As if the threats of war, terrorism, economic collapse, natural and man-made catastrophes, plagues, solar flares and EMPs are not enough to consider, we now have a decline in fresh water — another critical thing to prepare for. As the national news continually warns us, water tables are dropping in many parts […]
For anyone lucky enough to have a shallow water table without bedrock, a do-it-yourself driven well saves thousands of dollars compared to drilling a bored well. Under ideal conditions, a well can be driven in a few hours and fitted with a pitcher pump, creating an uncomplicated, inexpensive backup or […]
As if the threats of war, terrorism, economic collapse, natural and man-made catastrophes, plagues, solar flares and EMPs are not enough to consider, we now have a decline in fresh water — another critical thing to prepare for. As the national news continually warns us, water tables are dropping in many parts […]
During times of emergencies, when the well pump fails because of a power outage, people still need access to water. Some people may need just a few gallons of fresh water to get by. An inexpensive well bucket is a good alternative for retrieving water (from any depth) during a […]
Back when every home had a rain barrel stationed below the rainspout, our grandmothers knew rainwater was a must for washing hair. Grandma probably even knew why water falling from the sky felt better than that pumped from the ground. Admittedly, I didn’t know the benefits of cleaning with rainwater […]
Having clean laundry was my greatest off-grid obstacle until I discovered two secrets – washing with rainwater and a hand-crank wringer. During long-term power outages before we transitioned off-grid, I washed clothes by hand. It was not terribly difficult, but I was never thrilled with the results. I haven’t used an electric […]
Ever since they were youngsters on opposite sides of the globe, Kirsten and Albert Kosinski dreamed of being farmers. After decades of living in metropolises that included Los Angeles and Detroit, Al and Kirsten’s mutual dream ultimately came true. Building a farmstead as newlyweds in their 40s and 50s required […]
Ripping apart old clothing and other rags to remake into useful items takes more time than purchasing new fabric, but the rewards – reducing landfill overload, reviving an old-fashioned skill, conserving a treasured memento and saving money – are worth the extra trouble. My mother never visited a fabric store […]
We are adding another unique machine to our self-reliance products, a solar pump jack. It is still undergoing testing and we are very excited about it’s performance. We will be offering it soon with a WaterBuck Pump. See our short video of the solar pump jack in operation below. Look, no hands! […]
For anyone lucky enough to have a shallow water table without bedrock, a do-it-yourself driven well saves thousands of dollars compared to drilling a bored well. Under ideal conditions, a well can be driven in a few hours and fitted with a pitcher pump, creating an uncomplicated, inexpensive backup or […]
