First Weekend of November: Winter Prep at The Off Grid Ark

When you live off the grid, the change of seasons isn’t something you watch — it’s something you work with. The first weekend of November is when fall’s golden glow turns into winter’s first warning, and I shift from building mode to winter-prep mode.

Keeping the Power Balanced

Every month I do a bit of battery shuffling. My two 6-volt Rolls batteries slowly lose their strength through the month, so I pull them out and swap in freshly charged ones. It’s not glamorous work — just part of the rhythm of off-grid life. Moving forward though I'm going to experiment with running the system at 46 volts to see if I can even things out.

It’s funny how small tweaks like this can make a big difference. Living off-grid keeps you curious — there’s always something to learn, something to improve.

You might be able to see the bottom right C&D battery is cracked. So I "jimmy-rigged" two Rolls batteries to fill the gap... it should work in theory, but different batteries charge and discharge at different rates.

Clearing Chimneys and Clearing Trails

One job I’m not proud to admit I’ve put off for too long was cleaning the living room chimney. It’s one of those chores that should be done every year, but somehow slipped through the cracks… for a few years.

This weekend I finally took the stove pipe apart and gave it a good cleaning. It’s a messy job — soot everywhere — but an essential one. A clean chimney means better draft, hotter burns, and most importantly, no creosote buildup that could start a fire. It’s a reminder that living off-grid doesn’t mean roughing it; it means taking responsibility for every system that keeps you warm, safe, and self-reliant.

A clean chimney burns hotter and safer — an off-grid essential that’s easy to overlook.

Fueling Winter from the Bunkhouse Build

This cord of wood below might not look like much to most people — but to me, it’s the byproduct of progress. Every log here came from the dead beech trees I dropped while milling the 6x6 support beams and flooring for the new bunkhouse build.

It’s the wood that didn’t make the cut — literally. The knots, splits, and off-cuts that weren’t good enough for the sawmill ended up perfect for the boiler. Around here, nothing goes to waste. The trees that supported the forest for decades are now keeping the house warm while the rest become the foundation for what’s next.

When you live off grid and heat with wood, having a pile like this is similar to the feeling you get seeing you have enough money in your bank account.

Giving Diaz Her Space this winter

Over in the barn, I turned one big open stall into two. Diaz now has her own corner, and Xena and Nelly share the other. Once the nights dip below freezing, the horses sleep inside — it’s the only way to keep their water and the barn itself from freezing solid.

By now, everyone at The Ark — humans and animals — starts shifting into winter mode.

Tires, Trails, and a Change in Plans

I swapped Monique’s SUV to winter tires, then turned my attention to my Goldwing motorcycle. I’d planned a 30 km ride to Wakefield to burn off the summer gas and refill with premium for storage. The tank was treated with Seafoam, but just as I was gearing up, Monique warned me that a snowstorm was thirty minutes out. November 9th felt too early for a lasting snowfall, so I held off — good call, as it turned out.

With riding off the table, I grabbed the leaf blower instead and cleared nearly three kilometers of trail. I’d done it once before our Relentless race, but more leaves had fallen since. Clearing them now saves a ton of effort come spring, when wet, matted leaves turn the trails into a mess.

Finishing Up as the Snow Fell

I made it back just as the storm rolled in — perfect timing to move indoors and reorganize the basement. I needed to make space for the Goldwing and for when I install the tracks on the ATV. I’m still debating whether to put them on now or wait. With snow already piling up and my ATV tires past their prime, I won’t get far hauling logs for the bunkhouse floor without those tracks.

Winter is definitely here — maybe just for the weekend, maybe to stay — but around The Ark, the shift is always the same: prepare early, stay adaptable, and enjoy the rhythm of the seasons.

The boiler is fired up. Warm water circulates to the rooms upstairs, and the radiant heat from the boiler itself keeps the downstairs nice and comfy.