Two People, One Dog and a REMOTE ISLAND – ALONE in the Wild Outdoors – My Wild Holm S3 Ep21
Have you ever wondered what it’s really like to trade the city grind for total remote island living? In this episode we tackle a little of everything that we need to keep our island home progressing as we daily make upgrades for the future. One thing is for sure, life on a remote island is never boring!
Table of Contents
- Greenhouse update — finishing our off-grid greenhouse
- How to straighten warped decking — deck-board gymnastics & clamp tricks
- Alvin needs dental work! — sharpening industrial chipper knives
- Great Smokey Mountains – BC Style — smoky skies and masking up
- Sunset Tour of Bird Island — solar array, storage, and magic at night
- Practical takeaways for tiny home builders & homesteaders
Greenhouse update — finishing our off-grid greenhouse
We’ve been closing out one of those satisfying projects: the greenhouse. After finishing the framing and a final coat of paint, we’re prepping the roof with a plastic film that will stretch tight and give us a surprisingly robust cover through the summer. If it looks UV-weary next season, we’ll upgrade to polycarbonate panels, but for now the plastic keeps things light, quick, and affordable.
Inside, seedlings and newly planted fruit trees are doing really well — tomatoes, zucchinis, and even our very first strawberry are proof that simple, hands-on homesteading pays off. We’re careful to use simple drip and hand-watering routines at night, and that keeps the beds productive without complicated infrastructure. This is classic Remote Island Living practice: practical, low-tech solutions that work with what we have.
How to straighten warped decking — deck-board gymnastics & clamp tricks
Decking on an island often means working with lumber that wants to twist, cup, or bow. We show an easy fix: use a pistol clamp with a rotatable head to pull bowed boards into line. Fasten a small stay or block to act as a counterpoint, spin the clamp head, and bring the margin over so the screw locations line up.
We also pre-drill every screw that lands on a joist — almost always prevents splitting — and place screws slightly away from board ends. These simple woodworking techniques keep the finish tidy and the structure durable. For DIY builders and tiny-cabin owners focusing on homesteading and Wilderness Cabin projects, these are practical, repeatable tips.
Alvin needs dental work! — sharpening industrial chipper knives
Our chipper, nicknamed Alvin, relies on two precision knives — they’re basically the tool’s front teeth. We tried a manual sharpener at first, but quickly realized industrial cutting knives need proper milling equipment and a machine-shop touch to be restored correctly.
So we started the hunt for a shop that can true and hone those blades. It’s one of those times when a smart repair saves tool life and keeps the whole homestead running — a reminder that off-grid living is equal parts hands-on work and knowing when to call in specialized help.
Great Smokey Mountains – BC Style — smoky skies and masking up
The wildfires of Season Two left a lasting impression; this season the smoke returned and the air quality dipped. We masked up during outdoor work and kept an eye on the health index. On the practical side, this also means planning indoor workdays for the worst-smoke periods and ensuring our power and battery systems remain able to run HEPA air purifiers or fans when necessary.
It’s a sobering reminder that even in a remote off grid island setting, regional environmental events affect day-to-day living. We adapt by prioritizing health and scheduling our physical projects around the clearest days.
Sunset Tour of Bird Island — solar array, storage, and magic at night
As the sun fell we walked the property to admire the new solar array and perimeter lights. The array itself is made of eight 550 W bi-facial panels (a total of 4,400 W) that capture reflected light off the white tarps we plan to string behind them — a neat trick to squeeze extra generation from our location.
Under the panels we’ve built storage that will double as a small workshop. The perimeter pathway lights are solar-powered and wireless — perfectly aligned with our minimalist, quiet Off Grid Retirement ethos. We topped the evening with a tour down to the barge and a pause at the fire pit — tiny-cabin living lit by soft solar glow feels downright magical.
Practical takeaways for tiny home builders & homesteaders
What we’ve learned and shared in this episode is useful for anyone doing DIY builds, tiny-cabin construction, or homesteading: focus on durable, simple solutions, maintain critical tools (sharpen knives, true saw blades), and design systems around available resources (sun for power and lights). Our approach leans into low-maintenance solar, smart storage, and building techniques that make our island life livable and pleasant.
If you’d like to stay connected beyond the vlog, come join us over on Facebook where we share updates and stories from our off-grid island homestead. You can also check out some of our favorite things and gear that help make remote wilderness living a little easier, or browse through our Amazon store for more of what we use out here. And for a peek behind the scenes and a closer look at our daily adventures in off-grid life, follow us on Instagram.
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