One Year Anniversary Give-Away!
A cleared area on our new homestead
It’s hard to believe, but next week marks the one year anniversary for this blog! To celebrate, we’re doing our first give-away!
We’ve been on a learning curve this year, with many adventures. Now, as we prepare to move to our new off-grid homestead next week, we’re finding ourselves with many more “firsts” and new things to learn.
Sometimes practically applying all the new information can feel overwhelming. We’ve lived a few weeks at a time without electricity before, thanks to central Florida’s hurricanes. We’ve used a generator, inverter, and batteries. But what about using them long term? And what about solar panels, and wind generators? What about using wind power to pump water?
And then there is the dream of building our own little cottage. What about septic or composting toilets, well drilling, figuring electrical wiring and plumbing? Can we actually literally do it ourselves?
We found something several months ago that really encouraged us. It’s a DVD of a family who built their own huge house (5,000 sq ft!) and a woodworking shop (2,500 sq ft) with only the help of friends and family. They had no experience and little knowledge, but a dream to do it, and they got it done!
The family in this 5,000 square foot house has no electric bill
Not only did they build their own house, but they did it all off-grid. It’s never been connected to the grid! And that was new for them as well.
Now, this family’s house is bigger than I desire to have, and they live with all the modern conveniences “normal” people do. But it is so encouraging that they did all of this with no prior knowledge or experience, and it works! And they show you just how it works on this DVD we’re going to give to…someone!
We bought this DVD ourselves at www.AlternativePowerVideo.com and thought it was worth sharing, so we ordered an extra one. Here’s how to enter the drawing:
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Post a comment below with your thoughts about off-grid living. Leave an email address or some way to contact you if you win (we will NOT share your email with anyone).
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Enter a second time by sharing a link to this post on Facebook. Leave another comment below telling me you did.
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Enter again by tweeting this post. Leave another comment below telling me you did.
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Subscribe to our free weekly e-newsletter about sustainable living and leave a comment below telling me you did. As a bonus you will also receive our Free Disaster Prep Checklist. If you are already a subscriber, leave a comment stating that you are.
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Subscribe to our blog’s RSS feed and leave a comment below telling me you did. If you’re already subscribed, leave one telling me you are.
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Enter again by blogging about this give-away and linking to this post on your blog. Leave another comment below telling me you did.
With the above you can enter up to six times. Your comments are your entries, so be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry. Random.org will determine the winner.
You must have a US mailing address to enter (excluding AK and HI). International or overseas shipping just costs too much.
The contest will end next Monday, October 18, at noon, EST. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, October 20, which is exactly one year since my first post (at least that is the plan…we will be moving the 19th…).
Have fun, and I can’t wait to see who wins!
I think that off the grid living is wonderful and applaud those that are able to do it and make it happen and at the same time make it a very positive experience.
onconifer at yahoo dot com
I sined up for your RSS feed
onconifer at yahoo dot com
I subscibe to your weekly e-newsletter
onconifer at yahoo dot com
My sister (& I) are thinking of moving to the mountains. She wants to have a nice retreat are for people to come and visit. She wants to be totally off grid and this book would help us a lot. Thanks for the chance!
I shared this post on FaceBook. (bobbi doll dougherty) Thanks,
Oh I dream of being off grid some day! One day I will be able to live the dream!!!
Facebooked it
Subscribed to RSS
Did the newsletter too…can’t wait to read it!!
And finally blogged…I don’t tweet so that is not an option! lol
I would love it if my family could live off of the grid. For now, we are stuck in town. But maybe some day we could do this.
my husband is very interested in off grid living and I think he would really enjoy watching this if we would win it.
and I also signed up for your newsletter.
It’s our dream to have an off-grid home on some acreage. I’m impressed that they tackled this with such large buildings and very little experience. I would love to be able to learn from them. :0)
I subscribed to your blog.
I subscribed to your newsletter. I was intrigued when I read your ‘about’ page. We used to live in central FL (Polk Co.) and was down there during that horrible hurricane season. We took direct hits from Charley, Frances and Jeanne. We had no generator at that time – and there were none to be found. Thank God, we’ve learned a lot since those days. :0)
We would love to live completely off grid…… we do have a small homestaed, milking goats, chickens, beef cows and a large garden…..and have a long way to go. Hubby would love a windmill!
WOW! I admire anyone who lives off gridor close to it ! We pray, dream, and hope to have a working homestead one day! Many Blessings to you and your family.
I’d love to be off grid . . . some day! I don’t even have my homestead yet. I just keep telling myself baby steps, baby steps : )
Oh I’d love to learn more about this! We currently rent, and are looking into alternatives as we consider finding a homestead long term. This would be so helpful!
i am very interested with off grid living. i am attracted to the simplicity of it even if at times it is “harder” than what i am used to.
shared on fb
i sub to your newsletter
tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/agodlyhomemaker/status/123807325915062272
i sub to your RSS feed
blogged
http://www.agodlyhomemaker.com/2011/10/off-grid-living-dvd-giveaway.html
I don’t use Facebook or twitter, but I would love to be entered in the drawing for this, please.
Our dream for our retirement is a small off grid home that we can build ourselves. We have a few more years before hubby can be at the “retirement” age where we can follow that dream.
Homesteading off-grid is definitely a dream for me. One step at a time….
added RSS feed
subscribed to your newsletter
Wow. This sounds interesting. I would love to win it. I am off to read more of your site now.
I would LOVE to go off the grid someday …
Congratulations on your anniversary! And the new homestead!! Wonderful news indeed. Many blessings as you embark on this new adventure.
The DVD sounds very interesting. I’ve thought a lot about going off grid and would love to glean more ideas.
My husband and I have been talking about the possibility of living off-grid. Thanks for the opportunity to win this DVD. I found your blog through A Godly Homemaker.
Subscribed to your newsletter and look forward to reading it!
I love off-grid living/homesteads! I think I would struggle with not having the computer and the hot water tank…but I think off-grid living is just wonderful!!!
Tweeted! http://twitter.com/#!/KatyLMA/status/124471612400615424
I am now subscribed to your e-weekly newsletter!
I am subscribed to your RSS through Google Reader!
The idea of living off grid intrigues me. I would love to learn more about how to live off grid.
I’ve always been interested in this. We will be moving to a rural property in a year and a half and I would really like to go off grid with this house.
I would love to live off-grid. I think there’s so much more freedom and peace involved in that way of life.
We have been slowly working towards getting rid of electrical gadgets in our home and we’d love to go off-grid completely. This would be awesome to win!
I subscribed to your
Subscribe to our free weekly e-newsletter
I subscribed to your blog’s RSS feed via google reader
I already subscribe. Would love to win this dvd. Been reading about off-grid living and I’m sure this would give some great ideas.
Husband and I have differing viewpoints on off-grid living so I doubt anything will happen soon unless stuff happens. I would love to at least decrease our dependency.
I receive your weekly e-newsletter.
I subscribe to your RSS feed.
In light of the economy these days having an alternative to fall back on is a good idea. Things can not go as they are without something having to give. This may be the thing that enables folks to still have resources without the ties that bind. Put me in the drawing!
My dream is to be able to live independent, not just for survival, but so national disasters and national emergencies would not have such a devastating affect on us, and many of these options allow a much less expensive lifestyle, allowing much more family time, even with all the extra work.
I am working toward the goal of off grid living too. I hope to be there in about 5 years.
I tweeted this article.
I have shared this article on my Facebook page.
I already subscribe to your weekly e-newsletter.
I am subscribed to your RSS feed.
Yes, living off grid can be done without sacrificing a lot of conveniences with the proper planning and design. A good transition that a lot of people use for going off grid is to use the grid as a “battery” called Grid-Tie with batteries for power when the grid goes down. Your alternative energy like solar, wind, etc can be sold back to the power company when the power is on and can be used for back-up power when utility power goes off. This eases the transition and allows for more time to build your system.
I would love to see that dvd!!! We are slowing changing our suburban home into a mini homestead until we can sell and get our land. IT’s quite a learning adventure! I must say! but so much fun!
I subscribed to your RSS feed!
Looking forward to reading more about your journey.
Ok, I shared on facebook as well. Don’t have a twitter so I’m one entry short!
But God is good and If I meant to win, I will!! 
My husband totally wants a windmill. We couldn’t pull it off here, but we’d definitely be interested in living off-grid in the country.
Thanks for your responses! As I mentioned in the follow-up post I wish you all could win! We certainly wish you the best as you pursue living off-grid or learning more about it. Read about the winner at http://www.livereadynow.com/your-ideas-about-off-grid-living-and-dvd-winner/, and please leave a comment letting me know your thoughts about an off-grid homestead blog hop.