Is it possible to forget about utility bills, improve your health and not depend on anyone else? A family from Canada claims to have been living like this for more than 10 years.
Misty Murph'Ariens, 36, and her husband Bryce, 46, never liked the prospect of paying rent for years and saving up for a house, hoping to buy it someday. The couple took a different approach - they left city life for quiet family happiness in the Canadian woods. Their adventure began about 10 years ago when, after years of preparation, the former chefs bought a plot of land and started building a humble house on it out of clay, sand and straw.
The process was long and tedious, because Misty and Bryce did everything themselves. But four months later, their dream home was ready. The couple started a household and forgot about regular utility bills. The Canadians get their electricity from solar panels, and they collect water when it rains and get it from a well.
The family lives on organic food. They have cows, chickens, and ducks in their cattle yard, and vegetables and herbs grow in their garden bed. The couple also takes advantage of what nature provides - picking berries, mushrooms and herbs.
Horses help them to travel long distances. Misty and Bryce are both good riders and use a wagon to transport heavy items.
According to Misty, living in the woods has been beneficial to them. The woman suffered from severe headaches in the city, but when she moved to the countryside, the migraines became less and less frequent, and after six months they disappeared entirely.
Over the years of living in the woods, the couple has had two daughters together. The oldest, Sage, is now seven, and the youngest, Auroa, is five.
The parents would not send their children to kindergarten and school, and the girls are being home schooled. Misty teaches them to read and write according to standard curricula as well as homemaking, forest survival, animal care, and gardening skills.
Misty and Bryce have started a small catering business. They don't have a car, so they deliver orders by bicycle, wagon or on foot.
According to Bryce, he is fully aware that this lifestyle is not suitable for everyone, but for their family life in the woods is a dream come true. Together with his wife, they tried for years to cut costs, but nothing worked. Now they spend less than $15,000 a year for a family with two children - not much in comparison with renting a studio apartment in Toronto that costs $1,500 a month.
"Whereas most people are spending the majority of their time working to afford the necessities of life, we spend our time working to acquire these necessities directly. That kind of life may not be for everyone, but it works for us. Our family has never been happier," Bryce says.
Would you like to live in the middle of nowhere, away from the city?
Source: novochag
You might be interested in:
Taxi driver closed the door before a couple with poor eyesight because of their guide dogs
