Off Grid Homesteading.....everything you need to know 

One last thing, this is such a beautiful, natural reaction to the looming “You’ll Own Nothing And Be Happy”. Thank you Dave, seriously.

Like Brooke, I had no opportunity to learn how to build, so I just started and learned as I went. First built a 12x16 cabin and then a 20 x 40 house. I learned that carpentry is nothing more than applied logic. If you make a mistake, tear it apart, do it again. It's rewarding, much cheaper than hiring someone, and no one will be as careful or accurate as you when it's for you. An unexpected bonus, you get stronger as you build. I am five feet tall, 105 pounds. Never let anyone tell you that you can't.

Man this guy has it figured out. This is one of the most inspiring videos i've watched in a long long time.

This is not the first time we’re commenting on one of your videos and won’t be the last. You do not realize how much of an inspiration you are to so many people. We built a small bedroom addition on to our little one room cabin all bc YOU made us feel like it was possible. We originally started by basically just doing everything you did and I made an exact list based on watching your video like 200 times. While doing it, things arose that the video may not have answered specifically but we had the confidence thanks to you, to figure it out. Now we have built several other things and building is my husband’s new obsession. You are our encyclopedia. And I can’t tell you how many times in conversation that you and your channel have come up bc you have inspired so many others too. I wish we would have had the guts and knowledge to do these things when we were younger like y’all did but the important thing is we finally figured it out. We also very much enjoy Brooke’s channel too. My husband says I’m like she is …determined, strong and smart. That’s a huge compliment bc she is the perfect counterpart to you and we just think so highly about both of you. We just can’t really express how much y’all have enriched our lives for the better. You guys are an absolute God send.

Dave I've been watching your videos for years and my wife, son and myself decided to go for it. We ran our own business and owned our own house and sold it all. We bought 47 acre's of raw land and have been off-grid for just over a year. It's been the happiest time of our lives. The time I have with my wife and son are the best memories I could have ever asked for. I have a small you tube channel and it's more of a scrap book for us to be able to look back on. Thanks for all of the inspiration from your videos.

Dave, This was the best writing you've done. So authentic and hits home with what the average human feels is missing in the modern life. All of the video you put behind it adds legitimacy to your words. True American Icon.

Someone I loved and respected once told me: “The simple life is the easy (best) life.” I wish I could go back in time and tell them how right they were! Great video/great philosophy. Thanks to you and Brooke. You’ve cleared a path.

"people want more simplicity, more freedom" amen brother, amen

You and Brooke have given me the courage to try my hand at a simpler life... a small cabin I build myself, and simple solar panels I wire myself. A wood stove and a composting toilet (sorry, no outhouse for me ;) and a hand driven well. I'm 60 years old, but what I've learned from you two, I think (maybe with a little help) I can do it. I'm certainly going to try. So thank you for that.

As a young person (22), you have absolutely spoken to the dread & anxiety we have. I'll be visiting my dad soon, to help him finish a house he's working on, & I plan on learning as much about carpentry as I can when I do. And, as someone from Texas, we do worry about snakes. Scorpions, too. At least we don't have to deal with grizzly bears!

mission accomplished. I’m 21 single mom of 1 and your intention behind your channel is exactly what you deliver. Giving hope and really breaking down this lifestyle n making it practical and easy to understand. Thank you for giving so much detail/specifics that really can only come from experience. I’ve wanted this type of lifestyle since I was a kid. You n your wife really are making a difference. this channel is great

I love how you two build your cabins. I’m a carpenters apprentice at 68, I had to stop learning because my teacher got cancer and had to stop! My daughter is looking to buy 10 to 20 acres for her family and her mother in law and me to build houses on! I’ve always have wanted a cabin! I love your advice! God bless you and your family always!

Your videos have changed my view of what’s possible for me, a single woman in her 40’s. I recently found an abandoned property with no livable buildings. I never would have considered it before. But now I’ve gone for it and im so excited to start this next adventure. I can’t thank you enough. Just wanted you to know your message is being heard. 👍🏻👍🏻

Great video Dave. I also think that the " American Dream" is taking a shift to a simpler way of life. I think people are just getting too overwhelmed with being constantly bombarded with information and technology and I feel we all just need to step back and rethink about what's important . God bless and keep up the great work, tell Brooke hi!

Dave, I am less than a month away from being a Registered Professional Planner and a former renovation contractor. I really appreciate your comments on building code and zoning laws, it's refreshing to hear it put this way.

Dave, I've got a good outhouse story for you. When I was around 6 or 7, I went fishing with my dad and his buddies. One of dad's friends had a cabin nearby a creek in Butte Medows CA. After dark, I asked where the bathroom was. Dad grabbed a flashlight and walked me to the outhouse, it was much like yours, except for a real toilet seat. When I returned to the cabin, I asked what the broom handle was for? I was laughed at and told by one of my dad's friends that I was supposed to stick the handle though the toilet seat and bang it around to scare away the black widows. Good thing we were only there for an overnight stay because I was too afraid to use the outhouse again. Before leaving I let the air out of one of the tires of the truck that belonged to the guy who laughed at me the most.

I recall my first 'building' - a group of us kids found some scrap lumber, plywood and tarp. We built a club house that was put together with no plans, an old hammer and nails and a vague idea. This video brings back memories of doing things without fear of mistakes or what somebody else thought. I don't recall any of us wondering if we could do it. Our parents did not stop us. We enjoyed our little club for that summer. What I learned that summer has never left me.

To all the young adults out there who watched this video, I know you listen to Dave’s advice. He’s years ahead of his time, and so aware of these times. To Dave, great video and channel, all the best to you and yours!

Instead of an outhouse, consider doing a composting toilet. A simple 5 gallon pail with a hinged lid with a normal toilet seat on it works well. If you line it with a composting bag it makes dumping much easier, and you just use sawdust on top of each load. A hole in the bucket with a funnel and hose attached to drain urine will keep the mixture dry and odor-free. You can drain the urine into a small pit with stones and sand, maybe a little peat moss. I have a shower in the same building and the water just drains through the deck cracks and waters down the urine. When the bucket is full you dump it into a big black composting bin. I have never been able to get the bin even half full, it composts down to nothing each year. No flies, no stink, not that difficult, and no digging!

Dude, I just want to say thank you for the content you and your wife have put out. I was one of the people who thought there was more to building than there is. Especially for small cabins. I haven't started one yet, working towards getting land. Once that's accomplished my son's and myself are going to build a small cabin on the property. Thanks for the inspiration and showing that making something like this is within our grasp as long as we want to make it happen.

I agree with everything you said. I long to live off grid, but unfortunately due to my disability limitations it makes it unrealistic to do so. I enjoy living vicariously through yours and Girl in the Woods videos. Thank you for all your wonderful content.

23:00 Amen, brother. Main reason I live in Alaska. Loved being able to build my own house, with my own hands, on my own property with my own money without the gov't telling me every little thing. And the thing is, since all those things were mine, I did my very best work! Self-interest is a strong motivator:) Thanks for the videos and for answering questions, even if some of them get repetitive:)

WOW I am so glad I found this channel and this video!!! You are 100% spot on, you are thinking what so many Americans are thinking but don't understand how to say it or why it's happening. I find building so fun and easy and I think it's totally teachable. Thank you so much for making me feel like I was not crazy for wanting a easier life I could afford. I been told no my whole life, we need to get back to freedom in America and encourage each other and a simple life, an informed consent is what we need. Again many many Thanks!

Just love these videos! Simple living is the best! I appreciate it is a choice, but the peace and being away from big city stresses, it's a joy! Thank you Dave Whipple!😊

This may be my most favorite RU-vid video ever! I lived in Alaska for 30 years. I’m retired, back home in TN on our 70 acre farm. So many of us just want a simpler, peaceful life. You captured that perfectly in this video! You and Brooke are both amazing people!!

Thanks for the video Dave. Watching in Wiltshire, England. I would love to visit your beautiful country some day

I'm a middle aged working single mom of 5 who has been saving every spare dollar for the last few years to build my own version of happiness. My dad taught me how to work with wood when I was young. He's also the only one who believes in me, everyone else thinks I'm crazy. I already live a very minimalist lifestyle and can't wait to make this final leap. Thank you for sharing your story, I found your voice very soothing. I could listen to you all day.

People want me truth ,! Thanks brother for bringing this up to everyone's attention !!!!! It's u- tube that won't allow the users to get the information that they deserve !!!!!! Thanks for everything to our attention brother !!!!!!🙏👍👍

All that you said was 100% true. In the early 90's my older brother (Rest in peace big bro) he purchased some property in northern Idaho. It was the first time that i ever built a tiny house. It was the best time of my life. It was so peaceful and quiet you could hear your own heartbeat. Unfortunately he let the stress of outside pressures get to him and he suffered a stroke. But that little cabin was his favorite place to be in the world while he was on this earth. One of the stores that he told me (but made me swear to never let mom know) was while putting on the metal roof, he slipped and rolled right off of it, braking his arm. He picked himself up, grabbed his tools and drove the 60+ miles to the hospital. Fortunately it was just a very bad fracture. One other was seeing bear, large cat, turkey and elk on the walk to the front door. Now the place is someone else's, but living up there for the short amount of years that was able to do, well those memories are what keeps me going, and someday, somehow i will get my own place with a little cabin of my own. Peace and quiet, room to take a mental breath from all those things that crash into the human day to day life.

I wish I had thought of it known about being able to live off grid 50 years ago. I finally moved off grid in Arizona in late 2016, because it was what I could afford. Keep up the great videos. And as to your philosophy, it sounds great to me.

The best part of the video was when you bowed your head in prayer , thank you for sharing your faith.

Wonderful video and commentary. I am currently building a 12 x 16 shed on my 1.15 acre property. When I informed my neighbor what I was planning, she was totally upset and told me she would call the county and have the shed taken down if I didn't get a permit. Since my house is at the rear of my property, she told me a variance was needed since the shed was going to be in the "front" of my house (and she and other neighbors would protest at the public, variance meeting). Well, after 4 months and $300 out of pocket (in county fees), I finally got the variance and building permit and started the shed. It will be screened from the street by a pine grove and none of my other neighbors will even see it. -By the way, not a single neighbor, including the one that complained, came to the variance meeting. So, I understand completely, your feelings on permits..

Gratitude, love, and freedom. It’s in every frame you’ve shot and every word you say. I’m not surprised your channel is blowing up, you’re totally aligned with Truth. Thank you Dave for your effort🙏🏻

Thank you Dave. You hit on some important issues and explained everything clearly. This is the sort of life I still dream of. I have hope and I have dreams. Watching you and Brooke make my heart happy and keeps dreams alive. I adore you both and appreciate y'all so much. I also love how you share your prayers out loud with us. Thank you. May God continue to Bless you and your family.

Thank you. It seems inappropriate almost to say that. But seriously, Im half way through this video and am a bit misty eyed because of the stress of our journey to country living off grid. The weight of upholding my job, my wife, my 4 children and everything else that comes with it. But I am truly encouraged by the uplifting comments you’ve put together here, and I appreciate it. You’re right, we can do it, just take the next step and one day I’m sure we’ll find ourselves not sitting with success but looking back at it, for surely failure is the journey not taken. Time to get back to work. Blessings.

This spoke to my soul. My 10 year dream is to find a plot of land and DIY myself into bliss without neighbors getting cranky about whatever I’m doing. I just want to be left in peace and freedom with my family.

Great video Dave. I am a builder in Michigan and am sick of the ever more complicated codes to build residential housing. I started out building new homes that were around $100,000. Pretty affordable as new houses go and they had a basement that could be finished later to almost double the square footage to grow with a growing family. With the complications of the building code in the last 25 years, there is no way to build a house like that today. I will take a sub 200 square foot cabin with a stove any day of the week, but most communities want the tax dollars a bigger and more expensive house will bring. They also aren't interested in accessory dwelling units. I would love to see more tiny houses (that one could legally live in) built on lots that already have a house.

Ive been on youtube actively for like 10+ This is my all time Favorite channel by FAR. Dave has inspired me to BUY a piece of land. Clear the land And get a camp set up. Now my Large family has a camp in progress. This summer ill be building a bath house from scratch with your inspiration!!! Thank YOU!!!

Amen brother , anything is achievable ! Where there is a will , there is a way !!!!!

Please don't ever change your style recording!! I love that you'll tell people where to go and how to get there I love that your format is extremely simple and informative we think you're good people we think you need to keep doing what you're doing you're a rockstar

Thank you Dave. I love your philosophy. I bought a mini van two years ago and converted it into a living space while I take my next steps to buy property and eventually build a tiny home. This van has been teaching me more about what I need, what I think I need and what I love having in life. What you touched on about taking self-responsibility is central to how I think a lot of people are feeling right now. It seems to be the ultimate in self-care.

We’ll said Dave! I found your channel when you were building the small cabin on the RC property. Have been a handyman builder all my life. It started with our first family 16 x 20 cabin, we called a garage, on the Tittabawasee River built from cedar with an outhouse and carried water. Next was tearing down a building a friend gave my grandpa and hauling everything north to be used for the actual “cabin”. We repurposed as much as we could and ended up with a 24 x 28 cabin overlooking the river and a place that gave us years of family fun. Nobody in the family were actual builders just common sense carpenters, electricians and plumbers. And, all done with cash. Sadly grandpa died a year after retiring from Buick and never got to live there like he’d hoped for. But, that start led to almost 60 years and four generations making memories on the river. Keep up the good work. Dave

Wow! Huge Amen brother! 🙌 This video should win an award! Humanity desires simplicity and creativity! ❤ Love your integrity in thought and word! Enjoying life is a rare and beautiful thing these days! Thank you for sharing!

Gotta be honest the thought of critters coming up through the toilet has crossed my mind more often then I care to admit

I personally love the philosophy you’ve shared here - a simple life fulfilled by self-reliance and freedom!

"Watch out for the 'big spiders' and get them out of the way." Another Northwoods Boy Scout adventure to tell you around a campfire :) (It was HUGE ... and about 6 inches from my right butt-cheek in the privy!!) Nice to review your UP progress, my friend. God Bless and enjoy it safely

I love your philosophy on life. Really enjoy watching someone else building little cabins.... we do that too! We just finished putting the roof on our new coop for raising more meat birds. I cut all the lumber on our little sawmill. Watched this while having a warm up coffee. Brooke is a pretty amazing girl! You’re a very lucky guy😊. I can relate because my wife just came down off the roof... putting up steel roofing...with her braids hanging down... like Brooke!👍❤️😊. We sure enjoy both your channels. Best wishes from Northern Canada

6:10 I think, allowing the sunlight into the outhouse is super smart. Sunlight kills bacteria, it’s the best disinfectant.

I’m not really an off-grid kinda gal, but I love watching you and Brooke. There’s something so hopeful about seeing you two take control of your lives and living with freedom. It makes me feel like, with a little ingenuity, my hubs and I could make a go of anything. I appreciate how well you guys explain your process, and I love how you live out your faith. More power to you, and many blessings!

love this! Currently transitioning to off grid. Started reno-ing a 31 year old trailer on some land just outside of town. It truly is an amazing and fulfilling experience

You and Brooke are the best! Thank you both for the work you do to help inform the rest of us.

It is a southern thing, the snakes. My grandparents had a log cabin they built by their pond. They had sewer and everything, but occasionally cotton mouths would manage to nest up inside the bowl.

Just started my 8th year living off grid in Alaska. It just keeps getting better. I work 6 months of the year at sea and the other 6 months in the mountains. Perfect job and schedule for an off grid lifestyle.

I'm from UK. An outhouse is a brick structure to store garden tools. I was lost watching this until 4:01 it's a sh*t house :)

You're so encouraging! Seeing your wife do this all on her own is really inspiring!

I had a friend who was older, and when I was in my early thirties, he would on occasion tell me “less is more.” This did not resonate for about a decade. It resonated more as I aged. One of life’s truisms.

This is an inspiring and very informative video. Dave's honest words bring you back to a philosophy and style of living that most of us in the United States have long forgotten and in some areas even shun today. I believe society would be so much better off if we could return to many of those priorities and values. Teach kids the meaning of "measure twice, cut once" , how to add a half plus three-eighths, how to make drinkable water come up from the ground! Dave, could teach a group, hands-on workshop for almost any age and I'll bet it would have a waiting list. :)

I love all the information on this. I was in the % of ppl that thought i couldnt do it. Couldnt build my own off grid home. Everyone i told what my plan was said i was crazy and in disbelief that i was doing it myself. Alot of neg reaction. It is a lil scary and intimidating but after buying my 5acres, i cleared my own path w a mini excavator. I put my own gravel driveway in and this summer i start building my house. It is an amazing feeling to do the hard wrk and watch things transform right before ur eyes. Thank you so much!!!

My grandparents didn't have electricity until the 70s and always used an outhouse. I got to experience a life that was probably not much different from the 1920s as a child. One experience I have permanently etched into my memory is plunking my butt down onto a cold wooden toilet at -40 degrees. I sure wish styrofoam had been invented back then... Now this was on an Indian Reservation in central Ontario(Canada) and they never had to move their outhouse. When it was full, my grandfather would hike into town and buy a can of quicklime. They'd pour it into the hole and it would dissolve most of what was there. Not sure if that would have been legal off the Reserve or not, but it sure saved a lot of digging. 🙂

I've never heard anyone talk about the laws and permits before despite it being such a pertinent question. You're spot on about the laws being used as weapons while going largely unenforced. Outstanding video!

This is great! You've definitely influenced our decision to build tiny for our first home. Having the freedom to do more of what we love and spend more time with family and friends - instead of working two jobs each just to pay for a $400K house - is really important to us. Off-grid homesteading is a great path to freedom for the future.

Dave, you are an inspiration! My wife & I are watching this video, and about every two minutes we simultaneously exclaim “exactly”! As we are embarking on our own off grid journey, we keep coming back to your videos, and enjoy watching them again and again. Thank you for the wonderful work you have been doing.

Unfortunately, I do not live in the States. But simply listening to you gives hope! Freedom and simplicity are not easy to achieve anymore but even more desirable! You do great and I wish I could start all over and follow such a way of live!

I'm 75 and disabled but for some reason Dave and Brooke's channels do something for me. Seems to satisfy that need to be out in the woods, to cook.on the open fire, to bring up the good memories of the peace from being in the forest. Thank you.

It is a privilege to meet you finally as I have enjoyed watching your wife’s videos. Seeing how to live in the wilderness got me thinking what I can do with my land. Thank you very much. Appreciate your time in showing us everything Sharon Ham. Up North in the mountains, Chiang Mai , Thailand.

Reminds me of visiting my great-grandparents when I was a kid. Hated the wasp nests in the outhouses and they always seemed to move in some time during the summer. No matter. I would always cry and my great-grandfather would come & give them a forceful eviction notice. Miss him a lot now that I, myself, am older.

Just watching and listening to all of this brings me peace of mind.

I remember when i was renting aparment and watching your cabin building videos...and i was dreaming about building one....but now (about 7 months later) my dream come true, i live full time in my own cabin! Thank you for inspiration! Bought cheap land, built 130 sq ft cabin...and now i can live debt free, no mortgage no stress...and i start to notice how my savings grow day by day 😎☕

Great message as always. I have always loved aviation, and always wanted to own an airplane, just could never justify the debt load to buy one. Ten years ago I decided to build one, took 7 years and I've been happily flying it for three years. Bought materials as I could afford and learned skills as needed. A fellow pilot and aircraft builder, Marv, occasionally stopped by my basement workshop to spend a few hours chatting. He was in his mid 80's and served in Korea as a mechanic. He would always say that the best therapy for people is taking two steps back and looking at something they created with thier own two hands. He was absolutely right. The world sure could use a few more Marv's, or at the very least take a few good words of advice from him. Anyway, If you are ever in Iowa and want to take a ride in a 22 year old Chevy to the airport, and fly in a hand-built aircraft, give me a call! Keep up the good work on the videos, your message is spot on and certainly needed in the world we are currently living in.

Hello from Scotland! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 just wanted to say thanks for giving me so much stuff to binge during the winter holidays and thanks for educating me about off-grid homesteading!

I am a Building Contractor and have been in business for 42 years,you name it and I've done it and I say to You keep enjoying the freedom!!! I hope to turn loose my pioneer spirit and live the real dream. I consider it a blessing to have run across your site and I am inspired by your attitude and principles. God bless You and Yours and keep rolling!! Look forward to more. Thanks for sharing your passion.

Dave, your videos have inspired me. I found your videos my mere coincidence, and I have enjoyed watching them ever since. I am going to be starting out on my own here soon, and I’ve been saving up money for a while to purchase an apartment or condo in my town, costing around $100,000. After watching your videos, realizing that I could buy 2+ acres in the country woods of land here for $40,000 or less, and building a cabin like yours for $6-8,000? Plus everything else, that is still less than the $100,000+ I would be spending on a small apartment or condo. I’ve always been more of an independent person, wanting to live where no one can tell me what I can put on my home, land, etc. You have seriously made me consider this, and it will give me a good start in life to get ahead. I will definitely be watching more videos, and doing more research on this now. Thank you.

I can’t tell you enough Dave how much I love to watch your videos along with your wife’s. You guys give me so much hope for a better life for our family. This video hit so close to home. My husband just graduated with about $300k in med school debt. Now we’re in a situation where we can’t even afford rent as a doctor and lenders won’t give us a mortgage so we can get a cheap starter home. We have to wait two years to qualify. Sooooo we’re trying to figure out what to do. We LOVE country living. Both grew up that way and not afraid to get our hands dirty to make things work. Now that hard part is finding land to buy. Thank you so much for all you guys do and for the encouragement you give to the world. God bless you both. ❤️

I want Dave’s confidence and self assurance. Did he always have that or did it come through years of practicing self reliance homesteading? Perhaps a mixture of both. Either way, I’ve learned a TON from this channel and can’t wait to get some remote land. Edit: that is one of the slickest ways to cut birds mouths I’ve ever seen. 21:40

Beautiful stuff, brother! My wife and I live in a dry cabin in Alaska, for many of the reasons you stated here!

Thankyou for this amazing information absolutely free! You and your wife are very intelligent, hard working people. Admirable! ❤️💙

You make it look so easy. I'm subscribed to both your channel and your wife's. I'm an older woman who enjoys the outdoors and have learned so much from both of you. Thank you so much.

I’m so thankful that you produce these videos. Watching your videos with my ten year old daughter is such a rewarding and eye-opening teaching tool for her. Thank you, Dave.

Thank you for the truly inspiring words you speak this is how everyone who wants to should be able to live.

Greetings my friend. Your videos are Awesome with a capital A. I’ve watched your work over the past couple of years and it is absolutely therapeutic. There are a lot of us here in America who are more alike than we know. I’m a black man who was raised in the Bronx NY in the 70’s and grew up there and eventually left about a dozen years ago. Back in ‘97, I took a trip to NC with my wife, then girlfriend, and met her father. They have property in rural NC. Long story short, I fell in love the moment I stepped off the plane. I woke up the next morning and sat out in the carport to the rising Sun and morning due. I never looked back. I was done with the concrete jungle. I’ve always been a simplistic individual. Through Covid, your video with its content and presentation and music is the freakin Answer brother. I swear, it just is. Keep is simple though. Like you said, people just want to be left alone. Amen to that. I’m from the school, you have yours and I have mine. Salute! Anyway, just wanted to share my thoughts on your videos and that I am a big fan of yours and wish you all the best. Take care.

I love this. ❤ I could listen to you talk about your knowledge and experience all day. Thank you for sharing.

Will soon be heading to college and am planning for what I want to do after my two year degree is over. I’ve always loved the mountains and currently the plan is to buy a piece of land and build a small cabin to live in. You have definitely been an inspiration for me to do that.

I totally agree with you on everything 😎 you can’t live in my home state unless you’re rich or inherited something so sad used to be just the opposite to the invention of air-conditioning. Nobody wanted to live here. I liked it then we had fans. We were good now it sucks. Love you videos and your way of thinking cheers Central Florida Yankees go home.🤣

We had a outhouse when I was growing up because we,like you, bought our property and then built our own house!! I loved that my Father did that! Of course it took some time to build so we needed the outhouse But as kids we werent afraid of the outhouse like adults are today who have never had one lol. We never had one problem with anything. The only snakes I saw were under the big rocks that hung over the sides of the creek and they didnt even bother us or ever harm us!!! I really enjoy your videos,i'm so glad you post them!!!! There is nothing like being self-sufficient!!!

We are finally able to pursue an off grid homestead in our 50s. I think it will just be a mountain cabin for the weekends and not our primary living arrangement though. You have given us a lot of ideas and how to attitude and we thank you both.

If you and Brooke created a podcast, I would definitely listen. I learn so much from y’all’s videos!

I've just watched your summary video about your 20 years of living semi off grid. It brought back my own memories as I m nearing 70 yrs old now and a a young couple with 2 babies we leased land with a old log cabin on it. We paid $200/ month and lived there while saving money. My husband worked at a mine..1/2 hours away. It was the hardest and best time for us. We had power in the summer..but with the winter came downed power lines that stayed down until the spring. Coal oil lanternswas the ticket. Wood heat and Cookstown were reliable..no back ups. Laundry done by hand. Water was gravity fed during summer..winter it was pumped into a 50 gal. Drum. Canning was essential. These were good times to look back on now...at the time the hard work went with a sense of accomplishment!

great editing...Brooke is the greatest natural resource you have!

You and Brook are so genuine and real. I am new to both channels but am also excited to get caught up on ALL the Whipple adventures. Thank you for challenging me to try something I thought was impossible. I might not be building a cabin out in the woods, but I’m going to try a small green house and use that clear roofing material I saw in the video. Again thank you for inspiring us all.👍🏼

We’ve been watching these videos in a dry cabin in Fairbanks, AK! This is my new favorite yt video 😊. When you added the foam to the outhouse, I was like… this dude know the Fairbanks style! lol. Thanks for what you’re doing for multiple generations. This is important for so many to learn and know that they have options. The American cookie cutter isn’t for everyone, and certainly isn’t sustainable.

I’m a 21 year old still in school, my family and I paying my way through so I can learn what I’m passionate about, and they just want me to get a degree so they know I’ll be okay and able to support myself.. I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I know I can’t do this right now, but I can start small and I know when I graduate, this is what I want. I want my own, unique home and I want to build it myself, and still live my dream. This gives me hope.

This is by far my favorite channel of this type on RU-vid. Dave and Brooke are awesome! In Dave's voice, I can feel the days of my youth watching The Adventures of the Wilderness Family.

i had a table saw just like yours. It was covered with dirt and rusted. Cleaned it up, got it running and used it quite a few years, my son still has it. Enjoy watching your channel from upper lower Peninsula Michigan.

Dave, a lot of people couldn't build wooden shelves for their garage. The problem is schools care more about computers, and have discontinued shop class.

Cool! If you want something bad enough; like Nike, just do it! My dad was a veteran of WW2 and Vietnam. In Vietnam, he was a Seabee. He did everything and there was nothing he couldn't do, because he attempted everything. Sometimes he'd make mistakes, and he considered those blessings. He'd know what wouldn't work and he knew next time how to avoid them. He made things fun. I asked him one time, "dad, what if you don't have the right tool to do a job?" His answer was unique, he said, "in the Seabees, if you didn't have the right tool, or what you were doing required a tool that hadn't been thought of yet, you'd just make that tool." He had that CAN DO attitude that has been the Seabee way forever. Sir, I see a lil bit of my dad in you! Thanks! And, my hats off to you for another great vid. Jb.

Omg, I adore the two of you. One day… I’ll be livin my “girl in the woods” dream. Thank you for this wonder.

WELL DONE Dave! Thanks 4 the sharin' of your time/talents with us all. I couldn't agree more with your 'simple' lifestyle choices. It is VERY evident that we have made a 'mighty' mess of things by over-complicating EVERYTHING! Now we await a 'breakdown' of monumental proportions...before we can re-construct what worked bast from our ancestral way of living. Even food needs to become localized as buying and expecting shipments from 'Timbuktu' for our dinner condiments or otherwise is absolutely insane! Luv both your cabin and Brooke's. You have indeed accomplished HOPE in many. God Bless you n' yours!

Very glad I found your channel this evening. I’ve spent the last few hours watching a lot of your content and not only am I heavily inspired by what you do, I also find myself agreeing with you a lot on your opinions on life. I look forward to watching more of your content in the future!

I truly loved every minute of this video. We have the same understanding of life and what is important and a good use of our time. We are a rare breed.

We never wanted our children to have to rent because it was hard even for us, when we were starting out, to get ahead and save up a downpayment while renting. But now with rent being almost as much as a mortgage sometimes more , and the crazy prices in the housing market, they would be paying for their home for most of their lives, IF they can come up with a down payment. So we moved away from the city, went off grid, and raised our boys knowing how to cut down trees, split their wood, heat and cook with it, and then build a log cabin from the ground up.I love the independence it gives them. Great video we have a lot in common. Just found your channel and subscribed.