Self-reliance, Off-Grid Communities Take Root in the Mountain West

Philip Gleason, founder of "Operation Self-Reliance," is on a mission to create five off-grid communities across the Mountain West. With over 140 residents thriving in Utah and new members joining their Arizona community, the plan is now expanding to Idaho, with additional sites envisioned in Wyoming and Alberta, Canada.

What sets these communities apart is their scale and purpose. "Most off-grid projects involve 10 or 40 acres with a few families. Our goal is to create communities of at least 200 families, requiring a minimum of 1,000 acres," Gleason explains. Each family owns a 2-acre homestead designed to provide everything needed for a self-reliant lifestyle, including food, water, and power.

The cooperative model plays a vital role in the community’s structure. Residents are co-owners, voting on board members and contributing to decisions about shared resources and social activities. "The co-op ensures buy-in and fosters a spirit of mutual aid," Gleason says, noting how Utah residents routinely band together for barn raisings and greenhouse builds.

Idaho presents an exciting opportunity for this vision. With its fertile soil, abundant water, and culture of independence, the state is ideal for those seeking a self-reliant lifestyle. Gleason describes the kind of people drawn to these communities as “movers and shakers—problem solvers who take action to improve their circumstances.”

The next steps for the Idaho project are simple: gather like-minded individuals who want to live off-grid and then find land in an Idaho county that can accommodate the vision. Gleason invites anyone interested to join a Zoom call on January 4, 2025, to learn more.

For details and registration, visit https://bit.ly/Idaho1-register.