Candy Apple Web Design

My name is Steve Dekarske I’m 54 years old; I created this website to put together as much information regarding self-sustainable, green, off the grid living that I could find as well as our own ideas, plans/dreams and life experiences. A look no farther, all you ever wanted and didn’t even know you needed; one stop place to come to for this type of life style and then some. This will be a living, breathing website; constantly growing and changing. We’re open to suggestions, comments, ideas and any stories willing to be shared with all the do’s and don’ts, the good the bad and the ugly too!  

My lady Tina, our dog Kira, and I currently live on a little over an acre in the mountains east of Albuquerque New Mexico. It’s awesome. We have our own well and a septic system; a first for both of us. We’ve only been here a few years but we sure have learned and experienced a lot. Most of the things we’ve learned were from intense, exhausting and time consuming research and a few through trial and errors.

Growing up my Father taught me never to turn down an opportunity to learn anything, even if it didn’t spark my interest. When God presented me with the chance to learn something new or to improve on anything I was already familiar with, I jumped in head first with ears and eyes wide open and it always paid off. Then, as I was teaching this in valuable lesson to my children…….I learned something else…….. “seeing things through new eyes”. Sometimes when my boy’s would help me with a project they would ask me………… hey Dad how come you didn’t do it this way? I would be amazed at the fact that their idea was actually better, made more sense, and was easier or even faster than the way I was doing it. I would tell them “you’re pretty smart” what a great idea and do it their way.

I have 12 years experience in construction as a journeyman metal stud framer and drywall hanger. During those 12 years I also learned the majority of the other building trades as well in between the framing and hanging jobs. (Like I said; I never walked away from an opportunity to learn anything) I taught myself how to read blueprints by taking them home and studying them over and over which helped me to secure a few foreman positions. So here I am; a “jack of all trades” and the master of some!

Our dream is to design and build our own home from the ground up. With ideas I want to try based on several projects I have worked on; one of them was even “Top Secret”.

Tina and I plan to reuse, recycle and renew as much as possible. This is a living, breathing and a work in progress website. We will be taking lots of pictures of every project; to show the step by step process along with more videos like the one we made of our box woodstove installation.

(The video is at the bottom of the wood stove page)