Jason and Marcia’s off-grid lifestyle in Te Mata, near Raglan, New Zealand, is the result of resilience, creativity, and a fierce commitment to keeping their land in the family. Their story shows that going off-grid isn’t always about lofty ideals. It’s about survival, adaptation, and finding freedom in simplicity.
Why They Went Off-Grid
For Jason and Marcia, off-grid living wasn’t a romantic dream. It was the only option. “We didn’t go off-grid to save the world,” Jason explains. “This was about surviving and living simply.”
Starting with little more than a small church building, they learned to make every square metre count. They cooked outdoors, stretched their resources, and adapted to the limitations that came with their choice. Over time, those limitations became lessons, teaching them to value power, water, and food in ways most people take for granted.
The Leap Into Solar Power
One of the turning points in their journey was installing solar power. At first, they could only afford a modest setup The Bach Kit, which gave them lights, a fridge, and the basics to get by. “It was literally freedom for us,” Marcia recalls.
Determined to build a sustainable system for the long term, they worked with Ethan from GridFree and came up with a plan to expand. Within three months, they upgraded to a larger system, The Freedom Package carefully integrating batteries for reliability. It wasn’t easy, but their persistence paid off. The system covered itself within three years and, seven years later, it’s still powering their home.
Living With Nature, Rooted in Community
Off-grid living for Jason and Marcia is about more than energy independence, it’s about living in rhythm with the land. Their property now thrives with vegetable gardens and hand-built features that reflect both necessity and creativity. Their children are growing up surrounded by lessons in resilience, sustainability, and self-reliance.
Community is another pillar of their life. Te Mata is a place where neighbours look out for one another, and Jason and Marcia have given back in kind, volunteering their time to restore the town’s 120-year-old community hall. Their off-grid life has deepened not just their connection with nature, but also their bonds with the people around them.
What They’ve Gained
Through all the challenges, Jason and Marcia have created a life rich in meaning. Off-grid living has given them:
- A way to hold onto their family land.
- Resilience born from doing more with less.
- More time with family and space for creativity.
- A lifestyle grounded in sustainability and self-sufficiency.
- Stronger ties to their community.
