How I Ended Up Living Off the Grid in New Mexico

Last October, my partner Colleen and I bought a 1,200 square-foot off-grid cabin in Abiquiu, New Mexico. We have 40 sandy acres covered with juniper and piñon, and a front porch that looks out on Cerro Pedernal, the looming flat top mountain made famous byWe had been living comfortably on the Eastside of Los Angeles for the last three years, bouncing around Brooklyn for close to a decade before that.

Our specific off-grid situation means that we’re not hooked up to any city utilities, so our electricity comes from the six large solar panels in the backyard, our water comes from rain, and our heat comes from burning wood in a cast iron stove that sits comfortably on the first floor behind our old dining table. The mud and stone walls are almost two feet thick, which keeps the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter after we’ve been cooking the fire for a few days.

The house is wired for electricity like any house you’ve ever been in, but the solar power system only came with a single panel—it was barely powerful enough to turn on the lights. At the inspection a few weeks before we closed, we met Allan, a quirky solar genius who came up with a relatively inexpensive system to fit our very low-usage needs. With constant sun, a high-efficiency refrigerator, and a giant cast iron wood stove for heat, electricity here is a breeze.

One of the best parts about living off-grid is that we’re a self-contained system. When spring winds took out the power in town a few weeks ago, we had some of our electricity-deprived friends come up to our house to hang out and watch movies. I still don’t know what exactly “homesteading” means, but a few people have referred to our situation out here as such. It sounds like it involves cows pulling wheels.

The latest fashion news, beauty coverage, celebrity style, fashion week updates, culture reviews, and videos on Vogue.com.

katebosworth 🦒...

Don’t blame one bit I wanting to do the same

I bet He's running from WWIIl

Pretty sweet life. Good for them.

505Nomad not cheap their place.. tho...anyway, off the grid means solar panels, and all so...?

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe Both Say This Is the Reason Their Marriage EndedReese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillippe both say this is the reason their marriage ended. 💔 Reese & Ryan were the best couple on earth 😍 hollyweird seriously though, that isn't a good reason to get divorced. You make it work! Instead of their respective cheating, they knew better. But then again, liberals think divorce is the answer to everything. There are instances whenever divorce is the answer but not always. water signs annoy fire signs?
Source: InStyle - 🏆 103. / 63 Read more »

Mom whose baby was killed after deputy rear-ended car in Stockton also diesA 1-year-old boy died and his mother was injured after a San Joaquin County sheriff's deputy crashed into their vehicle. The mother has now also died. Smh Dirty COP
Source: latimes - 🏆 11. / 82 Read more »

Taylor Swift Ended Her 20s With a Speech on Music, 'Toxic Male Privilege,' and Scooter Braun'Private equity enabled this man to think...that he could 'buy me.' I'm obviously not going willingly.'
Source: ELLE Magazine (US) - 🏆 472. / 51 Read more »

White Sands monument re-designated as US national parkThe White Sands National Monument in southern New Mexico is now White Sands National Park. Love this. Until one of tRump's buddies need something. Somewhere to run their off-roads. Unusual landscape entertain people.
Source: ABC - 🏆 471. / 51 Read more »

Pregnant Lucy Mecklenburgh explains her complicated living situationThe former TOWIE bombshell finally addressed the couples living situation after being bombarded with questions about where the new baby will live
Source: Mirror Celeb - 🏆 476. / 51 Read more »

Kelly Ripa Shows Off Several Ugly Christmas Sweaters on Live with Kelly and Ryan'If loving this sweater is wrong, I don't want to be right,' Kelly Ripa said
Source: peoplestyle - 🏆 367. / 59 Read more »