Category Archives: Non-Electric Lighting

Living Off Grid 101: Lighting

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Stacy with oil lamp

Stacy with oil lamp

Editor’s Note: Please welcome back our special guest bloggers Doug and Stacy from popular YouTube channel OFF GRID with DOUG & STACY!  Eight years ago, they decided to leave the rat race, cut that average $100 a month electric bill, and live a much more simpler life. Today they’re sharing with us how they light their home without electricity.

One of the biggest things people take for granted is electricity. The ability to flip a switch and turn a light on is rarely thought about or questioned. When you live off the grid like we do and embrace the pioneer lifestyle, turning the lights on takes a bit more thought and effort. Continue reading →

10 Ways To Prepare For A Storm And Power Outage

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oil lamp in power outageAs I write this, the snow is coming down in a solid white sheet, obliterating everything more than 20 feet away. The snow is expected to be followed by sleet and then freezing rain. Will we lose power? Probably, but I feel well-prepared to manage for several days without it. How about your family? What steps should you take when you know a storm is bearing down? Here’s a check list to get you started. Continue reading →

Illuminating Tips for Non-Electric Lighting

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Oil lamps at Lehman's

Oil lamps are not only a sustainable source of light, but they also provide a tranquil glow to your home.

Living simply begins with making sustainable choices, from the food you eat to the light you use. A staple in our Amish community, oil lamps and lanterns are a dependable, sustainable source of light that never need an outlet. It’s no wonder that after all these years, folks around the world still use them – from remote, off-the-grid areas to suburban power outages. Continue reading →

A Wish List for Advanced Homesteaders

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diamant grain millWe hear all kinds of advice for novice homesteaders, those brave souls just venturing into the exciting world of self-sufficiency. But eventually novice homesteaders become experienced homesteaders. Through a combination of book learning and trial-and-error, people learn the intricacies of country skills and lead lives of great independence. Continue reading →

When The Lights Go Out

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evening lampEditor’s Note: Shorter days, longer nights? It’s that time of the year! With the time change happening this weekend, we’re sharing with you the importance of having reliable light – not only for the winter season, but for all year long.*

My first experience with an oil lamp was at my grandparents’ house several years ago. We were sitting in the basement playing Scrabble (my grandpa’s favorite game) when suddenly the lights went out. Poof.
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How To Light Your Home Without Electricity

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The Dietz "Blizzard" lantern was designed in 1898 and earned its name by standing up to high winds. At Lehmans.com and our store in Kidron, Ohio.

The Dietz “Blizzard” lantern was designed in 1898 and earned its name by standing up to high winds. At Lehmans.com and our store in Kidron, Ohio.

Editor’s Note: This is article was originally published in December 2016.

For some, the thought of upcoming wintertime power outages comes with a sense of dread or even panic. But there has always been something nostalgic to me about the peace that comes when the noisy hum of household appliances falls quiet. The glowing ambiance of candles or oil lamps gently lighting a room takes me back to bygone days when life had a bit more quality and substance. Continue reading →

Old World Candles Shine for the Holidays

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Christine working on her Bayberry Pillar Candles. Available at our store in Kidron, Ohio or at Lehmans.com

There was a time when everything was made by hand – no automated machines or computerized factories, just the labor of hardworking people. While times have changed, many people embrace the “old-fashioned” way of doing things. Our local chandler, Christine, is one of those people. Continue reading →

How To Make Hand-Dipped Candles

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hanging candles 3

Making hand-dipped tapers is one of the oldest ways to make candles, and also the most hands-on. But, like anything, once you go through the process it becomes simpler each time you repeat it. Continue reading →

Our Olive Oil Lamp: A Fixture of the Rural Night

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olive oil lamp5

I have come to know darkness as a fact of rural life. When the sun sets over the Green Mountains, ceasing to bathe the lush Vermont landscape in its golden evening light, the darkness of night makes itself abundantly known. Continue reading →