Hi James,
Thank you for SurvivalBlog. It’s an incredible resource. I thought you and your readers mind find this interesting:
There is a man that lives with his family on his 24 acre parcel of forested mountain in Vermont, completely off the grid using hydro-electric and solar for power and a natural spring for water. He builds everything himself, including his house and workshop. His land is mostly accessible only on foot (though he has cleared a road — by hand). This guy is building a giant mechanical robot. Seriously. But the best part is that all of this is documented in his dozens of videos on YouTube. His intelligence, humor, self-reliance, and creativity make the videos very instructional and entertaining. I stumbled across him a message board. His progress through the years and the story of what eventually happens to him is quite fascinating.
All the best, – Alex C.