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Joe Trumpey: Michigan Radio Interview

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Joe Trumpey discussed his family’s off-the-grid lifestyle in an interview on Stateside with Cynthia Canty, produced by Michigan Radio (91.7 FM). Joe and Shelly Trumpey, with daughters Autumn and Evelyn, were named 2015 Homesteaders of the Year in the August/​September issue of Mother Earth News magazine.

Living off the grid can be a lot of work, but Joe and Shelly Trumpey and their two daughters have managed it for years. Their home is near Grass Lake in Jackson County. Finished in 2009, the home relies on straw bale insulation, solar power year-round, wood burning in the winter and efficient construction to keep it running.

The home is surrounded by acres of garden and pastures for the family’s sheep, goats, turkeys, rabbits, chickens and ducks.

For Michigan family living off the grid, it’s not about the sacrifice, it’s about paying attention” | Michigan Radio