From Gotham to isolated, code & debt-free West Texas estate
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IlgVPiDScQ
In 2007, John Wells sold his heavily-mortgaged home in upstate New York and bought 40 acres in West Texas for $8000. The area (Brewster County) is so isolated there are no codes or zoning restrictions so Wells built his own tiny home relying on his set-building experience. Not wanting to rely on outside labor, Wells has continued to build his own services: a solar shower, a basic composting toilet, a bike-powered washing machine, an Airstream guest house, and a huge greenhouse which also houses 4 shipping s he hopes to convert to housing/office space. Wells named his homestead the Field Lab and he likes to experiment with off-grid solutions: one of his latest is a more-powerful solar oven.