I live in a DIY house off-grid in the rainforest of Hawaii with my family… this is how we survive and why I would never go back to modern life (despite the lava and earthquakes)
‘Going off-grid gave us mental and financial freedom’
That’s according to Zoe Durant, a 28-year-old mother and content creator who lives in the eastern rainforest on the Big Island of Hawaii with her husband Brian and their two daughters, Zaina and Isla.
Completely disconnected from modern reality, the family live on a one-acre farm in a “pristine jungle”. Zoe and Brian invested $70,000 (£54,000) in their “dream life” and built their tiny 16x20ft home from scratch. They now spend their days waking up to the sounds of ducks and chickens, dancing on the beach and swapping food with their neighbours.
Zoe, who documents her life on the farm on her TikTok account (@junglefairyland) shows how she saves 70 percent of her income by living off-grid and no longer has to worry about living expenses or bills.
She told MailOnline Travel why she thinks life off the beaten track is far better than life in ‘civilisation’, although she has to watch out for lava flows from a nearby volcano, daily earthquakes and pesky mongooses.
Zoe Durant, a 28-year-old mother and content creator, lives in the eastern rainforest on the Big Island of Hawaii with her husband Brian and their two daughters, Zaina and Isla. She says, “The choice to go off the grid gave us mental and financial freedom.”
Zoe documents her life on her farm on her TikTok account – @junglefairyland. She spends her days waking up to the sounds of ducks and chickens, dancing on the beach and swapping food with her neighbours
What inspired you to choose an off-grid lifestyle?
Zoe says: ‘The idea of being away from our kids, working nine to five, paying bills every month, retiring at 65 and then enjoying freedom in old age just wasn’t our goal. This way we can live a simple life and not have to work ourselves to death or spend precious time away from our kids.’
What does a typical day look like for you and your family on the farm?
“There’s no typical day. It’s always changing,” Zoe says. She explains that she usually makes “day in the life” TikTok videos and spends the rest of the day “having fun” with the kids. She says: “Their favourite thing to do is dance on the beach in drum circle with other kids.”
How did you build the farm?
Zoe says her farm is located near the active Kilauea volcano, in Lava Zone 1, the area hardest hit by the lava flow.
They bought their plot in cash. Zoe says: ‘The risk is too high for banks to let you take out loans to build and buy. We could have built it cheaper, but we wanted to do it right and not have to go back and fix things.’
During the construction of their home, the couple relied on information they found online. Zoe added: ‘We didn’t use any heavy equipment to clear and build. We had battery-powered hand tools and a machete to clear the space for our house and driveway. It rains heavily every day, which made it a bit difficult during the build.’
Zoe reveals that her homemade farm is located near the active Kilauea volcano in Lava Zone 1, the area hardest hit by the lava flow
During the construction of their home, Zoe and Brian relied on information they found online. Zoe says, “We didn’t use any heavy equipment to clear and build. Our hand tools were battery powered and we used a machete to clear the space for our home and driveway.”
The couple spend around $1,000 (£778) a month. Their biggest expense? ‘The kids’
The family’s shower unit, revealed during a TikTok tour of the house
What do you like most about off-grid living?
She says, “The tranquility. The sounds of nature. It sets a beautiful tone for everything you do.”
How do you manage the financial aspects of off-grid living?
Zoe explains that they have reduced their living costs by around 70 per cent and now spend around $1,000 (£778) a month.
She says, “My partner is a handyman and I make money as a content creator. Our biggest expenses are the kids. It’s nice not having to worry about so many unnecessary bills. We can save a lot of money this way and spend our money on the quality of life. We have money for new experiences, our future, and if something breaks, we can replace it without worrying about other bills.”
How do you handle medical emergencies?
The nearest hospital is an hour and a half drive from their home, but if there is a serious problem, you have to be flown to another island [Oahu]’.
Zoe adds: ‘While we were in the process of purchasing our tiny house, I was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer.
“It made everything harder, but I truly believe that being immersed in the jungle was the most healing place to be. I was devastated because a year and a half ago I was given six months to live. We had just started building our dream life and were ready to try for a third child. It was a long year, but I defied the odds, survived and beat it.”
Zoe explains that living off-grid has reduced their cost of living by around 70 percent. Pictured above is their outdoor home/kitchen
Above you see their bathroom under construction
On the left of the photo is Zoe and Brian’s bedroom. On the right is her dog and cat in the living room.
Zoe is pictured above left baking bread in her kitchen. The right image shows her dancing in her living room
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced while living off-grid?
Living next to an active volcano, Zoe explains that there are “lava tunnels” everywhere: natural tunnels formed by flowing lava beneath the hardened surface of a lava flow, which can still carry molten lava.
She says, “If you’re not careful with your steps, you could easily fall in. There’s also steam coming out of these pipes. You really notice that when it rains.”
They are also exposed to the elements and have to deal with earthquakes (which occur almost daily), torrential rains and severe storms, which can cause damage to their home.
How do you generate electricity?
Zoe says, “We harvest solar energy. Our panels can run our house and charge our battery banks at the same time. We have enough power to run all the typical household appliances that people have on the grid. We started with a small setup and have upgraded over time to more panels and better batteries.”
Living next to an active volcano, Zoe explains that there are “lava tubes everywhere,” and says, “If you’re not careful with your steps, you could easily fall in.”
Zoe shares the farm with nine ducks, three roosters, fifteen chickens, four cats and a pit bull rottweiler
Where do you get your food from?
Zoe says they get most of their food from the land or by trading with their neighbors. They have connections for fresh milk, cheese, beef, chicken, lamb and fish and they trade the eggs that their chickens lay.
They also grow their own papayas, avocados, turmeric, bananas and lilikoi [passion fruit]and guava. She says, “The only thing we buy at the store is our cereal and the occasional ice cream or chocolate bar for the kids.”
Have you ever seen dangerous animals?
Zoe, her husband and children share the farm with nine ducks, three roosters, fifteen chickens, four cats and a pit bull-rottweiler.
She says she has lost quite a few of her farm animals to mongooses, adding: ‘They are a big problem here and the smell of compost attracts them. We have to try really hard to outsmart them. We spend most of the day outside, guarding the farm.’
Would you ever go back to life on the grid?
“Absolutely not,” she says.
“The cost of living for on-grid versus off-grid is not even comparable. We have all the amenities that on-grid people have and it’s more reliable.”
What advice would you give to someone considering living off the grid?
Zoe says, “Go for it. Learn to let go of materials and get rid of all the bullshit that society tries to tell you is normal. It’s hard at first, it’s a huge change, but it’s so worth it.”