Homesteading Income From Home

Our solar and wind systems

Living the homesteading life does not mean you have to isolate yourself or family from the modern world. People tend to think that. My husband and I have blended our off the grid, homestead lifestyle with the modern world for many years now. We both embrace technology since that is what allows us to live this way. To tell you the truth, it isn't all that hard once you have organized your life and everything is working. I am speaking of the solar panels, the wind turbine and all their components that makes up our alternative energy system.

Some of our raised beds

It affords you the option of working from home. You can be growing your own food, generating your own electric, supplying your own heating and cooking fuel by cutting wood and you can make your income right from your computer in your home. What could be better than that?

Satellite Dish at Peaceful Forest

Many people like the option of working for a company from home. Being a virtual assistant, telemarketing representative or working for an answering service, etc. is all available to people who like to work from home. That has never been something I wanted to do. I really like working for myself. In the beginning I was just writing. Writing blogs and eBooks because I have always loved writing my thoughts down. On and off during the years though, I have sold on my own websites, String Baby and Larry Lupole, which is now my husband's personal page.  Both of those sites are in the process of being redesigned and my husband will be working those.

Making a living from a secluded location

My favorite selling avenue has always been eBay. I used to sell there and would get mad that I wasn't making any money and I'd quit. Now I have learned to go with the flow and when sales are slow, just list more. The sales will always come again. I have been working on my store, katlupe's Shop day and night. I am really into it and it does take up most of my time. This year was not a good gardening year so I didn't get a lot of food to can. Usually that would send me to my local produce market to purchase more. Not this year. I just worked on my store all summer and fall. Now it is paying off!

Part of our home canned food supply

I had so much food canned from previous gardens that I really felt no need to buy more. I am planning on some big canning jobs after the end of the year. That will be meat, soups, stews, chilies and stocks. By then my store will be able to survive a few days of nonstop canning in my kitchen. For me, all of this ties together as being self-sufficient in these times we live in. I do not think of it as living "old fashioned," as many people believe. It is a matter of taking care of yourself and family.

Copyright © 2015 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2015 Kathleen G. Lupole

Updated 2018

No Sun Means Less Power

Gray days don't charge solar panels!

Days without sun are limiting our power since our wind turbine is not completed yet. Had to wait till spring to finish it. I guess if you just buy a turbine or pole to put it on you can get it finished faster. My husband though is building a special pole that he has finished, but there is more to it then just setting the turbine on the top. It bends over so he can work on it in case there is a problem with the turbine. Of course, depending on how big your system, you may be able to get through the time with low sun. Our system is very small.

Solar Panels in summer charge really good!

I am not complaining as usually January is much worse than this. It appears though that we are having our January thaw. Our wood stoves are banked back and I am not wearing long sleeves. Not bad for January. It worries me though, what is in store for February? That is usually our worse month by far.

Callie Cat spends the winter sleeping!

Since I am off my computer most of the day for now, I will be writing a quick post today. This morning I had a sale on eBay so I had to package that up and check my other auctions. Now I will get off after I take my photos out of my camera and put on the computer. I will spend most of my day working around the house. Organizing and cleaning mostly.

Missing the sunshine!

Hope everyone has a great day, and if you have sunshine........enjoy it!

Copyright © 2012 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2012  Kathleen G. Lupole

Moving Our Solar Panels To The Barn Roof

When my husband decided it was time to move the solar panels to our barn roof my stomach had that sickening feeling. You know the feeling you have when you  have to do something you dread? Like going to the dentist or having a test? I dreaded him doing this job as I knew he would be doing it alone. Carrying five solar panels up a ladder and onto a barn roof that is pretty high by himself. I dreaded it. Well, he did it yesterday. All but the last panel is on the barn roof now. Today is overcast and now raining so I think he can't finish this job today. I guess I should have known he'd do okay since he built this barn by himself. And that included putting the roof on by himself.

Yesterday was a beautiful day for doing this work.  And I am glad to have them moved. The reason is that we have tracked the sun hitting the barn roof the most of any area of our homestead. We have sun there all year long for the longest part of the day. Unless it is raining or cloudy the sun is hitting that roof. Living in New York means we need to best utilize our sunshine when we get it. New York residents need to have twice the amount of solar panels as other states. Since we have added two new panels to our array and have now moved them onto the barn, we should see an increase in our power.

I am looking forward to getting our solar refrigeration. And once our water system is in place and working, then our washing machine will be usable. I have done without these appliances, but that does not mean I do not want them.....I do! So this is one more step toward our total self-sufficiency. Independence on our own energy system. In the future we will add more panels, more conveniences and be even more independent. I am hoping at some point we can add an electric vehicle to our homestead. Generating our own power from the sun for transportation would be nice indeed!

Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole

Homesteading On The Internet

Today looks like another one of those dreary days in upstate New York! Using solar panels to generate our power isn't easy this time of the year. During the summer, we only run our generator about once a week, now it's being run about every other day. Since I work on my computer every day for about 12 hours a day, it's essential for me to have power. If I add more solar panels and more batteries, I would have more power. I hope to have my solar panels on my barn roof this summer. That's where we get the most sun. A friend of ours, who thinks he is a solar expert, had us put our panels in the spot where they are now. Boy, he's no expert! It's been a bad decision all year!

Well, this morning, I couldn't even get onto eBay. That always drives me crazy. And I especially couldn't get signed into my Seller's Resource Group! That is where I like to go every morning. This group has done more for me than anyone. I have been improving my store and my business since hooking up with them. This month I did 15 different things to improve it! If you sit down and start working from a list, you can usually get some business accomplished. Maybe most people think that selling on eBay is like having a garage sale, that's not true. It is more like owning a store and having to do all the jobs yourself. No secretary, no janitor, no stock boy, no clerks, no sales people, no accountant, just me. So from no on, every night I have to make my list for the next day of everything I have to do and then be sure to do it. Working that way, you actually get the things done that need to be done.

Copyright © 2005 Kathleen G. Lupole

Solar Panels On The Homestead

Peaceful Forest Homestead 1999

Having just added another solar panel to our array of panels, I am experiencing the joy of having more power. We operate our home now on 180 watts of power from the panels. I just can't imagine that people would rather pay the electric companies those big bills that keep going up. Our system we add to little by little until we get it to where we want it.

Recently on a forum that I belong to, someone commented that he lived for 12 years off the grid, but now is more than happy to pay the power a $50. a month to take care of his needs. He did not like worrying about how much power he used or how much each appliance used. So he would rather pay for the option of the electric company taking care of him. I like to take care of myself.

When the power goes out around here, I don't even know it until a few days later if someone mentions it. My computer can be on all the time if I want, as that is the main thing I power. Of course, I don't need all the "comforts" that the "yuppie" world needs. I love my life the way it is. Every morning I can wake up and get my coffee, go out to feed my horses, walk with my dog and browse in my garden. Then I go in to get on my laptop and get to work.

It all ties together. Being a "homesteader" these days, means making your living at home, but not necessarily selling produce or livestock. You can make products such as goats' milk soaps or lotions, wood crafts, do sewing, word processing, internet research, paralegal, even secretarial skills from your computer and telephone - but you do it from your own homestead! You are there to take care of your daily chores or to make your products. It's a great life. 

Copyright © 2005 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2005 Kathleen G. Lupole

Updated 2024