Building the Refuge
Practical independence, one system at a time.
Follow the real-world process of building resilient power, water, food, shelter, communications, and self-reliance systems.
A real-world refuge project focused on practical power, water, food, shelter, communications, and self-reliance.
Latest from the Refuge
The Weekend Plan Changed Before It Started
This is July 4th weekend. I took an extra day so I would have plenty of time at the refuge. The goal was simple enough, which is usually the first warning sign.…
Read moreCurrent Projects
Placeholder: Rainwater Collection System
This placeholder project represents a future rainwater collection and storage build. It is here temporarily so the homepage project grid can be tested with…
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Placeholder: Pallet Shelter Wall Test
This placeholder project represents a future shelter-wall experiment using pallet lumber and practical materials. It is temporary content for visual layout testing.
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Portable Clamshell Solar Array
Design Concept: Portable Clamshell Solar Array The original idea behind this build was simple: create a solar power system that could be deployed quickly while at the refuge, but closed, protected, and…
Read moreGear Tested
No gear reviews yet. Nothing has been dragged into the field and judged properly.
Field Notes
When the Road Gives You Material
The driveway back to the refuge is about a quarter mile long. That sounds simple enough until you remember that words like “driveway” can mean very different things depending on where you…
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Field Note: My Temporary Toilet Setup
This is not the final solution. It is simply the one that works for me right now while I build the Refuge. My temporary toilet setup is functional and meets my needs.…
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Rana Meat Lasagna Review: a Good Off-Grid Microwave Meal?
Refuge Field Ration ReviewField Rating ★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆ 6/10 Flavor Fuel Efficiency: ★★★★★Ease of Preparation: ★★★★★Cleanup: ★★★★★ Would Buy Again: Yes After a long drive and a full day of shopping, I wanted something…
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