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At 87 years old, Charles Bello has spent the last 50 years living off-grid on his own 400 acres of Redwood Forest in Northern California. He and his late wife raised two sons there — first in a chopped-off A-frame that cost just $2,800 to build, then later in a 3-bedroom cabin, and finally in a stunning Parabolic Glass House they built for only $8,500 using materials from their land. The first many years they went without any electricity, refrigeration, or even a phone line.
50 Years of Off-Grid Living in the Redwoods
“Limitations inspire creation.” “I don’t design; I follow logic.” “We are not smarter than nature. We often think we are, but we are not.”
These are just a few of the wise and witty observations from Bello, who is absolutely fascinating to listen to. His property had no roads, no water, no electricity — nothing — when he first arrived. He created a bridge out of a fallen redwood tree, built everything by hand, made money selling Christmas trees, and homeschooled his boys with 90% outdoor education. The land is now worth an estimated $4 to $6 million.
The Parabolic Glass House
The crown jewel of the property is the Parabolic Glass House — a gorgeous, window-laden structure that Bello designed using what he calls “logic” rather than formal architecture. Built for just $8,500 with materials sourced directly from the land, the home includes a partially underground greenhouse that grows tomatoes even through the winter. The views from inside are breathtaking, with walls of glass framing the surrounding redwood forest from nearly every room.
Seeking Caretakers for 400 Acres of Redwood Forest
The icing on the cake is that Bello is looking for three middle-aged couples to act as land stewards of his property. You will need some pioneering experience and to be debt-free, but what a wild opportunity — the chance to help steward 400 acres of old-growth redwoods that Bello has hand-selected over 1,000 trees to be protected for two millennia. Learn more about the caretaker opportunity here.
Watch the Full Video Tour
Kirsten Dirksen’s video tour of Bello’s estate is nearly an hour long, but it is absolutely worth every minute. Bello is one of the most fascinating people you will ever hear from.
Highlights
- 50 years living off-grid on 400 acres of Redwood Forest
- 17 years without refrigeration; many years without electricity or phone
- Raised 2 sons in a chopped-off A-frame ($2,800 to build)
- Homeschooled both boys with 90% outdoor education
- Later built a 3-bedroom cabin
- Parabolic Glass House built for $8,500 using on-site materials
- Partially underground greenhouse grows tomatoes in winter
- Made a living selling Christmas trees
- Created a bridge from a fallen redwood tree
- Hand-selected 1,000 trees to be protected for 2,000 years
- Land now worth an estimated $4–6 million
- Currently seeking 3 middle-aged couples as land stewards
Learn More
- Video: 50 years off-grid: architect-maker paradise amid NorCal Redwoods (Kirsten Dirksen)
- Caretaker info: savetrees.org — Seeking Caretakers
- Fair Companies: Full story on Fair Companies
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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through one of our links, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Natalie C. McKee
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