Self Sufficiency
41 Off The Grid Hacks | Homesteading Tips
Are You *Off The Grid*? Then you’ll love these off the grid hacks that will make living under the radar much better.
41 Off The Grid Hacks To Make Life Easier
Let’s face it…we live in a world full of commodities. So many that we’ve grown very accustomed to a certain lifestyle and it’s difficult when that gets thrown out of whack – especially when you live off the grid. Homesteading brings life back to the basics a bit, but it’s a learning process, to say the least. You learn to get clever with what you have, and sometimes when you learn a new trick you find out later that it’s actually quite an old trick. So why am I telling you all of this? I wanted to share with you all a couple of tricks I’ve learned throughout my homesteading years living off the grid. And so, without further ado, here are some of the off the grid hacks that are useful.
1. Use A DIY Natural Cleaning Products
Our home staples like lemon juice, bicarbonate soda, white vinegar, salt, hydrogen peroxide, olive oil and Castille soap work for almost everything. Use it to remove stains, eliminate odors, scrub your sink and countertops. The natural cleaning solutions are endless.
2. Give Your Goat A Pedicure
Not really a full on pedicure but it pays to know how to trim your goats’ hooves. This a basic animal care and therefore it is essential to your livestock.
3. Use Mason Jars For Beekeeping
If you think beekeeping in a small homestead is impossible and expensive, think again! Grow bees from your backyard with this amazing off the grid hack, DIY mason jar beekeeping and even perfect for a suburban backyard.
4. Build Your Own Chicken Coop
Building your own chicken coop will let you make use of your budget but ensures your chickens are having a safe and comfy living. Here’re 15 awesome chicken coop designs to choose from.
5. Remove Skunks In 3 Simple Steps
The skunks are cute and harmless but they’re darn stinky. Luckily, these 3 simple steps on how to deter them are absolutely doable and effective. The best method I have in my homestead.
6. Use Apple Cider To Boost Immunity
Use apple cider as a tonic, to fight off winter cold and flu, or mix it with your livestock’s food or water to boost their immunity. Read all the amazing health benefits of apple cider here and be amazed at what it can do.
7. Grow Potatoes Vertically If You Don’t Have Enough Space
Having doubts of growing potatoes because of small space? Grow potatoes vertically! This is an efficient alternative to growing potatoes which tried and tested in my homestead.
8. Freeze Eggs To Keep Them From Rotting
I have a generous flock of chicken in my homestead and of course, I don’t pay their generosity through wasting their eggs. I have the mastered the method of freezing eggs. Yes, you can freeze eggs too! Try it and enjoy fresh eggs every day.
9. Use A Dutch Oven To Bake Without An Oven
No oven? No problem. Dutch ovens are a great alternative to baking your goodies. Dutch oven does not need an open fire. You can use wood or charcoal briquets to keep your fire low and regulated. Experience and taste the difference outdoor cooking any time of the day.
Speaking of no oven, you’re going to love The Biolite…Fueled by twigs…Generates enough power to cook a meal while charging your phone at the same time.
10. Use Rocks To Make A Knife In A Survival Situation
A knife is an essential tool when it comes to survival. Use rocks to make a knife in a survival situation, unfortunately, you just can’t use any piece of rock.
11. Test Your Soil The Pioneer Way
Without the use of any special tools, test your soil and find out what necessary components to add to it to ensure a bountiful harvest.
12. Get Free Containers To Start Your Seedlings
There’s nothing better than free containers to start your seedlings. This could mean a lot for having a successful garden. However, starting seedlings can be done with just about anything.
13. Calculate The Weight Of The Pig
No need to drag your pig-headed porker to the nearest scale to weigh it. Learn how to calculate it’s weight instead and avoid the hassle of dragging your pig.
14. Milk Cows Benefit From Udder Balm
Homemade udder salve is not only simple to make, but it is also ultra-nourishing, and so natural that you could eat it.
15. How To Prevent Milk Cow From Kicking You In The Face
There are many ways to prevent your milk cow from kicking you in the face and the very first trick is to calm yourself down. Then the rest follows.
16. Use Duct Tape To Kill Squash Bug
Get rid of squash bug without the ruining the leaves of your plants. Who would have known that a duct tape is a perfect solution for squash bug problem?
17. Freeze Root Vegetables So They Don’t Get Wasted
There are many ways to preserve your excess root vegetable but freezing them is seems to be the quickest way to do it. Don’t waste any of your excess root vegetables ever again.
18. Use Black Plastic Sheeting To Warm Up The Soil For Planting
Ready for planting but your soil is too cold? One rigid winter should never stop a good homesteader for planting early for spring, use black plastic sheeting to warm up the soil for planting.
19. Use Water Gallons To Make DIY Watering Cans
There’s no need to buy those expensive watering cans. If you’ve got empty water gallons upcycle it into DIY watering cans.
20. Whiskey Barrels Make Awesome Container Plants
Want to start your own container garden? You’re in the right place. Check out our Homesteading Handbook: How to Grow All The Food You Need In Your Backyard.
21. Read This Self Sufficiency Guide
This guide is from our friends at ammo.com. It includes everything to how to chose where to live off-grid, What to buy, what to make, what clothes to wear, and more.
22. Use Duct Tape To Open Jars Easily
If your jars have been sitting in your cabinet for very long there’s a chance those lids might not open as easily as expected. Use a piece of duct tape to twist that lid right off.
23. Use Crayons As Emergency Survival Candles
In a bit you can light these up as an emergency light source! A crayon will burn for 30 minutes, that’s a perfect hint how many crayons should keep in handy.
24. In An Emergency Situation, Set Broken Bones Using Duct Tape And Toilet Paper
Setting bones using duct tape and toilet paper, may save your life but please only do this as a last-case scenario. Seek medical attention immediately if you are in any kind of danger.
25. Stave Off Frost Bite With Baby Oil
Baby oil has plenty of uses aside from your baby bottoms. It can also do wonders for your skin under extreme weather conditions. Lather it on and keep the frost at bay.
26. Carry All Your Water Gallons In One Trip With A Sturdy Stick
Alternatively, you can place the jugs on each end and practice your deadlifts to keep in shape. This will save you some time, but make sure to carry only what you can and don’t over do it.
27. Remove Ticks Easily With This DIY Tick Lasso
To remove a tick, just loop the lasso around the tick, where it’s attached, close to the skin. Then pull the ends of the string tight and firmly pull the tick out.
28. Use An Old Bike To Make A Crossbow
If your old bike just hanging around your garage, time to give it a new lease of life as a crossbow. You never know when you might need this, seriously.
29. Use Mason Jars As Liquid Measuring Cups
Mason jars are more commonly used for storage, canning, and sprouting. But they also make great liquid measuring cups, too. Many mason jars even have the sides marked for your convenience.
30. Coffee Grounds Have Endless Possible Uses
So don’t throw them out yet. Find out how you can use coffee grounds for your off the grid lifestyle and be amazed of what you will discover.
31. Utilize Youtube
Have you met Doug & Stacy? My favorite Off The Gridders. They’re on the grid enough to share their experience with you. Their homestead is 100% self-sufficient, and their channel is brimming with great tips for your own journey.
32. Save Money By Cutting The Kids’ Hair Yourself
This is a fun skill to have! Every off gridders will love and enjoy to know how to cut a kids’ hair. Imagine the savings you get when you start doing this.
33. Use Big Soda Bottles To Store Dry Goods Like Beans and Rice
Soda bottles are made of thick material and provide air-tight seal for your food. Add an oxygen assimilator to every bottle to ensure a much longer shelf-life.
34. Replace AA Batteries With AAA Batteries
Don’t have AA batteries when SHTF hits, but has only AAA batteries. Well, you can replace AA with AAA batteries through balling up aluminum foil and cover it into the space inside a battery compartment. AAA and AA batteries has an output of 1.5 volts. They only differ in amperage and in a gadget like a flashlight or weather radio, this isn’t a thing you need to be concern of.
Or check out my favorite product that gives you battery power for life! Buy it here.
35. DIY Survival Lantern
An empty soda or beer can be joined with candles make an excellent lantern in a survival situation. Don’t trash your soda or beer can again. They are very helpful!
36. Use A Tarp And A Pile Of Lightweight Branches For A Makeshift Raft
Need to navigate a lake or river without drowning, freezing, or eaten by alligators? Spread a tarp and stack lightweight branches in the middle, then cover the endings and fasten the whole raft with string or paracord.
37. Improvised Spear Head Or Arrow
Use your old circuit board to create a super easy yet an effective makeshift spear head or arrow. Something to pair with your makeshift bow.
38. Crisco Can Improvised Candle
Create an improvised candle out of a Crisco can by simply adding a wick and voila – a candle that can last longer than your typical wax candle.
39. Snack Chips Make Great Fire Starter
Yes. In addition to being highly addictive and delicious, Doritos and other snack chips are highly flammable. If you are outdoors and got some snack ships, don’t savor it down to the last chip because you’ll never know when you’ll need a fire.
40. Instant Rain Jacket Out From Garbage Bag
Cut a few holes in your garbage bag to make a jiffy rain jacket. Well, you won’t win a fashion award with this, but at least it can keep you dry and warm.
41. Eyeglasses As Tinder
Use your eyeglasses to direct sunlight into an intense ray of light that will easily kindle fuel to create a fire. An off the grid hack even people who are not into living outdoors can use.
Still got time for more off the grid hacks? Check out this video from Blake Weber:
That’s all for now! Living off the grid is like living in a dream. Enjoying all the comforts while not being dependent on the supply of power company. Fully enjoying your skills and what nature has to offer and there’s no limit to that. What one can one ask for? Happy Homesteading!
Did I miss any Off The Grid Hacks? Let me know in the comments.
Can’t get of enough of life hacks? Check out Home Depot Hacks and Homesteading Tips & Tricks and be amazed at how much you can save if you follow these!
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Featured Image Via The Modern School Of Life
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How To Make Lacto-Fermented Sauerkraut In A Mason Jar
The thing about homesteading is you get to create your own ingredient right from scratch! Cheese, yogurt, butter and now sauerkraut, a delightfully sour and crunchy ingredient you can use on your meals — or consume by itself — while on a homestead, or while facing this health crisis!
This homemade sauerkraut is a great meal because it has a long shelf life. You can either make plain sauerkraut or mix it with herbs and spices. In this tutorial let us make Lacto-fermented sauerkraut that preserves all the good probiotics in a jar, good for your guts.
So how to make sauerkraut in a mason jar?
RELATED: How To Make Buttermilk On Your Homestead
Delicious Sauerkraut Recipe Every Homesteader Should Know
Why Make Sauerkraut?
Not only does sauerkraut spoil a long time, but it is also a meal in itself, and it is also easy to make! You don’t need to be an expert cook, all you need to do is follow these simple steps.
So let us get started. Here are the steps in making sauerkraut in a mason jar.
Ingredients:
- 1 head of cabbage or 2 1/2 lbs cabbage
- 1 tablespoon of salt
Tools Needed:
- knife
- bowl
- mason jar
- smaller jar
- rubber band
Step 1: Wash & Clean the Tools & Ingredients
Wash all the equipment and utensils you need. Wash your hands too.
You don’t want to mix your sauerkraut with bad bacteria, anything that is going to make you sick.
Next, remove the faded leaves from your cabbage. Cut off the roots and the parts that don’t seem fresh.
Step 2: Cut the Cabbage Into Quarters & Slice Into Strips
Cut your cabbage into quarters and remove the core. Then, slice it into strips.
Step 3: Place in a Bowl & Sprinkle With Salt
Put the stripped cabbage into a bowl. Sprinkle the cabbage with 1 tablespoon of salt.
TIP: Use canning salt or sea salt. Iodized salt will make it taste different and may not ferment the cabbage.
RELATED: Homemade Yogurt Recipe
Step 4: Massage the Cabbage
Massage the cabbage for five minutes or more to get the juice out.
TIP: You’ll know it’s ready when you see a bit of juice at the bottom of the bowl and will look similar to coleslaw.
Step 5: Press Cabbage Into the Mason Jar
Add the cabbage to the mason jar gradually. Press it in hard to allow the juice to come out. Do this every time you add about a handful of cabbage.
IMPORTANT: Food should be covered by the liquid to promote fermentation. Add any excess liquid from the bowl to the jar.
Step 6: Press a Smaller Jar Into the Mason Jar
You want to squeeze every ounce of that juice from the cabbage. To do this place the mason jar in a bowl and get a smaller jar.
Fill it with water or marble to make it heavy. Press it into the bigger mason jar. Allow any juices to rise to the surface.
Step 7: Cover the Jars With Cloth & Tie With Rubber Band
Leave the small jar on. To keep your jars clean from annoying insects and irritating debris, cover your jars with a clean cloth. Then, use a rubber band to tie the cloth and the jars together, putting them in place.
Step 8: Set Aside & Check Daily
Set it aside in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight. Check the water level daily. It should always be above the cabbage.
Step 9: Taste Your Sauerkraut & Keep at Cool Temperatures
After about five days, you can taste your sauerkraut. If the taste is to your liking, tightly cover it with the lid and store in the fridge or cellar.
NOTE: If after five days it’s still not your desired taste, leave it for a few more days. This will allow the fermentation process to continue.
You can now enjoy your sauerkraut in a mason jar. Enjoy its goodness! You can use it as a side dish or mix it with your favorite sandwich.
Things to Remember in Making Sauerkraut
- Store away from direct sunlight and drafts.
- Colder weather will make the process longer. Spring is the best time to make them since the warmth helps activate the fermentation.
- Always make sure that the cabbage is below the water level during the entire fermentation process.
- If the water level decreases during the fermentation process, you can make a brine and add it.
Let us watch this video from Kristina Seleshanko on how to make delicious Lacto-fermented sauerkraut in a mason jar!
So there you have it! Making Lacto-fermented sauerkraut in a mason jar is as easy as slicing the cabbage into strips. Remember that as long it remains unopened, your sauerkraut can last for months. Best of all, you can partner this sauerkraut in many recipes.
What do you think of this homemade recipe? Share your best sauerkraut recipe in the comments section below!
Fellow homesteaders, do you want to help others learn from your journey by becoming one of our original contributors? Write for us!
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9 SPRING VEGETABLES FOR YOUR GARDEN
Having plants in the house will bring peace to people. Having a little garden with vegetables is even better! You can grow these vegetables in your backyard garden easily as well!
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In this article:
Growing veggies in your garden will give you an opportunity to understand what you eat and value it more. Early spring is when most vegetables are being planted. Keep reading to learn about 9 spring vegetables that anyone can grow in their garden!
Tomato
Tomato is the most popular garden vegetable in the States! There are different varieties to choose from. Tomatoes need to be planted in early spring because they won’t survive a frost.
Because tomatoes are consumed daily, try adding them to your garden! They’re not difficult to grow either.
Eggplant
Eggplants are known to have low-calorie, vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. Plus, they are delicious! So why not plant them in your garden?
Eggplants shouldn’t be planted too early because they won’t be able to survive a frost. So you could consult an expert in your area before you plant your eggplants.
Beets
Beets are known to be a superfood for its various health benefits. They’re easier to grow in the garden, usually around late March or early April.
If the weather is always cool, beets will keep getting bigger and bigger. Once the weather starts to warm up, you’ll need to harvest them, or they’ll go to waste.
Spinach
Spinach is a delicious early spring veggie, and it’s also very beneficial for health. And it’s not difficult to grow spinach in your garden!
Spinach needs cold weather to grow. Getting spinach to grow is easy, but keeping it growing will require some extra care.
Pea
Peas are usually planted in late April. Peas will die in freezing temperatures, but they also won’t survive the heat either. So make sure you plant your peas in early spring.
Peas are widely used in many different ways, and there are different types of peas. The soil you’ll be planting your peas should be suitable for them, so make sure you ask while buying seeds.
Carrot
There are different types of carrots, but regardless of their size and color, it’s a fact that carrots are both delicious and rich in vitamins.
They’re root vegetables, so with proper sun and watering, they can be picked up as baby carrots as well.
Radish
A radish is an excellent option for beginners because it doesn’t require too much care. Radish is easy to harvest.
Radish grows fast, so it’s better to keep an eye on it after a few weeks. Radish usually is grown pest-free, but there’s always the chance of unwanted guests, so watch out for worms. Radish can be eaten raw or can be added to garnish recipes.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower isn’t the easiest vegetable to grow at home, but it is very popular.
Cauliflower grows better in colder weather, so before you plant it, consider the climate of your garden. Cauliflower can be eaten raw or cooked, and it is known to be very beneficial for health.
Asparagus
Freshly picked, tender asparagus is very delicious!
Asparagus plants get more productive with each harvest, and mature asparagus harvest can last for months! Make sure you plant them at the correct time, or else they might go to waste.
All the vegetables listed above are great for your healthy diet, and it’s fun to watch them grow. So don’t miss out on the opportunity to grow your own veggies and eat healthy this spring!
So tell us which veggies will you be growing this spring? Tell us in the comments section!
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