Living full-time on the road and in the woods has put our survive and thrive priorities up front – instead of paying someone else to take care of our needs, the basics take up a good chunk of our time. … Continue reading
In the Adirondacks, overlooking Lake Champlain is Essex; a small town of a little over 600 people where from fertile ground and a lot of dirty work sprouted one of the most inspiring farms in the world. We put our … Continue reading
I created a sliding door ALFie’s bathroom for under $30! Some of these barn-style door hardware kits are hundreds of dollars, I wanted to find a way to simplify and slash that cost drastically (Later we added a custom stained-glass … Continue reading
Normally we are anti-hoarding, but in this case, it helped us! We had been saving wine corks in a vase for a few years for no particular reason. Between our collection plus that of a friend and our parents we … Continue reading
Chemical based sealers will often peel as the natural cedar oils degrade them, so finishing or staining cedar walls isn’t recommended. Sanding the walls with a fine sandpaper will revive the cedar scent as the aromatics dissipate over time. Another food-safe, non-toxic, … Continue reading
Joel Salatin, the internationally famous ‘Lunatic Farmer’, Author (Folks, This Ain’t Normal, Everything I Want to do is Illegal, You Can Farm … and many more), and star subject of food renegade documentary films, (Food Inc., Fresh, American Meat) thinks … Continue reading
Here is a recipe for elk stew that I made in my mini slow cooker — the perfect size to cook with in an RV to make a simple and delicious meal** for two: Ingredients: 1 lb. elk steak or … Continue reading
Here’s a little DIY curtain project for our awkwardly sized bus windows, they are easily removable and totally convertible — We added a screen print of one of our favorite band posters from Saint Jude to dress it up, but … Continue reading
The short bus conversion in progress! Subscribe here or follow us on Facebook to see more updates as our project moves ahead! Night and day (in below freezing temperatures and with multiple layers of clothing) we installed the kitchen countertop and sink, … Continue reading
We have rain, freezing temperatures, and back-to-back illnesses — but we persevere! Luckily, we have ALFie’s mini cube fireplace to keep us warm while we continue to rehab our 1999 diesel GMC bus into the perfect rolling cabin. Right now … Continue reading
We at Free Range Quest are blessed to meet so many who motivate, inspire, and teach us. Sandor Katz has been called evangelical in the way he speaks about fermented foods. It has been said that he “has become for … Continue reading
There are a few classic comedy staples in our household. Always sure to get a laugh: ANYTHING involving a rubber chicken, a banana peel, an ottoman in a footpath, or the pinnacle of holiday hilarity — Fruitcake. Plum Pudding, a … Continue reading
The Island Where People Forget to Die – NYTimes.com.
Unraveling the mystery of why the inhabitants of Ikaria, an island of 99 square miles that is home to almost 10,000 Greek nationals, live so long and so well.
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As usual, a clean diet and strong social circle seem to contribute to a long life — “Even if you’re antisocial, you’ll never be entirely alone. Your neighbors will cajole you out of your house for the village festival to eat your portion of goat meat.”
A core of our project is about being “Free” – and although we are striving for independence and self-sufficiency, we recognize community building and cooperation are obvious essentials that align with our principles. So while we have not yet mastered … Continue reading
“Look back to where you have been, for a clue to where you are going” -Unknown “I sure hope not.” -Me I said to my wife the other night, “In the last decade of my life, I can clearly mark … Continue reading
Hard work in exchange for a life filled with love, adventure, and a wealth of great memories is my idea of a great profit. For me, the most interesting and desirable returns come from money, energy, and time invested so … Continue reading
The navigator/passenger seat that we converted from an old office chair is now mounted with 360 swivel action! Carefully calculating the space we had to attach the seat without disturbing anything in the undercarriage was a daunting task! Dave spent … Continue reading
Here is a glimpse into our RV bus conversion, this tiny home design is complete (with some fantastic personal touches sure to be in place for the bus-warming party, thanks to starchitecht, Colin Jensen)! — Note the powder room with … Continue reading
Farm school starts real early. And on a Saturday, no less! Kinda like actual farming, I suppose… I recently received an email from the Oregon State University Extension Service about the 2012 Small Farm School, so of course Kristina and … Continue reading
This week we started the construction of the bedroom in ALFie. We decided on a raised storage platform because storage is what we are lacking most in the space and we liked the idea of the bed being toward the … Continue reading
Though we’ve had some major delays in our remodel schedule, we were still able to make some great progress during the month of August. We got a pretty nasty rock chip in the windshield and that needed to be repaired … Continue reading
We are striving to live a more simple life. To clear the clutter so that we can form a more meaningful view of our world and cultivate the best relationships possible. Sometimes simplicity isn’t easy, our attachments to certain things … Continue reading
We began experimenting with fermentation in a variety of forms a couple of years ago. Making pickles, beer, breads, cheeses, and kombucha have become relished (winkwink) hobbies – It’s cheaper than buying the store bought stuff and we always feel … Continue reading
This is not a story for the chicken-hearted… Or my parents… or in-laws who would undoubtedly be horrified… There is something that I must reveal in a public forum so that anyone reading might hold us accountable and shame us … Continue reading
Kristina and I paid off all of our debt in 2011. Save for our home, we have no loans. We have worked very hard to become more self-sufficient (stop paying people to do things we could learn to do ourselves) … Continue reading
Below are some items we wear currently as clothing staples. Many we chose based on a low price, ease of replacement, quality, and fit. I always keep an eye out for items that wash well and don’t wrinkle easily because … Continue reading
Steve Jobs passed away around the time that my wife and I started getting very serious about living a more minimalistic and intentional lifestyle. Jobs was a unique and fascinating individual; the bold exclamation point on his physical presence was … Continue reading
I can’t believe it’s June. Of course, when it’s 50 degrees and rainy ten months out of the year it’s tough to see summer coming. After a very late night show with The Old States in St. John’s on Friday, … Continue reading
The seats are all removed and the bus has been approved for travel by our diesel mechanic! In this clip, Dave uses an angle grinder to remove that last, stubborn bench…
Free Range Quest 