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.

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 there is one thing I learned from other people learning from my experience living off the grid its that curiosity will be peeked and questions will arise. When I first began this journey toward an off grid lifestyle invariably the next thing after the WHAT?!? factor was the fact that most people had a question or few. Most long time listeners will be no stranger to the story of how I got where I am today.. living in an off grid camper with no power or water. Every once in a while I need to remind myself that chances are new listeners / viewers find the show and as such will have some of the same questions. Why did you choose to go off the grid? What is it like living off grid? What about power? How do you get water? Etc.. Today’s video episode I answer a couple of questions that came in from listeners. Dean from Youtube asked Why did you decide to go off the grid? Another email came in from LeeAnn. She asked if I have the option to park the camper in the woods? Doing so would help to stay 10 degrees or so cooler in the summer months.

You see the thing is that after living this way for a little over a year I look back and realize that in fact I have come a long way. For years I watched countless hours of videos on Youtube, searched the web for resources, spent many a days / evenings in the backyard practicing mini survival skills, and finally mustered up the courage to take that scary leap of faith off grid! It was not easy but I would not trade this unique life experience for anything! One thing that stands out still is that the first 2 – 3 months were a MAJOR adjustment period for me. After living 40 years in the “traditional” on grid suburban lifestyle and then voluntarily choosing this lifestyle some things came to mind. For one thing I found myself honestly questioning my sanity. Amid a serous bit of self examination I came to the conclusion that if I was sane enough to question my actions and give it the time to reach some reasonable answers then I was indeed not out of my gourd! lol If you ask some of the people that are close in my life then you may not get the same answer. Living off grid for the most part can be challenging and both beautifully rewarding at the same time. This lifestyle may not be for everyone.. for me I am quite content and love the soft sweet sounds of mother nature as opposed to the ever intrusive chaos of the concrete jungles our modern society has so quickly adopted.

 

Video Post notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast

* Today’s lesson: When you give people a glimpse of what off grid looks like they tend to have a few questions.

* 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.

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

This past weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to go up north for a family reunion. Now this trip wasn’t all rainbows and butterflies but it was a good time none the less. The 12 hour drive up included an unscheduled and unwanted 2 hour scenic route through the mountains of Pa. Yup you guessed it.. I got lost when the sun went down so I found myself taking the scenic route around the mountains and through towns so small they only had a couple of traffic lights. It felt good to finally reach my destination and I went straight to bed. The next day family reunion activities were in full swing. The food was excellent and everyone had a good time catching up on how things have been. After we all ate it was time for games like trivia, toss grandmas purse, and everyone favorite “dirty” bingo! Next we had the family auction. Yes it was a lot of fun and I really look forward to going each year when I can.

Every once in a while a long road trip to visit family in Pennsylvania is a great reset for me. Despite my humble abode (the off grid camper) I am still very much a part of this “normal” suburban society on a daily basis with work and all. Going to visit my family up north reminds me of just how much a difference there is in culture from region to region. For better or worse there is always something to learn and life to experience. Up there I was reminded of what small town America is all about. People in general seemed to be nicer, have more manors, and an overall better set of ethics quite honestly. Just an observation. 🙂

 

Video Post notes from today’s Off The Grid Podcast

* Today’s lesson: Slowing down to enjoy the simple moments in life can remind you of just how special this experience that we call life is.

* 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.

Hey you guys! Sit back and take a moment to relax with this short campfire video I made under a crisp starry night sky. I am sorry to have to do this but after a long day of still not having everything ready for my trip tomorrow I need to postpone episode 132 of the Off The Grid Podcast until next week. Tomorrow marks the start of a day long road trip to visit family. Please be patient! 🙂 Next week I should have a few good stories to tell and great video from the road trip! Stay safe and as always thanks for joining me on this journey down the path less traveled off grid. If you have any questions or comments I would love to hear from you so please email 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!