Off-grid means being disconnected from the public and private utilities like electricity, water supply, telephone lines, roads etc.
We have been living pretty much off-grid for four years.
We got disconnected from the public water supply 4 years ago. We are using well and lake water.
We got disconnected from the government electricity supply two years ago. We have been generating electricity using solar panels. We own a laptop, iPad, two smartphones, a Bluetooth speaker, a trimmer & a drill machine. We don't have any other electronics.
Here is a list of 54 gains we derived from living a off-grid life.
Self-sufficiency : We produce our own electricity through solar panels, collect wood from forest, grow all our vegetables and fruits, build tiny structures like fence, sheds ourself.
Sustainability: We produce more than we consume. In addition to meeting our needs, we share our farm produce with visitors, farm workers, and friends.
Renewable energy : All our sources of energy are renewable & makes us feel smarter, like burning foraged wood for heat, capturing sun energy for electronics and using other such sources for meeting our energy needs.
Environmentally responsible : We have been able to take full responsibility for the environment in which we are living. We don't create pollution, deplete any environmental resource or become a stress on soil, trees, water or animals around us. Is it not our duty to take care of my surroundings? For my sake and for my children. We are proud to say we do.
Practical living : We refuse and reduce the use of unnecessary things and reuse, recycle, repurpose most of the things. For instance, we bring only the fallen wood from the forest for heating purposes. We create charcoal from these woods. And after burning the wood, the ash is used as a fertilizer for trees.
Smaller footprint : As we consume less, we leave less footprints.
Less impact on the planet : We have been able to live in tune with nature. Not against it.
Healthier lifestyle : We have gained tremendous health by living off-grid.
Rewarding : We have explored life in villages, towns, apartments, cities and homes. But off-grid life has been most rewarding.
Happiness : We are all very active. This makes us relaxed and happier.
Getting back to our roots : Didn't our ancestors live an off-grid life for thousands of years? That's why it's so satisfying to live off-grid. We can meet the energy requirements of modern tools using solar, wind or other renewable resources.
Preserves knowledge : When we started off-grid living, we discovered that there is so much knowledge existing around villages from centuries about it. We just rediscover it for ourselves. This is one of our tiny contributions towards preserving the traditional knowledge.
Teaches future generations : Whenever we end up in a totally hopeless situation, we look back for answers. What we are doing is a lesson for our future generations, especially our children.
Sharing experience : We get so many visitors who aspire to simplify their lives. Just by looking at us, whatever we do is instantly shared with them.
Advances humanity : If the way we are living has benefited our lives and many others we know, it's definitely an advancement for the entire humanity.
Avoids consumerism & waste : Just due to the physical disconnection with the market, roads, television, advertisements etc, our consumption of every goods and services has tremendously reduced. So has the waste generation.
Leads by example : We wanted to be a role model for our children. We discovered that walking the talk is the only option.
Better for our kids : Kids mimic what they see elders do. As we have taken responsibility for our health, food, work and environment, so will our kids.
Healthier food : As our gardens yielded vegetables and fruits, our foods became highly enriched. In Fact we don't enjoy anything more than eating fruits from our garden. Plus there is a surety that there are no pesticides, weedicides, herbicides, preservatives, fertilizers in our food.
Fresh air : The air we breathe at our farm is so fresh. No smoke, fumes, chemicals or smells of any kind are there in it.
Digging in the dirt : Who doesn't like to dig in earth. Very often we dig earth for various reasons like growing trees, collecting soil, building structures etc. It's wonderful.
We get to build stuff : We built so many structures ourselves. The toilet, bathroom, fence, garden, furniture, shed etc were all built by us. The farm invites us to build something!
Independence : We are not dependent on the system for work, food, health, education of children as they are homeschoolers, electricity and so on.
Connect with nature : Initially we were scared of strange noises, snakes, scorpions, wild animals, darkness, silence, isolation and disconnection. However, these are all heavenly feelings now. Once we lived for 2 years this way, the fears turned into connections. It's heavenly.
Teach our kids the value of a day’s work : As our days are filled with many routine tasks, we see our kids learning the value of self care and taking care of home, work and garden.
Physical exercise : There is no need for any other exercise as our days are filled with so many tiny physical activities.
Safer lifestyle : No mosquito bites & mosquito borne diseases, no urban hazards, no thefts, no diseases and so on goes multiple ways in which we feel much safer now.
Security for our family : Crime rates are lowest in off-grid homes.
Financially responsible : We earn through honest work, we spend responsibly, we don't have debts of any kind and we don't need to be involved in any kind of financial mishaps. We don't need to pay rent, water bill, electricity bill, EMIs etc.
Socially responsible : We have been able to help many poor people by healing them, guiding them, creating them to run their own business and so on. We feel satisfied with our contribution to society. Surrounding villagers feel happy to be with us and working for us. Due to our gardening and farm maintenance works, we have generated livelihood for two laborers.
Creates a place for change : Our farm has witnessed so many novel developments like unschooling, diseases Reversal, self-sufficiency, voluntary simplicity and so on.
Inspires others : Almost all of the visitors say that they are inspired to make some improvements in their lifestyle after visiting us.
Brings people together : What we have done has brought many people together. There is positivity in what we do. People from various institutions and across the world like to connect with us.
Strengthens community : Our farm is part of our community. The positive changes we do are ultimately strengthening our community.
Giving back to everyone : Through living responsibly in all possible ways, we feel that we have been able to give back to everyone and society what we have received.
It makes a difference : The way we live has made a difference in innumerable ways.
Share your skills with others : Many people learnt making healing oils and running a business from us. Many visitors learnt about self-healing. Many parents learnt about homeschooling. Many people learnt about slow living, slow food and sustainability.
We learnt a lot of new skills to live off-grid life.
We made a lot of new friends.
Off-grid life is very relaxed, detached and less stressed.
Off-grid living definitely adds many healthy years to our life.
We own dogs. It's so easy to have pets at the farm. We aim to own many different types of animals in future.
It's so relaxing to see wide open spaces all-around.
Clear skies, brighter skies, starry nights can be appreciated at the farm.
It's really quiet and peaceful at the farm, especially during nights.
There is always something amazing to do around.
The surroundings are always changing and dynamic.
Water, forests, hills and wild animals are always around us.
As there is hardly anybody around, we are not bothered about rules and regulations all the time. Of Course we follow all the rules of decency!
We are our own boss.
Food tastes better.
Life feels more meaningful, purposeful at the farm.
Bonfires whenever we want.
It’s green!
Take Care
Madhukar & Savitri