Neil of the North

I woke up this morning to cold temps, depleted batteries and a generator that wouldn't start. In this video you will see a little bit of my system and how I fixed the generator - a Honda 6000EU.

We were finally able to get meat chicken chicks. Initially we were told we couldn't get them because all the hatcheries were out but somehow God made a way and we were able to get 150 chicks to raise. This is part of our Red-Neck Farming video series where we go in to raising animals and farming with a small budget for subsistence based needs. We live rural and we find that this is a great way to let our kids learn valuable lessons about life and death, work ethic, and profit and loss. I hope you enjoy this video on raising meat chicks and what to do when the chicks first arrive. #chickenfarming #raisingmeatchickens #raisingchicks

Major kitchen renovation/remodel. Living off-grid and working with cash and free wood we make our dream kitchen. This is the first video in a series on this kitchen remodel. In this video we will go over what this DIY kitchen project is about and the initial steps involved in taking the rough lumber to the finished wood countertop. We used 2" thick oak that was given to us by a friend (we were on a budget) and had to deal with multiple large cracks, some areas of wood rot, etc, but the end result is beautiful and the grain patterns are out of this world. This is an exciting kitchen countertop replacement. Feel free to use these kitchen renovation ideas for yourself. You will want to make sure you catch the whole series which will be posted over time. Thanks for watching.

Part 3 of my major kitchen remodel. We are still working with the wood to make the DIY wood countertops. Fortunately my friend has a 37" ultra-wide belt sander. These large, stationary belt sanders do an amazing job at taking out ridges, bumps, and other imperfections. Although the machine moves slow and the job took a couple hours it is much quicker than using a standard belt sander. The best part is that if you get imperfect wood for free or for a low price you can have a beautiful kitchen countertop on an amazingly low budget.

In the 2nd of the series on doing my major kitchen remodel on a budget we continue on our DIY wood countertop. I was given some 2" thick oak slabs from a friend who had milled a tree from his yard. The wood was wild and rough and beautiful. With amazing grain patterns it could make the perfect countertop but it would take time. In this episode we use a plate joiner (biscuit joiner) and biscuits to make wood that wasn't long enough longer. Even after buying all the supplies and finish material these countertops were easily under $300.

My review of the Eberlestock Just One pack after hiking all over the mountains. The Eberlestock Just One Pack is built around a batwing design with a large central compartment and has many options for accessory packs, duffels, and a dry bag. It is built very strongly and runs just a touch heavier than some packs, but I have not found the Just One's weight to be an issue. My favorite feature of this pack is the weapons carry scabbard. It works well as a day pack but can be expanded to be a very large pack. My kids have used Eberlestock's Just One because it has a large range of adjustability. #eberlestock #elkhunting #justone

Since the Eberlestock Just One is my go to pack I have decided to do a gear dump video on it. This way you can see what I load in the bag and I even tell you where i got the gear. With this set-up I am prepared to spend a night on the mountain if need be.

The Eberlestock F1 Mainframe is an external frame pack that excels as a meat hauler. The Mainframe has great adjustability and is part of Eberlestock's modular system. You can attach different duffels - Super Spike or Spike Camp, the Dry Bag, and various accessory pouches utilizing the MOLE webbing. I found this pack to be extremely comfortable and able to handle a lot of weight. This is a great pack for Western Big Game Hunting - Elk, Moose, Mule Deer, Etc. I have also found it to be a good daypack when used with the Eberlestock A6SB Batwings.

I went out to shoot some Tamarack trees on a small lake in Northern Minnesota. Originally I thought there would be a beautiful sunrise with some partly cloudy skies. The conditions were not what I expected but it turned out to be an amazing morning.

Review and instructions for use of Eberlestock's Butt Bucket, which is a bow carrying system for Eberlestock Packs. The Butt Bucket could also be attached to other packs with MOLE attachment points in the right places.

Grass Fed Beef subsistence farming. We have a small heard so we can't afford tractors or skid steers. So instead we use a 95 Chevy Silverado plow truck. This involves both the plow and a tow strap. It may be a low pay activity but it's rewarding and we know where our food is coming from and what it's eating. We are able to involve our kids in this enterprise and by doing so teach them valuable lessons about hard work and true sustainability.

We live in the sticks and have a beaver pond on the property. This spring while the Coronavirus caused lock downs we built some blinds and shot pictures of waterfowl. We had a Canada Goose within a few feet trying to spot us. It was a great experience - made better by the fact that my daughter was with.

Looking for a reasonably priced option for hunting and outdoor clothing that will keep you warm in frigid weather? Wool has been working for thousands of years. Wool is the ultimate technical clothing. It works when wet and it's quiet. The other great thing about wool is that it is a natural fiber and will not contribute to microfiber pollution.