If you had asked me three years ago whether I’d ever rely on propane for comfort inside my little yurt, I would’ve told you probably not. Propane felt like a non-renewable choice—something outside the beautiful loop we try so hard to live inside here at Shambhala. Rainwater is renewable. Wood heat is renewable. Propane… not so much.
But life unfolds in her own wise, sneaky ways.
We had already chosen propane for our on-demand hot water, but—plot twist—we accidentally bought a unit too big for the 20lb and 100lb tanks we could refill ourselves. Which meant installing a 500-gallon tank on the homestead… and suddenly, doors we didn’t know existed began opening. Trust the Process.
Letting Go of My Little Yurt (and Getting Her Back)
When we installed our wood stove into the big yurt in the fall of 2023, I had resigned myself to abandoning my little yurt every winter—sleeping in the big yurt with Craig, conserving energy, and giving up my sacred sanctuary space for months at a time. We even bought the cutest tiny wood stove (meant for boat cabins!) but quickly realized heating two separate spaces with wood alone was an effort I couldn’t sustain. We gave it away, and I grieved the loss of “my” place. My bed. My creative energy. The Yin Yurt. But never give up hope.
So when a friend offered us this small Mr. Heater propane unit—and convinced us it would heat a 20’, 314 sq ft yurt—we jumped. Mostly because it shifted something deeper in me: my ideas about comfort and sustainability.
Rethinking Propane: A Quietly Sustainable Choice
The more I actually researched propane, the more I realized how misunderstood it is in the sustainability world. A few things that surprised me:
- Propane is not manufactured for its own sake—it’s a byproduct of natural gas processing and petroleum refining. Using it efficiently is actually a form of resource stewardship.
- It burns clean. Propane produces significantly fewer greenhouse emissions compared to other fossil fuels.
- No toxic residue, no groundwater contamination, no messy particulates like wood smoke.
- High efficiency. Propane appliances often convert 90%+ of their fuel into usable heat or energy.
- Burning propane emits less carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide than almost any other fuel type.
For our demographic—the clean-living, off-grid, low-tox, eco-hybrid crowd—this matters. It’s not perfect, and it’s certainly not FREE, but it’s pragmatic, clean, efficient, and an incredible bridge fuel for homesteaders.
Today… everything shifted.
We installed the heater.
Turned it on.
And in 10–15 minutes, the yurt rose ten degrees.
Just like that, my space was mine again. Not something I had to leave behind for months. Not something I had to mourn.
And no—we won’t run propane 24/7. But the option exists again: to write, rest, meditate, journal, and just be in the place that feels most like home inside this home.
Propane = Our Third Power Source
This winter has been unusually grey and rainy, and living 100% off-grid means we don’t get to shrug when the solar fails—we just… don’t have power. For two weeks we’ve been tiptoeing around unplugged appliances, rationing energy like war times, and praying, literally, for sun.
Until this weekend, when we picked up a propane generator.
And suddenly, we now have a third power option:
- Solar
- Wood
- Propane backup
Soon we’ll be able to recharge our batteries even on dark days—which means keeping the pumphouse heat lamp on (just before freezing temps return!) and keeping some of our tiny modern luxuries:
The air fryer.
The fridge.
And around the holidays?
Watching Elf with the warm, cozy sparkle of Christmas lights.
This House Is Alive
I’ve said this before, but it becomes truer every day:
this house isn’t just a house.
She has a heartbeat (the inverter),
lungs (the wood stove),
and a brain (her smart features).
She’s been unfolding herself into our lives like a living, breathing being who knows exactly what she wants to become.
Off-grid living is one long, beautiful problem-solving adventure. Every challenge births a solution. Every limitation opens a door. Every season shapes us a little more.
And today, a tiny propane heater gave me my sanctuary back.
If you’re on the same page and contemplating your Exit from the Matrix, join our Red Pill Sisterhood here, and let your own journey into a more natural world of wonder begin!
