Wild Chaga Mushroom

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Where to find and Harvest Chaga Mushroom

Chaga Mushroom
Chaga Mushroom growing on a birch tree

If you’ve ever walked through a grove of birch trees, you may have come across a strange, dark, burnt-looking growth on the trunk. That’s Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus), a wild medicinal fungus prized for its health benefits. On our off-grid property, we’re fortunate to have birch trees where we harvest Chaga responsibly.

What Is Chaga Mushroom?

Chaga is a slow-growing fungus that thrives mainly on birch trees in cold climates. It appears as a hard, cracked, black mass on the outside, resembling burnt charcoal, while the inside is a vibrant rusty orange to yellowish-brown.

  • Size: Can grow 10–15 inches in diameter.

  • Growth rate: Takes 3–10 years to reach harvest size.

  • Best growth: On healthy birch trees around 40 years old.

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What to do if you meet a cougar?

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Cougar Encounters in the Wild: Safety Tips and Facts Don’t run and don’t back down!If you spend time hiking, camping, or living in cougar country, it’s important to know how to stay safe. Cougars (also called mountain lions or pumas) are elusive, powerful predators that avoid humans most of the time—but knowing what to do … Read more

Heat Powered Wood Stove Fans – the EcoFan

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Heat Powered Wood Stove Fan – Why the Ecofan Is Worth It

If you own a wood stove and want to maximize its efficiency, a heat powered wood stove fan is one of the best accessories you can add. I’ve been using the Ecofan wood stove fan for over eight years, and it’s easily one of the most valuable tools for heating our off-grid home.

Ecofan

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Installing Wood Flooring over Concrete

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The Cabin Floor

Concrete Floor

The old cabin floor had to be removed, we were almost certain that underneath the wood would be a dirt floor, but to our surprise there was a concrete floor under that dirty old particle board.

 

Whoever had put the floor in this cabin had built a frame raised floor and covered the concrete with particle board.

We would find out what we had to work with once the entire old floor was removed.

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Small Wood Stove

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A Small Wood Stove for a Small Cabin
Wood Stove

2025 Update:  We have taken the wood stove out and put in a propane furnace.  It’s wonderful and the cabin is now for our guests

The cabin is only 10 x 11 so there was no need to leave the big cast iron wood stove that was in there.  A small wood stove will do the job we need it to do.



There are all kinds of small wood stoves out there, we are trying to recycle and use what we have so spending money was not part of the plan.  We found a larger wood stove in the cabin, but the heat from it would have blown us out of there, so we decided to buy a cheaper wall tent stove.

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Bear Encounters at the Cabin

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Bear Encounters at the Cabin: Staying Safe in the Wilderness Living and spending time off-grid brings incredible rewards—peace, quiet, and a strong connection to nature. But with that comes the reality of wildlife encounters. Out at our property, there’s always the potential of running into a bear. In fact, the last few summers I’ve seen … Read more