grid camper made it through just fine. Very little if anything was out of place. I noticed a branch from my garden fence was down although that could have simply been nature itself telling me it was time to replace it. Now that the sun has once again broken free of the clouds and the birds are out chirping most everything is back to normal. As you may know I have a nighttime delivery job. A few nights ago that meant I was out in my 4Runner driving in torrential downpours as hurricane Matthew was gaining full steam for this area. Before you ask yourself what were you doing out there?!?! I am and will always do my best to be extra cautious on the roads.. especially when the weather is severe! As I left the off grid camper heading to work with extra food, water, snacks, and essentials I took time to drive slower than normal observing the road along the way. It was still daylight and some roads were completely covered in water. Still very passable but 100% covered none the less. This was one of many signs that this time our area was about to get some serous rain from hurricane Matthew. As the few short hours went on I took a few deliveries and took note how quickly the roads were really turning hazardous. As I mentioned in the Off The Grid podcast I saw one car drive into deep water only to stall out with the engine and most likely floorboards flooding. This is yet another time I found myself ever grateful to now have a 4wd that had more clearance than most from the road! I was very very grateful! The very next day I was fortunate enough to be back out driving again finding lots of firewood on my way. The sun was now shining as the cooler winds reminded everyone in the area that the storm had only just been here hours before. By the end of the night I wound up with a full truck full of firewood. A good portion of which was already cut down to size. All I needed to do was split some firewood. By the way as a side note there is something very satisfying about splitting your own firewood! Needless to say once again I was grateful to have been presented the opportunity for free firewood along the side of the road.. even if it was the result of a nasty little storm that rocked this area for a day or so. Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: When opportunity presents itself in the form of natural resources be ready! It can save you a lot of time and work by being a huge time saver. Here is the link to the Episode with the Video while Brewing Beer off grid.If you want to see more podcast episodes about this “strange off grid brew” check out brewing beer on the Rocket Stove. Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

If you live on the east coast of the US then no doubt the weather has been on your mind. With hurricane Matthew making its way up the coast heading my way has me back on my game getting things down and securing loos items outside. Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti as a category 4. This brought with it seriously damaging winds and rain to that area. As the storm makes its way up toward Virginia (where my off grid camper is located) I find myself still procrastinating a bit. None the less I don’t have a lot to move around out of the wind’s unpredictable 100 mph gusts. Why is this an important thing to keep in mind? When you are facing severe hurricane winds objects that are not secured down can potentially be very dangerous projectiles. Combine this with the fact that I live in a close to 40 year old camper and that means only have two options. Simply put its time to either bug in or bug out! After living off grid for a little over a year now the fact that the windows all look original makes me feel better. Why you may ask? Well if the off grid camper is close to 40 years old then chances are it has seen its fair share of crazy storms!.. and the camper is still in good shape for its age. Time will tell but as I type this it looks like hurricane Matthew is loosing some steam and may head out to sea. If it heads out to sea that will more than likely mean a couple of days of rain and wind with minimal damage. Fingers crossed! Thank you for listening and if you have something to share please email me! i would love to hear from you   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: Life is short. When major events in your personal life take place try to learn as much as you can and make the best with the time you have. Here is the link to the Episode with the Video while Brewing Beer off grid.If you want to see more podcast episodes about this “strange off grid brew” check out brewing beer on the Rocket Stove. Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

Today’s episode of the Off The Grid Podcast is unlike any other because after some soul searching I found myself feeling a little discouraged. Why you ask? Well if you are a regular listener you may have noticed it has been over a week since I have posted a show here. After a few minor stumbling blocks I found myself procrastinating day after day in recording now today’s episode. Further examination lead me to conclude that I was feeling discouraged due to a lack of listener feedback. After logging countless hours into creating and producing the Off The Grid Podcast it occurred to me that if listeners are not responding then maybe there is a lack of interest. If that is the case then maybe I am wasting my time. “Where we go from here is a choice I leave to you.” As the title says is this the end of OTG podcast or the start of something new? If you have something to share please send me an email. Your feedback is always welcome and I would love to hear from you! To paraphrase a quote from one of my favorite movies of all time.. The Matrix! “Where we go from here is a choice I leave to you” Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: A lack of feedback can make you question whether or not your “project” is worthwhile or making a difference. Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

If you live on the East coast of the US then you probably already know about the tropical storm. Out here in the off grid camper I need to take extra precautions. When you are living in a shelter that is not quite as solid as a traditional house that means you better know when to bug in and when to bug out or you may find yourself in a bad situation. Luckily it looks like this weekends tropical storm should be on the mild side. One danger to watch will be watching for tornadoes. At least that was one thing the weather report / forecast said to keep an eye out for. One main thing that I built that needs to be taken down is a large lean-to on the side of the camper. I took 4 small tree trunks and leaned them up at about a 45 degree angle on the east side of the off grid camper. Then I tied a huge tarp over them. It acts like a giant shade / roof on the side of the camper that blocks a good portion of sun during part of the day. There have many dog days of summer that I have been very grateful to have it! With the threat of a potentially serous tropical storm on the way I wanted to make sure this did not turn into a huge sail that could possibly break any of my windows or do other damage. Aside from that most everything else has been moved so that it won’t fly around to much. It looks like hopefully this will not be that bad of a tropical storm. Here in Virginia most people are used to hurricanes and tropical storms. Unlike most people I am um.. living off grid in a camper so storms and sometimes crazy weather mean paying attention a little more.   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: When you know a storm is on the way try to prepare early! Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

If you have been a long time listener to the Off The Grid Podcast you know that recording and posting two shows a week has been challenging most of the time. When I first started posting episodes both were audio format. As the year went on I realized that the amount of video. I accumulated many hours of video working on various projects in and around the off grid camper. In an effort to get listeners caught up I began posting one show a week as audio and the second show in video format. The thing is video editing takes even more time than working with only audio shows. So.. The podcast will be changing from posts twice a week to once a week. A majority of the shows will be in audio format and when I have time I will post videos as well. Looking back to this time last year I was no where near ready for winter. Knowing what I know now has solidified my decision to post once a week here so I can at least stay ahead of the snow!! LOL Also as I mentioned if you have been listening for a while and enjoy my work out here on the Off The Grid Podcast please consider making a donation to help me STAY OFF GRID!! I have not asked for much until now and believe it or not there are costs for running a podcast / website, web hosting, editing software equipment, etc.. Thank you again for listening! I really appreciate it! By the way I did manage to get a picture of the baby dragonfly that was a distraction several times while recording today’s podcast episode.   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: Sometimes you need to remind yourself of new responsibilities and prioritize your time to effectively manage.. everything! Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

If you are like me you enjoy gardening as well as all the fresh fruits and veggies each season. Over the last few months I have been fortunate enough to have my first “off grid garden”. Gardening can be challenging at times. When you add in the fact that I am right in the middle of mother nature’s back yard with all the woodland creatures big and small along with a whole plethora of insects this year of gardening beside the off grid camper has been a learning experience to say the least. It seems that my countless hours dragging fallen tree limbs from the forest, gathering bags of leaves from the side of the road, and overall preparing the off grid wood core (hugeukulture) garden bed has really paid off! Still with all the critters and sometimes relentless summer heat is seems as though some of my garden is heading down hill. The tomato plants are really heading out fast. My cucumbers are for the most part done for this season. All of the okra is going crazy! Unfortunately fortunately they are growing so fast that I keep missing them when they are small enough to pick for good eating. When I got back from my road trip to Pennsylvania it seemed like the 2 foot long beans just grew overnight. The pepper plants on the other hand have really made a comeback! I planted a couple varieties of bell pepper but they did not make it. The Tabasco peppers are doing great and I also have another variety that is doing good as well.. did I mention that both of these are HOT!!!!??? Anyway.. if you have not already listened to today’s podcast please listen for more on this. Also look forward to either the next video episode or the following week where I will share my recipe for an awesome super healthy spicy vinegar with a kick to it. Its great for adding to any dish you like with vinegar. *** I forgot to take a pic of the garden but will upload one tomorrow!! *** Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: If you are growing new peppers in your garden be careful before taking to big of a bite into a potentially very HOT pepper!! Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

Join me today as I talk about some ways to stay cool when you are living off grid. When you have little to no power the extreme summer heat can be unbearable so stay cool with some of today’s ideas for staying cool. You may or may not have power. Chances are that most of you listening to the podcast do. The next time you walk over to adjust the thermostat for your AC be grateful! I have a couple of solar panels and a gel cell battery that I use for most of my electrical power. If you are out in this insanely hot summer heat you had better be staying hydrated and cool! Summer heat can be dangerous especially for those with no AC or that are outside a lot. Necessity as they say is the mother of all inventions. Well take a listen to today’s show as I discuss a few ways to stay cool when living off the grid. My homemade AC unit cooler is a nice addition for this one so please sit back and enjoy the show. As always thank you for listening! I really appreciate it!   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: When its dangerously hot outside this summer stay cool and hydrated! Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

Join me today as I get back to the off grid camper talking about my homemade AC cooler, gardening, and coping with summer heat. As you may know I have been house sitting quite a bit these last few weeks. It seems like going back to a live that most people quite frankly take for granted left me in the same spot.. Honestly I got lazy while enjoying the AC on brutally hot summer days, cooking like civilized folk in a “normal” kitchen, and just plain relaxing in front of the TV with a good movie. In case you are wondering NO I do not miss the urban city life. I very much enjoy being out in nature with the peace and quiet that only the birds, bees, and rustling trees can bring. I do however very much want to stay comfortable when the elements are extreme though. So take a listen as I revisit the idea of putting my homemade AC unit cooler to use with a couple of slight modifications to the design. As the birds chirp happily up in the trees recording today’s episode of the podcast got difficult as the off grid camper began to quickly heat up. As always thank you for listening and if you have any questions, comments, or ideas to share please post or email me.   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: Its easy to get lazy when your life is easy. Get up and make the life you want because each day you are either taking one step toward or away from your goals. Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

If you are a regular listener to the Off The Grid Podcast you know that the last few weeks there have not been any shows posted. Hopefully most of you realized from the last episode that I was house sitting. Well.. back to the SHOW!! lol Today’s show was recorded on the grid as I reflected back at the full circle so to speak from right about a year ago. House sitting was in essence like a vacation for me because out here in my normal environment things most people take for granted like on demand power and running water are luxuries for me. lol The off grid camper is a very humble albeit simple abode. It is smack dab right in the woods with a beautiful view of mother nature. Now lets step back a moment.. or about a year to the stark contrast of life in an average suburban house. Middle class America certainly has its major advantages when it comes to the way we lived 100 years ago.. but at what cost? Yes the standard of living is arguably much better across the board for most Americans. The thing is that with all of our modern technology, endless distractions, and mindless obsessions with the constant upgrades while keeping up with the Joneses we have become blind to the beauty that quite frankly is right under our nose most of the time. There is an almost unfathomable amount of beauty and wonder in nature all around us. No doubt you have heard me speak of our “concrete jungles”. Despite the efforts of our modern advancement into what once was mother nature’s back yard there is still amazing life everywhere. Its kind of like when there is space between plants in your garden.. something will begin to grow there. The last couple of weeks I wasted a lot of downtime watching TV. Oh sure I saw some awesome movies and zombie shows that I have been wanting to watch. The thing is they call it “programing” for a reason! So I challenge you to take a break from the TV or whatever it is that you feel you spend more time wasting time. Even if it is simply sitting down outside all by yourself under a tree while the breeze gently whispers in your ear. Even if you can’t make it outside until later when its dark outside.. go look up at the stars and take in the magic of a twinkling star while the world goes to sleep. Even if it is simply doing.. Ok you get the picture. The point is for you to go out and do something that most of the time you only look at from the edge of your comfort zone while never taking time to pause.. and realize that the life you have been given is a gift. Don’t take that gift for granted. Enjoy some of the simple things in life and pause when you can to appreciate the beauty all around you that often times is right outside your window.   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: When it comes to downtime like watching TV for example remember moderation is always a good rule to follow. ..Its called “programing” and “the boob tube” for a reason. Don’t turn into a boob! Get out and experience the joy of life you have!!! Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

If you have been a long time listener to the Off The Grid Podcast in the last year you know a lot has happened out here in and around the camper. Right about this time last year my journey from the suburbs to a life outside the “normal” average American experience took a detour into the unknown. I had spent a good amount of time, energy, and money getting ready for living closer to nature in an off grid camper. Most people are already familiar with the term but in case you were wondering what it means to live off grid here is my definition. It is choosing to live without “grid tied” utilities.. as in now power or water. Yes I have solar panels for electricity (although they are not 100 percent because I need new deep cycle batteries). Yes I do have running water but it is not in the traditional sense you think of in the average household. What has this lifestyle taught me over the last year? In modern society we have it easy. I would even venture to say it makes us all soft. In the last few months as summer was fast approaching I found myself looking back on everything I have been through in the last year. All of the challenges both physically and mentally. The human condition / experience is an amazing experience if you are brave enough to live fearlessly. Now with that being said I don’t mean being stupid! As I quickly found out if you do not have your common sense about you at all times your environment can turn deadly before you know it. Another angle to this recent reflection is that the lesson of history seems to in small ways laced or intertwined into our daily lives. As I’m sure you have heard “if you are not a student of history….”. Anyway these are some of my reflective thoughts for the day. Hopefully you are enjoying the podcast! I am constantly reminding myself at just how grateful I am to be able to experience living off grid out here in the camper among all of the sometimes strange and wonderful woodland creatures! lol   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: Try to learn as much as you can from history. It repeats itself! Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

As the dog days of summer make there way ever closer the cooler temperatures are becoming few and far between. This past weekend was of course Memorial Day weekend. Hopefully you have a great weekend and enjoyed a good cookout or spent some time with family and friends. I ended up working most of the weekend. Monday I did a lot more work but I don’t really consider working out here on the off grid homestead to be work. It rained off and on most of the day. Despite all of the rain I still went outside and worked on the off grid garden planting okra, extending the fence, cooking out, working on my homemade wing chun dummy, and washing my truck! Yes I got a lot done despite the rain!!! Stay tuned for Thursday’s show to see video of the progress out here in the off grid garden. You will finally get to see a lot of the projects I have been working on outside the off grid camper. Last years unbearable summer heat really made an impression on me. The hot humid temperatures of late summer can be extreme. This is why I have been working on as much as I can when the temperatures are still tolerable.   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: Opportunity ~ Try to make good use of your days with tolerable temperatures even if its raining! Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

Living off the grid has its challenges and with summer heat fast approaching that means preparing for potentially dangerous high temps NOW! If you are living in a traditional grid tied house then chances are the changing seasons may not affect you that much. In my case the off grid camper does not have a lot of relief from the relentless summer heat so I am doing what I can not by creating shade everywhere I can. I have also found myself buying a lot of ice lately. Buying ice on a regular basis to substitute a refrigerator is adding up quickly. Most people probably take for granted that they simply open this big box in the kitchen and everything stays relatively cold. When you are living off grid food preservation by way of cooling (refrigerator or cooler) can be challenging unless you have a steady supply of power from solar panels for example. I have been researching some pretty heavy duty coolers. These incredibly well built ones like Pelican, Yeti, and Grisly ice coolers seem to be some of the best on the market. I watched this one video where they did a head to head comparison called the 5 Day Ice Challenge. In the video they filled all of the coolers with ice to see which ones would still have ice in them. Surprisingly most of them did! Another video along the lines of DIY showed how you could essentially build a cooler with the same insulating capabilities for about $70. If you think that is a lot of money then look at the alternative. The Yeti, Pelican, and Grisly coolers seem to have a price range of around $200-$500 range. This is something to explore in the future and for now I am still buying many bags of ice! lol   Video Post notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: When you know summer heat is coming prepare now! There is no time like the present. Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Be social & Connect on Facebook, subscribe YouTube, or send me an email through the Contact page! Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles.

This last weekend I had the perfect opportunity to get a lot done thanks to a combination of beautiful weather and actually having a full day off work. Sunday I was able to get out into the wood core hugelkultur garden once again. In the few short years that I have been fortunate to be able to garden I have never had much luck with vine fruits. This weekend I gave it one more try as I planted 3 watermelon seedlings. If you have kept up with the podcast you know that my off grid garden is not your average garden. This years off grid garden venture is leaning heavily on wood core beds with a solid 4-5 inches of composting leaves and grass clippings above. All of this will help to maintain a natural source of moisture for the garden plants even during dry spells. Next up was the “Wall O Beans”! As you can see from today’s featured image for the Off The Grid Podcast the dirt has been turned over. At the base of this natural lean to of tree limbs I planted two types of beans. Once the brutal summer heat is upon us hopefully these beans will be providing a natural wall of shade from the sun on the off grid camper. Also the fence has been extended down another 30 feet. Once the fence is complete and the beans have taken off the landscape around the camper should change dramatically. This will provide me with a lot of awesome fresh NON GMO vegetables and something to be proud of. Thank you for listening!   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: ~ From the weekend ~ You can get a lot more done if you concentrate your time in a single day VS trying to do a little over many days. Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

Now that spring has sprung and hotter summer days will soon eclipse the pleasant temperatures mean one thing.. Its time to get the off grid garden going. For the last couple of months I have been working here and there on prepping the Hugelkultur or wood core beds for this years off the grid garden. Yes I know most people with green thumbs like to do the traditional garden methods. The thing is that out here where water can be a premium that means you need to think ahead and be smart about water conservation.. especially when it comes to watering the garden! I still need to get the rain barrels set up. This would be the perfect opportunity and time to set them up. Spring time rainy season is indeed great for collecting rainwater for the garden! Just like water it seems time is also at a premium right now in my life.. spare time that is. As it turns out for whatever reason it seems as though something strange is in the air. What do you mean you may be asking? Well in observing many ( I do mean MANY) of the friends and family in recent months seem to be experiencing great changes in their lives. Its almost as if the universe were a river and people were tiny pebbles, rocks, and large boulders all being affected by the changes in different ways. I won’t get into the deep philosophy here but it looks like the spring of 2016 is ushering in more growth than simply in the garden.   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: In the growing seasons of life be it in the garden or stuff you are going through try to learn and grow from experiences both good and not so pleasant. Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

If you have ever really looked at debt long enough to realize that its not always about money then sooner or later social debt will come to mind. It seems like one of the ongoing themes in my life this last month has been debt. Even more so the last week tuning into social debt. They say the when someone helps you out or does you a favor you are more likely to repay that “social” debt that you would if it were money borrowed. I would say this is true.. at least in my case this week. Recently I have found myself committing to help some friends with a BIG move while getting increasingly frustrated about not getting my garden going yet. Here it is now May and I still have not put plants in the ground yet! AAAAAAHHH! Did I mention that I am frustrated yet? I don’t mean in a cheesy looking for a good woman kind of way either. lol All I want to do is get this years off grid garden going. I will leave the rest for today’s podcast episode.   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: Try to balance your “social debt” with other responsibilities in your life the best you can.. even when things get very frustrating! Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

If you have ever worked some long hours for any extended period of time and found yourself stopping once in a while realizing it was time for a day off then hopefully you can identify with today’s podcast. Last fall I started working a second job and I was very grateful to do so. Fast forward to two seasons later with this being springtime garden season and I am ready to take a break. A break can be different things to different people. In this case I simply want a break from the normal work routine to work on getting this years garden going! Earlier this morning I found myself still with a little bit of a smile at the good fortune over the last couple of weeks. The thing is a lot of times we may find ourselves trying to stay positive when life seems to be against us. Then there are other times when things just seem to go your way which makes for an awesome day or few! Thanks to the generosity of my brother ( I still need to come up with a cool nick name for him btw), the generosity of listeners like you (speaking of the recent Gift of GoPro from Listeners), the fortunate opportunity and generosity of a good friend with my new 4 wheel drive I am really enjoying life right now. If you missed it.. THANK YOU to all! A few days ago I opened the door to the off grid camper one morning to a surprise guest down by the wood pile. About a 5 – 6 foot long rat snake had made its way just a few feed away from my doorstep! FYI it is a great idea to use a walking stick everywhere you go just in case you run into a snake. The walking stick I like was found on a walk early this past winter. In case you are wondering the really cool looking “canes” with vines around them in the video are canes and walking sticks in the making. They have really great character. I hope you enjoy the video and thank you for listening / watching!   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: Watch your step & Slow down to enjoy the good times in life too. Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

Join us today as I share an amazing weekend and a very special gift that two listeners sent in. If you have been a long time listener you know that my journey from the average life in the suburbs to one out here off the grid has been eventful to say the least. After recording these Off The Grid Podcast episodes for over a year now its sometimes hard for me to know just how my efforts to share this experience are affecting you the listener. Two listeners Brent and his wife Sandy sent me an incredible gift. They gave me a GoPro! Have you ever had a weekend that was so amazing that if someone asked you about it you almost didn’t know where to begin describing it? Well the GoPro was only the beginning although I held off opening it until the following Monday.. so I felt like a kid waiting patiently for Christmas! lol It is very late or crazy early (almost 3 AM) right now as I type this and I am ready to catch some Zzzzzz! So I will leave the rest of this great weekend for you to listen to in today’s show of the Off The Grid Podcast. Thank you again Brent and Sandy! I will be putting the GoPro to good use very soon so stay tuned for some cool new off grid videos. Now in Levi VISION! lol   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: There are two constants throughout the universe. If something is not giving it is taking, if something is not growing it is dying. Ask yourself two questions every day. What are you doing to grow and what are you doing to contribute? Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. Brent emailed in his video here and also another listener feedback show here. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

Recently I found myself in a conversation that caused me to reflect back at my journey over the last year to living off grid here in the camper. After working so hard to remove myself from the rat race of urban city life (at least after work) I was reminded that even in a small way that the wonder I have of nature can fade if I am not careful to appreciate life each day. Its not that hard really when you think about it. Most of us go about our lives without so much as a thought regarding the beauty that is all around us. Ok so each of us are at different stages in life and chances are some are more or less in “better” places or environments. A quote comes to mind if you find yourself not liking where you are in life.. “Until the pain of same exceeds the the pain of change you will sit in the same” In a nutshell this is where I was at about a year ago. No matter how crummy some days or nights were I still took time to walk outside many nights and look up at the stars. I made good use of many a Saturday mornings cooking pancakes on the Rocket Stove. Sure I was living in the suburbs then but I took time to appreciate nature in my own back yard at the time.. and I loved it! So again if you are still listening to today’s episode of the Off The Grid Podcast please take 5 to stop and appreciate the life you have in the world around you. If you identify strongly with the quote above then this might just be an even better reason for you to consider taking time once in a while to practice the attitude of gratitude. Another favorite quote comes to mind. “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while you could miss it.” All of us at one time in our life have experienced the insane moment of realization when (fill in the number of years here ___ ) that pass us by only to think in the hear and now that time flies so fast. Why it was only yesterday when… So the next time you find yourself caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life please take a moment to pause. Please consider taking 5 minutes to breath calmly, reflect on where you are in life, and appreciate the world around you. You just might notice something new.   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: Life moves pretty fast. Take 5 once in a while to appreciate the world around you. Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. If you would like to learn more about The Survival Podcast mentioned in today’s show please check out the link. There is a wealth of solid level headed info there. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

Join us today as I share some listener feedback emails that came in from listeners just like you. If you have been a long time listener you know that Thursday shows have typically been reserved for listener feedback about the Off The Grid Podcast. Recently with Thursday shows now being in video format Tuesday episodes will now accommodate listener questions, comments, and feedback when you email in. First up Brent emailed in a video response with a great reminder for everyone to keep an eye out for snakes and other wildlife. As he mentioned in today’s episode we should all take a little more caution when we are in mother natures back yard. Venomous snakes can be dangerous and deadly so please watch where you step. He also mentioned that bears are making there way around as well. I have noticed a lot of small salamanders scurrying around as I was out preparing the garden. I may have also seen a few baby snakes but I am not sure because they were too fast for me to get a good look at them! Another email came in from Tom. Tom seemed to be more excited about my new truck than I was! lol It also seems that he and maybe even a number of you may be getting a little tired of me mentioning the Hugelkulture wood core beds for this years garden. Noted and yes I can relate as I mentioned in today’s show. As for politics I will dodge that one like a politician! lol The only thing I will say is that “those who through dirt lose ground”. As for the Time Travel Tuesday segment it will be going on the back burner for now. I have been asking for some feedback for the last few weeks. Please listen to today’s show for more explanation. In place of the Time Travel Tuesday segment I will be replacing it with a segment about some of the deals I have a knack for finding. If you are reading this now please take a moment and email me with your ideas for a name for the new segment. Deal of the week, daily deals, etc?? What would you call the new segment?   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: Take time once in a while to think about where you are and appreciate where you are in your life. Embrace the Attitude of Gratitude. Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. If you would like to learn more about The Survival Podcast mentioned in today’s show please check out the link. There is a wealth of solid level headed info there. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!

When it comes to the numerous mini adventure I have had out here living off grid I am grateful it is only now that I have had to deal with critters in the camper. Have you ever had a mouse or several mice in the house at some point in your life? Surprisingly only now have mice decided to explore my off grid camper and take up residence. When I first got out here last year the off grid camper was getting a major overhaul. I worked on replacing the roof and redoing the floor to start then started getting ready for winter. It was only last week that I heard the sound that every RV, camper, and tiny home owner dreaded.. as I lay down to sleep the sound of scratching and chewing were in the walls. Later on that night I woke to the sound of a mouse gnawing on what sounded like a small metal cover outside the camper. There is a line that stands between me and the peace of my environment. It does not matter if you are living on grid or living off the grid the slow steady destruction of your home by rodents in never welcome. The second night I set out two mouse traps and caught one mouse. The next night I slept like a baby! A couple nights later I woke several times in one night pausing only to bang on the wall then drifting back off to sleep for a brief time. The next night almost immediately two new traps caught two more mice. For now the night is silent. For now I can sleep. If more of the troublesome rodents should return they will be greeted with peanut butter.. weather they choose to pass on the dangerous delicacy and venture back out into the wild of the forest is their choice. Personally I hope they find somewhere else to go. Stay away varmints! lol It is late at night as I type this now so yes I am tired. Today’s Time Travel Tuesday segment takes us back about 20 years ago to 1990 – 1991. One summer in 1990 while visiting my grandpa he gave me a survival knife. I will leave the story for the podcast so please take a listen and enjoy. If you have any questions, comments, or feedback please send me an email. I would love to hear from you! Please look for a pic of the survival knife up here tomorrow. ( I will post it here )   Show notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast Today’s lesson: When you find yourself setting mouse traps make sure to set out an extra trap for more mice. Two is one, one is none (redundancy / backup survival tip). Be social! Connect with me and the podcast on Facebook, like the page, and tell a friend! Check out Live Video Broadcasts of the show here on Periscope. If you want to be part of the conversation say hello on Zello! Search for Off The Grid Podcast channel. Please help support this show and the off grid community by checking out Off Grid Singles. Get The Off Grid Podcast on the go with iTunes and Stitcher. Please Subscribe and rate the show! Like to watch videos about off grid living? Please connect and subscribe to my new channel on YouTube. Got questions, comments, or tips about living off grid? Please share your thought below or Contact me!