The Shack Tour: Before

Welcome to The Shack. I have decided to challenge myself and learn how to take videos of my land and upload them to platforms such as YouTube. I realize that most 8 year olds would ask, "What's there to learn?" But the technological advances beyond the most very basic photograph editing do not come easy to me. 

Currently, I don't have any particular homesteading skills or talents to video and share. But I do have my country-living, retirement dream in progress and I would like to document the before, during, and after. 

My Off-Grid and Debt-Free Retirement Dream

In 2015 I had quite a year. Too many things were going on to list here. But one of those things is important for this post - I bought 4 acres in West Virginia and started dreaming of retiring there as soon as possible. Preferably, debt-free and self-sufficient.

Two years later, I'm moving slightly away from the idea of replacing the existing rickety hunting cabin with an completely off-grid small home. But that is still to be determined.

Currently, The Shack (that rickety hunting cabin) is off-grid. And I go camping there as often as possible in order to escape the hustle and bustle of living near Baltimore and to plan for life on that West Virginia Ridge.

I do know that I plan to build a small home. Use solar for power and passive solar for heating. And I hope to grow as much of my own food as possible.

Two weekends past, I spent the weekend there. I like cool weather camping. I love keeping warm with that wonderful wood stove.

This is a partial and brief tour of the inside:

This is a tour of the "yard" portion of the land. 

The previous owners left behind the old shed (it is not an outhouse - although it looks like it) along with probably two truckloads of things that need to go to the dump. I have been slowly but surely trying to do some removal of poison ivy and invasive weeds. While planting a few fruit trees, and starting a "flower garden".  

There is much to do. And even more to learn. Thank you for coming along on this journey with me.

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you. 

Char-Griller Duo 5050

Char-Griller Duo 5050

In today's terminology, I've "done a thing" and "this happened". And I couldn't be more excited. I finally decided on a barbecue grill and I made the purchase. In one more week I'll be on vacation at The Shack and will be cooking on my new grill.  I purchased the Char-Griller Duo 5050 dual fuel and I couldn't be more thrilled.

Cooking Off-Grid at The Shack

I've purchased land with a small hunting cabin that will someday be my retirement homestead. In the meantime, I go camping up there at every opportunity.  The previous owners left behind an amazing woodstove inside and a old, dilapidated propane barbecue grill outside.  I've been grateful for both.

In the colder months (yes, I camp up there in the winter) I use the woodstove for my meals. Learning to cook on/in a woodstove has been trial and error but between using hobo packs and finding a perfectly sized enameled cast iron dutch oven, I've been able to prepare some really delicious meals.

In the warmer months, I cook outside on the grill. The grill was so old and rusty that I had to replace the grill immediately, but that was a cheap and easy fix. However, the connections and knobs for the propane no longer function. I still used it as a charcoal grill/smoker and using apple tree branches for cooking gave my meals the most wonderful taste!

Imagine, apple wood smoked Delmonico steaks with a glass of wine. Mouth-watering!

Early spring camping - Delmonico steak, hobo packet potatoes, and a glass of wine

But the limping along with the little rusted out grill has lost it's appeal and I wanted a "real" grill. And the rusted out grill is so tiny. If and when I have camping guests, that size of that grill is not adequate.

But which model should I get?

After my adventures with the woodstove, the propane BBQ grill, and the grill as a charcoal/wood smoker, I knew what my criteria were.

I needed:

• a side burner (for the times I just want soup, stew, etc)
• a gas grill
• and a smoker
• an easy-to-read gauge (because I want to try baking while camping)

The Char-Griller Duo 5050

I've been window-shopping grills for nearly two years.  I will soon be camping for week. I needed to make a decision. Fortunately, when I finally decided to take the plunge, the grill I had decided on was on sale! Perfect timing.

I chose the Char-Griller Duo 5050 for several reasons.  It has the side burner I need. That side burner will be perfect for my little Moka pot of coffee. I will be able to barbecue using the propane side if I choose or I can use the charcoal side and add my lovely apple wood for smoking. There is a Char-Griller smoker attachment, but after using my old dilapidated grill for smoking, I'm pretty good at it without that added accessory and expense. 

Char Griller Duo 5050 

The Char-Griller Duo is not as heavy duty as some other brands. But at this point, the cost point is a priority for me. Also, I'm not sure I could move the heavy-duty grills around the deck by myself.

In the future, after I rebuild The Shack and have a real outdoor kitchen (off-grid summer kitchen) I will likely either purchase a higher end grill/smoker or I will have a custom stone BBQ/oven built. But in the meantime, I think this Char-Griller dual fuel grill is the perfect solution.

Of course I will write updates on whether or not I've made a good decision and the delicious test meals I'll be cooking.

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you.  I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you

Tales: Homestead Rescue TV Show Review

Are you interested in homesteading? Do you want to live off-grid? I have a new favorite television series that is perfect for beginning homesteaders and off-grid dreamers. Homestead Rescue airs on the Discovery Channel but I discovered it on Amazon. Homestead Rescue is a reality TV show in which the Raney family visits people who are living on off-grid homesteads and who are struggling. While every homestead and homesteader is different and unique, there are lessons to be learned in each episode.

Beth and Mike Need Immediate Assistance to Survive

In the first episode of Homestead Rescue the Raney family rescues Beth and Mike. This empty nest couple sold their "regular" home  6 months prior and moved to a very remote homestead in the Wolf Creek Mountains of Montana. This gorgeous mountain area is as breathtakingly beautiful as it is frightening. Multiple empty dwellings are reminiscent of a ghost-town and are constant reminders of the failed attempts to homestead here by the prior owners.

With no water source, no food, and with predators large enough to be serious dangers to humans, Mike and Beth are at high risk from not being successful on this homestead. Their location so remote that one good snow storm and they will be at high risk of death.

Who are the Raneys?

Marty Raney has lived off-grid in Alaska.  He has worked in logging while living on a floating camp and has lived on a homestead in  a very remote area of Alaska. 

In this TV reality series, Marty and his adult children, Misty and Matt, are visiting struggling homestead families for 10 days at a time in order to help them with the steep learning curve of homesteading and be successful. Misty brings skills of farming and gardening. Matt brings skills of hunting, fishing, and understanding how to protect the homestead from predators.

The Take Away from this Episode

I found this couple to be endearing, even though Beth is a bit rigid and frustrating initially.  Homesteaders have their dreams of what they want their homestead to be. But Beth's dreams were so big that they weren't getting started. I understand that mentality.  My little piece of land is not as large or as remote as their homestead. But I have dreams. And sometimes those dreams hold me back from doing things that could be done immediately.

The lesson learned from Mike and Beth is to just get started. Do what you can to start being self-sufficient immediately. And make sure that your dreams are attainable and make sense for your property.

Beth butted heads with the Raney family in the beginning. And in the end, she did not get what she thought she wanted. But in the end, the look on her face and the pride in her voice said it all. She did not need that grandiose long term dream to be implemented in order to be successful and happy on her homestead.

Watch Now - Homestead Rescue Season One

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you.  I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you.

This View

I wonder if I will ever grow tired of this view.  I know, the property is still very new to me. A novelty, almost.  But I truly believe that I will never grow tired of this view.

This photo was taken from the back "deck" of The Shack during one of my first full weekend visits there.  I spent the weekend cleaning the stove pipe, gathering wood, and murdering the invasive vines that are pulling down my trees. 

My trees.  Not someone else's trees. My. Trees. 

I daydream constantly about the best way to turn this into my retirement homestead with as little debt as possible.  I study about chickens, and rabbits, and goats.  I knew as soon as I set foot on the property that it was where I wanted to be.  Now it's just a matter of getting myself up there.

Speaking of view, this is the view on the other side of the road.  I'll know why my chickens will cross the road. To see the view on the other side.

Heaven.

Book Review - A Widow's Walk Off-Grid

A Widow's Walk Off-Grid: An inspiring true story of courage and self-determination is a story that resonated with me at this point in my life.  The author, Annie Dodds, responded to her husband's long terminal illness, death, and resulting financial poverty by finding life on a remote dirt road in an off-grid, rickety house. Anyone interested in a true story about transitioning into off-grid living will likely find it hard to put this book down. 

The Annie Dodds Off-Grid Story

Annie survives the long illness and death of her husband. Then has to decide what is next for her. While most people "plan to go off-grid" she tells us in a radio interview, "I think I was in an emotional coma, I didn't plan. I knew what I wanted to do, but I didn't have a plan".  

With very little money and few belongings, she moved many miles away from civilization into a rundown old farmhouse. She moved to the little house, with few neighbors and no corner stores, out of emotional and financial necessity; in order to live a dream.

"I would live a relaxed country life, the kind of life I once wanted, but had put on hold, because our dreams are not always the dreams of those we love"

Not a How-To Off-Grid Guide

If you are looking for a detailed DIY guide, there are better books to turn to. But if you would enjoy a woman's tale of finding riches in friendships and of finding life in an 80 year old rundown house on 50 acres, you are in the right place. 

Annie moves into a little house just off ten miles of caliche dirt road between two highways. Miles to the nearest decent neighbor and 30 miles to the closest real store. With no electricity, running water, or girls' room facilities, Annie and her dog Tippy make a home. Annie continues to live through some circumstances that would have overcome many people. 

"Live your dream, life is not chapters"

A Widow's Walk Off-grid is written like a journal, rather than chapters, because the past "keeps jumping up" and impacts her story. The story doesn't move in exacting linear fashion and seems to backtrack at times. But I found that this style echoes what it feels like when I spend time in my off-grid, dry cabin.  Life doesn't move in a nice, tidy line from point A to point B. 

Living and Living Your Dream

Annie is an example of jumping in and living the dream she had begun to imagine while reading Backwoods Magazine during her husband's illness.  She is also an example of how we can create family from friends and help each other live. 

While off-grid living is far from glamorous - in fact, it consists of daily hard physical work and moments of intense sadness and fear - there is something liberating about being able to fend for yourself.  The small joys of life become easier to see without the constant ambient glow of commercial life in our eyes. 

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you. 

Recommended Reading by Annie Dodds:
Backwoods Home Magazine

Interview:
Lil Suburban Homestead interviews Annie Dodds

Similar Reading:
If you enjoy reading Widow's Walk Off-Grid; An inspiring true story of courage and self-determination I believe you will also enjoy reading Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World. 

First Meals at the Shack

Oh my wonderful plywood hunting shack perched near the top of a ridge. A perfect place to relax away from the rat race. It is an off-grid, dry cabin suitable for weekend getaways and camping trips. So far there are no utilities - no running water and no refrigeration. What follows are my first attempts with preparing hot and satisfying meals in off-grid conditions.

My Off-grid Kitchen Facilities

My "kitchen" at the Shack includes a dilapidated gas BBQ grill outdoors, a small wood stove indoors, no running water, no utilities, and no refrigeration. I have a refrigerator that the previous owners left. But I do not have utilities connected and I have no immediate plans to do so. Thus far, the refrigerator makes a fine mouse-proof dry goods pantry.

I really like hamburgers and hot dogs but didn't want to eat only hamburgers and hot dogs. I wanted easy and tasty meals. Usually meals for one. And because I carry in my water, I didn't want to have many dishes to wash after each meal.  Cooking in foil packets turned out to be a great solution.

Hobo Packs

My first few meals cooked inside consisted of meat chunks and veggies baked in tinfoil. I didn't didn't realize that someone had given this style of cooking a name. It's called a Hobo Pack.  I just learned that today while trying to find additional easy, off-grid recipes.

My version includes whatever meat was for sale at the grocery store closest to the shack. Cubed or sliced into smaller pieces. Sliced onions and bell peppers. Sprinkled with "hot shots" pepper.  I love my hot shots. If I can have only one spice available, I'd choose hot shots every time.

Hot Shot pepper blend

I have added cubed potatoes when I have some.  I spray the inside of the foil with a cooking spray if I am adding potatoes in order to keep the potatoes from sticking.  Then all I do is wrap the foil tightly and toss the pack into the coals to cook.  I turn the pack several times during cooking.

I warm flour tortillas on a skillet, on top of the wood stove, or laid across the top of the hobo pack inside the stove, to serve with these hobo packs.

I was able to finally find a small enameled cast iron dutch oven that fits perfectly into my stove.  Between that amazing little dutch oven and the endless flexibility of cooking in tin foil packs, I will surely eat well while at The Shack.

Give it a Try

I'm not good with sharing recipes, since I just throw things together. But I can assure you that if I end up with tender and tasty meals, you can too. If you need an easy way to cook while camping or off-grid, but aren't sure where to start, the Food Network provides a list of 50 Things to Grill in Foil.


*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you. 

Renogy Solar Panel Review

I recently purchased a hunting cabin (lovingly called "The Shack") and currently camp there. I will someday live there and I hope to remain off-grid.  I recently obtained a Renogy Solar Panel and accessories. This is my solar panel review for dummies, by a solar power dummy.

If you are a techie, looking for in-depth technical information about these panels, you will not find it here. If you are someone interested in having some solar power, but are intimidated or if you are interested in hearing about a woman in her 50s who is bound and determined to retire in a self-sufficient cabin... you are in the right place.

Short Term Solar Needs

I currently camp at the shack on weekends or for a few days at a time.  While at some point, an electric pole was installed as was some wiring and a breaker box inside of the building, I have no utilities connected and do not plan to any time soon. However, I quickly became tired of either leaving my phone in the Jeep to charge (a bit scary when I'm up there alone at night) or having to walk back and forth to the Jeep to charge it frequently. I wanted a solar panel to charge my phone with. And wanted something that I could add on to as I began spending longer periods of time up there.

Long Term Plan

My long term plan is to place the panels outside, on some sort of adjustable frame outside with the batteries in a small cubby added on to the shack or a free-standing battery shed.  But that's long term. I have to decide what I'm doing with the shack before I decide how to house my batteries.

In the Meantime... Renogy 

Renogy 100 watt monocrystalline solar panel

When I say Solar Panel review for dummies, that's exactly what I mean.  I am just beginning to learn about watts, amps, and kilowatt hours, inverters, SINE waves, and deep cell batteries. Even though I am very early in the learning curve, I have something to say about my Renogy panels.

They are GREAT!

I received two Renogy solar panels with a solar charge controller for Christmas.  I bought myself a fairly inexpensive inverter.  I was also gifted two 12 volt batteries suitable for this project (I believe they are reclaimed electric wheel chair batteries). 

There are many reasons to love these panels but these are a few of my reasons:

• My two panels arrived in sturdy cardboard packaging. The packaging was clearly marked with "fragile" and "caution" statements. The panels arrived undamaged.
• Each panel arrived in it's own box. I have one panel at the shack and the other is being stored safe and sound in my apartment.
• Each panel has a junction box and wiring - truly "plug and play"
• Each panel has built-in diodes -- somehow the diodes keep the power from leaking back out.
• The panels are well-made and sturdy.  
• The Solar Charge Controller was easy to plug in -- wire included.
• Included wires have male/female connectors. I was sure I was plugging things in correctly.

My fears  

My biggest fears regarding starting to use solar power were things such as expense, receiving damaged panels that would need to be shipped back, having to figure out how to splice the cords to attach diodes somewhere, and not being able to set it up.

Since I received the solar panels, solar charge controller, and reclaimed batteries from a friend, the expense for the set up was extremely low. But even so, I had been pricing solar panels both online and from local distributors. Renogy panels are a great value at a low price. 

The set up was too easy.  We did a dry run in the apartment. This dry run was mostly because I'm afraid of electrical work and fires. But this turned out to be a matter of plugging things in and tightening battery cables onto batteries. Because diodes are already in place, there was no need to add them to the wires as I had seen in some videos. I repeated the set up at the cabin alone.

Christmas Lights and Cell Phones

So far, I've successfully charged my cell phone and have lighting via a string of Christmas lights (augmenting the lighting from the gas lantern I use).

So far, the solar panel does a great job of collecting the light that comes through the south (south-west) facing window. I am more than happy with the results and can't wait to see what I can power once I install the panels outside.

In this photo, you can see the edge of the solar panel as it leans against the shower stall the previous owners left behind (Yes, shower stall in a dry cabin).  Even in this spot inside, collecting light through a dirty window, I am able to obtain power. 

A word of caution -- batteries can give off fumes while charging and ventilation is important.  At this point in time, the shack is very well ventilation (read - "drafty" or "downright windy"). In a different situation, I would not have the batteries indoors.

Finally, Seeing is believing

This gentleman has made a video of the unboxing of his Renogy 100 watt monocrystalline solar panel.  His opinion is similar to mine and includes comments about the warranties.  

Related Links:

My blog is a mish-mash of personal things (from my dogs, to product reviews, to rambling stories).  But my homesteading-related adventures  and photographs can be found under the label: The Shack.