What to Know BEFORE Living Off-Grid in Maine

[@hippiechickoffgridmaine8625]

When I built both my Woodshed, I made them accessible from the back. It beats handling it even more than I have to. The first of each next year's burning I'd just haul/burn what was left over from the previous year.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

That’s ingenious!!! I can see how that would mitigate the number of times we need to handle it.

[@ocean1233]

Excellent tip!

[@MaVolz]

This is what we do. We have it to where it loads from the yard and it is accessible from a small shed from the house.

[@my3bsfarm863]

So excited…. We will be moving up there to Maine this summer to build our dream homestead, after homesteading on not quite an acre here in MA for many years. I will still need to work but husband will be able to retire. We will be on an unmaintained road and are working to develop relationships with the other few families who share it. Have found you and Jen very inspiring. I can’t believe that we will be making our dream control.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

We are so happy for you!! Now the fun begins!! Best of luck to you and your husband. Follow that dream!!😊

[@trucyslife]

Fantastic, fantastic video Jason, thank you! I think one of the best things I like about your videos is that you keep them simple, down to earth and REAL! I appreciate all the time and information you share with us based on first hand experience. I'm from Georgia and know nothing about Maine. I just wanted to share something I do with stacking firewood for safety. Starting from left to back to right stacking until you have a keyhole shape (basically a block shaped U) allows for access to your firewood and personal safety rather than stacking from left to right or right to left (depending on whether you're a southpaw lol). Simply refuse to fill the interior of the "U", that's your personal access space that allows safe access without the usual caving, rolling or teetering over of your rows. I hope I explained that correctly. You can have several rows of "U's" depending on the size of your woodshed. Anyway, thanks again for the time you invest in these videos; I really enjoy getting a glimpse into the world of two people who keep their videos real without all the hype of KZbin.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Thank you for the kind words! ❤️ We had a dream and followed it… we were terrified but determined, and through KZbin we’ve been able to throw our fears aside and just move forward… We truly appreciate your support! Love your firewood stacking method, sounds tried and true. Thanks again for the kind words and support! 😊

[@portaghee5966]

I like the very simple yet information packed videos. Giving me a great amount of info to move forward on with the property we have recently purchased there in Maine. Thank you so much. Awesome

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

We are so glad you enjoyed the video! Congratulations on your property in Maine! It is a beautiful state!! Best of luck on your journey!!😊

[@JimTexas806]

Another great video full of good information. Appreciate the knowledge you are sharing with me before my move.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Thank you for the kind words. I’m glad to hear you were able to take some info away. Happy to help anyway we can 😊

[@chrisp308]

This was very valuable to me being from the south East

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Happy to hear it! 😊

[@ocean1233]

Thank Jason you for this important information.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

You are very welcome!!😊

[@CoulterStoneMasonry]

Love this video and really helpful! Thank you! Whats the song at the end of your video? I like it

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

@@CoulterStoneMasonry thank you for the kind words and support! What Happens Next, Tyler Edwards 😊

[@BLAM777]

Good points. We had to cut back all the growth just to get to our property and then fix the colvert so we can get trucks and excavators and tractors out to our property to do land clearing and for lumber delivery's. We also have a neighbor who plows for us. All things to think about before buying raw land out in the middle of nowhere. Building will also cost at least 3 times what you think it will. If you build yourself, expect it to take a lot longer than you think, especially if you've never done anything like this before. Imo, it's all worth it, but it's not easy to have a off grid lifestyle.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Couldn’t have said it any better! Working with raw land is pretty challenging. 👍

[@TonyGeneseo]

Great video Jason ! I’d put a gate at the end of the road that you and your neighbors maintain. As long as your neighbors are on the same page. I’m guessing you’ll get no kick back from anyone. I grew up walking up from the bus stop to 10 cord tree length sitting beside the wood shed on the side of the barn. Couldn’t help but stop in my tracks and hang my head ! lol. I still burn wood and I love everything now that I despised about it growing up ! We’d cut it with chainsaws and WE were the wood splitter ! lol. Oh and one last thing if anyone asks or u wanted to know : there are no poisonous snakes, bugs or creepy crawlys in Maine. Oddly enough they have Rattlers in northern Canada but they’re pretty rare. And we all have the tick issues. Take care my friend Oh and dogs ! Gotta love em ! We have 3 Lab skillet lickers and they are amazing if they sense something that’s not mom’s cookin. lol. Had a young bull moose come into the yard this past weekend. Kept the dogs in and enjoyed mother natures finest ! Hope all is well

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Thanks Tony! A gate isn’t an option but if it were that might be the route to go… We learned right away it was better to cut firewood over many months as opposed to a few days. I couldn’t imagine splitting all of our firewood by hand… I’m not that hardened….yet… 😉

[@MaVolz]

Coyotes and bears do not like dogs. They will go the other way when they hear a dog barking. Our Sandie is very alert and does a great job. Neighbors are awesome. I agree, knowing your neighbors is priceless and neccessary. We have shared your video with those who ask about moving to Maine! Thank you for your videos.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

The dogs are a huge asset out here!! They have saved us many times!!😊 Without our neighbors we would have struggled. They are amazing!!♥️ Thank you for sharing our videos and your support! 😊 The support from our subscribers (like you) are another huge asset out here! ♥️😊♥️

[@northwoodsyankee3528]

All good points.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Thank you!😊

[@jasonjohnson9704]

Growing up I swore by Ol' Woodsman -- a concoction that was sold at local general stores. Smelled like moose piss combined with pine pitch and kerosene . . . nothing you would want to have on you for a date, but it worked well and kept pretty much everything away! Regarding wood . . . all wood is good wood . . . it's just for every season there is a reason. If you want a quick, hot fire to take the chill out of the air in the early Fall or late Spring softwood works well -- a quick, hot fire with a minimum of coaling. If you are in the dead of winter it's good to have some sugar maple, oak, apple, beech or ironwood. Birch is great -- if you're setting up a photo of a fireplace . . . and to be fair it's decent enough as a fire starter along with cedar and pretty much any softwood (yellow birch is much better -- and smells nice to boot), but it's a fair to middling wood as you mention. Incidentally, if you stack your wood front to back instead of side to side you don't have to worry about your longer seasoned wood always being in the back. Tips from a not-so-old wood burner "down the road" from you in Smyrna.

[@jasonjohnson9704]

Incidentally, watched the Cabin Tour video and story of how you came to Maine. As someone who has visited Montana (loved it) and Alaska (numerous visits since my sister lived in Portage and now Wasilla) I can tell you that Northern Maine reminds me a lot of Alaska . . . it's just everything is bigger in Montana!

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Hi Jason 👋 I’ve heard great things about Old Time Woodsman Bug Dope but have never tried it myself. I suspect it’s similar to what you referenced. Your take on firewood is spot on, from what I can only gather as years of experience burning wood 😊 We visit the Pioneer Place quite often and get all of our animal feed from Milo in the back field. It’s certainly a small world! Thank you for the support and tips! 😊

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Despite my initial desire to go to Alaska, then to Montana, Maine has welcomed us with open arms. We feel blessed to call Maine home… 😊

[@Backyard_Chickens]

Thank you for the great information. Curious, do fly traps work at all, or are there just too many flies to be worth using them?

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Fly traps work well in the fall when the cluster flies come out of the woods looking for shelter during winter. The traps are useless against black flies

[@annaaron3510]

When we were clearing our place for building, the bugs -black flies, mozzies, deerflies- were more than a PITA while working. Discovered were FULL screen suits. It was hot so I was chainsawing ((with full PPE BTW ) nude under the screen suit. It did the job. The screen suits just leave your hands and feet exposed. We're on the Downeast coast so the black flies haven't hit yet. Think about joining the Save the Black Flies group ( real ) 👍👍 You're some hard assed, hard working couple ! Impressive. Because of the wet year,our woodlot was barely accessable. So now catching up with the 2+ year firewood plan. Lack of snow for insulation with rain, and temps blow 32F had us burning more wood ( close to 8 cords) this season than when started full time retirement in 2001. I can understand the effort involved, but we stihl enjoy it. Keep it up.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Thank you for the kind words! I can see how full netting would certainly help, and with the heat I’m sure your method works great. 👍 The black flies have been relentless this season. Hoping for some high winds to give us a break

[@walterlamb4756]

What is your zip code in Maine? Mine is 04062 Winters, and 04936 May - October

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

We have one zip code year round!! 04424

[@donnalf184]

We have a ton of deadwood. Haven’t taken any trees down ever. We have some fall down every winter. Dogs are great. Black flys suck.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Deadwood is the best firewood, no worries about drying it out. Black flies surely do! 😊

[@annaaron3510]

Wood heating for decades. We separate firewood based on season and temps. For shoulder season ( depending on weather and temp ) from mid Spring through mid-late Fall we burn the low BTU hardwoods and spruce/fir for morning -evening fires. Winter firewood ( oak, beech, ash, yellow birch, rare hard maple in separate stacks) is split also for overnight burns. You learn to be a wood snob 😊and self appointed expert on when to burn what. Cedar will burn fast, butt ideal for the quick morning warmups we get even in summer. You certainly have a selection of complex "things" for living. Admire the hard work.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Thanks for the information!! We keep learning everyday out here!! We appreciate the comment!😊

[@peggsargent132]

❤Good show

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Thanks! 😊

[@pamboone6921]

Hi Jason n Jen, Wow good advice to all that’s planning to move Off grid/Maine! It truly isn’t for everyone, but is for lots of people. I surely don’t dog anyone that wishes to do the off grid thing, and yeah y’all know I’m one of those that it’s not for. But I’m not one that has been in a rat race, never lived in the city, always country so I wouldn’t know what it’s like to want to get out of a rat race. 🙌 thank you Jesus. Lol. I may think differently if so, huh? Question,,,,don’t you miss that you both cannot go see your kids together or go off a week at a time on a relaxing vacation? One of you has always got to be on the homestead taking care of animals and the home. I definitely would miss that a lot. I know doing this kind of living we have to sacrifice some things, but I’m not sure I could get used to not doing stuff with my husband. **remember** I’m not doggy living off grid. Lol Hey you both stay safe, be happy, stay covered up (black flies😤) and God Bless ❤

[@pamboone6921]

😳🙄☝️

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Hi Pam!👋 Off-grid homesteading is not for everyone. It is hard work….but the most rewarding work either of us has ever done! The rat race is not something we enjoyed. We wanted to follow our dreams. Didn’t know how it would work out but we had to try. We didn’t want to always wonder…what if!?! It is more difficult to be able to go to visit our kids and family together but if needed we could make it happen. We spend a lot more time together now then we ever did before. As for relaxing and vacation…everyday is a vacation for us. We both love nature and we wake up everyday in the middle of it!! The relaxing….sometimes a bit more difficult then we would like but we do take at least a day a week to do just that. You have to enjoy the fruits of your labor…if you don’t then why do it!! As we get our little slice of heaven complete we will have more time to enjoy it. That is one reason we didn’t want to wait till your “normal” retirement age. If we wanted to go somewhere…we have amazing friends and neighbors that would help us out! You take care and have a great week! God bless!♥️🙏♥️

[@jillbryant3896]

This video was awesome. We are really looking at moving to Northern Maine. Do you guys have an email? What town are you in. We are looking at Houlton or surrounding areas.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Hi Jill 👋 [e-mail] Look forward to hearing from you! 😊

[@donnalf184]

I would never live on an unmaintained road. Way too expensive. The equipment, gas or diesel, man hours. We heat with wood. Getting it ready for next winter. We get it off our land. We have 4 chainsaws and two logsplitters. We have snakes. Good for rodent control. I think I’m aging out of doing wood. 😆

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Living on an unmaintained road certainly presents added challenges, however it also discourages traffic so it’s a give and take. We love heating with wood, keeps us feeling sore, I mean young! 😉

[@idahoman325]

No one in real life would actually do what he did. They would simply burn off the stacks that would make a path way accessing the other stack. I'm guessing doing all the youtube stuff equals out to where folks attempt to make all things homesteading organized & neat vs reality.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

Stacking our fallen row is important for a number of reasons, but I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t accept any of my explanation so… And for the record, since you brought it up, I don’t have neither the time or energy to do things for the sake of a video, regardless of what you may think. We do what we do because we have to. At the end of the day, you get to turn off KZbin, but we are still living our life on our homestead. Thanks for the comment 😊

[@MrAwsomeshot]

you forgot to mention wood spiders lol. We find em big as your hand in there. creepy sumbitches

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

@@MrAwsomeshot 😂

[@walterlamb4756]

What is your zip code in Maine? Mine is 04062 Winters, and 04936 May - October.

[@HanbleceyaRanch]

We have one zip code year round! 04424