“Deciding to go off-grid gave us mental and financial freedom.”
So says Zoe Durant, a 28-year-old mother and content creator who lives in the eastern rainforest of the Big Island of Hawaii with her husband Brian and their two daughters, Zaina and Isla.
The family is completely out of touch with modern reality and lives on a one-acre estate in an “untouched 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 (@tierradehadasjungla), reveals how he saves 70 percent of his income by living off the grid and no longer needs to worry about the cost of living or bills.
She told MailOnline Travel why she thinks life off the grid is better than “civilisation” hands down – although she does have to watch out for lava flow from a nearby volcano, daily earthquakes and pesky mongooses.
Zoe Durant, a 28-year-old mother and content creator, lives in the eastern rainforest of Hawaii’s Big Island with her husband, Brian, and two daughters, Zaina and Isla. She says, “Deciding to move 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 trading food with her neighbors.
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 only to enjoy the freedom at an older age was not our goal. This way, we can live a simple life and not have to work ourselves to exhaustion or spend precious time away from our kids.”
What is a typical day like for you and your family on the farm?
“There is no typical day. It changes constantly,” says Zoe. She explains that she usually makes TikTok videos about “a day in the life” and that the rest of the day is spent “having fun” with the kids. “Their favorite thing is dancing on the beach in the drum circle with other kids,” she says.
How was the farm built?
Zoe reveals that her property is located near the active Kilauea volcano in Lava Zone 1, the area most affected by its lava flow.
They bought their land 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.”
While building their home, the couple relied on information they found on the internet. Zoe adds: “We didn’t use heavy machinery to clear and build. Our hand tools were battery operated and we used a machete to clear a space for our house and driveway. It rains a lot every day and that made construction a little difficult.”
Zoe reveals that her DIY farm is located near the active Kilauea volcano in Lava Zone 1, the area most affected by its lava flow.
While building their home, Zoe and Brian relied on information they found on the Internet. Zoe says, “We didn’t use heavy equipment to clear and build. Our hand tools were battery-operated, and we used a machete to clear a space for our house and driveway.”
The couple spends around $1,000 (£778) a month. Their biggest expense? “The kids”
The family shower, revealed in a house tour on TikTok
What do you like most about living off the grid?
She says: “The tranquility. The sounds of nature. They give a beautiful tone to everything you do.”
How do you manage the financial aspects of living off the grid?
Zoe explains that they have cut their living expenses by about 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 to have to worry about so many unnecessary bills. This way we can save a lot of money and put it towards improving our 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 deal with any medical emergency?
The nearest hospital is an hour and a half drive from her home, but if there is a serious problem “they have to be flown to another island (Oahu).”
Zoe adds: ‘I was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer when we were in the middle of the process of buying our tiny house.
‘It made things difficult for me, but I firmly believe that being immersed in the jungle was the most healing place I could be. I was devastated because a year and a half ago I had been given six months to live. We had just started building the life of our dreams and were ready to try for our third baby. It was a long year, but I defied the odds, survived and got through it.’
Zoe explains that living expenses have been reduced by 70 percent by living off the grid. Pictured above is her outhouse/kitchen.
In the image above you can see their bathroom under construction.
The picture on the left shows Zoe and Brian’s bedroom. The picture on the right shows their dog and cat in the living room.
On the left in the photo above, Zoe is baking bread in her kitchen. In the image on the right, we see her dancing in her living room.
What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced living off the grid?
Zoe, who lives next to an active volcano, explains that there are “lava tubes everywhere” – a natural tunnel formed by lava flowing beneath the hardened surface of a lava flow, which can continue to carry molten lava.
She says: “If you’re not careful with your step, you can fall into one. Plus, steam comes out of these pipes. It’s very noticeable when it rains.”
They are also exposed to the elements and have to survive earthquakes, which occur almost daily, torrential rains and severe storms, which can cause damage to their home.
How is electricity generated?
Zoe says: “We use solar power. Our panels can run our house and at the same time charge our battery banks. We have enough power to run all the typical appliances that people connected to the grid have. We started with a small installation and over time we upgraded with more panels and better batteries.”
Zoe, who lives next to an active volcano, explains that there are “lava tubes everywhere.” “If you’re not careful with your step, you can fall into one,” she says.
Zoe shares the property with nine ducks, three roosters, 15 hens, four cats and a pitbull rottweiler.
Where do you get your food?
Zoe says they get most of their food from the land or from trading with their neighbours. They have contacts for fresh milk, cheese, beef, chicken, lamb and fish, and they trade the eggs their hens lay.
They also grow their own papayas, avocados, turmeric, bananas, lilikoi (passion fruit) and guavas. She says: “The only thing we buy from the store are our beans and from time to time we treat the children to an ice cream or a chocolate bar.”
Have you ever come across a dangerous animal?
Along with her husband and children, Zoe shares the property with nine ducks, three roosters, 15 hens, four cats and a rottweiler pitbull.
She says she has lost many of her farm animals to mongooses and adds: “They are a big problem here and the smell of manure attracts them. We have to work hard to outwit them. We spend most of the day outside and keep an eye on the farm.”
Would you ever return to online life?
“Absolutely not,” she says.
“The cost of living on and off the grid doesn’t even compare. We have all the services that people on the grid have and it’s more reliable.”
What advice would you give to someone considering living off the grid?
Zoe says: “Cheer up. Learn to let go of material things and unlearn all the nonsense that society tries to convince you is normal. It’s hard at first, it’s a huge change, but it’s worth it.”