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Welcome to Life Unplugged, your guide to living off grid with alternative energy
on the modern homestead. It is not necessary to give up all modern conveniences
to reduce your carbon footprint when you utilize alternative energy and green building
techniques. Passive solar design coupled with straw bale, cob, cordwood, or earthbag
construction can yield an efficient, comfortable, and green built structure for
your homestead. Solar panels and wind turbines are tried and true forms of alternative
energy, but new technologies such as geothermal, micro hydro, and bio-diesel offer
additional flexibility to power your off grid homestead. Explore our collection
of articles covering new and old technologies that are sure to be of use in your
modern homesteading adventure. |
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Generate Electricity with a Wind Turbine
Wind energy is the fastest-growing source of energy in the United States. Clean
and relatively inexpensive wind turbines harness the energy in wind and are an
attractive option for those looking for an alternative way to power their
homestead.
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Building with Earthbags
Earth is one of the oldest and most plentiful building materials known to man.
Why purchase a material and pay to have it transported when suitable earth s
almost always close at hand. Earthbag construction is a green building option
that has been utilized by for thousands of years. |
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Washing Clothes by Hand
There are quite a few tools available to make washing clothes by hand a little
easier, but the only things you absolutely must have are plenty of water, a
large container, some kind of soap or detergent, and a clothes line or drying
rack. |
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Inexpensive Owner-Built Cob Homes
 Earth is one of the oldest and most plentiful
building materials known to man. Why purchase a different material and pay
to have it transported when suitable earth is almost always close at hand. Combine
clay soil, straw, sand, and water to build efficient sustainable housing from cob. |
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Homesteading is hard work whether you are collecting eggs from the chickens,
feeding the livestock, or tending the garden. Growing organic produce
can be an adjustment for those used to using chemical pesticides, herbicides, and
fertilizer but I wouldn’t say that organic gardening is more difficult. Composting
your kitchen scraps, livestock manure, leaves, and lawn clippings takes time but
not labor to produce free nutrient rich compost for your homestead’s garden. Mulching
with your compost fertilizes the soil and aids in water retention which reduces
labor requirements and conserves water. Who knows what hormones are injected into
the animals that provide our eggs, beef, chicken, and pork. Save money and enjoy
fresh nutritious meat and eggs by raising your own livestock and poultry on your
homestead. Learn more about raising livestock and organic gardening on Life Unplugged,
your source for all things on the environmentally responsible modern homestead. |
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Hybrid vs Heirloom Garden Seeds
Planting a garden from seeds is the most economical way to start growing
vegetables and herbs, and it has the added advantage of providing you with many
more options than if you use nursery plants. For homesteaders, the question is
usually not whether to plant from seed, but which kind of garden seeds to use. |
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Getting Started with Beekeeping
Getting started with beekeeping is a great way to explore alternative livestock
if you are starting on the road to self-sufficiency. Bees are easy to get
started and the results of your efforts can be very rewarding.
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Our Favorite Homesteading Blogs
Can't learn enough about self sufficient living? Check out this collection
of our favorite blogs and follow the adventures of homesteaders across the
country and around the world. This is a new feature so check for updates
often! |
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Bio-Diesel as an Alternative Fuel
Bio-Diesel is a subject that is gaining popularity with backyard enthusiasts
and corporate processors. Best of all, it can be made from multiple components
and bio-diesel processing is very scalable; make a single gallon or a hundred
based on your need and facilities. |
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Historical and Modern Homesteading
Homesteading, or living off the land, will never be seen as a particularly
modern lifestyle. However, it is interesting to note that homesteading -- as
it's thought of today -- is a relatively new practice that has greatly evolved
over the past several decades. |
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Make Hard Apple Cider
Making hard apple cider at home is a fun and easy way to tap into a lost piece
of Americana. Before wine and beer became the drinks of choice, most Americans
drank hard apple cider due to its ease of production and the ready availability
of apples. |
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Benefits of Solar Water Heaters
Utilizing solar energy to meet your water heating needs is one of the most
economical ways to implement alternative energy on your homestead. Solar water
heaters are can function in nearly any climate and are a great solution for
people living off grid. |
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Benefits of an Earth Sheltered Home
Some people assume that an earth
berm home is dark, cave-like, and buried in the ground, but it is in fact quite
the opposite. Instead of the builder placing the home under the ground, he or
she brings the earth up, so to speak, to cover the outside walls of the
dwelling. Earth berm homes (and earth sheltered homes) have many benefits to
both the homeowner and the planet. |
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