@My Self Reliance
— · 38 videos curated
Shawn James — Canadian homesteader building a cabin and farm life.
17 videos in Food & Water
Which Birch Should You Use? Yellow Birch vs. Paper Birch
Identify yellow and paper birch by bark, twig scent, and peeling style; learn their distinct uses for firewood, fire-starting, and crafting.
From the Forest to Your Cup: Chaga Restock
How to harvest, prepare, and brew wild Canadian chaga as a shelf-stable foraged beverage for off-grid living.
Working the Sugar Shack | A Week Off Grid in the Forest
Build timber-frame structures and manage maple sugar production while living off-grid in a remote forest cabin.
Log Cabin Build Alone in the Wilderness - Installing a Wood Floor and Making a Door | Episode 05
Hand-cut and install wooden flooring, build a functional door, and dig an underground root cellar for food storage.
I Built This Off-Grid Log Cabin Alone With Hand Tools (Complete Walkthrough)
Tour of a fully off-grid cabin: hand-tool construction, wood-heat systems, spring water, root cellar storage, and composting toilet.
Bone marrow and bacon the off-grid way
Prepare a nutrient-dense bone marrow breakfast with bacon and eggs using off-grid cooking methods.
Off-Grid Timber Frame Sugar Shack Build | Wood Stove Cooking and Wilderness
Learn timber framing, wood stove cooking, maple syrup processing, and forest resource harvesting on an off-grid homestead.
Off-Grid Water Truth — Wells Aren't Your Only Option
Compare wells and natural water sources for off-grid properties: evaluate access, cost, and reliability for daily use.
Raising the Timber Frame Maple Sugar Shack with my Apprentice: Off-grid Cabin Build
Master mortise-and-tenon joinery and timber frame raising techniques for a functional maple sugar operation on off-grid property.
Off-Grid Log Cabin Exterior Reveal: The Last Finishing Touches
Complete an off-grid cabin exterior with rainwater harvesting, stone masonry, wood finishing, and functional fire pit construction.
Rendering Bear Grease and Cooking Lake Trout on a Wood Stove
Learn to render animal fat for storage and cooking and prepare fresh-caught fish using a wood-burning stove.
Outdoor Cooking Bear at my Off Grid Log Cabin
Learn to render bear fat, manage open-fire heat on stone and cast iron, and cook complete meals in a remote off-grid forest kitchen.
Solo Fishing Trip on Lake Huron: Venison on an Open Fire, Fly Fishing and Canoeing
Practical demonstration of backcountry food procurement, shelter, and fire management during a solo wilderness overnight.
Stone BBQ Grill Complete Build | Improving my Forest Kitchen on my Off Grid Homestead
Building a permanent stone BBQ grill from natural materials at an off-grid homestead kitchen.
Off-Grid Steak Meal No Kitchen
Cooking a complete steak meal over an open fire without modern kitchen equipment—basic campfire technique for protein preparation.
A Moose Attacked Cali while I was Butchering a Bear that tried to Break into my Log Cabin
Processing a defensive bear kill at an off-grid cabin, including butchering techniques, meat preservation, and managing aggressive wildlife behavior.
Making a Wooden Fishing Net and Catching Trout
Learn to craft a functional wooden fishing net from natural materials for sustainable protein procurement in remote settings.