Living off the grid could be quite the challenge; living a self-sustaining life and adapting to the new environment around you without public aid. The fouch o matic off-grid have found a way to see Mother Nature eye to eye, making homesteading seem effortless. What are they up to now?
Who are the Fouch Family
Finding a family that chooses to live without the granted luxury technology has provided is rare. But the Fouch family seems to find comfort in the sweet embrace of Mother Nature. The family of five, Nick and Esther, both parents to Milo, Stella, and Saddie, live off the grid in Idaho – where they attempt to build an empire together.
With their college degree and achievements, no one would’ve expected that they’d live off-grid, where they have to maintain a sustainable lifestyle to get by.
Esther’s mother, Carla Emery, is the author of ‘The Encyclopedia of Country Living,’ a classic homesteading book. She inherited her talent for writing from her mother. Esther used to be a successful playwright and theater director with a published book titled “What Falls from the Sky,” and Nick, an inventor, and builder.
The merging of their skills and taste for adventure gives their kids the perfect off-grid experience, as they also make vlogs and share their lifestyle.
How Fouch o Matic Started
With about 161 thousand YouTube subscribers still in awe of their propensity to power their 314 square-foot yurt, with solar panels and generators, and a washing machine that uses bicycle power to function, the Fouch family has captured the hearts of off-grid lovers by making vlogs on how much of creative homesteaders they are – with over 23 million views in total.
Nick and Esther’s incredible off-grid journey started in 2013 when Nick decided that he didn’t want to work full-time and just needed time for his family. He then quit his job and moved with his family to the west. They did a lot of moving before settling in Idaho. There was Boston before Idaho, California before Boston, and Idaho before California, where they first met in college.
Before making any significant plan to leave the city, they knew they had to cut a lot of expenses just so they could move to the west and live on their terms. Building their empire from the ground wasn’t an easy job, so they had to live with Nick’s brother in the Boise area and found a piece of land close enough to build a home. Unfortunately, it was the winter season. They had to remain in Boise, where they built a 20-foot yurt, a chicken house, and an outhouse in his brother’s garage.
With a yurt at the back of his four-wheeler and his tools, Nick and Esther moved with their kids during spring and put up a tool shed and generator. A couple of months later, Nick got a job in town, as desperate times called for desperate measures.
Over time, they built a house with solar panels on the roof, have six garden areas with three belonging to the kids, and have a successful landscaping plan. They’ve shown so much progress in the last couple of years, and the off-grid lifestyle seems more manageable than when they first began.
Fouch Family Off Grid Lawsuit
Sometime in 2017, the Fouch family went to Wheaton Labs for a permaculture design course for more exposure to their off-grid lifestyle for two weeks. Unfortunately, they had quite the experience and uploaded a vlog condemning the activities in Wheaton Labs with claims that Paul Wheaton is also a difficult person to work with.
Esther seemed to have an issue with the premises’ safety and sanitary condition, as she felt it wasn’t the best option for her kids. She claimed to have seen feces and barrels in the woods. Paul Wheaton resented their condemnation and filed a lawsuit for slander damages.
After their negative experience with Paul Wheaton during the permaculture design course, Nick and Esther decided they wanted to approach homesteading their way. Approaching their issues, someone else’s method didn’t quite cut it for them.
With 3 acres of land that wasn’t farmland, they needed a step-up to provide enough food supply for their family, and they found a solution, Holistic Management.
Nick and Esther began their transitioning when they started reading a book by Allen Savory titled Holistic Management. Over time, they saw how the adoption of this method suited their values. This method helped them minimize additive input so that with or without constant monitoring, nature willingly gave back to them. They are guided by a philosophy, which says that “Real wealth is in the natural environment around you”.
What Happened to Fouch Family Off Grid
She also mentioned that they enjoy the peace being away from social media brings after her dad got involved in a car accident and was being hospitalized at the time.
The Fouch family has spent about five years sharing DIY videos and vlogs that show what their lives are like living in the mountains. With their recent absence, many fans and viewers have been wondering what life for them has been like so far, as they cannot get an update from their Youtube channel anymore. Well, here’s the update you’ve been searching for.
With a lot going on and life happening, Milo, Sadie, and Stella school at the Basic School District, Idaho. Where they seem to be doing a lot of learning and growing up. The Fouch kids still run their vlog.
With Milo uploading a recent video of his Rube Gold project, he worked on using dominos, strings, levers, wheels, and cannonball – all this work together to drop a water balloon right above a perforated bucket that irrigates the plant below.
Sadie and Stella seem to be interested in the theatre now, as they sing “I Won’t Grow Up” from Peter Pan, showing how well they can sing and perform independently. The little kids sure seem to have grown up as they carry on with their homestead lifestyle, planting gardens and feeding their favorite animals.
Sometime in 2019, Esther Emery wrote an article on the Basin School District students at their Idaho City Outdoor Education (ICOE) day. Showcasing the importance of this event and the impact it has on both the students and the environment. Stella showed how good of a homesteader she was that day by building a tent with logs and leaves for cover.
Esther is still writing and reading books as she stays off social media and maintains the peace she always felt she needed. Since she published an article on The Idaho World Paper, there has been no other update. Taking time out to be a mom, writer, and homesteader is all she’s focused now.
Nick seems to live a private life now, as there is no news or videos to tell us what he has been up to, but we know for sure that he’s out there working on his next mind-blowing project as usual.
FAQ of Fouch Family Off Grid
The fouch family off grid have played a huge role in the decision making of several homesteaders. With their instructional videos and vlogs on how to get along with nature daily, the burden of starting afresh for most prospective homesteaders have also been eased, as these videos provide life hacks on how to get by. Although their online presence hasn’t been felt in the last few years, their legacy still lives on. What happened to the fouch family off grid? They live happily ever after.
Greets and love from Hamburg in Germany. I loved to watch “my off grid fouch family”
I loved the building storys- I am a facility manager for 30 years with carpenter backround.
I also wrote a book 16 years ago and I am in social media. My wife Pamistyle is a creative person with her art journal canal. Cocking paperwork handmade clothe..
There was a time when I found that the fouch family made much to much loading.
YT is a hard job and if there is no time plan- you can be lost in space of the digital world.
Producing cost alot time and energy. From the start we aks to make AD in the canal because tzhat brings extra cash. And extra cash safes Nick from extra work for money outside the home. But both did not understand that they are NOT on a mission for free- and we saw the “burn out process” in the last weeks of their canal. Soul searching. We wrote them that they owe no one enything that we a “view costomers” and that there is NO reason to answhere mails or posts. No, we can be happy “to wacht for free” a lifestyle “like from the Waltons” After creating content hours and hours are toke away by writing and answhering questions? No way. I did not understand why they did not say “good by” and giving a short explanation because we thought tragic was the reason why..brocken marriage or sickness illness or other things. After treaing the subs so nice for a long time- this “hiding over night” did not fit to their character or souls. But I respect that. I understand that. Living “social media public” brings pressure. What I would love to know is how the farm and the house and the work shop is donig. Ethter or Nick dont have to sho their faces in a video BUT one vidoe of The fouch farm in a month or years would be lovingly. Again Love respect and blessing from the second biggest city in Germany. Hamburg- where the Hamburgers came from. I miss “my fouch family” and I have tears in my eyes because of thankfullness for all the laughter the fun the good emotions-I was touched by that canal from a family I never had. I grow up in a disfunctional family with a fathe as an alcoholic- run away on the street when I was 7 years old became a street kid. To watch the fouch family – was like a therapy for my. So thanks again for the service! Frank
Thanks, Frank, for your sharing your life story. I admire you for standing against the odds and making things right for you. I sure think you are as much inspiring to someone as Nick and Esther are. I don’t know about anyone else; I am moved.
Yes, it’s hard to balance life and hobby, I hear you. However, the Fouch family took it up as a lifestyle. They are not Kardashians. So, it was hard for them to manage things without the sponsor’s money in their pocket.
I hope you’ve found your peace. Actually, I want to believe that.
Thank you again for your kind words and support. Best wishes to you and your loving wife. I would love to see her work.
Thanks for the update on the Fouches. So many times I’ve wanted to ask questions or comment but have been reluctant to inundate them with…MORE. I myself, enjoy the quiet of the outdoors and alone time. Time with them just drew me into them though. So much I wanted to help Nick with projects. We have similar joy with wood and metal work. Watching the kids grow up and mom and dad change with time was a joy. I miss them all. The Mrs’s work on videography was extraordinary.
You are welcome Jeff. Kids are taking their own path and doing great in my opinion.
Esther did write a book and I think it did provide a source of income. They had a huge following but there were times when they would disappear and not show how they were doing. It is good that nothing catastrophic happened to them. It was disappointing to me because they were at the beginning stages of building the kids treehouse. Nick and Esther and their children are very intelligent people with great imagination, willpower and a drive for all things of life.
There are financial opportunities that drives YouTube now. Though it has entertainment value I think it is leaning towards a marketing tool. So many channels are taking on sponsorships and Patreon partnerships. It is turning into a money making machine daily. The families wanting to share their life stories and philosophies are becoming the exception instead of the norm.
Yes, I agree. And marketing isn’t the best suit for the fouch. They are so invested in their lifestyle and living, they couldn’t just care about money but it caught up on them eventually.
Would be nice if they would at least do a video tying up the loose ends. The house should be close to finished as a small house gets. The finished out shop. Seeing the finished rocket heater or if it’s gone why. When someone takes responsibility to start a very public, well put together story, it’s disheartening when they flame out.
Yes. The fouch were so unique and devoted in their way. I wish they’d come back too.
Nick is was drew me to their channel, watching him build the projects from the shop to tree house to the ones he was contracted for, taught me tricks and methods I would have otherwise not seen. The wheaton issues and drama and kids was not what I watched but the talent of Nick is where I was able to learn. If some how they read this please fim again, the shop project is great to watch, the methods used and basic tools and help from friends is the community I would like to grow. Hope they are doing well. Thank you for the update.
I wish they’d know still how popular they are to us! You are welcome.
I am going to sound very selfish here, but I miss them so much. However, I miss them for me, for I found them so refreshing. I want to believe…No, I need to believe….that they are working, striving, doing fine and loving each other since that was the story that unfolded before my eyes. You see, the Fouch family reminds me so much of my family. I was like the man of the house, Mr Fouch, and Mrs Fouch reminded me so much of my wife when she was young, and the kids, they were just like my four kids in their youth. My family was full of life and we glowed and that glow was obvious to all around us. I felt that glow in the Fouch family. I am older now, my kids are grown. My wife one day 11 years ago, shocked the kids and I. She broke our hearts and left. She shocked us with her unhappiness. She exited and left me with just the kids to pick up the pieces. I truly looked at myelf and wondered how could I have been so blind and not see the the suffering of the one I loved more than anything . I lost my partner, my wife, my lover, the mother of my children, and the best friend of my life. It was as if i was living a nightmare and it made me doubt if we were ever real. Maybe its not a nightmare that I am in, maybe that life was the dream and I simply woke up. It left me hopeless. The Fouch family made me believe again. It may sound stupid, but somehow they rejuvenated me. When I saw them, I knew that my family was real, the glow I speak of was real, even if it was just for a little while (22 years). I was so happy for the Fouch’s and I wanted to cheer them on, I needed them to persevere and succeed. I wanted to give them encouragement. I wanted to hug them all and tell them that they are living life, they are not surviving, they are living it! They found heaven as much as we can on this planet. I wanted to tell them to soak up the gravy of life with every morsel of their existence and leave nothing on that plate. They made me feel life does matter and that the simple things are the marrow of life and its the ones we love and the ones that love us that enables us to live life and not just survive. That is the meaning of our existence. I hope they come back, but if not, I wish them all the love in the world and offer up my prayers as I will believe they are doing fine, not for their sake, but for my sake because I need to believe…as I said in the beginning, I am being selfish.
THANK YOU! I truly love the Fouches for multiple reasons and have been wondering and worrying for a long time about their fate. I appreciate so much your taking the time to let us know. I wish Esther would have but it’s ok. If you know them…tell them I miss them.
Great Aunt Grunt
You are welcome!
I believe the reason I loved watching their story was the fact that every episode was a learning experience. Not only for Myself but also many many other viewers. Nick and Ester are very intelligent and thoughtful people. You have to love them. Hello From Indiana !
Me too. Can’t agree more!
Its absolutey unacceptable that they didn’t have the decency to upload a video to tell everyone they are stopping social media. They had followers who supported them for years. These are selfish people with no common decency.
In reply to ‘Joe’: I am sure you are not alone in being surprised and disappointed that the captivating ‘Fouch’ story ended abruptly, without even a short explanation. But I think you are quite alone with your choice of words. Many aspects of life can end abruptly, like the lives of your loved ones – will you be just as bitter blaming them? I hope you will discover the importance of counting your blessings, rather than dwelling on your losses. The Fouch family on You Tube was such a blessing – and still is.
Today, Tuesday, November 17, 2021:
I just discovered Nick and Esther Fouch and their 3 kids a few hours ago when I viewed their video “ONE YEAR with a ROCKET MASS HEATER” because of my interest in the same. I Liked, and Subscribed to their Channel. Then, after looking over all their videos on their Channel, I realized the videos were no longer being created as of about 3 years ago. I feared the worst.
After searching on DuckDuckGo I selected a “lead” that took me to you and your mostly complete update on their situation.
Thank you. It allowed me to still my fears of their fate. All the fires in the northern border area along the Washington, Idaho, and Montana border areas had me concerned for them, even though Boise is in the southern part of the state.
For what ever it is worth, I, too, have had rotten luck in my life starting in my mid-30s, starting with an unwanted divorce, loss of my profession, etc., etc.
I am now 80 yrs old, am in reasonably good health, still single (divorced), and living in the desert south western part of Arizona.
The life the Fouches had in the mtns. was the kind of life I had before my divorce, so their lifestyle was of personal interest to me. Of course, I lost all that, but the video brought much of it back to me. If you communicate with them, please let them know that:
1. I really liked them in their video;
2. I liked the info on the Rocket Mass Heater;
3. I was worried they may have lost their Little House;
4. I am so glad to hear that they are still living in their Little House; and
5. I’ll have to view Their kids’ videos.
Thank you for the update.
Xavier Koolat