I knew going into this having a sustainable home was going to make me feel better.  I just didn’t know how much better! Having an off-grid sustainable homestead gives me a greater sense of security. Here’s why:

• The financial sustainability, of course, is obvious. I no longer have to worry about making rent if there’s a shutdown or other employment insecurity. 

• Decreased stress has led to improved physical health. Instead of struggling with light physical tasks, I can do them with ease–I can carry 50-lb feed bags, I can haul water with surprising ease, I can put up and mend fences.  I used to have horrible back pain because my muscles were weak from sitting all day.  Now, any back pain I have is related to actually using those muscles.  

• I can take a break from my intellectual work as an environmental scientist while doing chores on the homestead. The mental break and homestead experience are also helping my environmental science research–a totally unexpected benefit.

All this leads to breathing more easily and relaxing into my life.

Next blog post: Raising animals for food-independence