Daniel A. Shinerock

I have created this YouTube channel dedicated solely to "do it yourself off grid solar homestead".  I'm hoping to help others realize their dreams in an affordable and self sufficient way.  Knowing what you need, what is reliable and affordable is key.  Understanding how solar power works before hand will save people countless labor hours and frustration.  This link is to my personal site with 50 different videos on various topics regarding off grid solar and how to do it yourself.  I hope it helps someone.  The pic below is me 100 feet up in a tree with my duel axis automatic solar trackers in the dense forest of Cave Junction Oregon.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-G3EJMjjdCKJkJdPTvkgg/videos

Zachary Crawford wrote:for me, circumstances that are bridling my progress are helping my odds of success. i'm stationed in germany, and everything that comes with that places limits on how far off grid i can be. so for the next few years i can ease into things. when i get back home, i will again be limited by the resources available at my home. so thats one three year phase here in germany, and then another at my house until the third phase, which i plan on being when i find the land i want to buy.

here in germany i can grow food in raised beds in my backyard. i can finish building my still and begin learning to distill. i can build a modest sized compost silo. i can build a small rocket heater. i can build a 55 gallon drum methane digester. all things that really wont let me disconnect from anything, but will set me up with the needed knowledge for when life lets me move on to bigger steps.

when i get back home i will be able to do everything that i can start here in germany, but more seriously because its my home and my lot. with a larger yard i can produce more food with dozens of raised beds over my old garden spot. three years from now my fruit trees i planted last summer should be producing apples and peaches. i can direct the rainwater from my roof into the 275 gallon water tank my neighbor gave me. i can apply what i learn here with tinkering with rocket stoves to pull my wood heater and replace it with a rocket-mass hearth.

one step that i think is one of the most serious ones in terms of feasibility and what it will accomplish is to build a true methane digester. pursuing home ethanol brought me in contact with methane and the simplicity of it, even if it is only for the heat and compost it provides, has me focused on it as a priority that will greatly facilitate further transition. additionally, when i am able to capture the methane produced, that free source of energy will pay dividends towards all further progress. as i mentioned, i am also interested in distilling my own ethanol. my plans for this center around acquiring waste products such and beer and baked goods from local businesses rather than growing a dedicated feed stock. so while i will still be in a conventional home with neighbors, because it is mine, i will be able to implement my ideas more completely and freely than i can here in government quarters.

finally i plan to get my own land and come together with like minded friends and family to create a magnificent community of self sufficient peoples and so on and so forth, and while that seems like such a pipe dream at this point because of how far i am from it, every journey starts with a single step. my first steps will be little hobbies like urban gardening and canning and dehydrating. i think the key to success is successive steps that build into one another so the transition is gradual. ask me again in three years though.

distilling is so easy, you'll be shocked.  The only money I spent was on the copper tubing.  20 bucks, check it out here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PjPXk8qot4

Brenda Groth wrote:it probably is true, I know my hubby and I have tried to get the money to even get started on wind and solar and we just can't get there no matter how hard we try..so yeah..probably so.

I think IF I lived in Arizona I might be able to do solar or wind..but here in Michigan the sun seldom shines for an entire day..or even a half a day..and we have a LOT of trees so wind isn't too feasible either

You can get started with only 1000 dollars, if you do it yourself.  First build something like this, a portable solar generator on a dolly to run tools, charge electronics and run lights and cooking utensils .  Then build from there.  Take it slow, one component at a time.  Here is my off grid solar tutorial youtube page , 50 videos on how to get started very affordably.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-G3EJMjjdCKJkJdPTvkgg/videos?view_as=subscriber

Theresa Whited wrote:My legacy will be my cob house but I did some research that said a few small buildings is more efficient than one big one. The plans are a cob house for main living quarters, a small cabin (already built and dropped) for utilities and a small quest quarters. A small bath house in light wieght concrete conected to the cob house and a small light weight concrete Dome. The cabin is for my teenage son and the dome is for my teenage daugther, I told them they will have a place to stay but I didn't want to make them too comfortable. My daugthers is heading to college and my son making plans to live the city life for a bit and I want them to find there own way for awhile. When they are ready to settle (start a family or whatever) they can build their own homesteads on my property and be free from a mortgage. A big part of what drives me is ensuring a better future for my kids and I have had more quality time working on the property with them than I have in a long time.

One of the most liberating aspects of trying to go off grid is no (or very small) power bill, and if you can get on land with no, or very small mortgage or rent, suddenly you find yourself with time to grow your own food, eliminating yet another bill, so your left with internet or phone bill only.  Its a dream come true for me.  But I have to warn people, you have to be happy with not only less in most aspects of conventional living in a rich nation (social/toys/competing with the Jones's), but you have to be happy to be you.  You have to believe in a cause almost.  I am very adept at being lonely and not needing much, knowing I am living in a way Nature can adjust to.  Its the mission that drives me on.  Setting an example.  So many talk about going clean and green, but very few actually have a realistic picture of what that means, and the reason to do it for many revolves around "what others think of you".  That will result in failure.  You have to believe in your cause for you and your place on the planet.  It should start as a hobby, learn all you can using the existing systems to build fail safes, then slowly step out into the life, and learn to appreciate the finer things in life.  Because you have to give up most of the bright lights, parties, and socializing in order to become a bit more at one with nature, to fully understand and believe in what your doing, and to appreciate all the nature has to offer.  I think people fail because they go cold turkey into the wild and suffer from the shock of reality.  Take it slow, learn first, then tread lightly, always having an out so you don't feel trapped.  You stay because you love who you are becoming.  This is my hobby, helping others realize how easy and affordable off grid solar can be.  Be brave, click on the link to learn how you can get started.  50 off grid solar tutorials with various topics to choose from.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-G3EJMjjdCKJkJdPTvkgg/videos?view_as=subscriber

I have been building my humble chunk of forest to be self sustaining for 3 years now.  Organic garden, with solar and wind, growing each year.  But I still rely on the grid, especially in the winter.  I began sharing my experiences online through my youtube channel.  Its an off grid tutorial for people with unique challenges to a self sustaining life style.  I'm a beginner gardener, but if the "grid" went down tomorrow, I'd be one of the lucky ones with all the power I need for a reasonably comfortable life.  This is my youtube, I have tree forts with solar arrays and automatic solar trackers 100 feet up at the top of trees.  What a challenge it was to overcome the deep shade of the Oregon forests.  But it is so worth it, just knowing I'm ready, should catastrophe strike my neck of the woods.  Fire is my biggest remaining threat.   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-G3EJMjjdCKJkJdPTvkgg/videos?view_as=subscriber

I've been battling nature regarding my garden critters, and the over whelming shade of the forest in Oregon, but I came up with a fun solution.  Tree forts loaded with solar panel arrays, and automatic solar trackers.  

Mike Haasl wrote:Yes, welcome Daniel!  I added your post to a couple other forum categories so more people might see it.  Navigating the forums takes a little learning but it's worth it.  Each thread is a perennial conversation so there's always something to read or talk about.  Many like minds here to talk with.

Yeah, I'm have a hard time finding things, I guess I'll learn , eventually.  Thank you for your encouragement .

Since I started my garden 3 years ago, I have managed to cut down my meat consumption by about 70 or 80 percent.  I even feel much healthier.  

Hemp, it grows anywhere, and you can knit the fiber yourself .  Might be a bit itchy, not sure   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-G3EJMjjdCKJkJdPTvkgg/videos