In this episode I meet up with Dwyer Haney and his wife Emily who are homesteading off the grid in Vermont. What’s homestead living like? Check out the video to catch a glimpse of the farm and their beautiful tiny home modelled after a western fire lookout tower.
Dwyer spent a year building this custom tiny home on a plot of land in rural Vermont, about a half hour outside Burlington. The homestead has pigs which till the gardens and provide a source of meat. One pig can provide as much as 160 pounds of meat. A charming raft of ducks helps keep the insects at bay. They’re just getting started on their road to building a sustainable, resilient, homestead. You can follow their journey on Instagram @bendingbirchhomestead.
For my random act of kindness I pitched in with some help running a propane line from a tank outside to their water heater. Although they have a few thousand watts of solar panels, the homestead is off the grid so they also rely on propane for hot water and cooking.
I’m on a mission to give 1 random act of kindness in all 50 states as I travel across America in my DIY camper van.
How big can the acts of kindness get? Follow to find out.
If you want to find all the acts of kindness in one place check out this playlist:
Why am I giving these random acts of kindness?
Over the last decade I’ve walked across America on the Pacific Crest Trail and ridden a bicycle across America on the TransAmerica Trail. On both of those adventures many strangers have helped me in many ways: from hitchhiking, to feeding me and giving me a place to sleep. Those acts of kindness are now memories I will never forget.
Since that time a dream of mine has been to convert a van into a tiny home and travel in it across America. Originally I bought a Ford Transit cargo van back in 2016 with this dream in mind. I was ready and willing to get on the road right away. But life had other plans. Fortunately I was finally able to finish my van project in 2021 so now I live full time on the road. This is my way to travel the country and pay it forward.
We can do small things with great love.