METHOD 46 - Root Cellar-
Most off the grid homes will in one way or another incorporate some type of root cellar into their daily lives. The benefits of a root cellar is not just that they are great for storing and stocking up on foods but the can double as a great cooling or refrigeration unit. Root cellars can be dug from the basement of your off the grid home and closed up with a trap door or can be constructed detached from the home. If your off the grid home is located close to a hill then the best option for constructing a your root cellar would be to build it into a hillside. This insures that the entire root cellar is covered with earth and will keep the stored items cooled.
COOKING:
When it comes to cooking there really are almost no limitations to how you can cook your meals living off the grid. Many off the grid dwellers utilize a variety of methods for cooking and some can even double as an additional heating or lighting source for your home.
METHOD 47 - Solar Oven-
A solar oven can be as simple as a box covered with aluminum foil. It takes longer to cook foods in this type of oven and you will need to reposition it throughout the day so that it is in the direct sunlight but a variety of meals can be cooked using this type of oven.
METHOD 48 - Wood Burning Stoves-
Using a wood burning stove can cut back on you energy use and if you live in cooler climates can be an additional way to heat your home. Wood burning stoves are a favor option for cooking in your off the grid home as many other methods are better used in the outside of your home.
METHOD 49 - Dutch Ovens-
Dutch ovens are typically large cast iron pots some are designed with three legs and others have none. These cooking vessels are favored by many off the grid homeowners and serve as a great slow cooker method for preparing foods. The lid design of Dutch ovens is curved with allows for hot cools to be placed on top of the Dutch oven. With the Dutch oven pot placed on top of a fire of hot coals and more hot coals placed on the top of the Dutch oven will create an oven effect that is ideal for cooking any meals. These Dutch ovens can also be stacked on top of one another for cooking many different dishes at once.
METHOD 50 - Evening or Alternative Lighting-
If you use solar powered energy to run the appliances in your home or if you want to another way to conserve your energy supply than using candle as a light source is a great method for your implement.
During the daylight hours extra lighting is not a huge concern for many off the grinders unless it is a particularly cloudy day. Depending on the type of energy power supply source you choose keeping additional lights on in the evening hours may be a little troublesome and can use up a lot of unnecessary energy. For a simple way to conserve some of your energy supply implement candles as a light source they can even provide extra heat and can also be used as a cooking method.
Candle making can be a great do it yourself project or hobby that not only can provide you with many uses but can also bring in a little income or used for trading or bartering with the local in your area. The easiest type of wax to use is pure honeycomb beeswax since it just needs to be simply rolled into the candle shape. The beeswax softens from the heat of your hands, which is why it is commonly used.
You can quickly and easily make a decent stock of bees wax candles in very little time and with very little effort. Candles that are made from beeswax tend to burn faster than if you would use another type of wax but emits a brighter light.