The easiest food to grow … Organic Apples. Delicious and excellent Cash crop.

If you are looking for an easy food to grow consider the Apple. About 15 years ago we planted 2 Apple Tree Seedlings that cost about $20 each. We were told that we needed at least 2 so that they could cross pollinate. I'm glad we planted 2.
We chose the Golden Delicious and Empire Apple Varieties. We do not use any chemicals or pesticides on these trees and now get thousands of delicious organic apples every year.

What do you do with thousands of apples? Well we eat an apple a day starting in August... then we make apple pies, apple crisp, apple sauce, apple vinegar and dehydrated apple chips... ok that's a few hundred apples.

What do we do with the rest ?

We sell them. To deer hunters, horse farms, and Dairy cow farmers. A large organic apple can sell for $3 per apple. We sell ours for $1 an apple and $100 for a bushel.

There are about 130 apples in a bushel and this summer and fall we sold over 60 bushels of apples. That's a $6,000 income from 2 dwarf apple trees. We even sell the apples that start falling from the Tree in July and August. Who buys such apples ? Deer hunters amd Horse Farms. We get $20 a bushel for these apples.

Where to buy Solar Panels ? Best Prices & Quality

A question that comes up every day in the "Living off the Grid" Facebook Group is where is the best place to buy Solar Panels ... so I'm going to start a list here on the Group blog and will update often. You can also include your preferred place to buy Solar panels in the Comments below and I will add to the list.


USA:

1. The Top place I see Recommended by Group Members so far is: https://www.wholesalesolar.com/
They list them by cost per watt ...  https://www.wholesalesolar.com/solar-panels
They have discounted Solar Panels you can buy by the palett (25) as low as .77 cents per watt.
So the more you buy the lower the price.  They currently have Free Freight February going on.

2. Home Depot will have sales on Solar panels that brings the cost down to $1 per watt and will offer Free Shipping. (Watch for Sales)  http://www.homedepot.com/p/Grape-Solar-100-Watt-Polycrystalline-Solar-Panel-for-RV-s-Boats-and-12-Volt-Systems-GS-Star-100W/204211365

3. Renogy is often mentioned in the Group. I know that Amazon.com sells these and includes Free Shipping:   Renogy 100W Polycrystalline Photovoltaic $126 with Free Shipping (Watch for Sales)  http://amzn.to/2kG8mMn\


4. Fabtech has new and used panels for as low as .37 per watt.  http://fabtech.net/products/  300W+ Mono Solar Laminates from US manufacturer

CANADA:


1. Solacity  in Kemptville Ontario has a 260 watt solar panel for $202 CDN which works out to 77 cents CDN per watt or 54 cents US$ per watt  ... http://www.solacity.com/product/canadian-solar-cs6p-260p/


2. SolarTrader.ca where they have panels that are manufactured in Ontario and sell for $1 per watt (Shipping is $133.64 )
http://www.solartrader.ca/Solar_Panels_Ontario_Cost__Solar_Panel_Prices_Ontario


3. Many people starting out will also buy solar panels at Canadian Tire whenever there is a sale. Regular prices are very high. http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/household-pets/solar-panels-accessories/solar-panels.html?adlocation=LIT_Category_Lifestyle_EnergyProductionCat_SolarPanel_en


Here is a Website that lists the Best Prices on Solar Panels: http://www.ecobusinesslinks.com/surveys/free-solar-panel-price-survey/

Currently: Canadian Solar CS6X-320P is listed at the lowest Cost per panel at $0.51 per watt
Please list your Favorite place to buy Solar Panels in comments below with cost per watt and your commentary on why it's the best place to buy Solar Panels.

Portable Lightweight 80 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline foldable Solar Panel with Inverter Charge Controller

These portable Lightweight Solar Panels with Charge Controller are perfect for anybody living on the go.  Off-grid, Camping, Van-Life etc etc....

Available in USA for $ 99.99 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0748GKHZ8/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_LuhzAbJYTW98C

POWERFUL AND LIGHTWEIGHT: This solar panel packs 80W of power yet is only 0.2 in thick and weighs only 4lbs, making it easier to transport, hang, and remove.

FOLDABLE AND PORTABLE DESIGN: The panel is well protected in a thick fabric pocket sewn. A practical carrying handle is available easy to carry and use and with, Ideal to use for camping, camping, climbing, hiking, picnic, charging your car battery, or in emergencies .

HIGH CONVERSION EFFICIENCY: With high efficiency monocrystalline solar cell, you will get greater power efficiency even though the panel is smaller than a traditional model.Maximizes system output by reducing mismatch loss; 100% EL testing on all DOKIO solar modules, guaranteed no hot spots.

CAN USE WITHOUT BATTERY:FREE INVERTER SOLAR CONTROLLER for you (save 40 dollars)！Just throw away your heavy battery, this controller can use without battery, one Dokio solar panel and one Dokio new inverter controller meet everything.

How many KWhr of Electricity do you use each day ?

The first step in going off the Electrical Grid is to understand how much Electricity you currently USE and determine how much you actually NEED.

Do you know ? You can check your Electrical Bill and it should show you how much you are presently using. 1000 KWhr per month ? 500 kWhr / month ?

The average is around 900 kWh per month .... about 30 kWhr per day.
To go off the grid you will need to get below10 kWhr/day (300 Kwhr/mo)  or the Solar -Wind-Generator Power system will cost you a Fortune.

You need to determine what appliances you will need in your  new Tiny Offgrid Home. Fridge, heater, fan, TV,  LED Lights, Internet ? You can figure out how much electricity your current appliances are using and begin to calculate how much Solar - Wind - Generator - Alternative power you will need to keep your stuff running.

The P3 Kill a Watt Electricity Usage Monitor is a Great tool used to help you determine what each appliance uses each hour, each day, each month .....

Available on Amazon for $23 with Free Shipping:    http://amzn.to/2jpMi7a

Small Canadian town will give Land and Job to anyone willing to move ...

Feb 05/2018  CTV News Update: The owners of the Farmer's Daughter Country Market say due to the large number of applications coming in from across the globe, they’ve received help from the Cape Breton Partnership in Sydney.

Keith MacDonald from the partnership says the store has interns and students sift through emails from people interested in living or working in the area.

"The inquiries range from everything from employment opportunities at The Farmer’s Daughter to: 'How can we move to Nova Scotia?'  'How can we set up a business in Nova Scotia?'  Or 'How do I move my company to Cape Breton?” says MacDonald.

Meanwhile, all of their success has The Farmer’s Daughter looking at the possibility of expansion, which could mean more hires for land on the horizon.

“If everything goes according to plan and I can get my ducks in a row and expand, maybe over the course of the next few years we’ll hire maybe another ten people,” says Coulombe.

Source:  https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/cape-breton-store-to-hire-globally-after-seeing-continued-interest-in-land-offer-1.3771005

The Farmer's Daughter Country Market writes:
"BEAUTIFUL ISLAND NEEDS PEOPLE. We are an established business in the heart of Cape Breton, rich in jobs, land, and potential, but no people. Are you someone who is looking to live a simpler life, close to nature, in an area that still believes in community meals and weekly jam sessions?

We can't give you big money, but we can give you an awesome life. Our business is busy from May to December, with slower months January to April, so you can enjoy our amazing winters. We have lots of good ideas and we want to
continue to build on our accomplishments but we don't have enough hands to help.
We are located in a little village called Whycocomagh, which can be found in the middle (the heart) of Cape Breton. It is an area surrounded by beautiful mountains and the shining Bras d'Or lake where kayaks and canoes outnumber motorboats.


We are a true four-season climate and we love it that way. We are looking for people who are environmentally conscious, want to be part of a community and will see our business not as you work for us, but we all work together to create something to be proud of. If you take pride in being friendly, helpful, and positive and have skills in the food industry or customer service, then you are who we are looking for. We cannot offer you big money (wages in local small Cape Breton businesses are not high) but we can offer you a great incentive to come and try us out. One thing our business does have is LOTS of LAND.

If you decide this opportunity might fit your dreams and goals for a close to nature and community focused life, then we are willing to offer you 2 acres of woodland where you can immediately set up your tiny house or quaint cabin. Plus give you access to our farmland and other resources we have available. If you are still working with us after five years and we all still like each other after that time, then the land is yours for the cost of migrating it out and putting it in your name. Cape Breton is amazing but our population is decreasing. Corporate development has been seen as the solution in the past but that often comes at the expense of our environment. We think there is a better way.

If you are interested in this unique opportunity please email your resume along with a letter about yourself to fdaughter@icloud.com

Via: Farmers Daughter Country Market Facebook Page

Jan 22 2018 Update:

Expanded Global Search :  https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/cape-breton-store-to-hire-globally-after-seeing-continued-interest-in-land-offer-1.3771005


** UPDATE: They have hired 3 families from British Columbia and will be looking to hire 3 to 4 more in the Spring. - DO NOT include your email / information in comment Section of this blog.  Send your resume and story to their Email Address as Instructed above.


To see a few images of  Whycocomagh, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada and the Farmer's Daughter Country Market  watch the Video below....


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whycocomagh,_Nova_Scotia /  CTV News Update 




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Offgrid Life in Canada - Part 1: The Search for Land

Small House with Screened in Porch