Bringing a Sawmill to an Off-Grid Island & Harvesting Our Own Livestock

We brought a sawmill to the island this week, and it's going to change everything about how we’ll build out here. Then came a long-awaited harvest — a milestone in our off-grid life. We started this week before sunrise, loading up the boat and heading into the mainland to meet the boys. After a lot of searching, we finally found a used Norwood sawmill for the island. With the crane on the wharf, we lifted the mill into two boats and made the run back across the water. Once we landed, we unloaded piece by piece and got straight to setting it up. By afternoon, we had our first test log on the deck and watched that sawdust fly — a big moment for the builds ahead. Next, we were back into the bathroom addition. We tore the old clapboard off one side of the house, tied the new structure into the old frame, and started laying the rafters for the new roof. Later in the week, the St. Joseph’s crew came out to the island, and together we harvested our first hog. It’s been a long time coming after raising and feeding them all summer. We worked as a team from start to finish — from the pen, to butchering, to vacuum-sealing everything ourselves right here at home. By the end of the day, the kitchen smelled like fresh pork cooking over the stove, and the house felt warmer than it had in days. We wrapped up the week tired, grateful, and feeling the kind of satisfaction that only comes from working together out here on the island.