living in the Desert
- Thread starter 1977dodge
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I have a remote off grid cabin in NM, and have even come home from a shopping trip to find everything of value stolen. Now I use it more like a permanent tent, and take EVERYTHING with me EVERY TIME I leave.
If I had a do over, I don't think I'd buy off grid land again unless it was a situation where somebody would be there all of the time. Or maybe build something underground that nobody would know was there.
After years of my windows being used for target practice when I'm not around, now I just use plastic tarps for windows and plan on replacing them regularly, because they still shoot them out or slash them.
Two years ago, I had some old and ugly wood furniture that I left, and when I returned what hadn't been stolen was destroyed. One year I came home to a burned down cabin.
I think the thieves and vandals are worse in the remote areas than they are in the city. You can't stop them and there's nobody around to call the cops.
1977dodge said:
I have 2 x 7 gallon water jugs which will last me about a month taking a shower every day, cooking, and dishes etc. My toilet doesn't use water, and my drinking water comes from a melted block of ice once a week that my cooler uses. I usually refill my water jugs at city parks for free, from spigots on the bottoms of the drinking fountains.
I don't have running water, and typically use trigger spray bottles for water delivery, and bulb siphon powered shower. ( Probably not much more than a pint of water per shower. )
When I'm in a city and water is plentiful, I will occassionaly take "fancy" showers with a pressurized system which does use a lot more water, probably about a gallon per shower. It has a kitchen sink sprayer nozzle, so it only flows while squeezing the trigger. When I had a motorhome, I added one to my shower in it too, and they are huge water savers.
sushidog
Well-known member
Wow, a pint per shower? That's the most frugal use of water I've ever heard. It takes me more than a pint to brush my teeth. I can hardly see how I could get my entire body wet, soap down and rinse off with a single pint of water. A pint of water wouldn't even rinse all the soap out of my hair - that takes about a gallon. How about shaving? I can't wash both my face and hands with a single pint of water, much less anything else (especially the stinky bits). More power to you if you can.
Chip
Chip
Seraphim said:
I had to plant that in my message. I figured you'd be the first to go for the bait, but you was smart, you let someone else go first.
A lot of snowbirds think if you're from the south, you never seen cold weather, but we do travel. I'll admit you all have it very cold there. Last week we had temps in the low 20s and that's about the coldest it got this year. And that's night temperatures. You might have fun with me in cold temps, but I'll have fun with you in hot temps. I put a metal roof on my house three years ago at 104 degrees, myself, in my 60s.
If I hit any nerves, I apologize. They always say people from up north looks 10yrs younger than southerners, because of the sun.
Spirituallifetime
Well-known member
I have property in northern Nevada and I don't think I would do it again. It has been a very expensive adventure, the woman has all these projects to improve the property and then the livestock! If you want very expensive eggs raise chickens, I could buy eggs at the store for much less than what we produce them for. Been on this property for 10 years and can't wait to get mobile, living here year around is very difficult. I don't have a well for water but get it locally, can't tell anyone where I get it because other people go and take water when no one is there and drain the well.
Spirituallifetime
Well-known member
gojo said:
Water on and near my property is about 200'. But can be much closer depending on the location, property near the base of mountains and rivers can have water that is near the surface. These properties will cost much more to buy also.
jimindenver
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We can make 60 gallons last two weeks with showers daily. I have also been asked if we recycled our pee but that was on a different forum. lol
Our thing is while we are pigs with the near unlimited power the solar generates, we waste no water at all. We may use the toilet on a short trip and pull water out of the grey tank to flush with, but longer than a week and we bag it. We will use paper plates if we are not cooking, otherwise the same water that washes the pots washes the dishes too. My shower is a sponge bath with a quick rinse. The water is so low that the pump pulsates instead of runs. The water that comes out before it's hot is caught in a pot and is what washes the dishes.
Now we are frugal but a pint of water to shower with takes the cake. My hats off to you sir.
Our thing is while we are pigs with the near unlimited power the solar generates, we waste no water at all. We may use the toilet on a short trip and pull water out of the grey tank to flush with, but longer than a week and we bag it. We will use paper plates if we are not cooking, otherwise the same water that washes the pots washes the dishes too. My shower is a sponge bath with a quick rinse. The water is so low that the pump pulsates instead of runs. The water that comes out before it's hot is caught in a pot and is what washes the dishes.
Now we are frugal but a pint of water to shower with takes the cake. My hats off to you sir.
Spirituallifetime said:
It's hard to believe that water is that shallow in the desert. A couple a years ago I went to west Texas and seen some of the most beautiful pecan groves. I asked someone, where do they get the water to irrigate. He said the water comes from the melted snow from the mountains and they have shallow springs. A pecan trees needs a lot of water.
Where I live, drinkable water average about 84'. Years ago I punched a 3" hole with a pipe and hit water at 28'. The quick sand started to cave in, so I quit, that's where drilling mud comes in.
The western states probably has strict regulations. They're starting to have rules on what you can do here in Texas.
