An Off-Grid Adventure in the Colorado Mountains

The Midwest welcomed me with a breathtaking blend of crisp, snowy mountains and windy plains as far as the eye can see. With temperatures dropping by the day, Evan and Lindsay just finished construction on their off-grid mountainside farm in anticipation of their biggest journey yet: parenthood. But Colorado is a far cry from where this story began.

Three and a half years ago, the two future farmers found themselves inspired to give up their life of comfort — as well as most of their material possessions — in pursuit of more conscious and sustainable living without reliance on the traditional utilities and services to which they had grown so accustomed. After selling their home in suburban Maryland, embarking on a cross-country search, and deciding against northern California after a brief trial run, Evan and Lindsay finally landed in rural Canon City, an hour outside of Colorado Springs.

Charmed by one of the more unique plots of land they encountered, the couple put down roots on a 45-degree angle — quite literally. They would proceed to turn a modest farmhouse into a spacious 2-bedroom hideaway paradise, terracing their land for livestock and saffron gardens along the way.

After a year of 3AM wake-up calls and nightly visits to Home Depot 30 miles away, Evan and Lindsay had finally done it! With no formal training in homebuilding, their unwavering determination empowered them to complete the first of many profound milestones: a successful inspection that would formally close out their construction permit.

Now, mere weeks away from the birth of their baby girl, the two can rest easy knowing every intricacy of the walls surrounding her crib and the roof covering her head.

…And yet, who would have thought the hard work is only just now beginning?