This post is coming in late because we are right in the middle of moving again and I’ve had to prioritize other things. Today is moving day so I’m going to keep this short and sweet. By the end of the day our family will be living full time off the grid! Our only power will come from a few solar panels and a portable generator. It feels a little bit strange! Although this move has been easier in some regards, it is still very difficult.

Chances are you’ve seen romanticized pictures of a nice cabin with a pristine wood stove in a peaceful setting in the woods. Everything is rustic but tidy and clean. It looks dreamy! “Off grid life” has become a catch phrase for the younger generation. Chances are, most of the images you’ve seen are from Instagram influencers or even fake images generated by AI. The term, “off grid” is one of those things that seems to mean something different to everyone. Some imagine a hut in the woods with no contact with the outside world, living like the Amish with no electricity or running water. Others may imagine very expensive and high solar power systems that run a home just like you would if you were connected to the grid. The truth is

“I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your misconceptions down!”

Once upon a time there were three little pigs. These little pigs all set out to build themselves a home. One little pig decided to build with sticks, or dimensional lumber. He mostly just did it this way because it was the normal way to build. It’s just how it’s done. The second little pig thought he wanted something more substantial, so he decided to build a brick house. The third little pig, was something of a rebel. He felt like he wanted to explore some alternative options. He learned that there are many different ways to build that are often overlooked because they are more difficult to manufacture quickly and are not as easily defined into building codes. He learned about adobe, cob (like adobe but built wet into a monolithic structure), rammed earth, rock built, straw bale, and even hempcrete! These were interesting to this little rebel pig. After a lot of research, he decided that he liked straw best. The reason was because he could build a home with more natural materials with fewer harmful chemicals, have massive amounts of insulation, breathable walls, and it looked really fun! Unfortunately, when he told his other pig friends what he was thinking, they were concerned.