My Self Reliance

#woodworking #logcabin #offgrid I finally spend some time building a set of sawhorses for the off grid log cabin using mortise and tenon joinery, a simple woodworking technique that is well suited to my rough carpentry skills and primitive life at the wilderness homestead. I really didn't take me long since I had cut the red pine log in half almost a year ago and I cut the balsam fir legs last March, 2017. Cutting the tenons with a knife, axe and draw knife took very little time since I didn't need a precise fit and did not need it to look like finished furniture. I cut the mortises with a 1/1/4" auger, a simple hand tool traditionally used for drilling deep holes through wood in timber frame structures. Cali, my golden retriever, did slow me down a bit as she is constantly asking me to throw her training dummy for her to fetch, which she does with a lot of energy, eventually burning out and falling asleep at my feet despite the noise that I make with the woodworking tools. The pair of sawhorses, which are about four feet long and thirty-four inches high (I'll cut the legs down a bit and even them out once the snow melts) came in very handy while I worked on the rest of the log cabin this week. I used them as a base to cut the pine logs to trim the west window, to cut short lengths of pine for floating shelves between the window and the woodstove and to plane smooth the flat side of the balsam fir logs splits, the wood that I'm using as the stringers for the staircase to the loft of the tiny house. The weather this week is a little unusual - very sunny but cold, quite a bit colder than is typical for mid March. In fact, the sap in the sugar maple trees has not flowed since the day I tapped the trees and installed the spiles and buckets, more than two weeks ago. Judging by the forecast, sap won't start running for another week or so (maybe by the time this video is live). However, even though it's cold this week, February was a record year for warm temperatures, which really cut back the amount of firewood I burned this winter. In fact, I burned less than a cord of wood since early January, which means I have a good start on next year's wood.

I install an old Elmira wood cookstove in my newly built outdoor kitchen.

Work continues on my outdoor kitchen as I prepare the exterior walls of the timber frame structure for stone veneer.

I think this may be the most dangerous few days I've spent building my off grid homesteads alone over the last 7 years! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

If you watched my last video, you likely heard a chainsaw running in the background and there was a lot of speculation in the comment section about who it was. For regular updates, early access and extra content: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

After spending two weeks managing the forest and the vegetable gardens, I'm back to building! Jackery Prime Day Sale is now on! Discount up to 44% off from July 3th to 20th, Best Deal on July 11th and 12th!Check out Jackery Official:http://bit.ly/3CWtGqH (http://bit.ly/3CWtGqH) Jackery Amazon:http://amzn.to/449ul41 (http://amzn.to/449ul41) Solar Generator 2000 Plus (E2000Plus+200W)with best discount, shop nowhttp://bit.ly/3Jb5QLh (http://bit.ly/3Jb5QLh)andhttp://amzn.to/3JFrgRh (http://amzn.to/3JFrgRh) #jackery #solargenerator #sg2000plus #portablepowerstation This week, I decide to install a wood floor in the outdoor kitchen and to clad the interior knee walls with rough sawn pine boards. I put the wood cookstove in place before building the gable wall and the entranceway, which will all be screened after installing the roof next week. 00:00 Introduction 00:17 Framing the floor 07:08 Camping with my daughter Emily 07:51 Cooking during a fire ban 13:46 Jackery solar power bank 19:58 Framing the knee walls 26:05 Installing pine flooring 32:43 Framing the gable end wall 41:14 Installing pine boards on the knee walls Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

I finish milling timbers from trees I cut down around the cabin and continue building the timber frame structure of the outdoor kitchen. The frames are heavy so I use the ATV anchored to the cabin logs and a maple tree to winch the walls into place. The forest kitchen is over 11 feet high so it's challenging to get the walls up and roof boards installed alone, but I have a system in place now so it's just another day or two to finish the frame and then I can start finishing the walls and order metal for the roof. Moose and beaver are very active around the cabin right now - calf moose and baby birds and other wildlife are regular visitors. On a hot day, my daughter Emily and I go for a short paddle in the canoe to catch a couple of small northern pike for dinner.

#shorts #logcabin #offgrid In this timelapse video, witness the amazing process of building an off-grid cabin alone. From start to finish, the builder demonstrates impressive skills and techniques while constructing a self-sufficient cabin in the wilderness. Throughout the journey, he showcases the importance of being self-sufficient and how one can create an eco-friendly home to live a fulfilling life in nature. Follow along as the builder takes you on a step-by-step journey of constructing this off-grid cabin, containing every detail from cutting wood to roofing. Experience the wonders of building an off-grid cabin alone and learn about the challenges, joys, and knowledge of living in such a simplistic yet beautiful space. Get inspired by the possibilities of living off-grid and creating your own eco-friendly living space. Don't miss out on this captivating and informative video about building an off-grid cabin alone. So, hit the play button and join us on an amazing journey into the world of off-grid living! #offgrid #cabinlife #timelapse #construction #woodworking #tinyhouse #homesteading #DIY #building #nature #wildernessliving #selfsufficient #sustainableliving #offthegrid #isolatedliving #simpleliving #handmade #woodcabin #woodland #selfreliance

A busy spring in the forest garden as I continue to establish perennial fruits and vegetables and plant annual vegetables in raised beds and in loose rows around the 1/2 clearings in the forest. Cali and I take a 1/2 day break to fish on a nearby lake to escape the heat and bugs around the cabin. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

The most physically destructive thing I do to my body each day is to sit at a computer to edit these videos.

So many times I see people who have purchased a new tool or broadhead comment on the sharpness of that edge right out of the box. To me, it's irrelevant because you'll need to sharpen it after the first time you use it and forever thereafter, so learning how to sharpen tools yourself is far more important than how the manufacturer did it. Thanks for Watching!

This is often overlooked when practicing bushcraft, survival and wilderness living.

If you have decided to become more traditionally self reliant and you're currently travelling to your weekend homestead or visit the countryside occasionally, you may want to move out of the city while you still can.

Society is breaking down and self reliance is more important now than it has been for the last 80 years. If you are concerned about your future, there are many paths to self reliance, where you become more resilient every day and can stop living in fear. This is my path. Thanks for Watching! My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MySelfReliance/featured For exclusive content, Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance

Learning to live off the land is a slow process and it's taking me years to establish food systems throughout the forest. Thanks for Watching! My other YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MySelfReliance/featured For exclusive content, Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-...

The greenhouse is gone (and other changes on the homestead). To follow along day to day and for behind the scenes content - Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/MySelfReliance CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

For those wanting to live a traditional, natural life rather than a virtual one, we should work together to create and preserve the world we want to live in and be prepared to be ostracized by those choosing to live in a modern, dependent and virtual world.

Three years ago, this 1/4 acre was a dense forest and today it grows enough vegetables for a family of four. With the 2023 growing season just starting here in Zone 4 in Canada's south, my wife, daughter and I prepare raised beds and plant cool season crops.

A walkabout on my 100 acre property, describing my management goals and energy usage. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

#cameragear #photography #wildlife Join Mark Raycroft and Shawn James at the log cabin as we discuss what's in our camera bags for our upcoming trip to Alaska to film salmon, brown bears, Dall sheep, moose and log cabins.

The last winter activity is finished... time to start the outdoor kitchen. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

With winter winding down, I'm eager to get started on building my summer kitchen, but first I need to finish the root cellar under the cabin and install drainage and fresh water plumbing to the indoor kitchen. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/myselfreliance Shawn James YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/shawnjames1 CLOTHING: https://teespring.com/stores/my-self-reliance AMAZON LINKS: https://www.amazon.com/shop/myselfreliance Best of My Self Reliance: https://bit.ly/2OfW7ry 2022 OFF GRID CABIN LIFE: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnTFccPGm33LnMVlB9J1D0m OFF GRID LIVING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPkGrISWOKvY_0uMOjJI-Chv COOKING: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPlwY0hqcJOT6bw5z-MpmfKy BUILDING LOG CABIN WITH HAND TOOLS: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPnAe9mk5qKu-RQvRTk6dhpG BUILDING OFF GRID SAUNA: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPm0Hfb7sidZBHx3GVLL7JQB BUSHCRAFT & SURVIVAL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UbUksm4nPk2dpiJb-wfPrpJkodkS7g7 Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MySelfReliance/ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myselfreliance/ Mailing Address for items sent by regular mail: My Self Reliance/Shawn James 51 King William Street P.O. Box 30017 Huntsville, ON P1H 0B5 Address for items sent by courier: 200 Manitoba St., Unit 3, Suite 415 Bracebridge, ON P1L 2E2

A 3 minute snapshot of what happens on this channel.