Wife and I eventually moving...living expenses question

• July 29, Environment Canada confirmed an EF0 tornado touched down in Ottawa, Ontario, close to Orleans. Most of the damage was confined to the Pine View Golf Course where it left a 100 metre-wide path and uprooted more than 20 trees. No injuries were reported.[151]
• August 1, A low end EF0 tornado was confirmed near Carleton Place, Ontario, abot 45 km west of Ottawa. Environment Canada used an eye-witness account to confirm the twister. No damage was reported.[152]
• August 7, Three EF0 tornadoes were confirmed in south-central Ontario within a 1 hour period, thanks to video and photographic evidence. The first tornado touched down north of Orillia, Ontario, followed by another between Arthur and Grand Valley. The third twister happened near Carnarvon, Ontario. No injuries or major damage was reported.[153]

Fairly common but it aint Kansas.

 

Those are all really good research sites, oddmar! We have been researching many things like that for a few years now.

Southern Ontario where we are now is the deadliest tornado city in Canada with the last being I think two years ago about 20 miles from us. The most deadliest was when I was a kid and it was about 2 miles from us. I have developed a HUGE phobia of tornadoes actually and have that into our plans.

The house we are building is called a Usonian style home. It is one floor that the "concrete or rock mat" acts as support as well as cheap way to distribute heat. The issues in ontario are more the 4 to 5 foot frost line but the Canadian govt has relaxed their laws on this allowing you to use a much cheaper "frost protected slab on grade foundation". Saves about $15K to $20K on cost of home. We also intend to use local rock over time for the cores of the house so being in the canadian shield will be a plus. We are thinking about a smaller house than we first thought similar to this :Welcome to the Seth Peterson Cottage | A 1958 Frank Lloyd Wright Masterpiece Our original design is here: http://usoniandreams.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/adams-usonian-with-cottage-conversion.png but we shall see. It is more important to move into that area and be self sustaining than the house itself. The architect that restored that house is actually helping up with designs and ways to make this possible financially.

 

Bruce brings ups some good points on the subject of how fuel your going to need and have stored for the winter time .also rethink the budget in the area of how much you need to put back for a rainy day to help with the oh cr... Monument

 

We're doing the same thing SOON! Unfortunately in Canada there is no area that has a long growing season, or temperate climate zone, similar to The South.
Build underground, Quonset huts , the true round one can support a lot of weight and there cheep. Excavate a hillside pour a slab, be sure to rough out your plumbing, assemble the Hut, install 2x 12" PVC pipe for air flow, put the earth back on top and you have 55*'s year round. there is a steel company in Canada that has these in all different sizes!
you can get clearance deals, get a wind turbine charging system, and a solar system, dig a well with a solar water pump, and you just saved yourself tens of thousand in initial investment, and who knows how much in monthly bills.
That my plan at the moment. We are moving to a place where the spring and summer, growable season is about 7-8 months long.
My family live in Seattle so I am kinda familiar with the far Northern Climate. Good luck to you!! If you like, have some rough Artclip diagrams I have made, if you decide to go this routr let me know and I'll upload them for you.
I just built a 1,000 foot garage with a slab for about $7,000. If you buy a home there goes a big chunk of money.
your paying a lot for other peoples labor. I built my structure in 5 days with 2 unskilled laborers, including the roof on it.

 

Hello all I am new to the site, my name is Dan. I am 42yo father of 3. Retired military. I recently bought 98 acres in Northern Alabama, Madison county, I am 15 minutes from Huntsville, 30 from Birmingham, and 15 from Scottsboro. The Land is isolated and mountain top to the road on the ground. No neighbors. I am looking for another family or two who would like to build an off the grid home in the area to share in the expenses would help us all. I could parcel it up depending on how many wanted to turn this land into a private off the grid community. I have plenty of water on the land and it is breath taking views and land, all the land has old growth timber on it. Every acre has enough timber to build your own home if you had a small mill machine. I am told there is Natural gas under the land there but have not looked into tapping into that for personal use. The are has no restrictions and is basically left alone as it's location is so isolated. Well isolated for the east. I would happily entertain working with any couple or family who wants to build on them buying part of the land and working out simple cheap payment plan, depending on how much land you want. If we go with a community then all of the land would belong to those who built homes their for all's enjoyment. There is a very large creek, with waterfalls, there are several caves than can be walked thru...old Cherokee Indian caves. Anyone interested email me at BurneyFamilyFarm@aol.com tks. Dan

 

The most important thing I keep seeing people missing when talking about moving off grid is EVERYBODY USED TO DO IT!!!
Yes there are concerns to be dealt with, BUT, we have been conditioned(Programmed if you will) to be part of the machine that drives the Economy! DEBT, CONSUME, NEW CAR, Bigger House, More, More, More....
People used to live closer to each other, when a barn went up everyone was there to help, when crops came in everyone was there to help, barter was the coin more than the Dollar. Debt was paid through services rendered. Together we are stronger!
The system we live under now has made it so that most people don't even know their neighbors. If we look at all the creepy stuff that's happening these days, That's why!
We live in a system that wants us to feel like we are an Island not a Community. We are led to believe that we can't do anything unless we work 40+ hours a week for someone else and let them determine what quality of life we lead!
"Quality of Life" interesting concept! What is a quality life? Get up in the morning, go to work, come home, spend a couple hours if your lucky, to deal with family issues, go to bed early because we have to get up and go to work, so we can afford to do it again tomorrow!
How about an alternative? Wake up when the sun rises, eat with your family, as a family, assign chores for the day, spend the day with your family, have lunch with your family, work till evening, have dinner with your family, maybe play a board game, cards, watch a movie, get to know your kids, then go to bed. The next day you can spend another day with your family.
Food can be grown and stored in the spring and summer months. Canning vegetables, smoking or canning meat, fish, rabbits, etc...
Milking goats, they are better than cows ( they can forage for their own food, cows have to be fed all year).
I started with 3 sheep, and three goats, 7 rabbits and 17 chickens.
I now have 4 sheep with at least 1 to 3 more due any day, 6 goats, 45 rabbits( had as many as 80) and still have 17 chickens which in the summertime give us more eggs than we can eat. Next year I could Double my herd again.
We grew a garden for the first time in my life, we had bunker crops of Peppers, Tomatoes, Beets, Collards and Garlic. I had other stuff that didn't fare as well, but, I will do better this year!! I was amazed at how much I enjoy it!
In the beginning you will probably need money to make up the deficit in your ability, that will change as you get better at it.
Rocket stove technology will run on 75- 85% less wood than a conventional wood stove. When done correctly it can supply all your heating, cooking, and hot water needs. Earth bag and Cob homes are as economical as you can get. Its bags full of dirt or Clay, Sand and Straw, before you turn your nose up at this concept, take a look at what can be done with it and then check out the R rating on these homes. Some of the Cob Homes are absolutely stunning!!
cob homes - Google Search
The Question is" What is a good life to you? How much excess in your life are you willing to give up? How hard are you willing to work?
Do not be discouraged! Use your Head! Plan as best you can and watch a lot of YOUTUBE VIDEO'S!!!! It can be done, The time to become less dependent on the Grid, Economy, and Wal-Mart is now, get started, start small then upscale.
Good Luck to all who have the courage, to rage against the machine, and seize back the life you design!!!

 

Yeah, But, 80% sounds low to me! Your community type is almost dead in America. People call what you do Survival-ism, when its really a Modern form of what people used to do everyday.
Even a tough old bird like you would have to admit without the Generator and the Solar, Bush-Mart , and snow tractors (mobiles?), life like your living would be much more of a struggle. Not that its not now, but I lived in dutch for a couple years and even there as modern as that was there were still times...
It's Toooooooo cold where you live for my taste. We were originally thinking about Northern Idaho but after researching it a bit we came to the conclusion, that, there's enough challenge trying to survive an off grid situation without throwing the Donner Party scenario into the equation.
Growing up in Hawaii my little butt wouldn't make it 1 season without going Cabin Crazy and ending up with frost bite all over it.
I have to hand it to all you folks who either like that cold weather, or have really big B^*ls to keep ya'll warm.
Personally I like the Southern US, Longer growing seasons , less chance of Freezing to Death, more comfortable fishing time etc... and then there's the Bears, Coyote's and Wolves, Oh MY!

 

Us north Idaho types just carry a switch with us as we bust through the snow drifts naked to the out house, and give the wolves, and lions a swat on the rear if the eye us to long..

 

Maybe if you weren't running amok in the snow naked with your switch in your hand, they wouldn't stare quite so hard.

 

Truly is a magnificent sight!!! Especialy the swatting part..

 

I actually just did the math on that 20% BTpost was eluding to, with a base population of 320 mill. 20% works out to be 64 mill. people. I don't think there's that many in America living off grid, unless you throw in the homeless population. I would be very interested to know exactly how many people are living an off grid lifestyle.
Has anyone got those Stat's.?
I watched a documentary on the wolf boy. A French Psychiatrist raised this boy who was living with Wolves. There was two feet of snow on the ground and that kid had almost no protective clothing on at all, he was rolling in it, like he was at the beach. The Doctor guy said it was conditioning? How does conditioning stop Frostbite?
You "Don't" run around with Wolves, Do You? That visual was a little graphic for this early in the day, wait scratch that, it was too graphic for any time of Day!!
PS: I love all you guy's and gals here. This is a Fun site!!! Quite a variety of Characters!

 

Laughter is the greatest medicine. Never get sick, live, love, laugh.

 

Humans are remarkably adaptable critters. Stick us in a particular environment and after a while we learn to deal. It's how folks like BT can handle -40F up in Alaska and people like our guys in Iraq and Afghanistan can run around in full gear in 120F. When I worked in restaurant kitchens years ago, I could stick my hand in a pot of boiling water and pull a potato out of it without flinching or running for the first aid kit. (it was a good way to put the fear of me into the newbies). I can't do it now because I'm not in that environment where I'm constantly coming into contact with hot surfaces. I think most of it has to do with our mental ability. Like those guys in India who stand on hot coals and don't get burned, or people who develop psychosomatic illnesses, or people who believe the village witch doctor put a curse on them so they lay down and die. If you believe in it, you make it so.

 

Not sure what the heck is going on here, never been to canada

 

Don't worry, be happy, Mon.

 

Welcome to our realty!! Swing up into the tree and hang on tight.. Some likes their fun!!