Offgrid desert living used to mean that you had to live in an excluded remote area of the state. One might have been considered anti-social or a deviant from mainstream society. Living offgrid lends itself to think about your surroundings, what in the desert is living with you. Every day you need to consider whether you have enough water or power for the day or do you need to run the well pump or shut some things down to conserve.
It is not like city dwellers, but it isn't a desert rat either. You can be offgrid and still have neighbors who are relatively close. Our neighbors are unique people bringing with them their own experiences, skill levels and knowledge in which to draw.
They each came with their own thoughts on how they wanted to live. The desert valley where we settled is as diverse as the city. We range in ages from early thirties to mid eighties.
There is no mistaking each others home, no one home is anything like the other. We have school buses with additions to two story farm houses and everything in between. Each had an idea and acted upon it. Each are living our dreams.
In many ways offgrid desert living is a- learn- as- you- go process. Problems are encountered with no apparent solution. Creativity kicks in and if it doesn’t, call one of your neighbors. You know them all well enough that you would know which one to call for a specific problem.
We have get togethers, cookouts and parties or we may go into Tombstone together for a drink , lunch or dinner. But one aspect of our neighbors that impressed me the most is that property and time is tenaciously respected. We all work hard and we do not just show up at each others’ property.
Everyone puts a lot of time and effort into offgrid desert living and there is always work that needs to be completed.
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