Hawaiʻi Big Island dwellers came across a mega-find while weeding new, off-grid property and opted to take an old-school approach in getting rid of it.
Off Grid Baddie (@theoffgridbaddie) shared a video revealing a vanilla haven growing on the land.
@theoffgridbaddie Trading has become one of my favorite parts of off-grid life 🌿💫 There's something magical about exchanging plants, stories, and energy instead of money. Big Island friends — I've got vanilla vines and I'm down to trade 🌸 DM me if you wanna swap! 🌱💚 #OffGridLiving #OffGridBaddie #JungleLiving #HomesteadLife #SelfSufficientLiving #SustainableLiving #SimpleLiving #PlantSwap #PlantTrading #BarterLife #VanillaVine #TropicalPlants #IslandLife #BigIslandHawaii #HawaiiPlants #Permaculture #JungleGarden #NatureLover #ReelItFeelIt #ContentCreatorLife ♬ original sound - Off Grid Baddie
"We stumbled on a gold mine!" the TikToker raved at the top of the video, showcasing a plethora of long-vined vanilla — each of which would sell for around $50 per vine at the market.
However, her husband had the idea of posting on Facebook to see if anyone would want to trade it for other plants. A man responded, and they were invited to his beautiful property, which was full of exotic plants next to a koi pond.
They ended up trading the vanilla for three trolleys full of plants to fill the back of their truck, including shampoo ginger. It was a successful barter, as they weren't looking to make money from the vanilla, and they had made a new friend and received amazing new plants to add to their landscape.
"Trading has become one of my favorite parts of off-grid life," the caption said. "There's something magical about exchanging plants, stories, and energy instead of money."
Off-grid living can save a lot of money when you aren't paying utilities or rent every month. When you don't rely on the grid, you're able to set up a self-reliant system that's more reliable — especially during storms and other extreme weather events.
Beyond a non-reliant, lower cost of living, living minimally helps relieve some stress off our planet since it produces less waste and relies on renewable energy rather than coal, oil, or gas energy sources, like most conventional power hubs. Living smaller and reducing your carbon footprint does big things for the rest of the world.
If you're not ready to relocate off the map just yet, there are ways to modernize your home that will lower utilities, reduce planet-warming energy output, and give you a small taste of sustainable living. Transitioning to induction cooking, installing heat pumps, or going solar are great places to start.
For those new to off-grid living or curious, one TikToker shared the importance of being ready for weather changes, especially in the winter. Many new to the idea are shocked by how low-cost it can be to build your own home. One guy constructed his home for under $3,000 and was happy to divulge exactly how he did it.
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Not enough time ⏳ The vanilla-vine trade inspired many in the comments section of the TikTok video.
"You hit the jackpot," one person said.
Another commenter wrote: "How blessed!"
"That looks like heaven," a third added.
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