Welcome! We’re John & Greta.
If you want to be more self-sufficient, you’ve come to the right place.
Since 2020, we’ve been living off grid on our small homestead in the high desert of eastern Washington.
This is The Good Life!
As we learn to live in tune with nature’s rhythms and immerse ourselves in her seasons, we grow closer to the way we were always meant to exist: simply, honestly, and with daily gratitude.
Now that we’ve been doing this awhile, our life is finally comfortable. We have plenty of hot running water and all the electricity we need. We grow most of the foods we enjoy and we even keep a few farm animals.
But life wasn’t always this easy…
We built our solar and wind system from the ground up, including installing a back-up propane generator (just in case). We dug a new well and buried cisterns in the ground for water storage. We built greenhouses and started a quarter-acre garden where we grow a majority of the food we eat.
And that’s not even half of the work we’ve done since 2020!
We haven’t reached our goal of being 100% self-reliant (will we ever?), but we’re closer than we were just a few years ago.
Our little homestead has grown so much and we’ve grown, too. We’ve struggled hard and failed. We’ve also reached for seemingly unachievable goals and prevailed! The highs and the lows are all part of the journey.
Through it all, we’re learning to embrace life! With every twist and turn, our skills sharpen, our appreciation deepens and we, together, grow closer.
This is, indeed, The Good Life!
Why Substack?
Since 2013, I’ve been providing free content on Substack and WordPress and that’s not changing. However, what started exclusively as a food blog has grown to encompass topics that are more complex and relevant to off grid living.
As the world changes, more people are looking for alternative ways to live in it. We understand because we felt the same way in 2020. For us, it became impossible to live according to our personal values without making some BIG lifestyle changes!
Our content is made for people who are exploring another way to live.
Our lived experience of trading city life to pursue self-reliance is valuable and we want to share it with people who know what it’s worth.
We believe in creating reader-supported (not ad-supported) content for people who want to become more self-reliant.
Ironically, we couldn’t do it with you!
What’s In It For You?
We’ll bring you content that’s continually helpful and refreshing, all with a dash of humor. Twice a month, we’ll bring you thoughtfully written essays, videos, photography, and more - right to your inbox.
In addition, you’ll have full access to the Greta Cooks archive, bringing you dozens of recipes with down to earth instruction.
We make managing your account easy. You can Subscribe or Unsubscribe as needed with a quick link at the bottom of each newsletter.
We’re excited to start this journey with you!
Cheers!
Greta & John
