Brock and Anna traded their spacious suburban home for a simpler, more hands-on lifestyle, hoping to raise their three young sons closer to nature and build a family life centered on shared experiences rather than modern conveniences.
Brock, 28, and his wife, Anna, 31, had a vision that went beyond owning a comfortable home: They wanted to spend their days working alongside their children, learning practical skills and living closer to nature. To make that dream a reality, the couple left their 2,500-square-foot suburban house for a 1,000-square-foot cabin in the Rocky Mountains, where they now generate their own electricity, collect rainwater and raise their three young sons in an off-grid environment.
The couple first met as children in North Carolina and began dating in college. Both former Division I athletes, they developed a shared appreciation for the outdoors and the idea of building a family life around outdoor activities.
After six years of marriage, their vision became reality. They left behind a newly built, 2,500-square-foot suburban home, where Brock worked as an engineer and Anna, a former economist and writer, focused on motherhood and homemaking.
The transition required years of preparation. They learned to live on one income, paid off debt and arranged Brock's engineering career around the possibility of working remotely.
"We talked about our plan to go off grid even when we were dating," Anna told PEOPLE exclusively. “We had a shared vision of a back-to-the-basics lifestyle where we could work together as a family every day on our property and raise our kids free of many societal compulsions.”
When an opportunity arose to purchase a cabin in the Rocky Mountains, they decided the time had come.
They kept one important detail from friends and family: Their new home would be off-grid.
"We knew people would try to talk us out of it and tell us we wouldn’t make it," Anna said.
A New Beginning in the Mountains
The move brought an entirely different set of responsibilities. Their new cabin was less than half the size of their former home, and the couple had to establish their own electricity and water supplies.
Their youngest son, Titus, was just 4 months old when the family made the transition. His older brothers, Samuel, 4, and Judah, 2, were also adjusting to their new surroundings.
Although Brock and Anna had spent years researching solar energy, rainwater collection and homesteading, the reality of maintaining an off-grid property proved to be a learning experience.
"Ultimately we had to learn everything along the way," Anna said. "Going off grid has made us far more capable people. We love the constant challenge and learning experience that this lifestyle gives us."
Brock took on much of the technical work, using his engineering background to design and build the family's solar power system, install its rainwater filtration system and tackle other projects around the property.
His problem-solving abilities have become particularly valuable as the family adapts to mountain living.
"I wouldn’t want to live off grid with any other man," Anna said. "He is such a hard worker, and I’ve never met anyone better at problem solving than Brock."
Making Every Drop of Water Count
One of the biggest adjustments has been learning to manage their own water supply.
The family collects rainwater and snowmelt from the cabin's approximately 1,000-square-foot roof, storing it in large cisterns for household use.
With an average of 22 inches of annual precipitation in their area, along with substantial snowfall, the roof provides an important source of water.
One inch of rainfall can produce an estimated 623 gallons of collected water before accounting for losses. Their current storage system holds approximately 2,200 gallons.
For a household of five using around 110 gallons per week, a full cistern could theoretically last more than four months without additional rainfall.
"To put this into perspective, we only need one inch of rain to fall to last our family 1.5 months!" Anna explains.
Before entering the home's plumbing, the collected water passes through two sediment filters, activated carbon and ultraviolet light. The family also uses a Berkey filter for drinking water.
Establishing the system, however, required more than simply collecting rain from the roof.
When they arrived at the property, the existing tanks were leaking and contaminated with algae. The couple repaired, cleaned and disinfected them before burying and covering the tanks to prevent sunlight from encouraging further algae growth.
They are now planning to expand their storage capacity to 5,000 gallons, with a longer-term goal of reaching 10,000 gallons to provide greater security during dry periods.
The experience has also changed how they think about an everyday resource many households rarely consider.
"We love using a rainwater system, how it makes us more intentional about the water we use and makes us feel more connected to the weather and nature," Anna says.
The Rewards of a Different Lifestyle
Life in the mountains is not always peaceful. Some days bring a leaking pipe, while others involve an eroding mountain road, unexpected home insurance complications or a mouse finding its way inside.
With three young children and numerous projects to manage, Brock and Anna often begin their mornings around 4:30 or 5 a.m.
Yet the physical demands are part of what attracted them to homesteading in the first place.
Both former Division I athletes, they had always enjoyed hiking, camping and exploring the outdoors. They wanted to make those interests part of their children's everyday experiences rather than occasional family activities.
"We didn’t want to just enter another sports league or do more CrossFit," Anna explains. "We wanted to work in nature as a family and learn practical skills that could benefit all of us for generations."
Their three sons now spend much of their time playing outdoors, exploring the property and joining their parents on hikes and other adventures.
For the couple, this change has brought a different sense of satisfaction to family life. Before relocating, they often found themselves leaving home in search of another activity or distraction.
Now, their property itself provides opportunities for learning, exploration and spending time together.
"Home didn’t feel intentional and inspiring to us like it does now," Anna says.
Despite their remote surroundings, Brock and Anna have also found a close-knit community in the Rockies. Neighbors help one another with projects and everyday challenges, reminding the family that becoming self-reliant does not mean having to live in isolation.
The couple shares their experiences through their social media account, Wild North Family, on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Their combined following across the platforms has grown to more than 1 million people.
Through their posts, they offer glimpses into the practical realities of their lifestyle and the work involved in maintaining an off-grid home.
Looking Beyond Comfort
For Brock and Anna, the decision to leave suburban life was ultimately about choosing what they wanted their children to experience as they grew up.
They have given up considerable living space and everyday conveniences but believe the opportunities for family connection, outdoor exploration and learning practical skills make the trade worthwhile.
"If comfort was what we were after we would have stayed in the suburbs," Anna says. "We think the off grid lifestyle offers something far better for our family."
Their mountain home also carries a special meaning beyond the life they are building together. Their friend Todd built the cabin and helped make the property affordable, and the couple hopes their life there will serve as a tribute to his contribution.
"We hope that our life here honors his legacy every day," Anna says.
For the family, the journey is still unfolding. There are water systems to improve, property projects to complete and new skills to learn. But the challenges have become part of the life they deliberately chose.
What began as a shared dream during their college years has grown into a home where the parents and their children learn to work with nature, depend on their own abilities and find fulfillment in everyday experiences.
And for Brock and Anna, that is worth more than the comfort they left behind.
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