A doomsday prepper has revealed what it’s really like to live off-grid in the desert after purchasing land on Facebook Marketplace.
Zani Sunshine, 43, grew up dreaming of living on a large piece of land.
She and her husband Yaseen, 43, a carpenter, didn’t want to be stuck in their home in Atlanta, Georgia, when the pandemic hit, and decided to trade city life for something more rural.
They soon traded their car for a truck to tow their trailer and traveled with Zani’s 11-year-old son until they found the perfect spot.
A doomsday prepper has revealed what it’s really like to live off-grid in the desert after purchasing land on Facebook Marketplace.
Zani Sunshine, 43, grew up dreaming of living on a large piece of land. She and her husband Yaseen, 43, a carpenter, didn’t want to be stuck in her home in Atlanta, Georgia.
They made the quick decision to trade in their car for a truck to tow their trailer and traveled with Zani’s 11-year-old son until they found the perfect spot.
the couple bThey bought 10 acres of land near Albuquerque, New Mexico, for $10,000 four months after leaving, before purchasing five more acres on their Facebook Marketplace landline for $7,500.
Now the family is in the process of building their own house with solar panels for electricity and a septic system.
They also want to build an underground geothermal greenhouse to grow their own food so they can be self-sufficient.
Zani, an author and content creator, said: “It’s a liberating lifestyle.”
‘I have a much greater feeling of security knowing that you have much more control over things.
‘People think I live in fear. It’s not a fear. There is a possibility and I want to be prepared. “I feel empowered.”
Zani had a busy life in Atlanta, working as a healthcare nurse, but had been preparing for the past ten years.
She said: ‘If something happened, I wanted to be self-sufficient.
They bought 10 acres of land near Albuquerque, New Mexico, for $10,000 four months later, and bought five more acres on their Facebook Marketplace landline for $7,500.
Now the family is in the process of building their own house and has their own solar panels for electricity and a septic system.
‘We had water, medical supplies and bags to get out of the city quickly.
“The fact that we are so dependent on the systems – so many people are not prepared – causes chaos and violence.”
He took the step of going offline in March 2020.
Zani, who is also a consultant, said: “When the pandemic hit, we didn’t want to be at home.
“We traded our car for a truck to pull our trailer.”
The family traveled 1,300 miles until they found the place of their dreams.
They set up their 26-foot travel trailer on the lot and purchased a 40-foot destination trailer for $15,000 on Facebook Marketplace to live in while they built their home.
Yaseen built a mud room next to his trailer for his muddy boots, his wood stove and additional storage.
They had a septic system installed for their waste.
Currently the family has a chicken coop and rabbits for meat, but hopes to get some mules and sheep.
Zani had a busy life in Atlanta working as a health nurse, but had been preparing for the past ten years. She said: “If something happened, I wanted to be self-sufficient.”
Zani, an author and content creator, said: “It’s a liberating lifestyle.” I have a much greater sense of security knowing that you have much more control over things.
The family lives in the high desert at 75,000 feet above sea level, which means their days and nights can vary in temperature.
Zani said: ‘The growing season is really short. We are trying to build an underground geothermal greenhouse, but it will cost $50,000. That’s our next goal.”
Zani currently orders bulk dry foods on Amazon and has between six months and a year’s supply of prepared foods.
They get their fresh food in a small town 30 minutes away or a larger supermarket an hour and a half away.
The family’s land is highly elevated, so they are less likely to experience flooding as it becomes more common due to climate change.
She said: ‘We don’t have tornadoes or hurricanes. There is less chance of that happening.
Zani’s goal is not to be 100 percent self-sufficient, but she wants to be able to live with what she has if something happens.
His recent book Offgrid Planning Workbook is available on Amazon.