Category Archives: How To (How I Did)

Cities are becoming denser with people, concrete, buildings, and cars, and more people are choosing to leave that world, escaping off-grid. It’s a good lifestyle that many people have lived for years, but others are new and unsure of the best ways to live in an off-the-grid home. Instead of living in that uncertainty, read on to learn how you can turn your house and land into a self-sustaining space you’re proud to call home.

Solve Food and Water First

The first thing you need to get to ensure your off-the-grid home is safe and ready for living is access to food and water. Taking care of this first is the most important thing because you cannot do or take care of anything else without food and water.

Many off-grid dwellers have a rainwater collection system or have access to a lake or river, along with a heavy-duty filtration system to keep their water contaminant-free. When it comes to food, many have a chicken coop and a small garden that meet all their daily needs. Experiment and find what you want or need for your off-the-grid home.

Make It Feel Like Home

One of the best ways to make living in your off-grid home comfortable and enriching is to make it feel like a home. Part of what makes a house a home is the community you’re in and the people around you, but that’s not that easy when you’re off the grid. However, it is still entirely possible. You need to find what makes you feel comfortable and safe and bring that into your home.

To make a place feel like home, it must be cozy, and there’s no better way to make your home cozy than with some simple lighting and all-natural interior decor. Also, many people want their outdoor space to feel like home too. You can accomplish that with some comfortable chairs and yard decorations. For example, a great yard decoration for patriotic folk is an American flag. Assembling an outdoor American flag set is easy. Then, you can sit back, watch your flag fly, and relax in your off-the-grid house that you turned into a home.

Think About Location for the Entire Year

Another variable you must consider is your home’s location. Consider all the weather that affects your area and how that would impact your off-grid life. For example, would icy/snowy conditions limit road access to your home? This might not be a huge issue in Tennessee, but it is still a factor you should consider early to be certain your home ends up in the right place.

Take these tips for living in an off-the-grid home to transition smoothly and efficiently to your new private sanctuary. It’s more than solace away from the world’s chaos and the hustle and bustle—it’s your home.

Many believe that livestock animals can withstand uncomfortable temperatures because they’ve evolved to live outdoors. However, this idea is only partially true. Just like people, animals can become very ill and even die from heat exposure caused by extreme temperatures. Whether cattle, pigs, goats, horses, or other animals, your animals will need adequate protection in order to survive and thrive. Learn how to protect your livestock from heat stress to keep them comfortable, happy, and, most importantly, healthy.

Provide Adequate Shelter

Unfortunately, giving your animals a singular shaded area isn’t enough to keep them cool. Often, the danger arises when animals start to bunch up, as this increases body heat and defeats the shaded area’s purpose. A good shelter should have fans, adequate ventilation, plenty of floor space, and be high enough to allow air movement.

Consider building earth mounds to keep animals apart. If you’re struggling to find a solution that ticks the boxes, you can convert fabric storage buildings into livestock shelters. If you’re looking to save a little extra cash, one of the environmental benefits of fabric buildings is their ability to utilize natural airflow to cut down on energy costs.

Adjust Their Diet Accordingly

Naturally, livestock animals will drink more water the hotter it gets, and they’ll need a bit of a diet and schedule change to maintain their body temperature. They’ll need about double the amount of water, so extra tanks may be necessary. Additionally, tanks and waterlines should remain in the shade and shouldn’t go above 80°F. There should also be enough trough space for each animal. As an estimate, cattle need about 2-3 inches of trough space per head.

In terms of diet, keep in mind that the digestion process increases body heat. Feeding a small portion in the morning and a bigger portion in the evening helps animals stay cooler when night comes around. Ultimately, you should avoid moving and handling animals as much as possible during the hottest times of the day, which is typically from about 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Consider adding more fat and fiber to their diet to decrease the heat created in ruminant animals during the fermentation process.

Offer Various Cooling Options

The best way to protect your livestock from heat is to provide them with various cooling options. While having enough ventilated shelter space is important, animals can’t stay in one place all day and will want to move when their body heat makes the space too warm. Sunshades, portable shade structures, sheds, and canopy trees are all excellent options that give animals a choice in case their current spot becomes uncomfortable.

Consider running water along the roofs of shaded housing to cool down the area or run water on the ground to keep hooves cool. You may also want to think about spraying down some of the animals with water during the hottest hours of the day. Alternatively, if you want to cool down the ambient temperature, running mist sprinklers in and around the shaded housing will do the trick.

Remember, livestock animals can become just as uncomfortable and sick as humans if exposed to the heat for too long. Give them plenty of shade and water, and look for signs of heat stress throughout the day.

The word “tractor” comes from the Latin word “trahere,” which quite literally translates to pull or drag, and that’s exactly what tractors do. They provide the machine power necessary to drag, pull, and push and are the driving force behind the agricultural industry. With all those expectations to live up to, tractors need proper care and upkeep to get the job done. For it to help you keep your farm running, you need to keep that motor humming. Let’s take a look at a few maintenance tips to keep your tractor running like new.

Check Your Fluids

There are quite a few different fluids that keep your tractor running. You need to check transmission, hydraulic, engine, and brake oils. If any of your fluids are low, or you notice sludge buildup from old oil, now is the time to clean and top off your fluids.

It’s critical for you to review your OEM’s instructions, as it will tell you what kind of fluids and oils you need to use for your make and model. For example, two of the most common tractor engine oils are 15w50 and 10w30. While these lubricants look and act very similar, there are many differences between 15w50 and 10w30 oil, and they’re not often interchangeable. Use the wrong fluid, and you put your tractor’s engine health at risk.

Inspect Your Battery

The longer your tractor has been idle, the more important it is for you to check your battery. The battery will likely discharge on its own, and the parts surrounding it can erode. If you don’t take the time to charge your battery, trying to start up your tractor can put a serious strain on your alternator. Once you’ve charged it, check the connection points for damage, corrosion, and buildup. If you tend to leave your tractor idle for extended periods, consider removing the battery leads so that it won’t discharge while not in use.

Monitor Tire Pressure

The lower your tire pressure, the more energy your engine uses. And the more energy your engine needs, the more fuel it burns. Low tire pressure is a fast way to lose fuel efficiency, and with fuel prices increasing, this is a quick way to spend a lot. You should check tire pressure at least once a week, but ideally, you’ll check it after every use. While tractors certainly aren’t fragile, driving over crops or rough terrain can puncture tires and cause slow leaks that you won’t notice until you spend more money on fuel.

Clean the Air Filters

Tractor engines, among virtually all automotive engines, rely on a complex combustion process to run, and what does a spark need to light? Oxygen. The slower or less consistent the combustion process is, the more unused fuel sits in the combustion chamber. In this way, your tractor’s engine needs to breathe if you want to maintain your engine’s efficiency. To avoid this, check your air filters after every 50 hours of use. If your filter is clogged or dirty, replace it as soon as possible.

Following these maintenance tips is a guaranteed way to keep your tractor running like new. Remember always to check your OEM’s instructions. From there, you’ll be on your way to having a tractor that’ll last you for years to come.

No one ever plans for an emergency that requires them to pack up and depart immediately. Yet, with today’s rising worries, many choose to go equipped. While most people are not too paranoid, it is still a good idea to take an honest look at the world and learn how to take some precautions, such as knowing what to include in your bug-out bag checklist.

What Makes a Good Bug-Out Bag?

If you don’t want to spend time carefully curating your emergency kit, you may choose from a variety of premade bug-out bags available online. Yet, since they are for the masses and market to the vast majority, they seldom include customized choices tailored to you and your area.

For instance, if you settle in a desert instead of a heavily wooded area, you won’t have access to the same resources.  If you are carrying materials for more than yourself, the contents in a premade bug-out bag may not be sufficient. However, if you want a proper customized bag for yourself, you should take advantage of what a small tactical backpack offers.

Tips for Curating the Bug-Out Bag

Despite many unknowns, you should follow a few basic guidelines while packing your bug-out bag. First, there’s no reason to overcomplicate things, considering you’re not constructing a portable dwelling. Adding unnecessary materials takes up valuable space and adds more weight to an already loaded pack. While having the essentials is paramount, you don’t want to feel like you’re carrying around cinder blocks. Long-distance hiking and a heavy pack don’t mix well, so keep it light.

Ideally, if things go awry, you want enough supplies to last three days. Hopefully, you never encounter a scenario where you’re in the wild for more than 72 hours, but at least your bug-out bag can aid you.

Another great tip to follow is to bring items that have multiple purposes—a backpack full of goods is akin to a Swiss Army knife. After all, the goal is to survive; thus, packing for comfort isn’t the best solution.

Essentials for the Bag

Now that you know what makes a good bug-out bag and some tips on packing one, here’s a general list of things you should have:

• A map and a compass to ensure your whereabouts.
• Water and high-calorie snacks and MREs.
• Extra socks for those cold nights, which could be a lifesaver in the winter.
• Fire starting tools to avoid rubbing two sticks together.
• Emergency radio to keep abreast of the news.
• Tarp for a makeshift tent.
• Multi-purpose tools to handle your basic tasks.

Learning what to include in your bug-out bag checklist is crucial for the avid outdoors person. Things could get bad in a hurry without the appropriate materials; however, tailoring your bug-out bag to your needs helps minimize a potentially catastrophic event.