Live The Self
Sufficient Life
Clear, practical guides to land, water, power, and building, so you can get off the grid and stay there.
EDITOR’S PICKS
-
Water-Bath vs Pressure Canning: Which Foods Need Which, With Texas Altitude Rules
Water bath for fruit, jam, pickles. Pressure canner at 10 to 15 PSI for vegetables and meat. USDA times, Texas altitude rules, and canner costs.
-
Is a Harvest Right Freeze Dryer Worth It? Cost Per Batch, Per Year, and Payback (2026)
Yes, if it replaces store-bought freeze-dried food. A Medium runs about $11 a batch, makes $2.94 servings vs $6.15 retail, and pays back in about 30 batches.
-
How Many Solar Panels to Run a Well Pump? Texas Sizing
A 1 hp well pump needs about two 400 W panels of energy in a Texas winter; off grid, plan on five. Sizing tables, worked examples, DC pump options.
-
Living in an RV While Building in Texas: Rules and Costs (2026)
Living in an RV while building in Texas is usually legal outside city limits, but counties may require a septic permit and deed restrictions may ban it.
-
Homesteading for Beginners: A First-Year Plan for Texas (2026)
Homesteading for beginners: a season-by-season first year in Texas. Water and septic in fall, shelter in winter, chickens in spring, goats in summer.
-
Raw Land to Homestead Checklist for Texas (2026)
Raw land to homestead checklist for Texas: survey, soil test, septic permit, well, power, driveway, then build. Site work runs about $28K to $105K.
-
Cost to Bring Electricity to Rural Land in Texas (2026)
Cost to bring electricity to rural land in Texas: $3,000 to $7,200 for short runs, up to $30,000+ for long lines. PEC, Bluebonnet, CTEC rules vs. solar.
-
Texas Ag Exemption for a Homestead: Small-Acreage Guide (2026)
Texas ag exemption for a homestead: 1-d-1 valuation needs 5 of 7 years of ag use at county intensity. No state minimum except bees (5 to 20 acres).
