Our Off-Grid Homesteading Journey in Vermont: From Dream to Reality

Off-grid homesteading in Vermont became our dream, and eventually our reality, as we sought a more sustainable, self-sufficient life away from the modern world. This is our origin story, a journey of learning, challenges, and rewards as we built our homestead from the ground up in the heart of Vermont’s rural wilderness.

Like many young couples disillusioned with the modern way of life, we dreamed of owning our own homestead. A place to stretch out, raise our own food, and reconnect with the world around us—free from the grind of office jobs and the distractions of city living.

Too many years of staring at a computer screen and being stuck in cubicles had worn down our resolve. We wanted something better—something real, something that felt more connected to nature. We wanted to live life on our terms, and for us, that meant a homestead deep in the woods.

We’re not alone, and believe it or not, one of the most popular games all the kids (Read: Disillusioned Young Working Adults) are playing these days is about just that. The game “Stardew Valley” has sold more than 40 million copies, making it one of the bestselling games of all time. It’s a homestead simulator game, with the premise that someone working a dead end soul sucking job has been gifted farmland by a relative.

It starts with this quote,

“There will come a day when you feel crushed by the burden of modern life…and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness. When that happens, my child, you’ll be ready for this gift.“

No one gifted us our homestead, we worked and scrimped and saved for it. But still, we view the chance to live this life as we do as a profound gift.

Our Ideal Off-Grid Home in Vermont

With that goal in mind, finding a place where we could build a life rather than work for a living, we crafted our “dream” list. We had a few non-negotiables, and while we knew we’d have to compromise in some areas, there were things we weren’t willing to budge on:

• Minimum of 10 acres
• House not visible from the road (privacy was a must)
• Wood heat and a sufficient woodlot to sustainably harvest fuel
• Land suitable for agriculture (we had big plans for gardens, livestock, and more)
• Within 30 minutes of a small store for essentials (don’t get us wrong, we were ready to live off the land, but a bit of convenience never hurt. At that point we were living on a small lot, but 45 minutes from groceries, so we already knew that pain.)
• Access to water (whether a well, spring, or stream, water was a priority)
• No easements, right of ways, or snowmobile trails running through the property (we needed our peace and quiet)
• Located in Vermont (a state we loved for its natural beauty and tight-knit, homesteading-friendly community)

At first glance, the options in our price range seemed to fit the bill, but after visiting several, we quickly realized that most of them were a lost cause. Crumbling foundations, floodplains, trash heaps, and even junkyards… the list seemed endless.

We couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of what would happen to some of these properties if they were to just be burned to the ground—probably a favor to humanity and the environment. It was discouraging, to say the least.

At one point, one of the houses was so utterly un-salvagable, and I just couldn’t hold back anymore. that I turned and looked at the real estate agent and said, “This place needs to be burned.”

She didn’t skip a beat, saying, “Oh, that’s easy enough, the fire department is always looking for practice homes. You can have them come out an burn it down for you, no problem.”

Clearly others had said similar things, and she was hoping to at least sell the land. But the land was no picnic either. Vast tracts of…swamp.

Patience. Continue to save. Stay the course.

The Hunt Continues

We kept watching the market, checking real estate sites daily. Over the next few years, our savings grew, and so did our budget. Suddenly, we started seeing real possibilities.

By the time we hit our third summer of hunting for the perfect homestead, we were seeing around 8-10 viable properties a month. After some initial phone calls and background research, that list would typically dwindle down to 2 or 3 homes worth actually touring. And yet, even after all that, something was always off. Crumbling foundations, flood risks, you name it.

Enter Google Earth. Our new best friend. Satellite images and street views saved us countless hours of driving and trekking across the state. We’d scope out neighborhoods, get a lay of the land, and rule out properties from the comfort of our couch.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of searching, we found it. The dream compound.

A former organic farm with a stunning timber-frame house and a greenhouse on 20 acres. I called the agent immediately, only to be told they’d just accepted an offer.

It had been listed for just 12 hours. 12 hours. We had almost found our slice of heaven. But now, we knew for sure that it was out there.

Patience. Stay the course.

And Then, We Found It

A few weeks later, a new listing popped into my inbox. This time, it was the one. The perfect place. Multiple structures, all nestled nearly 1000 feet from the road, surrounded by dense woodland. A whopping 30 acres, an attached greenhouse, super-insulated, wood heat—everything we wanted.

Except… it was off the grid.

It was a big leap for us. While we had years of experience with agriculture and animal husbandry, we knew nothing about off-grid energy.

Solar panels? Wind turbines? Charge controllers? Batteries?

What were all these things, and would they be able to power modern conveniences? Could we even use computers? What about a washer and dryer? How much maintenance would it need, and how often did we have to replace things?

In short, we had no idea what we were getting into.

After several long nights of discussion (and more than a few glasses of wine), we decided to jump in with both feet. What better way to learn than immersion? It was terrifying, sure, but it was also exciting.

In hindsight, it was a little crazy. The first three years off-grid were a steep learning curve, and there were more than a few moments when we thought we’d made a huge mistake. But looking back now, we wouldn’t trade it for anything. The challenges? Absolutely worth it.

Living the Off-Grid Dream

We’ve now been living here for more than a decade. Our slice of heaven. And it’s everything we dreamed of and more.

Since moving in, we’ve learned an immense amount about off-grid living. We’ve mapped out our entire power system (click here for the tour and specs of our setup), and made countless improvements. Today, we both work as independent contractors, making a full-time living without ever having to leave the property.

We’ve started a family, and this is the only life our two young children have ever known. They think that everyone taps trees for syrup, forages wild berries in the woods and grows their own mushrooms.

If on a trip to the store we happen to get behind more than one car on a wide open road, they call it a traffic jam. (That one’s particularly hilarious to me, as I grew up just outside LA.)

They spend their days snuggling baby geese, frolicking in the pond, catching salamanders,  bottle feeding kittens, and building tent platforms in the woods.

But most importantly, they don’t know the stress that is growing up with parents completely burned out by the daily grind.  And, my friends, that is absolutely priceless.

Looking back, there are definitely things we wish we’d budgeted for or thought about more carefully before making the leap. But all in all, we’ve never once regretted making the move.

If you want to hear more about our journey, our successes, and—most importantly—our mistakes, sign up for our newsletter. The blog dives deep into all things self-sufficiency, and we’re here to help you learn from our experiences before you take the plunge yourself.