Interesting thread. My only experience living this way was in the 1970s where myself and then husband built and lived in a little A frame a half mile off the road in the North East US. The winters are harsh there, but we had a wood stove that we used for heat and cooking and only had a hole in the ground for a toilet (!) We carried our water in but did have a place to go to shower and wash clothes, so that was a cheat. We did grow all our own food including wheat which I made bread from and we even made maple syrup one time. It was so delicious. But then a baby came along and it got more and more difficult. I got stuck in a snow drift one afternoon while holding the baby and not long after that we moved closer to the road to an apartment. But it was a great experience for a year or two. I do remember one time we had a really bad torrential rains and I was convinced the A frame was going to float away carrying me and the baby. I was terrified while my then husband just laughed at me! I guess I was a bit overly anxious. Now that I'm 61 I can see the romance in it but the thing I would miss most is running water. I love to be able to clean my teeth (the ones I have left) and take a bath every day!