Electricity is required for the operation of devices, equipment, and appliances found in contemporary homes. You may pick up some useful tips from the Amish if you wish to become more self-reliant.
The Amish community has a lot of valuable lessons to share with preppers on how to become self-sufficient and live an independent life away from the grid.
Continue reading to find out how certain Amish methods of living might be adapted to the lifestyle of the regular prepper.
Housing
By collaborating with members of their community, Amish families are able to reduce the expense of constructing their homes and outbuildings to a minimum. Relatives and friends of a family may often set up camp on the family’s property in order to assist with the construction of the new building.
When the Amish construct a home, they begin by erecting the framework, after which they insulate it well and place it in a location that allows it to take full advantage of the sun and the prevailing winds.
Heating and air-conditioning
Many contemporary American households incur the majority of their annual income on the cost of heating and cooling their homes.
This is how the Amish manage to keep cool and save money during the hot summer months:
The majority of Amish dwellings are designed with a large number of windows to promote air circulation and bring in nocturnal temperatures that are cooler. The windows on the upper floors of the residences are left open to allow for the maximum amount of heat to escape, while the occupants of the homes remain on the lower levels for the sake of comfort.
In some Amish houses, the basement was used by the family as a communal space for activities such as eating and game playing.
A lot of Amish homes include something called a summer kitchen, which is a room that is attached to or located close to the main house and is used for summertime activities like smoking, pickling, or canning food. The primary objective of installing a summer kitchen is to divert heat and odors associated with cooking away from the primary living area of the home.
Because Amish children are not exposed to modern conveniences like air conditioning until adulthood, they are naturally more tolerant of being outside during the warmer months. In order to beat the oppressive heat, many Amish households get up before dawn to get their work done and get out of the house before the sun rises.
Even though they do not have access to electricity, the Amish occasionally participate in summer pastimes such as swimming in neighboring ponds or streams or lounging beneath a large tree with friends or books in order to cool down after completing their daily work on hot days.
Kerosene heaters, which are essentially enormous kerosene lamps, are what the Amish use to keep the temperature inside their houses comfortable.
A wick that is constructed out of fiberglass and cotton is included in a burner unit that is constructed above a tank that is filled with kerosene. The wick draws kerosene out of the tank and into itself.
Some Amish houses were constructed with coal furnaces already installed. In order to generate heat, these furnaces need chunks of coal to be thrown into a fire pit.
The coals maintain their fire heat for a longer period of time than wood does, making them an efficient space heater.
Wood burning stoves
Both heating and cooking may be accomplished with the use of a wood stove. Many homes still make use of wood stoves, despite the fact that such devices are prohibited in many urban and semi-urban areas due to the fact that they are regarded to be major contributors to air pollution and a potential source of fire hazards.
Do your homework, choose a good wood stove that meets your needs, and have it professionally installed in your home if the zoning laws in your area let it. You also have the option of purchasing one that is already owned.
If you are considering purchasing a wood stove, you should first ensure that you have convenient access to a fire-resistant supply of wood. To avoid unnecessary expenditures, the best scenario would be one in which you could get the wood without having to pay for it.
Lighting
Electric lighting is one of the most important features of newly constructed homes, and it is standard in today’s modern homes.
If you design an off-grid homestead with the south side facing the sun, you may greatly cut down on the amount of electric lighting you require throughout the day. All you need is the right structure and alignment. You also have the option of installing light tubes or skylight systems, both of which assist bring natural light into the house by capturing sunlight via a mirrored system. (Related: 5 Lessons in Survival We Can Learn from People Who Have Gone Hundreds of Years Without Electricity in Their Homes)
There is also the option of using oil lights. The light produced by some of these lamps is comparable to that produced by conventional light bulbs. Mirrors and glass are sometimes used in the construction of oil lamps, which allows for more light diffusion than was possible with earlier lights.
Make use of a portable oil lamp or invest in a solar-powered flashlight or lamp that can be recharged.
Manufacturing of food
A life off the grid as a prepper involves being self-sufficient and learning how to cultivate, locate, or prepare your own food. This is a must for off-grid living.
If you are new to gardening, you should begin by researching the types of fruits and vegetables that may be grown in your region. As your gardening skills improve, you’ll eventually be able to produce more edible plants in your garden than you can use.
To generate more funds for further preparations, you may either preserve the leftover food or sell it. You may provide food for your family by creating a home garden and also by keeping cattle. Both of these options are viable.
Many of the processes involved in the manufacturing of food may also be completed using manual tools. In spite of the fact that utilizing electrical devices requires less effort, it is possible to maintain a life without electricity by making use of manual tools that are dependable.
Refrigeration
People used to purchase dry products for long-term storage before the invention of refrigeration. Additionally, they shopped at the local farmer’s market for fresh food.
You may construct a root cellar in order to put away food and other items that spoil easily. If you want to be able to store food for a longer period of time, you may either learn how to dry food or how to can fruits and vegetables at home.
Hand-operated tools
There are many electrical gadgets and appliances that may make your life as a prepper simpler; however, there are manual alternatives to these products that will allow you to keep your farm functioning even if power is unavailable. These are items such as can openers and coffee grinders that are operated by hand.
Get some manual drills, saws, rakes, and brooms if you need to take care of duties inside or outside the home. In addition to investing in electrical appliances and gadgets, you should also purchase manual tools that are just as effective.
Electronics
You may combine the Amish way of life with the comforts and amenities of a contemporary house if you cannot bear the thought of going without power. For instance, you may make use of hand tools and install a solar power system to run essential electronics, appliances, and equipment that your family needs. You may even get a mobile phone and charge it with the help of a basic solar panel.
If you want to learn how to live off the grid on your farm, a good place to start is by seeing how the Amish live their lives. If living fully off the grid isn’t an option for you due to your circumstances, try adopting a self-sufficient lifestyle on your homestead instead. Only use a solar power system or generator when it’s absolutely required.