Sunshine feeds the array of solar panels on a barn built by Fraser, and they harvest and purify rainwater, which they consume with care.įive years ago, Rachael and Fraser took the plunge to move off-grid and onto a plot that Fraser had bought more than a decade earlier. “A day of rain to fill the tanks, followed by a day of full sun to top up the batteries, is the best weather ever,” says Rachael.

Two dogs add extra security to their fenced-in plot – if it’s gloomy in the winter, summer days on their wooded South Lincolnshire land are glorious.

Her children – both under two – have 4.5 acres of woodland to play in, and feast on homegrown greengages, blackberries and sweet chestnuts. Rachael and her husband Fraser grow their own food, keep bees, and harvest solar energy to keep their home running. Today’s soaring energy costs and wider price rises make the idea of self-sufficiency even more appealing for a growing number of ‘off-gridders’ – people who choose to live without connection to the national grid and other utilities, and without the bills. Thick mud, dark days and dodgy showers haven’t dented the allure of living off the grid for Rachael and her young family.

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