# purchasing land for off grid homestead



## jshwheat (Apr 22, 2013)

Wanted: 5 acres minimum with plenty of hardwoods and flexible terms to turn into an off grid...as much as possible...homestead. any ideas? Has anyone else done this? Any ideas, suggestions, advice, guidence would be appreciated. Is there some sort of support system for like minded people? Anybody ever consider a co op? Any ideas for income? How boit building a home with fieldstone or purchasing a portable sawmill? Spill the beans. My wife and 2 young children...and myself are ready to do something more with life than spend it working to make someone else rich while our kids become addicted to cartoons and pop tarts because all our time is spent at work instead of raising our family


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I love the idea, but cave to the trappings/comforts of life. Gotta have somewhere you can grow food, and Oscoda has crappy soil for gardening.


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## jshwheat (Apr 22, 2013)

Agreed...real sandy. Gotta get west a little bit into the farm land. Were not tied down here. I work in town, my wife is a nurse and drives 2 hours round trip. I agree the comforts are nicr. I do not see us giving up electricity or running water...but other than that, everything is fair game


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## Greenbush future (Sep 8, 2005)

I will guess that while the idea is way cool, you will get tired of not having the comforts of home really quick. Land is really cheap in NE Michigan, so you could do it on the cheap.
Only bummer is: Taxes are still due every year


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## Huffy (Jan 19, 2009)

jshwheat said:


> I do not see us giving up electricity or running water...


I'm confused. I always thought "off the grid" meant somewhere that you weren't connected to utilities, such as electrical. Are you using the term differently, or are you planning to use a generator or something?


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## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

When I hear "grid" the first thought is electricity.

Here's from WIKI:

For other uses, see Off the grid (disambiguation).
The term off-grid refers to not being connected to a grid, mainly used in terms of not being connected to the main or national transmission grid in electricity. In electricity off-grid can be stand-alone systems (SHS) or mini-grids typically to provide a smaller community with electricity. Off-grid electrification is an approach to access electricity used in countries and areas with little access to electricity, due to scattered or distant population. It can be any kind of electricity generation.
The term off-the-grid (OTG) can refer to living in a self-sufficient manner without reliance on one or more public utilities.
Off-the-grid homes are autonomous; they do not rely on municipal water supply, sewer, natural gas, electrical power grid, or similar utility services. A true off-grid house is able to operate completely independently of all traditional public utility services. The idea has been recently popularized by certain celebrities including Ed Begley, Jr.[1] who stars in Living with Ed[2] television show on the Home & Garden Television network. Actress Daryl Hannah promotes off-grid living and constructed her home in Colorado according to those principles, as does survival expert and Dual Survival co-star Cody Lundin[3] who lives in a self-designed, passive solar earth home in the high-desert wilderness of Northern Arizona, collecting rainwater, composting waste and paying nothing for utilities.[4][5]


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

What's wrong with Pop Tarts???


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## GIDEON (Mar 28, 2008)

6Speed said:


> What's wrong with Pop Tarts???


WHATS WRONG WITH CARTOONS?:evil: Im 55 and I still tune in TVland for my foghorne leghorn fix


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## jshwheat (Apr 22, 2013)

Haha I used the term pretty loosely I guess. With 2 young children it would probably be pretty difficult to be completely off grid. Were thinking passive solar, large garden, artisian well, some farm animals, no cable tv...sorry red wings and tigers...so just an update, we purchased 25 acres just south of kalkaska yesterday and plan to get the well and septic done by late summer and in the meantime we will plan a home. We are undecided as of now what that will entail but it will at least be partially solar powered.


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## k9wernet (Oct 15, 2007)

Solar powered in MI? What are you going to do the other 363 days when clouds block the sun?


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## jshwheat (Apr 22, 2013)

Haha ok....VERY passive solar...and a new honda generator


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## M.Schmitz87 (Mar 12, 2013)

I love ur idea. And when u r willing to invest enough u can have a total undependent house that makes its own energy. 
Im working for a company that does exactly that. 
U can do big changes with little money too. Like use rainwater for ur toilets and ur garden. Use two vacuum solar panels to heat ur water. Even at cloudy weather u can heat 200gallons freshwater. Electrizity is a bit more iffy. When u would have a stream on ur property u can use a waterwheel. Windenergy is posibel too but not as efficient and expensive. Insulation is a big part too.

Im open for any questions. 


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## jshwheat (Apr 22, 2013)

Man, your the person I've been looking for haha. We do have a stream on the property though I'm unsure if the grade is enough to power a water wheel. Id love to hear more about the grey water system. We also have a pond that is spring fed. Also like to hear more about your idea on how to heat the water. One of our first plans is to erect a greenhouse and start a compost pile in it. I understand with the right mix we may also be able to generate enough heat to heat water. Lo e yo pick your brain somemore


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## HemlockNailer (Dec 22, 2000)

Have you read Mother Earth magazine ? Sounds like it would be something you would be interested in . Good luck to you and your family.


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## M.Schmitz87 (Mar 12, 2013)

Im more than happy to help and im always willing to save energy and its good for the enviroment too!

Grey water system is not as big of a deal. We use it here a lot. Most important is that u dont take the first couple gallons after it rained. All the dirt and crap from ur roof will b in that and plugs ur pipes. Even more important is that the gray water and freshwatersystem are seperatet. Even if ur freshwater gets sucked back into ur system, u have to make sure it has no cantact to greywater! U need an extra pump and a sensor that tells ur pump that greywater is needet. The energy for the pump and sensor can b providet by solar panels. 
To the stream, well i have no idea How big ur stream is or how much water u have running down. The ammount of energy u can take out the water depends on the gear u have behind ur waterwheel. If u have a big wheel and a good transmission its ok when it turns slowly. 
The biggest problem we have over here right now is how to save the energy. Batteries take a lot of room and are a safety hazzard. 
Gosh i could write about that stuff all day! 

Just a fact:
We build a positiv energy house that makes more energy than it uses. We put the house on huge gears cuz it followes the sun to get the most sunlight possible. 
The energy the house doesnt use gos to the energy company. They have to buy it (at least here in germany) so u make a buck out of nothing! 

Just post more questions and i try to answer quick. 

Greetz




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## bronc72 (Nov 25, 2008)

Go to the library and read the foxfire books. If you have good trees build a cabin if not go sod house like on the prairies. Start making your own soaps, make your own bows and arrows, build a muzzleloader, and ale your own powder, you will want an outhouse anyways. Do not forget you can build a windmill pretty easily. 
Also you do not need lots of sun for solar panels, passive solar works well, I lived in a passive solar house in Michigan for a few years or worked well.


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## fishmagnetmike (Dec 10, 2010)

GIDEON said:


> WHATS WRONG WITH CARTOONS?:evil: Im 55 and I still tune in TVland for my foghorne leghorn fix


im 52 and i love spongebob squarepants and tom and jerry hell i like lots of tunes


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