Peaks and Valleys of Off-grid Living
- Emily Ford
- 1 day ago
- 4 min read
We are 3 months into owning our kennel in Minnesota, and what a wild ride it has been!
We purchased 65 acres from my mom over the summer. The land holds an old hunting shack, turned house, that we live in. It is rustic with half-sawn maple beams for joists and cedar slab siding. Upstairs, the a-frame ceiling is unfinished and bolsters R-38 insulation behind a clear vapor barrier.
We spent the first month evicting the last of the autumn mice from the upstairs ceiling. At night, we listened to their tiny feet pitter-pattering back and forth across the plastic at the peak of the roof. If we were deeply unlucky, we spotted their little hand-like feet, above our heads, pressed against the plastic by gravity. So far, we are winning in our living spaces, but have conceded the crawl space beneath the house until next year. We live in the middle of the woods, and I can't really blame the mice for wanting to cozy in our 70-degree wood-heated home.
We bought a Dyson air purifier. It works remarkably well to keep any mouse smell at bay. Most of our guests are none the wiser that mice were ever even there. A spendy purchase for peace of mind and sanity.
My other battles include engines, generators, and batteries. I've learned so much about how to keep a genny happy. Ours in particular is the cheapo Predator from Harbor Freight Tools. I purchased the ultra warranty in case it breaks down. So far, they have. We are on number 3. I've learned that Seafoam is like the duct tape for injectors and carburetors. A couple of ounces of Seafoam with each fill keeps the carb clean enough. I've learned that a long long warm up is needed befoe putting load on the genny as well. I can ususally be found out in the barn in my PJ's before the day starts, whispering sweet nothings to it in hopes that it wants to turn over on the first try, and stay on.
I've learned to take care of my diesel engines by using the correct fuel in the correct season, and that there is such a thing as a parasitic draw on a battery.
ATVs need as much love and care as any other gas-powered tool, and Seafoam is a woman's best friend here, too.
Wood stoves don't fill themselves, trees don't fall, buck and split on their own to fill the woodshed, and the water jugs don't walk out to the well to be filled on their own. Laundry is to be done in town, and showers only happened at our friends' houses until we found a gym in town with a shower option. Everything is just a few more steps than when living on the grid.
Most days, 99% of the days, I love this life. Little wins here and there, and it's easy to feel accomplished after every little task. If dinner is on the table before 9 pm, the victory is definitely mine.
The whole day can be filled with daily tasks and chores, so it is imperative to carve out extra time to love on the dogs, take them out for training runs, and tend to any ailments they may have. I am still learning how to prioritize the most important tasks of my day.
Anna is working full-time as well. We are learning a lot about life balance. I learn more and more about what it is like to be a nurse every day Anna works. So far, this is what I know: nurses have a thankless job that is quite underpaid and with terrible health insurance. If a nurse is cranky or cross, they are probably on day 3 of 5 of 12.5-hour shifts. Or they are at the end of their rope, because the man in room 101 refuses to leave his clothes on and is a fall risk who thinks he's still an all-star athlete, and they have been on his service for all 3 days. I also know that it takes so much effort to be a partner of a nurse. They come home after taking care of the man in room 101, along with 40 other people. They probably just want a hug, a beer, or just to get out of their dirty scrubs. We are learning more and more about how to do this well. We get it right maybe 65% of the time. Be gentle, be kind, and sometimes fake it till you have the capacity to have a good conversation about what's going on.
Every week, we are getting more and more miles on the dogs and learning their personalities. I was able to get on the sled once before this recent warm-up. It was terrifying and glorious all at the same time. Former handler Skylar and I tipped the sled many times as we careened down a new tail I put in. But once we were on the wide open snowmachine trails, everything felt right, and I was right at home on my sled. We were back on the ATV training in the sleet and rain, but now back on sleds with the better version of our home trail. I know Minnesota is a risky place to live these days if you crave snow, but I have high hopes for the remainder of the season!
Happy darkest days. I hope that this solstice season finds you well.