Off-Grid Homesteading in Vermont

Reader Contribution by Ashley Hetrick and Vermont Mango Plantation
Published on April 5, 2018
article image

We always knew we wanted to homestead in Vermont.  We’ve lived other places, but none resonated as “our place” more than Vermont.  It’s the little things here, like the complete lack of billboards, that make the everyday scenery more magical.

We searched for land that we could afford and kept coming up short.  Like many young couples, we were impatient.  When we finally found our homestead, it was everything we’d ever dreamed.  Plenty of space to stretch out, a greenhouse, a pond and mature woodlands.  The main attraction was that it was well back from the road, but that meant something else…it was off the grid.

I know many people dream of moving off-grid, but that was never part of the plan.  We’re not tinkerers, and neither of us are mechanically inclined.  Our homesteading ambitions were more focused on gardening and time in nature, and we didn’t know the first thing about solar or wind power.

We were young and decided that there’s no time like the present to learn. Over the years we’ve learned a lot about managing our system, but for the most part, we’ve been surprised at just how much electricity a few panels can generate.  Even in Vermont, far to the north, we have more electricity than we can use nine months of the year.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368