alt Hacker NewsI'd feel a bit too lonely at 5km distance to the nearest neighbor as a matter of fact I don't think I ever visited or stayed at such a property. Are you completely off grid? What are the drawbacks of living in such a place and is it overall a better deal for you? It sounds very tempting for me too but I don't think I'm ready for this just yet.
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I have no electricity except solar. It works well for all my needs, technology has solved this depending on your needs and how much money you have.
I have no water except the one I bring when I buy food weekly/every two weeks. I'm still renovating/building so I'll have a well in the future.
I heat my home with wood that I cut on my own property, I enjoy this very much. It's a workout that also produces something of value.
The drawbacks can be many depending on what kind of lifestyle you're after.
Sartre said "if you are lonely when you are alone, you are in bad company".
I do mountain biking, nordic skating and I have a dog; it works for me. A lady friend might be nice eventually :]
It's silent, I can hear my own heartbeat; civilization is 30 min away.
This is in Sweden.
I live in a similar place, though I'm not off-grid.
The drawbacks for me are that "town" is about an hour away. But amazon delivers here.
There's no city life, no ordering to-go food or pizza, no movie theater, no ice cream runs to sonic. You have to plan ahead. Socialization happens online or with people in your own home, pretty much exclusively.
It's often hard to find anyone to fix your stuff--you become a framer, a plumber, a roofer, a mechanic. I consider this a net benefit, but it can be taxing at times.
That being said, not everyone does it quite like I do. All my neighbors have jobs in the city, for instance.