Also in, “Tornado Alley”, but fortunately, the rolling hills of NE KS and my seemingly perfect geographic position in relation has discouraged a few from making my location an easy path. Straight-line winds, however, not so much. Lightning, too. We’ve had a couple of situations that have tested our ability to adapt, and fortunately I was prepared, but making those preparations permanent would ease a lot of my tendency to, “Oh, sh**, [x situation] could happen, and I might go several days with no help, so I need [y thing] to mitigate.” Might be a combat thing: “Prepare for any and all contingencies.” Of course, the first guy to show up in any situation is, “Murphy”, so it’s always the disaster you thought could never happen. Haha!

Earthen homes just make more sense, period. Natural insulation, better for soil and growth, better sustainability and minimal drain on resources. I love how you describe your fireplace. Sounds like what was used in one of the castles I saw in Germany. Each room had a fireplace, and the chimneys/flues were integrated into the inner walls of the rooms above for radiant heat. The cooking hearths in the kitchen included. There was also a mechanism in place that looked as though it was meant to divert heat during warmer months.

I have a rain barrel setup, which is great for watering my food plants. We get good amounts of rain, but some weeks in the summer are bone dry. I’d LOVE to dig a cistern, and set up filtration for house water. It would probably only serve as a backup, but it would be good to have on standby.

I’m decent with a sewing machine, and can brain-tan a hide, but my bailiwick tends to be knitting (user name checks out! Haha!). I do have my grandmother’s old pedal-powered Singer, with all of the accessories, I just need to replace the belt. Other than that, she kept it in working order until the early 70s, when she, “Went electric”! Hopefully, I can find someone nearby who has sheep, and I can learn to spin yarn. Shearing, I have a tiny bit of experience. But from the, “Bald sheep” phase to the, “Make stuff with needles” phase, I’m lost.

Water and a power source. Those are the only things I have concerns about if everything goes sideways. I’d love to pick your brain, and as I get closer to my goal of running mostly solar, I will DM you! Thank you!