Thread: Buying land off grid

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

I don't think Mexico is a very good place to buy land now, maybe 20 years ago, but not anymore.

Personally the last place I would invest anything. All the negatives, plus drugs, money, cartels....

Just part of why I shit canned my idea of retiring in Mexico over 11 years ago. I spent a lot of time in Mexico up to that time and watched the country go slowly down the drain.

Originally Posted by Slick

This is the internet company.

Slick, you may feel absolutely free to add anything to this thread that you feel is related, and I appreciate your input - but honestly....we have two very different ideas of what this will be all about.

As unrealistic as you'll probably feel that this is, I'm aiming for near-total rustic:

There will be no heavy machinery or gasoline on my property.
(not even kerosene)

The log cabin will be built the old-fashioned way (by hand, with hand tools) over time with help.

I won't allow any military-type assault weapons.
I'm cautious and will take the necessary precautions, but I'm not going to live in a paranoid state.
One 30.06, a 12 gauge shotgun, and a .44 mag ought to do it and that (maybe a second scoped rifle for visitors) is probably more firepower than I'll need but I can put them all to good use.

If some psycho militant group (or grizzly bear) seeks me out or finds me and decides it's to be the end of my days, I'll just have to go down fighting with what I've got.

There will not be an internet signal to be had, period.
The library (next to the wood-burning stove) will be fairly well stocked with pertinent guides/field books, etc.

And the emergency satellite phone will be in a communal area that's easy to reach but set to 'off.'

Locals who are situated in the nearest town will be clued in to my whereabouts, intentions (for that particular month) and anyone who may be accompanying me.
Plans will be set to check-in and check-out with them at coordinated times.

I have zero interest in clear-cutting my land other than dropping trees for structures and clearing the immediate living area to make space for wind turbine equipment, southern exposure for solar panels and gardening.

My main goals will be preservation of the land in its natural state, minimizing impact through self-sustaining practices involving environmentally efficient power methods, primal living characteristics, Native American influences (minus the battles) and generating happiness.

I'll only kill what I want to eat and use or what's trying to eat or kill me and want to be in an area where I can plan ahead and strike out for weeks at a time on hiking, hunting and fishing journeys.

Everything keeps pointing back to Alaska....or NW Canada.

^ I just like guns and the internet bro. No survivalist shit

The large property thing, I'm a country person from birth so its all cohesive.

You plan to do way more than me

I just like to hunt & fish and of course eat with I kill.

I also need youtube and information on tap incase anything happens and I need info STAT

It's all good. I'm sure everyone has their own take on it....but most have none at all.

I really do appreciate your input, sincerely.

Hopefully we'll both still be on here when it plays out.

I can update between ventures.

My recommendation is stay out of the south. If you are good at winter survival, like you say you are, maybe northern Idaho, Wyoming, Montana or Colorado might be good choices. I would stay clear of Utah, too many Mormons. The states I mentioned all have ample timber, wildlife, streams and lakes so that lodging, hunting and foraging would not be that difficult.

Last summer while in the US, I looked at land in Colorado to possibly place a trailer and come live during the summers. I saw several pieces of land on Craigslist that may suit your needs. If I were a bit younger, I probably would have purchased one of the lots in Colorado that I was looking at. Good luck.

Thanks Rick. Appreciated.

After the purchase, I'll be looking to "build up to" doing a full winter, most likely.

I do like to be over-prepared for things.


Don't wanna......slip too hard:

Originally Posted by Slick

One 30.06, a 12 gauge shotgun, and a .44 mag ought to do it and that (maybe a second scoped rifle for visitors) is probably more firepower than I'll need but I can put them all to good use.

Uh...right.

The GUEST rifle.

Best you stay in Canada/USA then.

Great hunting in Canada and the US. Just be sure to eat what you kill.

Originally Posted by UrbanMan

I've watched some of those reality shows. Work your ass off all summer preparing and accumulating for the winter, survive the winter, next spring start repairing the damage winter did, repeat. Ugg.

Those people are more Hollywood than backwoods, set up reality shows short on actual reality.

Originally Posted by UrbanMan

Drug cartels have definitely made things dicey in many areas (I should have mentioned that).

Unnecessary,... you had lost me at:

Originally Posted by UrbanMan

If you're out in the boonies of Mexico, you'll need to be comfortable with guns, as you kinda are your own police in terms of protecting your property.

which is par for the course anywhere remote, but...dealing with the Mexican justice system if there were a shooting, etc. I Pass.

Originally Posted by UrbanMan

Adding to Slick's list, remember that as off the grid as you might seek to be, you'll need to manage and access your money. The internet is how you do that.

Repeat, repeat...is this thing transmitting?: there will be no internet...there will be no internet.
I'll shout it from the trees. Visitors will be forewarned. Emails will be set to instant forward or reply.

Depending on the location, I will consider a solar radio, but honestly a large part of this plan is minimal outside contact.

And,.....

I won't be out there for long enough stints (especially in the beginning) to do anything other than watch my stocks rise and fall anyway. I'd be dividing my time between there and work in Sawdy and then down the line, there and the farm in Issarn.

Originally Posted by UrbanMan

From LOS/the middle east, to Alaska? About as big of a change as one can make.

Well, to be fair: Ohio, Michigan, West coast, Korea, Los, ME, AK.

somewhere around 46 states and 37 countries slept in.

Originally Posted by UrbanMan

I've watched some of those reality shows. Work your ass off all summer preparing and accumulating for the winter, survive the winter, next spring start repairing the damage winter did, repeat. Ugg.

As I said in an earlier post, I'll 'work up' to a winter season, slowly. "Be prepared," and all that jazz.

Originally Posted by Stinky

Those people are more Hollywood than backwoods, set up reality shows short on actual reality.

Ya know I strongly considered contacting a few of those. It must've been at least five years ago and I saw some adverts in the back of an outdoors magazine published in or targeted at AK. It was all the rage for awhile, still hasn't died out, but...said something like:
"moving to AK, getting off the grid? Let us help you make it a reality...on TV."

I didn't think about it long before realizing that that would be the complete and total antithesis of what I'm on about.

If you have not done so, you should watch the Dick Proenneke episodes (PBS). He essentially did what you have in mind.

Alone in the Wilderness, the story of Dick Proenneke, by Bob Swerer Productions

^ You beat me to it. I have all his videos and read his book an amazing man. This man is a personal Idol of mine.

Originally Posted by hick

NW Canada

I was born and raised in north central Canada. Way off the grid. No power, no water, no sewage and certainly no internet as it was during 1940s and 1950s. Except for staples like flour, sugar and the like all our food was via hunting, fishing, wild berries, and vegatable garden.

Family had about 5 acres of land on a small lake. Nearest neighbor was about 5 miles away. House was not a log cabin but one built to withstand the rigors of brutal winters. Sure things have changed with all the hunting and forest regulations now in place but back then the wood needed for cooking and heating the house was obtained mostly outside our property as was fishing and hunting.

We had 3 guns. A 45 cal hand gun, a bolt action 30.06 and a double barrel 12 gauge shotgun. Also a couple hunting bows and some traps.

Looking back it was a fantastic way of life but certainly not an easy one.

Canada and Alaska still have plenty of wide open spaces you can purchase. Suggest you check out availability in northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba for the best property deals.

Living off the land in the wilderness can be rewarding but make sure you are near a small town where you can purchase essentials and get to medical care.

Good luck with it.

It's funny, isn't it?

And I think this is one reason I really like forums.

What was once a lingering thought....a quiet desire has now become something more.

I can feel this plan of mine starting to materialize. I'm scoping out storage facilities to begin packing equipment, etc.

Thanks for all of your input! and please keep it coming.

I'll be tracking down the suggested books, vids, etc. and taking ALL into consideration as I sit up a little straighter in my chair when I browse land sales.

Not sure I understand what you mean by living off the grid?

Must be a million places in the world you could just rent a beach or wilderness shack and keep your 'buying land nest egg' in case you become disillusioned ?

Originally Posted by Norton

I was born and raised in north central Canada.

Where roughly do you consider to be North Central Canada? As far west as Manitoba or not quite so far west.

Canadian shield. Northern Sask and Northern Man.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Shield

Originally Posted by crepitas

Not sure I understand what you mean by living off the grid?

Originally Posted by DrB0b

Grizzly Adams

Originally Posted by crepitas

in case you become disillusioned?

I'm already disillusioned. Sorry for the misunderstanding,... guess I thought my previous posts on this thread would've made that clear enough

Hi hick, as I understand it, you have a Thai wife. Do you plan to live in this off-grid place w/ your wife? If yes, what's her view about it? Can she live w/o internet & no contact w/ her family through phone, Line or Fb? Can she live w/o a nearby mall or grocery store? Just a few questions that came to mind... cheers & all the best!

Heya Katie.

Yeah, she has some interest. She grew up (kinda') off-grid, so naturally her first thoughts are: "why the hell would I wanna' go back to that?" Heh heh,...but then again, the wilderness of CAN and/or the Pacific NW intrigues her quite a bit.

We're both nature lovers.

Her main concerns don't revolve around the internet, etc...but rather more about safety. She's interested in taking a few survival courses and firearms training first.

Her farm is set and good to go, so I do believe for the first several years (or until the cabin is up and operational), she'll be in Issan while I'm on the land.

Thanks for asking about her.

I'm a but disillusioned with several facets of modern society, Urby.
I cannot deny that, nor attempt to.

My feelings are that spending more time alone, in quiet/peaceful surroundings, communing with nature, etc. is exactly what I'm missing and therefore what I want more of....how to go about getting it (something I can call my own) is (obviously) fraught with conceivable and very real dangers.

DrB0b said something to the effect of "there is no real off-grid, because you must pay taxes" and for what I'm considering, he's right of course, but off grid initially meant off the electricity/phone/water grid, so wherever that is, must be fairly to extremely remote.
Maybe he included that part too, I don't remember exactly.

There are other reasons...selfish reasons. There are things I want to accomplish and I don't feel the value of true concentration and focus (or escape) whilst in the midst of modern "trappings." Personal projects I want the time, patience and freedom to work on. It really is about freedom. True freedom from schedules, ringing phones, internet, appointments, jobs, etc.
We don't have kids and neither of us want to have kids.

My wife (as I've mentioned) is partially interested. Less interested in the beginnings and happy to wait in Saudi or Issan for me to complete the creature comforts and safety measures during my 1 month stints.

Horses are being talked of (stabled elsewhere for the harsh months).

It's just a plan and nothing makes the great spirit laugh harder than a man's plans.
If you can name that movie....

Any number of mystical, earthian, humanistic or natural phenomena machinations could come along, blow a cloud of dust and refocus my energy and intentions elsewhere. There's not only the personal safety issue, but also the material security issue. IOW, as "things" stock up and equipment piles up, how can I protect it, etc.(?)

"Being a hermit" for months at a time is a goal of sorts but couldn't be fully realized until a LOT of hard work (with others) was accomplished first and I had packed away as much dinero as I felt was sufficient to stop working.

Realistically speaking, if I bought the land this year...

...maybe I could live there freely for a few months/year in about 10 years.

6-7 years at a clip and if I felt ok with paying others to do a bulk of the work.

I don't. I want to be there (camped) for the work and learn through it all.

Beyond the cabin, barn and shed, I'll want several forms of alternative energy sources running such as a mini hydro power scheme, solar panels and wind turbines.

I told Slick "no heavy machinery" but now I'm considering the benefits of a full basement.

Second phase may include a greenhouse, indoor vegetables, aquaponics and some other interesting options and developments in self-sustainable cabins and living.

Here's a common checklist for off-gridders:

http://www.livingoffgridguide.com/wp...ff-Grid-v1.pdf

Many (not all) apply to me.

Just compiling equipment and tools, the initial agricultural set up (cultivation / gardening)...this will all take quite a bit of time. And I won't be in any rush. I'll just go camp there for the first couple of years.....even one season before I buy it if possible.

As I've mentioned a couple of times:
"Wintering in the north is something I'd have to work up to in terms of preparedness."

That said, my cabin plans do include:

Insulated windows
1 Cast Iron wood burning stove & 1 fireplace
upstairs loft
A natural construction insulation such as; 'Roxul'


Some quotes, because BaitongBoy has got me constantly reading them :

The monotony and solitude of a quiet life stimulates the creative mind.
- Albert Einstein

Solitude is independence.
- Hermann Hesse

I was in touch with a Canadian off-gridder last year for a little while.

He'd check in (online) about every 4 months or so from the nearest town.

He and his wife have 50 acres in the Yukon Terr., CAN

They have something similar to this:



“…THIS CABIN IS 14×14 WITH A FULL LOFT AND APPROXIMATELY 400 SQUARE FEET OF LIVING SPACE. DOWNSTAIRS IS KITCHEN, BATHROOM, DINING AND LIVING AREA. UPSTAIRS IS A LARGE BEDROOM AND OFFICE. THERE IS ENOUGH ROOM FOR 6 PEOPLE TO SLEEP COMFORTABLY. POWER SYSTEM IS 580 WATTS SOLAR ELECTRIC AND 400 WATTS WIND POWER WHICH POWERS A 12 VOLT FRIDGE, LIGHTS, WATER PUMP, TV’S, LAPTOP AND MANY GADGETS. HEAT SOURCE CAN BE PROPANE OR WOOD STOVE. TOILET IS COMPOSTING OR A SEPTIC TANK SYSTEM…”

He liked to venture off on 2 week to 1 month hiking jaunts.

This interested me greatly and I had a lot of questions.

When he headed off, his wife would help him "close up" everything and she'd stay at a nearby ranch. Room + board for horse grooming, cleaning, light labor, etc.

When asked, "What about all your stuff? Anyone watching it?"

He said, "Nope. Lots of little leaps of faith going on here."