How to Choose the Right Land For Off Grid Homesteading by OGP and solarguy

I, like many of you have dreamt or in the least pondered just getting away and living a life of self reliance away from the stresses of modern society. It takes a lot of courage and skills most of us have only seen on TV or experienced for short periods of time while knowing you’ll back in civilization in a flash. Thank the powers that be we can now have modern in an un-modern setting.

(actual photo of me rocking the internet in the wilderness)

Still, there is a growing number of people going off gird and taking a shot at living off the land. The land that they acquire will be one of the most important decisions they make and will be a key to their success as a homesteader. Depending on how ambitious the plan is and how many people will be utilizing and surviving off the land there are many factors to consider first.

I’ve got my eye on a couple pieces of land north of Lake Superior to purchase in the coming months. A place where people can go to be in touch with the wilderness and have the comfort of modern amenities. So I have been doing a lot research into how to choose the right land to ensure I maximize its success. After pouring over countless articles and joining a ton of online groups I have whittled my needs down to this short list.

(150+ football fields. Not including the unique features each of these properties host.)

I would love your feedback from your own experiences or what you, as an aspiring off grider, have contemplated yourself.

What to Expect in Your Search for the Right Land

➊ Taking lot’s of precious time
➋ Traveling great distances to inspect the land
➌ Networking for information and unadvertised land for sale

Visiting the land is vital. You know very well not to trust the photos though depending who sent you the photos, like a friend or trusted person could make up all the difference.

Visiting the undeveloped land in the middle of nowhere will probably require a couple days to inspect, especially if it’s hundreds of acres or more. So you need to go prepared to camp, hike and get dirty and probably wet. You will need basic camping equipment and food as these places are far from hotels, shops and restaurants.

What’s On and Around the Land

➀ Great you’ve got your on some great locations but are they perfect for off grid homesteading. You see there is a reason why most Canadians don’t live north of Lake Superior, the land is mostly crap for crops. Sure, there are small pockets suitable for small scale farming but nothing like in the southern most parts of the country. Is your eye catching land suitable for farming and what types of crops can you farm in that terrain, soil and climate. 🌾 🌾

(Had this image a long time, can’t recall where it came from which leads me to believe it’s a google snag, free use)

➁ Do you have tree rights, surface rights, mineral rights and most importantly for the sake of building using the materials on site, tree rights. In Canada all pine trees are considered owned by the government. This is an old law that was made in case of a war and Canada needed to build ships; yes, the law is that old when ships were still made of wood. You can buy the rights most of the time but it’s easier to just buy land that comes with the rights. You will have to do your own soil samples during the initial surveying. Also check the trees for illnesses and quality.

➂ The land should be on unorganized territory. This means there is no municipality or local government that you need to ask permission from to build. There are just so few people that there aren’t any offices to request building permits from. There are not many places left like this in Canada and from all reports I’ve heard nowhere in America aside from Alaska that has this type of freedom. Unorganized land doesn’t mean that it’s lawless; provincial and federal laws, especially environmental laws still apply but if you’re going off grid adhering to environmental laws is probably a no brainer as we don’t need a law to tell us what’s clean or not.

➃ A source of clean fresh water. A big lake would be my first choice as it is not only a source to feed yourself and crops but the tons of water activities that come with a big lake. Canoeing, fishing and swimming just to name a few. You will have to test the water quality yourself when you visit your site during the initial surveying. A river would be OK but a river can be dammed and you can’t control what happens upstream and off your property. You might get really lucky and find a fresh water spring providing clean fresh water. Still I prefer a lake, hopefully a large one but a small one is also good.

➄ Accessibility of the land is pretty useful too. Does it have a road, even if it’s an old beat up logging road, or will you need to hike in or go horseback/ATV’s. Again having a lake so float planes can land would be good in case of emergencies or living the high life. Being more remote is not always the best choice, you will need help, supplies and trips to a village at some point and getting them will rely on it being within a reasonable distance.

Being super remote has advantages too. Often they are cheaper; provide more resources for survival and of course an abundant amount of wildlife. Plus, maybe you just want to be as far away as possible. **In Canada remote private land is often surrounded by crown land, which is government owned and though you can cross it, hunt on it and camp; you won’t be able to do much else which makes it ideal for separating from other people and communities. **

➅ The land must be clear of debts, liens and insurance problems that could ruin your life away from civilization. You know the government and banks will do anything to get their money back and it would suck if they ruined your good time because the last owner messed up.

➆ co Keep in mind how much of the land you will need to clear. From the location of the structures and buildings, where the crops and livestock will go, waterfront potential, trails and roads plus more. Just clearing trees will be a huge project if the land doesn’t have enough land already prepared.

There is so much to consider when going off grid but I hope this put some ideas into perspective while you search for the perfect place. Please comment you opinions, I need them like a Smarty needs a candy coating to be a smarty.

What else needs to be considered when choosing off grid homestead land? I’d appreciate any comments and questions.

Sometime just having peace of mind to be free and turn off the network. True power comes with ability to give it up and take it back when you want.

Off Grid Paradise for All is Coming