PODCAST · education
Offgrid Journey
by Henry Sherman
I spent 20 years in the Navy before retiring. Now, I live on a homestead in South Carolina, where I enjoy the off-grid lifestyle. I’m also a published author of four thriller books and have a passion for homesteading and survival skills.
-
123
Maintaining Offgrid Water Cisterns
Learn essential steps for cleaning and maintaining an off-grid water cistern, including regular inspection, safe removal of debris, sanitizing the interior, checking for leaks, and ensuring proper filtration. Follow these guidelines to keep your water supply clean, safe, and reliable for long-term use.
-
122
Testing Well Water for Offgrid Living
Learn essential steps to test well water quality before moving off the grid. This includes checking for contaminants like bacteria, nitrates, and heavy metals, using certified labs or DIY kits, and understanding the importance of regular testing to ensure safe, potable water for your off-grid lifestyle.
-
121
Micro-Hydro Power vs. Solar -Weekend Edition
Micro-hydro power can outperform solar energy for rural properties with access to flowing water. It provides consistent, round-the-clock electricity, requires less land, and often has lower maintenance needs.
-
120
Building a Bear-Proof Chicken Coop
Learn essential steps to construct a secure chicken coop in areas inhabited by bears, including reinforced materials, proper location selection, electric fencing, and locking mechanisms to protect your poultry from wildlife threats.
-
119
Top Livestock for Offgrid Beginners
Explore ideal small livestock options for first-time off-grid homesteads. Discover animals like chickens, rabbits, and goats, which are easy to care for, require minimal resources, and provide valuable food and products to support self-sufficiency.
-
118
Rural Property Taxes and Off-Grid Living Costs
Explores the annual property taxes and ongoing expenses associated with owning off-grid homes in rural areas. Covers financial considerations, including local tax rates, maintenance, utilities, and other recurring costs unique to off-grid living.
-
117
Layered Off-Grid Home Security Solutions-Weekend Edition
Off-grid home security requires layered protection beyond smart devices, focusing on property design, access control, durable gates and locks, motion lighting, cameras with local storage, backup power, and trained dogs. Prioritize visibility, maintain manual overrides, test systems regularly, and create practical routines and response plans. Budget for ongoing maintenance and adapt strategies to local laws. Build security incrementally for reliable, power-independent safety.
-
116
Year-Round Pest Prevention for Off-Grid Homes
Protecting an off-grid home from pests requires sealing entry points, storing food in secure containers, managing moisture, and regular inspections. Use durable materials like metal mesh, maintain a clean environment, and control waste to deter rodents and insects. Employ safe pest control methods such as traps and minimal chemical use. Monthly and seasonal checks help catch issues early, ensuring ongoing protection for your home, livestock, and local wildlife.
-
115
Essential Guide to Off-Grid Vehicle Selection and Maintenance
Learn how to choose and maintain an off-grid vehicle for safe, comfortable remote travel. Assess your travel needs, match vehicles to terrain and climate, and calculate payload and towing capacity. Compare trucks, SUVs, vans, and trailers, and inspect used options carefully. Build essential systems without overloading, prioritize reliability, and maintain a thorough inspection and repair routine for dependable, responsible off-grid adventures.
-
114
Efficient Small Off-Grid Workshop
Learn how to design a compact, off-grid workshop for repairs, woodworking, and household projects. Tips cover site selection, building a weather-resistant shell, sizing solar power, safe tool storage, and choosing essential tools. Start with a practical layout, expand power and equipment as needed, and build in stages for independence, safety, and flexibility without overspending or wasted space.
-
113
Health Care Planning for Off-Grid Living-Weekend Edition
Accessing health care off the grid requires a proactive plan: map providers, build local networks, keep updated medical records, and use telehealth as a backup. Secure reliable power and communication options, stock medicines safely, and prepare for chronic needs and emergencies. Maintain preventive care, control costs, and regularly review your plan. Preparation and local connections are key to staying healthy and safe in remote settings.
-
112
Seasonal Off-Grid Preparation Guide
Learn how to prepare your off-grid home for seasonal changes by conducting property and system checks, building a maintenance calendar, and protecting utilities like power, water, and heating. Adapt plans to your location's unique risks, store essential supplies, and safeguard your home, food, and animals. Review emergency plans and backups, maintain vehicles, and use weather forecasts to time preparations.
-
111
How to Stay Safe Far From Help
Learn how to stay safe during off-grid emergencies, from weather disasters to injuries in remote areas. Key steps include calm decision-making, packing tailored emergency kits, having a clear plan, and understanding when to shelter or evacuate. Prepare by leaving detailed itineraries, carrying water and communication backups, and prioritizing first aid and hazard awareness. Smart choices and thorough planning are crucial for survival far from help.
-
110
What to Pack Before Moving Off the Grid Safely
Moving off the grid requires more than basic camping gear. Create a tailored checklist that includes shelter, water, power, heat, food, health, communication, repairs, and work. Pack durable, repairable gear, sturdy labeled bins, tools, repair supplies, safety equipment, and documentation. Separate first-week essentials for quick access. Adapt your list to the property’s infrastructure and local risks, and avoid overpacking nonessentials. Review and revise your kit as you settle in.
-
109
Guide to Growing Your Own Food-Weekend Edition
Learn essential steps to cultivate your food for a self-sufficient lifestyle. This guide covers choosing crops, preparing soil, planting, maintaining a garden, and harvesting, empowering you to rely less on external sources and enjoy fresh, homegrown produce year-round.
-
108
Begin a Self-Sufficient Lifestyle
Learn the basics of self-sufficient living, including how to grow your own food, conserve resources, cut down on waste, and develop practical skills such as gardening and food preservation.
-
107
Essential Homestead Water Supply Strategies
Homestead water security relies on multiple sources—wells, springs, rain catchment, municipal, and hauled water—tailored to property and needs. Key steps include testing sources, building storage and treatment, planning for power outages.
-
106
Choose the Best Land for Your Homestead
Selecting a homestead site means balancing dreams with practical factors like climate, water, soil, access, legal restrictions, safety, and budget. Begin with long-term goals, then assess local climate, property size, usable land, and service costs. Carefully check water sources, soil quality, drainage, access, zoning, and hazards. Use maps, tests, and site visits, and confirm all details in writing. Compare properties with a checklist and complete due diligence before committing.
-
105
A Year of Homegrown Food Guide-Weekend Edition
Discover practical advice on planning your garden, saving seeds, harvesting by season, storing produce, and understanding the challenges of self-sufficiency with this comprehensive guide to growing your own food year-round.
-
104
Preparing for Remote Living Challenges
This episode explores strategies for handling unexpected issues in remote living, including equipment failures, supply delays, medical emergencies, and other disruptions. Learn how to plan ahead and adapt when things don't go as expected, ensuring resilience and preparedness in off-grid environments.
-
103
Living with Local Wildlife
Explore engaging stories and practical advice on storing food safely, handling animal encounters, managing property boundaries, and coexisting harmoniously with local wildlife in your community.
-
102
Critical Elements of a Solid Exit Plan
Explore essential aspects of creating an exit plan, including identifying evacuation routes, addressing medical requirements, securing backup shelters, and preparing for emergencies that render your home unsafe.
-
101
The Hidden Expenses of Distance-Weekend Edition
This discussion explores the practical impacts of living far from key services, highlighting increased travel times, delivery challenges, higher fuel costs, emergency preparedness, and the overall financial burden associated with distance.
-
100
Essential Hands-On Skills for Off-Grid Living
Discover personal stories highlighting the importance of learning practical skills like carpentry, mechanics, and first aid. These hands-on abilities not only support self-sufficiency but also make off-grid living more achievable and rewarding.
-
99
Building a Resilient Off-Grid Pantry
Explore strategies for preserving food, managing supplies, and organizing a pantry designed to help off-grid households withstand delays and disruptions, ensuring food security and peace of mind.
-
98
Cooking Without Convenience
Learn essential skills for meal planning, food storage, and outdoor cooking when refrigeration and modern appliances are limited. This podcast offers practical tips for preparing meals in challenging situations.
-
97
Learning the Land-Weekend Edition
This episode explores how to observe and understand your property, adapt to the terrain, manage wildlife, and make intentional decisions about the locations of daily tasks for a more harmonious and efficient homestead.
-
96
Life on Remote Dirt Roads
Explores the realities of living in remote areas, focusing on dirt road conditions, vehicle maintenance, delivery logistics, emergency accessibility, and the unique travel challenges faced by residents.
-
95
Organizing the Remote Home
This episode explores effective strategies for organizing a remote home, selecting durable equipment, and ensuring essential supplies are always on hand, especially when stores are not easily accessible.
-
94
First Year Living Off the Grid
Explore the realities of the first year off the grid, covering setup expenses, steep learning curves, adapting to seasonal changes, and the gradual process of establishing daily routines.
-
93
Living Off the Grid: Real Stories-Weekend Edition
Explore firsthand accounts and practical advice about constructing homes that operate independently using self-sustaining systems. Learn about the benefits and compromises involved in embracing a self-reliant lifestyle.
-
92
Off-Grid Living: Gains and Tradeoffs
Explores the tradeoffs of off-grid living, discussing what individuals sacrifice, the benefits they experience, and the reasons many choose to continue this lifestyle despite challenges.
-
91
Weatherproofing Off-Grid Living
Explore how living off the grid requires adapting to seasonal changes, storms, and temperature extremes. Learn how these factors impact daily comfort, maintenance, and planning for self-sufficient lifestyles.
-
90
Building an Off-Grid Life
This episode explores the journey to self-reliance, focusing on the careful planning, initial setup, and important tradeoffs involved in creating a sustainable life off the grid.
-
89
Daily Life Off-Grid-Weekend Edition
Explores the essential routines of maintaining an off-grid home, including hauling water, chopping wood for heat, and the steady work required to support sustainable living.
-
88
Off-Grid Living: Embracing Simplicity
Explore the tradeoffs of off-grid living, including its slower pace and minimalist lifestyle, and why many choose to remain off-grid. The conversation highlights how opting for less can lead to deeper fulfillment and lasting benefits.
-
87
Life in a Self-Sufficient Cabin
Explore daily living in a remote, self-sufficient cabin, highlighting essential aspects like food storage, cooking methods, waste management, and the most relied-upon tools for survival and comfort.
-
86
Life Without Utility Bills
Explore how eliminating monthly utility bills transforms household budgets, daily habits, and overall expenses. This episode discusses the challenges and benefits of self-reliance, emphasizing the impact on financial planning and lifestyle changes.
-
85
Off-Grid Living Made Simple-Weekend Edition
Discover practical tips and inspiration for living off-grid, focusing on day-to-day choices like repairs, reusing items, growing your own food, and embracing a slower, more sustainable lifestyle.
-
84
Off-Grid Living: Less Space, More Freedom
Explore how off-grid living transforms space utilization, reduces costs, and encourages new habits. Discover the benefits people experience when choosing to live with less and embracing a simpler, more independent lifestyle.
-
83
Off-Grid Living Guide
Explore practical tips for off-grid living, including sustainable repairs, reusing materials, growing your own food, and embracing a slower, mindful lifestyle. This guide offers friendly advice for making thoughtful daily choices that support self-sufficiency and community
-
82
Life Off the Grid
Discover the realities of living without traditional utility hookups. This practical guide shares personal stories and insights on managing power, water, food, and daily routines, revealing how people successfully adapt to off-grid living.
-
81
A Day on a Small Off-Grid Farm-Weekend Edition
Life on a small off-grid farm is a series of interconnected, small tasks—feeding animals, watering gardens, maintaining systems, and constant observation. Mornings set the pace, with early checks that prevent bigger problems. Flexibility is key, as chores shift with weather and equipment. Water, animals, and gardens depend on each other, and cleanup is essential. Grouping tasks by location and ending the day with setup for tomorrow keeps the routine manageable and the farm running smoothly
-
80
Remote Living Supply Days
Remote living relies on well-planned supply days for fuel, feed, and repairs. These routines ensure homes, animals, and equipment stay functional, especially when far from town. Each trip requires careful planning due to weather, road conditions, and changing needs.
-
79
Early Off-Grid Morning Routines
Explore the essential early morning routines, from animal care to practical chores, that establish the daily rhythm on an off-grid property before sunrise.
-
78
Realities of Off-Grid Living
Explore the essential hands-on work, consistent routines, and genuine compromises involved in homestead life. This episode delves into the practical aspects and daily efforts required for sustainable, off-grid living, highlighting the absence of easy shortcuts.
-
77
Tools, Repairs, and Second Chances-Weekend Edition
This episode explores the practical aspects of off-grid living, focusing on repairing broken equipment, making quick fixes, and reusing materials as essential routines for sustainable self-sufficiency.
-
76
Raised Beds, Rain Barrels, and Grit
Discover how homesteaders use raised beds to cultivate food, rain barrels to conserve water, and perseverance to manage the ongoing work needed for self-sufficiency and accessible supplies.
-
75
Off-Grid Homestead Mindset
Explore the practical aspects of simple living through hard work, focusing on the mindset, daily labor, and rewards of maintaining a fully off-grid homestead.
-
74
Real Lessons from Off-Grid Living
Off-grid living teaches through daily practice, not theory. Success depends on hands-on problem-solving, maintenance, and adapting routines to natural limits. Early mistakes—like underestimating backup needs or ignoring small issues—lead to lasting lessons.
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
I spent 20 years in the Navy before retiring. Now, I live on a homestead in South Carolina, where I enjoy the off-grid lifestyle. I’m also a published author of four thriller books and have a passion for homesteading and survival skills.
HOSTED BY
Henry Sherman
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...