Backwoods Home Magazine - living off the grid

[newdovo]

I don't subscribe to this magazine, but I do visit their website occasionally. Lots of articles for "self-reliant living." Massad Ayoob writes articles for them, too.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/index.html

[Kreutz]

I often fantasize about solar power and a geothermal heat system allowing me a gigantic F&$^ YOU to both ApCo and Roanoke Gas respectively.

Problem is those systems would set me back tens of thousands.

[OakRidgeStars]

Yeah, the break even point is not looking too good for me either. Even with my gubmint subsidy money

[Kreutz]

Yeah, the break even point is not looking too good for me either. Even with my gubmint subsidy money

I think I'd have to live to 130 to break even.

[MP15Lover]

Solar power and heating with hot water is not as easy as it seems.
In the early 80's I owned a welding co. and subed the making of water stoves.
Black iron water tanks are going to rust without a water treatment to prevent rust.
I had 7-4'x8' solar panels on a tracking system.
Believe you me it was a pain to keep this system working.
The house was about 2400 sq ft and the stove required 10 cord of hardwood to keep the house at 70 degrees for a NC winter of use.
The solar panels were not all that they were cracked up to be.
I soon learned that if I had the time and energy to take care of the systen to keep it working then maybe, just maybe I could have reaped some benefits, but it was not worth the effort.
I sold the panels some years after Uncle sam gave me my break.
Keep your money, and wait until a proven systen is avaliable.

[Reverenddel]

I wonder if this is the offshoot to the former magazine similiarly titled? It was a small publication, and the guy who ran it passed, leaving his wife (who couldn't care a thing about survival) to run it, and it just folded.

If it's the same authors, and articles, it's a fairly good mag! I still have all the back issues for 4 years worth, and there is little to ANY overlap on subjects! When they covered, "How to make your own dugout canoe?" They had a me at "firelapping"... they had me at "firelapping".

[ByzantineFire703]

Hey awesome post! I'll definitely check out the link.