The 30 Day Off-Grid/Lock Down Challenge

When I first announced my intention to engage in a 30 Day Off-Grid/Lock Down Challenge, some people scratched their heads. “How would this be different than how you normally live?” “Won’t this be easy for you?”

No. It will be different than how I normally live, and it will NOT be easy. The scenario is very much like what is actually happening, with some changes…. A systemic collapse or interruption has made it where I cannot go to town or leave the land at all. Whatever I have, that is all I will have for the 30 days. This is not a “wilderness survival,” or “hardship test.” The point isn’t to live in a tent and try to starve on wild edibles and rabbits. The scenario is a very realistic situation where I (or my family) will have to live here without any dependence on the grid or systems of goods and services.

This is NOT how we currently live, as most of you know. We try to grow and produce as much as we can, but other than some 1 and 2 month tests when the children were here and younger, we do normally go to town for things like ice, meat (when we are not butchering,) animal feed, some food supplies, entertainment, etc.

Not only that, but this is the WORST time in our fifteen years out here for me to be doing this. First, 2019-2020 was supposed to be our land sabbath. We did not put fall crops or gardens in. We have not planted a spring garden yet. Our root cellar and food stores are at their all-time low since we were planning on the PENNSYLVANIA movie to start shooting this summer. I was likely to be gone (before all this happened) for 6-9 months this year with the movie, so we were in the process of divesting ourselves of a lot of “stuff,” animals, etc. Our root cellar isn’t empty, but it is close. It will be a challenge to keep it all going.

Here is the challenge:

• I will be staying on the land only, no going to town or to any stores, mostly* alone. No ordering anything survival oriented online**.
• I will not pre prepare, meaning I will not spend this week stocking up on stuff. I decided to do this yesterday morning (the 12th of April,) and will add nothing to any preps/supplies necessary to my survival, prior to the challenge starting on April 20th.
• I will post at least one video a day. The produced videos will be delayed by a few days since it will take time to edit and produce them. On days when there are no videos being released, I will be doing a LIVE broadcast on my YouTube channel. Make sure you are subscribed.
• I will attempt, as much as I can, to show every aspect of what it would take to survive and thrive in this scenario: Cooking, Cleaning, Hunting, Gathering, Bathing, Planting, Growing, Farm Work, Firewood, Fires, Food Preservation, Tools, etc. It will not be perfect. It is unplanned for. It will be me just making do with what we have.
• For food I will only eat what we have, grow, harvest, etc. I can eat from our food stores, but I cannot add to them from any store, including Amazon.
• Heavy emphasis on The Bunker Principle.
• There will be regular LIVE Q&As where you can not only ask Questions, but make suggestions or to offer ideas of things you’d like to see me make, do, or attempt.
• I will be continuing my extreme workout schedule and fitness mission. I still have the opportunity to perhaps be in the movie – whenever Hollywood gets up and going again – so I plan on being ready.
• I will be continuing, as much as I am able, my other work.

*My children are all in Arkansas, hunkering down for the duration of the pandemic. They are safe and thriving. My wife will be staying with her sister in the DFW area, and IF the roads are open and safe, will be returning home for some of the weekends during the challenge. But for the most part I will be on my own, surviving alone on the land.

**1. I will still be receiving mail, but I will not make use of any food or other survival supplies that arrive during the challenge, other than IF someone or a sponsor wants me to review some gear or a gadget I will do it purely as a review. I will not be ordering, or adding commercial survival supplies from any store during the challenge. However, I am hoping to augment my technological capacity to film and produce good content during and after the challenge, so I am doing a fundraiser and will be purchasing some cameras, batteries, and other filming equipment. You can help out by either directly donating (PLEASE GO TO MY SUPPORT PAGE,) Sponsoring Me for the Challenge, or Buying some of the stuff I need on Amazon through my Amazon Wish List page. 2. If you or someone you know would like to SPONSOR me during the challenge, through direct support or through some other sponsorship, I will be posting a sponsorship article later today or tomorrow. Also, just for fun, I will be receiving mail during the challenge. It would cut my loneliness and be exciting (just to check the mail) if people send things they think would be fun or cool or funny. A letter Spiritual Encouragement, T-shirts, Music, Art, etc. Anything you’d like me to show during the challenge. I will be the judge of what I show. Nothing racy, foul, or profane. Also, if you have things you want me to review, send it on. Address is at the end of this article.

Here is the video announcing the Challenge. I look forward to your participation!

Snail mail stuff or donations:

M. Bunker 1251 CR 132 Santa Anna, Texas 76878