Practical notes on self-sufficient living from a cabin in the woods.https://solarandspruce.com/en-ushttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/fall-garden-bed-prep/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/fall-garden-bed-prep/How we clean up, top-dress, and protect our raised beds before winter so soil is ready for early spring planting.Mon, 17 Aug 2026 15:06:21 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/blog/early-august-at-the-cabin-2026/https://solarandspruce.com/blog/early-august-at-the-cabin-2026/As July turns into early August, night temperatures drop into the 50s, the first cherry tomatoes ripen, and wood pile prep gets serious.Fri, 14 Aug 2026 15:17:51 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/storing-seasoning-firewood-cabin/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/storing-seasoning-firewood-cabin/A practical guide to splitting, stacking, and seasoning firewood so your cabin stays warm without creosote buildup.Wed, 12 Aug 2026 15:20:13 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/where-to-put-solar-panels/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/where-to-put-solar-panels/How we think about panel placement for a cabin: winter sun, shade from trees, and roof vs ground trade-offs.Mon, 10 Aug 2026 15:21:57 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/blog/august-at-the-cabin-2026/https://solarandspruce.com/blog/august-at-the-cabin-2026/Getting ahead of the season: tracking solar shade, water line maintenance, and stacking firewood before the first frost.Fri, 07 Aug 2026 15:19:06 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/keep-deer-out-of-small-garden/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/keep-deer-out-of-small-garden/What actually helped us protect a small cabin garden from deer: fencing first, tricks second, and honesty about what failed.Wed, 05 Aug 2026 15:44:14 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/basic-water-filtration-cabin/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/basic-water-filtration-cabin/A plain-language look at what cabin water needs filtering for, which stages do what, and a simple setup order that won't overwhelm you.Mon, 03 Aug 2026 15:52:59 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/blog/august-garden-at-the-cabin-2026/https://solarandspruce.com/blog/august-garden-at-the-cabin-2026/How the garden and cabin held up through a Pacific Northwest heat wave: early watering, improvised shade, and honest grid-tied power use.Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:43:34 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/spring-thaw-checklist-cabin/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/spring-thaw-checklist-cabin/A practical checklist for pipes, mud, systems, and garden beds when winter finally lets go.Wed, 29 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/first-year-self-sufficiency-mistakes/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/first-year-self-sufficiency-mistakes/The early mistakes that cost us time, money, and a few frozen mornings: and what we'd do differently.Mon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/size-battery-bank-cabin/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/size-battery-bank-cabin/A practical way to turn your daily power use into a battery size that covers a cloudy day or two: without overbuying.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/blog/hello-from-the-cabin-late-july-2026/https://solarandspruce.com/blog/hello-from-the-cabin-late-july-2026/Tending the first garden beds, tracking down solar shade, and learning to lean a little less on the grid this season.Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/realistic-self-sufficient-costs-first-year/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/realistic-self-sufficient-costs-first-year/What I actually spent building a more self-sufficient household: beyond land and a cabin: and where the surprise expenses showed up.Tue, 21 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/rainwater-collection-basics-cabin/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/rainwater-collection-basics-cabin/How to catch, store, and use rainwater at a cabin: without overcomplicating your first system.Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/beginner-self-sufficiency-tool-kit/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/beginner-self-sufficiency-tool-kit/The tools that actually earned a permanent spot at my cabin: and what I wasted money on buying too early.Sun, 19 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/estimate-daily-power-use/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/estimate-daily-power-use/A simple method for figuring out how much electricity you actually use: the first step before sizing any solar setup.Sat, 18 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/winter-prep-checklist-cabin/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/winter-prep-checklist-cabin/A month-by-month checklist for getting a cabin ready before the cold sets in.Wed, 15 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/first-year-garden-from-zero/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/first-year-garden-from-zero/What to plant, what to skip, and how to keep expectations realistic in your first growing season.Sun, 12 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/keep-water-line-from-freezing/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/keep-water-line-from-freezing/Practical steps to protect your water line through a northern winter: from someone who learned the hard way.Fri, 10 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/solar-basics-explained/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/solar-basics-explained/Plain-language definitions for the three parts of a home solar setup: and how they work together.Sun, 05 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMThttps://solarandspruce.com/guides/what-self-sufficient-living-actually-looks-like/https://solarandspruce.com/guides/what-self-sufficient-living-actually-looks-like/A realistic picture of building a more self-sufficient household: costs, trade-offs, and what surprised me in the first year.Wed, 01 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMT