I get nostalgic when I hear of people starting off on a bare piece of land with a trailer and a tiny pv system.
I knew that solar power worked, but when we first turned on my computer in a trailer surrounded by juniper trees in the middle of nowhere, it was totally magic. We used the computer to start our own off-grid business, and we used every spare penny to build our off-grid house and PV system.
The first thing we did was tear down someone’s unwanted shed and used the recycled materials to build a 16X16 cabin. Our first Christmas, it was furnished only with a wood stove and the sofa was the back seat of a 1984 GMC suburban. Ten years later we have aself built house and 1400 watt system.We raise our children, make our own beer, soap, cheese, grow veggies, and raise animals. Whenever the sun shines and wind blows hard we are mindful that the power is coming from natural sources beyond our control.
For me this off-grid isn’t just about renewable power, being kind to the earth, or even the independence. It’s about trying to be present.