After spending 12 years homesteading off-grid, a couple shared all they have learned throughout the process and revealed that it's easier than you may think to get started.

Misty and Bryce run the Ontario Permaculture (@ontariopermaculture3665) account on YouTube, which frequently shares tips on their page about easy ways to homestead. What they've learned has become so ingrained in their daily routine that it is now easy to practice.

"We can put the seeds in the ground and we can make it happen now," said Bryce in the video from the Exploring Alternatives YouTube channel, which gained renewed attention recently when a large clip was reposted to TikTok. 

"Through permaculture and a lot of time to think and consider ramifications, we have found that this lifestyle is a very real thing and the Earth is so abundant," Bryce continued. "There are more and more people catching onto permaculture ideas every day."

Permaculture, or natural gardening, focuses on building sustainable and mutually supportive ecosystems. It's one way this couple has been able to sustain their off-grid lifestyle for so long. Native plants keep the ecosystem healthy, and once settled, are exceedingly easy to maintain.  

Though it has become interwoven within their daily lives, Bryce discussed one of the major challenges to the homesteading lifestyle. 

"Everything you do, you do yourself. ... I cannot take any time off. It must be done," he said. 

While the entirety of homesteading life may not be for everyone — and certainly the cob and timber structure they cite in the video should not be attempted without professional consultation for safety reasons — there are lessons we can all learn that are vital for saving money, living more healthily, and improving our ecosystem.

Native gardens, which reduce your utility bill immensely, are one way to do this. Meanwhile, relying on solar energy instead of a typical power grid that is reliant on dirty fuels helps the planet and saves you money in the long term. 

While the setup costs of solar can be high, the technology can also bring your energy bill down to $0. EnergySage makes it easy to compare local installers to get the best price on solar panels, which can save homeowners up to $10,000 in installations. 

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"I'm all for it," wrote one commenter on the TikTok video. "But I think my goal is 100% renewable energy and water reclamation. I love this idea a lot."

Another simply wrote, "Bring back cob houses!" which are houses made fully from the land.

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