SS North of the 45th parallel?

[Icu4dzs]

Is it me or does the entire subject selection of a majority of the otherwise reasonable periodicals any good SS'er would read (MEN, Backwoods Home, etc) somehow concentrate all their energy in areas that are way south of REGION 3/4?

I see lots of great ideas but as soon as I think about how "I can do that", I realize that it would freeze so solid up here that it isn't worth the trouble. We heat our homes about 6 months of the year (often longer) because the PERMAFROST usually comes in early NOV or OCT and stays until APR or MAY. Yes, it HAS snowed here in JULY...go figure.

Everyone who is working with solar panels; making them or mounting them appears to live south of the 45th parallel. My 16 panels are covered with snow all the time...(If I clean them off it snows again...) At least my wind turbine turns most of the day, almost every day...

I notice that most of the solar energy articles are all written by folks who live south. What gives with that? Doesn't anyone in the periodical business know that there are lots of us who live a bit north of the 45th and have very little in common with the folks who have 280 day growing seasons like they do in P'cola, FL.?

I sure would like to hear a good deal more from fellow SS'ers who are living in the sub-zero, short day areas of our nation to have some idea as to what life is like for them. I know what it's like in the south. Seems that everyone in the periodical magazine business knows all about the folks south of the 45th but no one seems to have much to say about NORTH of the 45th.

I do notice that Bubblingbrooks lives in AK and they have a growing season not unlike what we have in SDAK. I would imagine northern Idaho, Montana and Wyoming might have some things in common with SD.

How about it folks? Why don't we cold weather kids get together and discuss SS as it is above the 45th?

 

[Wifezilla]

I used to live around the 45th parallel in WI but moved South. Some of my southward move benefit was mitigated by living at 5,500 ft above sea level....so I do feel your pain

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

I'll jump in here
And give you this link for inspiration.
http://subsistencepatternfoodgarden.blogspot.com/

Soalr panels?
yeah, a few do them up here, but they are a total waste.
When you need them most, they do not work at all.

 

[moolie]

I think that because most of the US population lives in CA or in more temperate zones in the south and NE, this is where the publishers are located and what they focus on.

Canada has many different climate/temperature zones; when we lived in "lotus-land" on Vancouver Island we could grow literally anything and the winter temps rarely went below freezing, but here in the prairies we're in a similar location to Wifezilla--we have elevation (around 3500 ft) to take into account when we consider doing anything from gardening to home preserving.

We also have wacky winter weather due to our proximity to the Canadian Rockies and the warm Chinook winds that blast down and melt everything every two weeks or so all winter (last weekend we had a couple of snowy days of -27C/-17F temps, followed by this week's thaw that has us sitting today at 10C/50F in bright blue-sky sunshine )

So everything is a challenge here. I've just been reading several library books one various self-sufficiency topics and they are all either written about California or Britain. At least Britain gets winter conditions, but nothing like what we have to contend with here.

I totally feel your frustration.

We do have neighbors who have solar panels, I should really stop by one day and ask them about their system. I would think that wind would be more reliable around here.

 

[MorelCabin]

Up in Northern Ontario solar panels are pretty useless as well...but there are sales offices all over and people are buying them up. After researching it over and over again...I see very little that excites me about them here.
In the land of lots of snow and dark winters, our best bet is propane. Electriciy is going through the roof...and in Canada it seems that the government is not buying surplus anyway...from what I have heard.
In my opinion, the closer you can stick to simply enjoying the resources we have right now but being ready to let go of it altogether if SHTF...is the best route.

 

[Wifezilla]

I would think wood heat would be a viable option. I know it is frowned upon in many places, but when we lived in WI, a shortage of trees was NEVER a problem. In Colorado, solar can be used to supplement, but as a sole heat source? Oh heck no.

 

[MorelCabin]

I would think wood heat would be a viable option. I know it is frowned upon in many places, but when we lived in WI, a shortage of trees was NEVER a problem. In Colorado, solar can be used to supplement, but as a sole heat source? Oh heck no.

Wood heat is an excellent option...but DH decided a long time ago that he is done with wood...works too hard to be coming home to work some more and is getting old and tired

 

[abifae]

I would think wood heat would be a viable option. I know it is frowned upon in many places, but when we lived in WI, a shortage of trees was NEVER a problem. In Colorado, solar can be used to supplement, but as a sole heat source? Oh heck no.

Wood from WHERE? Sage brush?

 

[Wifezilla]

I was talking about Wisconsin, but go on craigslist in the farm section sometime. There are about 10-20 firewood for sale listings per week. If you go out to Elbert County, areas out there are thick with trees.

 

[THEFAN]

I guess good old Maine falls into this topic. I'm no pro on these topics but I have dabled in some. When all energy fails wood. Plain and simple. There is a ton of it up here and we use it mista!! We do a 2-1 soft/hard usage. We have the old Onion on stand by in a pinch but we only use it in a pinch. We live on an island so in real bad scenerios we don't get resupllied a lot. So being preparred is a way of life here. I have started dabling in the solar concept. Using a a simple system 12 volt battery with solar trickler and control regulator. Have 12 volt hook up for it. Can light the rooms we need in a jam. Then use woodstove for everything else cooking, toilet water melted from snow if back up water isn't enough but usually not a problem.

I believe in a few priority in winter time jam

Heat ...... Woodstove
Water....... well with hand pump and well pump when grid is up
toilet.... As long as we have water or a whole in the woods we good...predig a whole in the fall and cover it over incase needed
lights..... deep cycle batters with solar charger. plus candles, lanterns and all the other prep you might this of
Food ..... stock up and be prepared Might be 4 on the list

In that order. A man can live very comfortable with these and is easy to maintain.