Popular Mechanics Interview

A few days ago I was asked to do an interview for a possible article in Popular Mechanicsmagazine about “off-the-grid” living and homesteading. A lot of the questions asked by the interviewer, have probably crossed the mind of more than a couple of readers and considering the fact that I had nothing to post today, I decided to post it here…

Bold text is the interviewer questions – italic is yours truly.

1) What is the location? (I’m guessing you probably want to be somewhat vague about this but if you can give me some general idea where you are, that would be helpful.)

“Tennessee”

2) What does your “junk land” property look like in terms of the surrounding terrain?

“My land sets in the middle of an old surface-mining site the area around my travel trailer is surrounded by small pine trees from around 6-12 feet tall. On the north side is a good sized hill about 300 yards from the bottom to the top. The soil around my trailer is hard clay, so in order to raise a garden I must plant in raised beds.”

3) How far are you from the closest neighbors? The closest city or town, and how large is it?

“Closest neighbor is approximately 11/2 mile away to the south. Nearest town – Population 911 according to 2000 census. I am about four miles outside of town.”

4) Please describe the trailer you live in.

“It’s a 26 foot 1996 Gulfstream, it is in great shape and everything works as intended. I have a full size bed, couch, kitchen table, stove and sink, refrigerator, bathroom sink, shower and toilet and closets. The same things found in any home, just in a more compact form.”

5) What improvements/changes have you made on the property to make it livable?

“Put in my own septic system, skirted the trailer for warmth and added a roof and porch across the front. In the summer the porch acts as another room.”

6) How do you generate power?

“I have three solar panels (from amazon) that I use to charge my batteries. I also have a homemade generator that I made from a lawnmower engine and a truck alternator. For heat I have a very small wood stove and propane heater. My refrigerator runs off propane. For water I use a spring to fill five gallon water cans that I pour into the water tank, then I use the small water pump that came with the trailer top cycle the water through the trailer. I need to refill the tank about once per week”

7) What do you do for food?

“I work as a part time handyman and make a few dollars a month publishing my blog. Last year I made a little over $2,000 from the site and another $3,000 doing handyman work $5,000 is not a lot to live on but then my bills run less than $100 per month.

“As to food I use a lot of beans and rice bought in bulk as well as wheat and corn from the local feed and seed co-op. I raise a garden, forage for certain wild plants that are in season. I also fish and hunt / trap wild game.

Once a month I treat myself to a movie at the local movie house and have a steak dinner at one of the nicer establishments in town”

8) Do you live part time or full time on the land?

Full time. This is my home.

9) As for the why, that’s a more open-ended question. Why have you decided to live off the grid in a survivalist fashion?

“Economy. I could work 70 hours a week at a job I hate in an attempt to stay on top of house / car and other expenses, hoping someday to retire. If I made it to retirement, the best years of my life are gone, having been sold to the company with highest hourly bid.

Or I can choose to live a simple life of little stress and expense, living my life the way I want. Living the way I do you become a survivalist without needing the term.

There is nothing sinister or dark about survivalism, we look at history and current events and can see that the world is a very unstable place. We prepare with the hope nothing ever happens, but sleep better at night knowing we are ready if and when it does.”

Survival 101