UPDATE November 1, 2007
Estrella Vista is avaiable once again!
Please view property details >>

We’re a man and wife, in our 20s, living off the grid in West Texas. Four years ago, we bought 20 acres of desert, and we’ve been slowly spreading into it.

We’ve got a bunch of chickens, a garden and the desert for food (goats coming soon). We have a rock and adobe house – still in progress – for shelter. Rain water catchment for water. Wind and solar for power. Composting and recycling for waste.

We try to integrate each system with as many others as possible – killing two birds with one stone can save a lot of time and resources. The roof catches our water, the waste water goes to the garden, the garden gives us food, the wind gives us electricity, and the electricity goes to make this website.

When we first moved out here, we knew relatively little about sustainable living, other than we both craved a simpler and cheaper lifestyle than is now the norm. We’ve made some mistakes and are constantly learning new things, but one thing’s for sure… WE LOVE THIS LIFE. Every day, we get up, have coffee with the early morning, do chores, then get on with whatever project we have going… there’s often a choice. We go to bed tired, but very happy and peaceful.

Some of you will think we’re nuts, and you’re probably right. But for those of you that are interested, this is what we’ve learned so far. We welcome any advice or input –  contact us – and we recommend you check out the information resources listed in each section.

WIND GENERATOR INFORMATION
Chispito Wind Generator Construction Manual and NEW Chispito Installation Manual with some extra tips and steps that were not previously covered anywhere else.