On Sat, 13 Dec 2003 10:11:46 +1100, "Fran"
wrote:


What I am objecting to is that both you and George are putting forward
information that was NOT in the original post (and Lord knows how off beam
into realms of pure fantasy this thread has moved from the simple question
originally asked!)

My observation that the "slant towards isolation is a bit worrying" comes
from this:
"This would involve one person living alone, in decent physical
condition, willing to do hard work and learn whatever is needed."



You have put in what YOU think he will (or should perhaps) do BUT not what
he specifically said.

As far as telling him what to do I didn't. I don't have the info. I just
opined that it shouldn't take much land or time to be self sufficient in
food. Where I did go off into my own subjective world is when I assumed his
motivations for doing it were similar to others I've known who've tried
comparable things. Some suceeded, some failed. But all were motivated by a
dissatisfaction with the way life is normally led in the "West". Perhaps
his motives are different.

He did not mention that he would be doing the building. He may or he may
not but it cannot be read into what he wrote.

It is not unusual for people in both NZ or Aus to have even a fairly
traditional builder come in and build an off grid house that includes items
like slow combustion cooking stoves (which also heat the hot water),
composting toilets, water collection from roofs etc etc. Even if one is not
off grid, it is still quite common in rural areas to have electricity but to
still use solid fuel for cooking water heating (for at least part of the
year) and tank (cistern) water for the whole of the year.



I grew up on a farm in Wisconsin that was just that way. With the exception
of using ground water for tank water and outdoor privies for composting
toilet (eventually replaced by a home septic system).

g.c.